Non-classical theatre in the later Roman period
Charition
author anonymous
(a rare glimpse of popular entertainment in imperial Rome)
©Translation by Mark Damen All Rights Reserved
Translators notes:
First published in the modern era at the turn of the century along with the "gold rush" of Greek papyri coming out of ancient Oxyrhynchus in Egypt, the text of this skit represents a drama of a sort hitherto unknown in antiquity, a sort of burlesque or vaudeville. Because of the nature of this sort of theatre, it is hard to determine whether the script is complete, at either end. As it stands, the papyrus delivers an integrated, if episodic story. Borrowing heavily from Euripides' Iphigenia Among the Taurians, the anonymous author narrates the rescue of a young girl from barbarian captors. The murderous king, the chorus of foreign women, the innocent heroine and her rescuer brother are lifted wholesale from Euripides. Added are a clown, a ship-captain and an even more exotic setting than Euripides', India.
The papyrus dates from the A.D. 200's, giving the text a rather late "down-date" (i.e. the latest possible date of composition). According to modern editors, the play was composed "probably not much earlier than the age of the Papyrus itself," though that is pure speculation. It is written in the Greek language, which had dominated the Near East since Alexander's day and continued as the lingua franca of the region even after the Romans took over. To wit, the New Testament is written in Greek even though Latin-speaking Romans controlled Aramaic-speaking Palestine in Jesus' time and after. So, even if not in Latin, this drama qualifies as "Roman theatre" in that it certainly served a clientele living in the Roman Empire.
Most fascinating of all is the inclusion of what seems to be one or more Indian dialects. The native characters in this drama all speak in a tongue as yet unidentified, though it includes phrases reminiscent of known Indian languages. Considering that many dialects of ancient Indian languages have been lost since antiquity, we should not be too quick to dismiss the foreign tongue in this drama as stage gibberish. It is fair to say, however, as one modern commentator notes, that the Roman and Greek audience probably cannot, for the most part, have been expected to understand the natives speaking here and that "they merely rejoiced in the exquisite humour of polysyllabic nonsense."
Finally, there are abbreviated notes on staging in the ancient text itself. These notes are, however, very difficult to interpret. For instance, what constituted a stage "fart" (in Greek, porde)? Some kind of sound effect, or music cue, or stage direction as the editor of the text suggests? Whatever, it need not be taken literally. Some of these notes seem to be music or sound cues, others descriptions of stage action. As best I can, I have translated the text below word for word and gone no further in adding detail than filling out or explaining abbreviations. What follows is what is on the papyrus verbatim.
A GREEK MAN
Mistress Charition, celebrate these things with me that I have escaped.
CHARITION
Great are the gods!
CLOWN
What gods? Moron!
(A fart.)
CHARITION
Stop it, mister!
A GREEK MAN
Wait for me here! I'll go and put the ship at anchor.
CHARITION
Go! But look! Their women are coming, too, back from the hunt.
CLOWN
Wow! What big bows they have!
WOMAN A
Kraunou.
WOMAN B
Lalle
WOMAN C
Laitalianta lalle ab . . . aigm . . .
WOMAN D
Kotakos anab . . . iosara
CLOWN
Hello!
(?Castanets)
CHORUS
Laspathia.
(?Castanets)
CLOWN
Ow! Mistress, help!
CHARITION
Alemaka.
(?Castanets)
CHORUS
Alemaka
CLOWN
CHARITION
CLOWN
CHARITION
(Drums. A Fart)
CHORUS
(Argument)
A GREEK MAN
CHARITION
CLOWN
A GREEK MAN
CHARITION
A GREEK MAN
CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
(Drums. Quick meter. Drums again, moderate. Drums . . .? osall<..>) KING
CHORUS
CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
CLOWN (Drums.)
KING CLOWN KING (?Castanets. Drums.)
KING (con't.) CHORUS
CLOWN
KING (Drums.)
CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
CLOWN
(?Castanets. Drums.)
KING
(Drums.)
CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
(Drums, loud.)
BARBARIAN A
BARBARIAN B BARBARIAN A
CLOWN BARBARIAN B
BARBARIAN A (Drums.)
KING (Drums.) . . . Orado. (?Castanets.) Satur . . . (Drums.)
Ouamesaresumpsaradara. (?Castanets.) Ei. (?Castanets.)
