Young—Or do Prophetarum. 
65 
Of the fourteen prophets that the Rouen version has in common 
with the shorter versions, some nine 119 use utterances that we have 
already seen in both the Limoges and the Laon texts. The other 
five present special cases. Balaam, found only in Laon and Rouen, 
uses the same prophecies in the two versions. The Moses and 
Simeon of Rouen,—if we may judge from their brief initia, —de¬ 
liver speeches unlike those of Limoges and Laon in text, but like 
them in ultimate derivation from the lectio. Zacharias appears 
only in. the lectio and in the Rouen play, and in the two versions 
his utterances are not the same. The Rouen Nebuchadnezzar utters 
the prophecy that we have already seen in the Laon version. 
The peculiar dramatic interest of the Rouen play lies, however, 
not in such details as these, but in two special episodes, centering 
respectively in Balaam and Nebuchadnezzar. 120 
The dramatization of the story of Balaam is brief, but notably 
more comprehensive than what we have seen in the Laon play. 
Tn the spoken text of the Rouen play, to be sure, less attention is 
given to the asina; but on the other hand specific notice is taken 
of the relation of Balaam to King Balak. It is, indeed, two emis¬ 
saries of this king, rather than the official Vocato'res, who first sum¬ 
mon Balaam forth, and bid him come to Balak’s court. 121 Balaam 
now rides forth upon an ass, vigorously plying his spurs, until the 
person concealed under the animal cries out in protest (Cur me 
. . . leditis?). 122 Meanwhile a youth costumed as an angel, 
with wings and sword, stands in the path and commands Balaam to 
cease serving Balak. 123 The official Vocatores now call upon 
Balaam for his prophecy, and he delivers the utterance that we 
have already observed in the Laon play. 124 
For vivifying the prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar a still more 
elaborate action is devised. The mise en scene consists in a furnace 
119 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, David, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, 
Virgil, and Sibyl. See Sepet, pp. 30-32. Sepet (pp. 29-38) makes a detailed 
comparison of the Limoges and Rouen versions, coming to the conclusion the 
Rouen text is based upon that of Limoges, or upon something similar. It should 
be remembered that Sepet did not know the Laon version. 
120 See Sepet, pp. 33-36. 
121 This summons, of which we have only the opening words (Balaam, veni et 
fac), probably included a command that Balaam curse the Israelites. See Num. 
xxii, 5-21. 
122 Cur percutis me? (Num. xxii, 28). 
123 See Num. xxii, 31-33. 
124 For the source of the whole action see Num. xxii, 1-35. It will be ob¬ 
served that the dramatist does not use the Vulgate phraseology. 
5—S. A. L». 
