How a medieval mystery play survived from the twelfth century
In short: This video presents a production of the Ludus Danielis, a twelfth-century mystery play created by the youth of Beauvais. It explores the biblical stories of the lions' den and the cryptic handwriting on the wall.
This production draws from an early thirteenth-century Beauvais, France, manuscript identified as British Library, Egerton MS 2615. It likely originated as a celebration for the Feast of Fools on January 1.
The narrative follows King Balthasar of Babylon, who commands his Satraps to retrieve sacred vessels from the Hebrew Temple destroyed by his father, Nebuchadnezzar. The plot centers on a mysterious, cryptic message appearing on a wall that baffles astrologers but can be interpreted by the Hebrew captive, Daniel.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Play of Daniel - Balthasar's Feast
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/ideas-play-of-daniel-balthasar-s-feast.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
