PROLOGUE

The Players sing and dance the prologue to the Play of Daniel (Danielis ludus) which is about to be performed:

INVENTUS

This play has been invented (inventus) by the youth of Beauvais in honor of Christ.

BALTHASAR

King Balthasar wishes to celebrate a feast, and commands the Satraps to bring his prized vessels. The Satraps carry out their royal errand while praising the power and riches of the Kings of Babylon, Balthasar and his father (Nebuchadnezzar, according to the Old Testament).

THE VESSELS

They remind the court that it was his father who destroyed the Temple of the Jews and brought back the vessels to adorn his own feasts.

MYSTERIOUS HAND

As Balthasar imbibes, a mysterious hand appears and inscribes three words on the wall:

MANE TEKEL PHARES.

SEIZED WITH FEAR

Balthasar is seized with fear and commands that his Chaldean astrologers and wise men be brought.

MAGI ARRIVE

These magi arrive and are offered great power if they can interpret the handwriting on the wall, but they cannot solve the mystery.

QUEEN APPEARS

The Queen appears and advises Balthasar to summon Daniel, one of the Hebrew captives at the court of Babylon

THE SUMMON

The Princes summon and bring Daniel to court. Daniel responds, “Poor and exiled, I go to the King with you” [Envois al Roi par vos]. The king promises Daniel immense wealth if he will translate the mysterious words.

THE MESSAGE

Daniel contemplates the message and answers slowly, first saying that he wants no reward for his advice, and then reminding Balthasar that God had caused his father Nebuchadnezzar to eat grass as if he were a beast in the field—a humiliation for originally stealing the vessels from the Temple.

HIS REIGN WILL END

Daniel then explains that Balthasar, too, will be punished since he has kept the sacred objects. MANE means his reign will end.

HIS KINGDOM WILL BE GIVEN

TEKEL is the scale upon which Balthasar has been weighed and found wanting. PHARES means his kingdom will be given to another.

THE SATRAPS

Although Balthasar has learned of his doom, he keeps his promise to reward Daniel and cloaks him with royal vestments. He then commands the vessels be removed before harm comes. With cries of “Gaudeamus,” praising Daniel, the Satraps carry off the vessels.

BALTHASAR HEARS THE APPROACH

The Queen then leaves. Remaining in court, Balthasar hears the approach of the Persian king Darius with his army.

OFF TO BE KILLED

Two soldiers expel Balthasar from his throne and take him off to be killed. Darius is seated on the throne of Babylon

PART II: DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN

Balthasar’s courtiers pledge fealty to the new king and advise him to summon Daniel.

DANIEL AGREES TO GIVE COUNSEL

Daniel agrees to give counsel at court. As he is led in, the entire assembly (jumping ahead and out of time in the story) sings a song celebrating the Nativity of Christ and praising Daniel's wise deeds, including his prophecy of the birth of Christ. (Congaudemus celebremus natalis sollempnia- Let us celebrate the Solemn Feast of the Nativity.)

CONSPIRE TO TRICK DANIEL

The Princes become envious and conspire to trick Daniel. They encourage Darius to enact a law whereby any man who worships a god other than Darius himself will be cast into the lion’s den.