rouse the memories and associations connected with their Latin use. Relying on the subtle suggestiveness which all these words contain, on account of their intimate connection in our minds with the thoughts and literature of ancient Rome, he strives to bring us back as nearly as possible into the spirit and atmosphere of the world of Catiline and Cicero. Jonson's purpose is the same as that of certain writers who, in picturing scenes of days gone by, make their characters speak in quaint and stilted language, to give a flavor of reality. The weakness in this method is that it produces the required illusion only in those who are very familiar with the Latin language. The uninitiated, thinking that the words are used in their customary sense, find them often unmeaning in the connection in which they occur, and sometimes even inconsistent. A striking example of this is found in the first sentence of Jonson's translation of Catiline's speech to the conspirators. There he translates the Latin "virtus"-meaning "courage,' " "capability"-by its English derivative, "virtue." The reader in ordinarie, taking the word in its accustomed English sense, wonders that it should be used to describe a band of men to whom no quality could have been less appropriately attributed. And here I must mention another thing that Jonson does less frequently, but with the same purpose; namely, the introduction now and then into his play of a word-for-word translation of some Latin idiom. In 4. 823, for instance, Cicero says, My vertue (Will) glad me, doing well, though I heare ill, the last two words of which are a literal rendering of the Latin idiom, "audire male," "to be ill spoken of." In 1. 416, vse me your generall translates "imperatore me utimini," where your generall is made predicate apposi tive to me, as in the Latin clause. Jonson speaks of this one CATILINE (4. 444) instead of saying "Catiline alone," as if he were translating the Latin "unus Catilina"; and when he wishes to say that something is inconsistent with something else, he uses the expression abhorring from (5. 479), evidently having in mind the Latin construction "abhorrens ab." 'It can easily be seen how a superficial critic, not noticing that these Latinisms and Latin idioms are used in the original parts of Jonson's play, as well as in the translations, nor realizing the purpose for which they were introduced, might consider them the earmarks of uninspired renderings.' 7. Jonson's Debt to Seneca In many ways we must call Catiline a Senecan tragedy. It is certainly not tragedy exactly such as Seneca wrote, but it would seem that Jonson certainly believed he was reproducing Senecan traditions. The play opens with the familiar Senecan ghost, introduced with much the same purpose as the overture to a Wagnerian opera. There is the Senecan dearth of rapid movement, although Catiline has considerably more real progression than is usual with Seneca. Further, the hero (if we way call him such) is a thoroughly depraved character, not at all resembling the Greek tragic heroes and such a hero and his career of crime are what Seneca delights to portray. The long dialogues, full of sententiæ (such as The vicious count their yeeres, vertuous their acts, etc.), the choruses having no connection with the dramatic action, and the use of portents, as if Nature reflected man's moods, are also thoroughly Senecan. However, it is in the character of Catiline that Seneca's influence shows most plainly. Catiline in Sallust is immensely practical, and never works himself up into such frenzies of rage and hate, in which he breathes out fire and slaughter against all who oppose him, as Jonson has him do, for instance, in the furious rant of 4. 640-658. The character of Cethegus is also quite after Seneca's manner. A final and convincing proof that Jonson had an eye to Seneca is the imitation of Thyestes in the very opening lines of Catiline.1 8. Catiline in the Drama Catiline has been a much more ancient and popular dramatic figure than has been commonly supposed. Even before the appearance in 1470 of the editio princeps of Sallust, there was performed at Florence the Istoria Fiorentina of Ricordano Malespinis, a dramatic chronicle beginning with Adam, and including such other wellknown mythological characters as Electra, Dardanus, Hercules, etc. The thirteenth section of this rather monumental performance treated of Catiline and 'della congiura, che fe Catellino con certi Romani.' From all reports, however, Malespinis' treatment of history was, to say the least, highly fanciful, as Attila (!) plays a prominent part in the plot.2 Preceding Ben Jonson's play came at least two English Catiline-dramas. About 1578 Stephen Gosson produced Catillins Conspiracies, a tragedy. Gosson was a sturdy Puritan, and put out a tract against the stage, The School of Abuse, in 1579. However, as he says in that pamphlet, tragedies are 'tollerable at sometyme,' and this one, 'a Pig of myne owne Sowe' as he styles it, he frankly confesses to be of that sort. This play is unfortunately lost, as is also another, mentioned in Mr. Henslowe's MSS., Catiline's Conspiracy, by Robert 1 See Notes. 2 For a full discussion of this, see Hermann B. G. Speck, Katilina im Drama der Weltliteratur. Wilson and Harry Chettle, acted in 1598. As Gifford ably argues, however, Jonson's use of original authorities is so marked that it is highly improbable that he owed anything to either of these productions. Catiline by no means ceased to be an attractive figure with the appearance of Jonson's drama. In Dr. Speck's Katilina im Drama der Weltliteratur, a Katilina is recorded as late as 1905. Dr. Speck gives a list, thirty-nine titles in all, of plays dealing with Catiline, which is here reproduced, with occasional restoration of an original language. Stephen Gosson, Catillins Conspiracies. Before 1579. R. Wilson und H. Chettle, Catiline's Conspiracy. 1598. Ben Jonson, Catiline his Conspiracy. 1611. Rhetorische Sallustübung, am Magdalenæum zu Breslau. 1658. Actus Oratorius Sallustianus, zu Görlitz. 1669. Conjuracion de Catilina (Spanish; undated; anonymous). Fénelon, Dialogues des Morts. 1710. The Conspirators, or the Case of Catiline. 1721. P. J. Crébillon, Catilina. 1748. Cargula, Parodia del Catilina, trag. de Crébillon. Catilina, Ambitionis Victima. Salzburg. 1749. E. v. Kleist, Charon und Katilina. 1759. Karl B. Stieff, Catilina am Elilzabetan zu Breslau. 1782. J. G. Casti, Catilina. Before 1792 (opera). A. von Perglas, Katilina. 1808. J. O. Rauscher, Katilina. 1813. Croly, Catilina. 1822. Grillparzer, Katilina. Circa 1822. Catiline. 1823 (historical tragedy by the anonymous author of The Indian merchant). Platen, Katilina. ? H. von Schmid, Katilina. 1824. A. E. Guichard, Catilina Romantique. 1844. Dumas-Maquet, Catilina. 1848. H. Ibsen, Katilina. 1850. F. Kürnberger, Katilina. 1855. Karl Schroeder, Die Verschwörung des Katilina. 1855. H. Lingg, Katilina. 1864. S. Lublinski, Der Imperator. 1901 (a Cæsar-drama, H. Eulenberg, Künstler und Katilinarier. 1902. Adolf Bartels, Katilina. 1905. The Conspirators, or the Case of Catiline, which is quoted anonymously in the above list, has been inserted by mistake. This was not a play, but a very indifferent historical essay, culled for the most part from Sallust, by one Thomas Gordon. To the above list should be added a Latin play in MS., Catilina Triumphans, of uncertain date, probably circa 1595. Of the plays mentioned in this list, I have been able personally to examine only those by Crébillon, Voltaire, |