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Chapter companions for Plays by Roswitha of Gandersheim.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Translator's Note

    The translator acknowledges the primary sources and scholarly works consulted for the translation of Hrotsvitha's plays, including editions by Celtes, Winterfeld, and Schurzfleisch, as well as critical studies by Magnin and others. Gratitude is expressed to Dame Laurentia McLachlan and Reverend Paul Bonnet for their assistance.

  2. Chapter 2

    Dedication

    Roswitha of Gandersheim dedicates her work to Gerberg, the Illustrious Abbess, explaining the difficulties she faced in chronicling the deeds of the Emperor and her reliance on Gerberg's command and guidance.

  3. Chapter 3

    The Plays of Roswitha

    This chapter introduces the six plays of Roswitha, a 10th-century nun, focusing on their themes, structure, and dramatic qualities. It discusses Gallicanus, Dulcitius, Callimachus, Abraham, Paphnutius, and Sapientia, highlighting Roswitha's skill in blending Christian morality with human emotion, her use of comedy and tragedy, and her unique portrayal of martyrdom and repentance. The translator, Christopher St. John, reflects on the challenges of translation and the historical context of the plays.

  4. Chapter 4

    Prefaces of Roswitha

    Roswitha introduces her collection of plays, explaining her purpose and method in writing Christian dramas to replace the pagan works of Terence, and she dedicates her work to her abbess, Gerberg, while acknowledging the support of other patrons.

  5. Chapter 5

    Preface to the Plays of Hrotswitha, German Religious and Virgin of the Saxon Race

    Hrotswitha explains her motivation for writing plays in the style of Terence: to replace pagan licentiousness with Christian chastity. She acknowledges the difficulty of depicting sinful passion but argues that it highlights the virtue of those who resist, especially women. She humbly admits her work is inferior to ancient authors but dedicates it to God's glory.

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  1. Chapter 6Epistle of the Same to the Learned Patrons of This Book
  2. Chapter 7Plays
  3. Chapter 8Gallicanus
  4. Chapter 9Characters
  5. Chapter 10Characters in Part I
  6. Chapter 11Characters in Part II
  7. Chapter 12Scene I
  8. Chapter 13Scene II
  9. Chapter 14Scene III
  10. Chapter 15Scene IV
  11. Chapter 16Scene V
  12. Chapter 17Scene VI
  13. Chapter 18Scene VII
  14. Chapter 19Scene VIII
  15. Chapter 20Scene IX
  16. Chapter 21Scene X
  17. Chapter 22Scene XI
  18. Chapter 23Scene XII
  19. Chapter 24Scene XIII
  20. Chapter 25Scene I
  21. Chapter 26Scene II
  22. Chapter 27Scene III
  23. Chapter 28Scene IV
  24. Chapter 29Scene V
  25. Chapter 30Scene VI
  26. Chapter 31Scene VII
  27. Chapter 32Scene VIII
  28. Chapter 33Scene IX
  29. Chapter 34Dulcitius
  30. Chapter 35Characters
  31. Chapter 36Dulcitius
  32. Chapter 37Scene I
  33. Chapter 38Scene II
  34. Chapter 39Scene III
  35. Chapter 40Scene IV
  36. Chapter 41Scene V
  37. Chapter 42Scene VI
  38. Chapter 43Scene VII
  39. Chapter 44Scene VIII
  40. Chapter 45Scene IX
  41. Chapter 46Scene X
  42. Chapter 47Scene XI
  43. Chapter 48Scene XII
  44. Chapter 49Scene XIII
  45. Chapter 50Scene XIV
  46. Chapter 51Callimachus
  47. Chapter 52Characters
  48. Chapter 53Callimachus
  49. Chapter 54Scene I
  50. Chapter 55Scene II
  51. Chapter 56Scene III
  52. Chapter 57Scene IV
  53. Chapter 58Scene V
  54. Chapter 59Scene VI
  55. Chapter 60Scene VII
  56. Chapter 61Scene VIII
  57. Chapter 62Scene IX
  58. Chapter 63Abraham
  59. Chapter 64Characters
  60. Chapter 65Abraham
  61. Chapter 66Scene I
  62. Chapter 67Scene II
  63. Chapter 68Scene III
  64. Chapter 69Scene IV
  65. Chapter 70Scene V
  66. Chapter 71Scene VI
  67. Chapter 72Scene VII
  68. Chapter 73Scene VIII
  69. Chapter 74Scene IX
  70. Chapter 75Paphnutius
  71. Chapter 76Characters
  72. Chapter 77Paphnutius
  73. Chapter 78Scene I
  74. Chapter 79Scene II
  75. Chapter 80Scene III
  76. Chapter 81Scene IV
  77. Chapter 82Scene V
  78. Chapter 83Scene VI
  79. Chapter 84Scene VII
  80. Chapter 85Scene VIII
  81. Chapter 86Scene IX
  82. Chapter 87Scene X
  83. Chapter 88Scene XI
  84. Chapter 89Scene XII
  85. Chapter 90Scene XIII
  86. Chapter 91Sapientia
  87. Chapter 92Characters
  88. Chapter 93Sapientia
  89. Chapter 94Scene I
  90. Chapter 95Scene II
  91. Chapter 96Scene III
  92. Chapter 97Scene IV
  93. Chapter 98Scene V
  94. Chapter 99Scene VI
  95. Chapter 100Scene VII
  96. Chapter 101Scene VIII
  97. Chapter 102Scene IX
  98. Chapter 103A Note on the Acting of the Plays
  99. Chapter 104Endnotes