Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/282

 270 HISTORY OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE plants the twig on his grave, and from it the tree which was to supply the wood for the Cross grows. By way of prologue to these performances, repre- sentations of the prophets and sibyls who had foretold the coming of the Eedeemer were often introduced, followed by some of the scenes and miracles of His life. Then came the awful tragedy of the Passion, the glorious scene of the Easter Eesurrection, and not unfrequently scenes of the Last Judgment followed the whole. Like the most sublime epic, so is the Christian drama tragic in its nature, and it is equally meet that Christian and profane history should alike close with the Final Judgment. Besides the sacred plays which were concerned with the life of our Lord, and which formed the principal group of these ancient dramatic compositions, there were others relating to the Blessed Virgin. Of this class some were devoted to her exclusively, some to the mother and Son together ; others illustrated some parable or legend, while others, again, referred to Antichrist and the Judgment. Among the most important of the latter group may be mentioned one entitled ' The Eise and Fall of Anti- christ,' written at Tegernsee. This is the earliest play of German origin, and one of the finest specimens of dramatic literature in the Middle Ages. It had not only an ecclesiastical but a political bearing, by asso- ciating the idea of Antichrist with the princes and their relations to the Eoman Emperor of the German people. There are evidences that this piece was frequently played during the fifteenth century. It opens with a representation of several allegorical characters, followed by typical ones of Paganism and the Syna-