Ia. (?Castanets.) Da . . .
CLOWN KING CHORUS KING CHORUS KING CHORUS (?Castanets. ?Flute.)
(Drums five times.)
KING (Drums, loud. Clapping.)
CHORUS CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER CLOWN (Drums. A fart.)
CHARITION'S BROTHER (Drums, loud. The finale.)
CLOWN
CHARITION'S
BROTHER
CHARITION
CHARITION'S BROTHER SHIP-CAPTAIN CLOWN
CHARITION'S BROTHER
CHORUS
CHARITION
For us there is no . . .<text is defective>
Poor fool, thinking you were hostile they almost shot you.
Nothing but trouble for me. Do you want me to drive those, too, to the
river Psolichus?
As you wish.
Minei.
Mistress Charition, I see the wind is rising so we can start crossing
the Indian Ocean and escape. So, go inside and get your things, and if you
can, lift the goddess' offerings, too.
Think twice, mister! Those seeking safety should not ask it from the gods by
robbing their temples. Do you really think they will listen to those pushing
for mercy with villainy?
So, don't touch it! I'll grab it.
Why don't you just get your own things?
I don't ask for those things either, but only to see my father's face.
Why don't you go in? You, serve the food . . . and give them strong wine! They
are coming in person!
What if they don't want to drink it that way?
Moron! In places like this, wine is not for sale. It follows that, if they
can lay their hands on this type <of wine>, they'll drink it willingly,straight
up!
I'll serve them the dregs, too!
There they are, washed with the . . . <text is defective>
Brathis.
Brathis.
What are they saying?
"Let's cast lots for our shares," they say.
Let's cast lots!
Stoukepairomellokoroke.
Get out, you villain!
Brathie.
Bere konzei damun petrekio paktei kortames bere ialero depomenzi petreiko
damut kinze paxei zebes lolo bia bradis kottos.
Kottos.
May "Kottos" ride you and wear spurs!
Zopit.
What
are they saying?
Give them something to drink! Hurry!
Don't want to talk, huh? Good day! Hello!
Zeitsoukormosede.
Ow! Not if you know what's good for you!
It's watery. Throw in some wine.
Skalmakatabapteiragoumi.
Tougoummi. (?Castanets.) Nekelekethro.
Eitoubelletra choupteragoumi.
Oh! (?Castanets.) Don't make me sick! Stop! (Drums. ?Castanets.)
Oh! (?Castanets.) What are you doing?
Trachountermana.
Boullitikaloumbai platagoulda. (?Castanets.) Bi . . .<the
text is defective>
Chorbonorbothorba . . . Toumionaxizdespit platagoulda. (?Castanets.)
Bi . . . Seosarachis.
Martha. (?Castanets.) Marithouma edmaimai. (?Castanets.)
Maitho . . . Thamouna martha. (?Castanets.) Marithouma.
(Drums.) . . . Tun . . .
Malpiniakouroukoukoubi. (?Castanets. ?Flute.) Karako . . .
ra.
Aba.
Zabede. (?Castanets. ?Flute.) Zabiligidoumba.
Aba oun . . .
Panoumbretikatemanouambretououeni.
Panoumbretikatemanouambretououeni. Parakoumbretikatemanouambretououeni. Olusadizapardapiskoupiskateman
areiman . . . ridaou. (?Castanets. ?Flute.) Oupatei.a.
I lead the barbarian chorus unending, O Moon-goddess, advancing to the beat
with loose barbarian step! Chieftains of Indians, to the holy sound . . . (?Castanets.).
. . give . . <the text is defective>.
Orkis . . .
What are they saying this time?
He's telling them to dance.
They act like real people.
Pick him up and tie him down with his holy belts.
These men are now heavy with wine.
I like it. Hey, Charition, come out here!
Come, brother! Hurry!
Is everything ready?
It is. The boat is anchored nearby. Why are you stalling? I'm talking to you,
the look-out at the bow! Take the ship and bring it up alongside here! Hurry!
But if I give the order
first, . . .
Babbling again, disaster-man? Let's put him overboard to
kiss the ships astern.
Is everyone on board?
All
aboard!
Oh, what an unfortunate wretch! A great trembling overwhelms
me in all my misery. Be kind to us, Lady! Save your servant!