Untitled

214 LITURGICAL DRAMA
has the Book of Daniel for its theme. The verses show a high standard
of scholarship and metrical variety. The dramas are skilfully con
structed, and must have made brilliant and impressive spectacles.
Only one of them preserves its music. The manuscripts are both of the
twelfth century, the first a product of the scholar Hilarius, 1 the other
a communal effort of the cathedral school of Beauvais. 2 Both versions
follow the Bible story fairly faithfully, but both add the later apocryphical
episode of the miraculous visit of Habakkuk, guided by an
angel, to the imprisoned Daniel. A further addition is the concluding
pronouncement by the prophet, found in both versions, in which he
foretells the coming of Christ. Except for one brief phrase the two
dramas represent two independent literary workings; but some link
there must have been, for they develop the theme along closely
similar lines. As Beauvais possesses a clearly written musical setting
on a four-line staff, we may leave its companion and consider it alone
in detail.
The drama was probably performed at Matins on 1 January, the
day which also saw the 'Feast of Fools*. Indeed, Darius's cry 'O
hez* seems to echo the bray of the ass from the office of misrule.
That *
Daniel' was a spectacle of great splendour cannot be doubted,
and in many ways it is a fitting example with which to round off our
review of the liturgical drama. It is clear that a large number of per
formers were needed. Both Belshazzar and Darius seem to have a
following of princes and soldiers. Belshazzar's queen enters and retires
escorted by her own followers. The 'golden and silver vessels that
were taken out of the Temple' were no doubt richly furnished by the
treasury of the great Cathedral. Some device was employed to call
forth the prophetic words 'Mane, Thechel, Phares*. The defeat and
slaying of Belshazzar by Darius and his forces was apparently
represented in action, as was the scene of Daniel's ordeal, where an
angel threatens the lions with a sword. Again, the followers of the two
kings were not merely 'supers', but claimed long stretches of the text
for their exultant choruses in praise of their leaders.
As for the music, no use is made of the effective device that we
have encountered, of attaching one tune to one particular character.
Instead, we have a wealth of melodies nearly fifty in all. There is
one striking repetition; time and again the King, whether Belshazzar
1
Paris, BibL Nat. lat. 11331, fo. 12M6. Owing to the entry on various parts of the
*
text of the names 'Hilariiis*, Jordanus*, 'Simon*, and 'Hugo % it has been inferred that
Hilarius stoed his task with some of his scholar-companions. There is no doubt that
everything was song, but once again he has omitted the musical setting.
3
London, Brit Mus. Egerton 2615, fo. 95-108.