Imagination, sympathy with Roswitha’s uncompromising religious faith, a few sets of curtains, or an interchangeable scene, actors capable either by nature or training of extracting a pound of effect out of an ounce of dialogue, are the foundations on which performances of these plays can be built. _Paphnutius_, _Abraham_, and _Callimachus_ are obviously more actable than the others, but I feel that a great deal might be done with _Sapientia_. Perhaps one day it will be possible to arrange a Roswitha “cycle” for the edification of a few enthusiasts. Meanwhile those who share my belief that plays are not plays until they are acted, can amuse themselves by thinking over different methods of representation.
[1] Since this was written, an English translation of one of the plays, _Abraham_, has been issued by a private press.
[2] I HAVE ADOPTED THIS FORM OF THE NAME IN PREFERENCE TO “HROTSUITHA,” “HROTSWITHA,” OR “HROSVITHA,” AS BEING MORE EASILY PRONOUNCED AND MORE PLEASANT TO THE EYE. THE NAME IS SAID TO BE DERIVED FROM THE OLD SAXON WORD “HRODSUIND” (STRONG VOICE), A DERIVATION ACCEPTED BY ROSWITHA HERSELF IN HER PREFACE TO HER PLAYS, WHEN SHE WRITES “EGO, CLAMOR VALIDUS GANDEISHERMENSIS,” AND APPROVED BY GRIMM.
[3] Believing that the representation of the plays is possible, even desirable, I have also aimed at making the dialogue _speakable_.
[4] The manuscript is now in the Munich City Library. Recently another manuscript, containing four of the six dramas, is reported to have been discovered among the state archives of Cologne. (_Times_ Berlin Correspondent, May 9, 1922.)
[5] Since this was written _Callimachus_ (translation by Arthur Waley) has been produced by the Art Theatre. _Paphnutius_, in my translation, was produced by Miss Edith Craig for the Pioneer Players at the Savoy Theatre on June 4, 1914, Miss Ellen Terry appearing in the part of the Abbess.
[6] Celtes prints this as part of the text; Magnin as a direction, on the ground that it is _introducuntur_, not _introducautur_ in the MS.
[7] Another “stage direction” omitted by Celtes.
[8] This admonition to “spectators” is in the MS and seems inexplicable if Roswitha wrote her plays to be read, not performed.
[9] When _Paphnutius_ was acted, the dialogue of the “disciples” was allotted to several different actors, with the interesting result that some definite characters emerged.