Out of the Wings

La sibila Casandra (1513), Gil Vicente

The Sibyl Cassandra : One Act Play

The Sibyl Cassandra, translated by Kathleen Jeffs (née Mountjoy)

One Act Play

Sample text

CASSANDRA:

Who out there could possibly

claim they could marry me?

For let God be my witness

when I say

that I will not marry.

What shepherd has ever been born

who was worthy enough

to confidently say he deserved me?

Is there even one who could be my match

in figure, looks or discretion?

What respectable lady does not risk

her life,

for she loses all in marriage,

her freedom is held captive,

as she allows herself

to be conquered forever,

displaced and in foreign hands,

in constant suffering,

dejected and subjugated?

And they think that getting married

is a glorious debut!

Enter SOLOMON.

SOLOMON:

Cassandra, God keep ‘ya,

and me as well,

for I have also been blessed!

For here you are looking so serene,

and our coming-out together

shall not be delayed by me—

as I’m already here,

it will be right

for me to tell you why I have come;

you’ve conquered me so completely

that I know it’s meant to be.

CASSANDRA:

I do not understand you.

SOLOMON:

Come off it!

It is for your sake

that your three aunties have sent for you,

and three days from now

you and I will share our joy together.

CASSANDRA:

What do they want from me?

SOLOMON:

They want you to look to me

and to believe me

and be ready to marry me.

CASSANDRA:

The only thing I can think

is either they, or you, must have lost your mind.

SOLOMON:

Are we related?

For it is clear

that I am worthy;

I swear if that’s a lie,

I’m not worth a blade of straw.

I was born to a good family,

and I’m well-provided for,

I’m a strong and brave shepherd,

and I’m now upset

at having come here at all.

Let’s go, if you want to come with me.

CASSANDRA:

There’s no doubt,

you are out of your mind;

what you have said up to this point

will be the case,

only over my dead body.

SOLOMON:

Can’t you see me?

CASSANDRA:

I see you perfectly well.

SOLOMON:

I do not believe you;

really, do you not love me?

CASSANDRA:

I do not love you.

SOLOMON:

I insist you marry me.

CASSANDRA:

I’ve told you what I want.

SOLOMON:

What are you saying to me?

CASSANDRA:

I tell you

do not speak of marriage with me;

for I do not wish nor will I consent

to marry you or any other.

....

SOLOMON returns, still dressed as a shepherd, and with him are ERUTEA, PERESICA and CIMERIA. [They try to convince her to marry, but she is unmoved.] SOLOMON then returns again with the three uncles, ISAIAH, MOSES and ABRAHAM.

...

ABRAHAM:

And what if a good husband could be found

who was moderate and never lost his temper?

CASSANDRA:

Never? You must be mistaken,

honoured father,

for there has never been such a man.

How could marriage survive

without passion and arguments?

Happiness can vanish in an instant

when conflict creates a divide.

Only God is perfection

without question,

and if you really want to hear what I think,

all of mankind is

changeable and variable

because that’s the human temperament.

But I want to say

and now reveal

why I wish to remain a virgin:

I know that God has to take human flesh,

and it must be a virgin

who gives birth to Him.

ERUTEA:

I know this well,

and I also know

he has to be born in a manger,

and that his mother has to remain

a virgin just as she was born;

and I also know that farmers

and shepherds

and people will come and see him,

and that Kings and wise men

will bring him gifts

from the Orient.

...

[They continue to praise and describe the Virgin Mother who is to give birth to the Saviour, in a series of prophecies.]

...

CASSANDRA:

I foresee all this to be true:

and I swear

He has to be born of me,

for there is no other who is equal

to me in goodness nor in noble birth.

ABRAHAM:

Now it is Cassandra who has lost her mind.

ISAIAH:

I would say

she is very close to insane

and that she understands very little,

because she acts

with such great disrespect.

SOLOMON:

Damn my decision

to marry!

By my soul and my life,

I saw her as so wise

and so well-read,

but I have been deceived.

Cassandra, seeing as how you have given me

your answer,

which is so far from conclusive,

as you are now insane, and I am still Solomon,

tell me truly:

can’t we have a life together?

CASSANDRA:

I am still in my right mind:

I am still myself.

ISAIAH:

Quiet, you misguided, insane girl,

for there was something else written

about this special chosen mother.

You are precisely her opposite

if you look at yourself closely,

because you are arrogant,

proud and presumptuous,

the very things

which she most certainly is not.

The mother of God is unequalled,

and it has to be noted

that she was to be born with humility,

for her to conceive her child with humility,

and for her to grow up with humility.

...

[The prophets and sibyls continue to praise and prophesy about the Nativity, when all of a sudden...]

The curtains [at the back, in the discovery space] open to reveal the scene of the Nativity, and four ANGELS sing:

...

[The angels are singing and the sibyls and prophets dance and celebrate. After everyone has paid their respects, CASSANDRA addresses the infant child and his mother:]

CASSANDRA: