The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-02-26
Illt.ODOitA.
The Plot of Berniiardt's New Play as lie
pirted by the Author.

And this Theoiora. the rv-comedi-
enu,. the adored of the crowd; this dis
su!ute woman, always ready to receive
II new lover, ard afterward governing
Justinian by her all-powerful will aud
her intelligence how interesting all
rIat is
1t was Sarah Bernhardt who last
YEAR recalled INV own idea to me. 1t
was as vision. Sarah. why she is
Theodore herself. What has been
waaIlng ~ make her take up the role
ot Ii,e byzantine empress? A mere
chance. Ies: Sarah is altogether
Theodore, with her great qualities and
her terrible faults. She also resembles
her exactly. just see.'
Aud opening a volume which was on
the table, VI. Sardou pointed to the
production of a mosaic representing
Theodore in her imperial robe. And if
was in reality almost a likeness of Sar-
: ah Bernhardt.
NJ. Sardou then gave an Account Of
his various studi ;. and exhibited,
among other interesting sketches, etc,
Il plan OF the hippodrome at ByZanti-
nm, which was capable of containing
100000 people. In the piece the i'm
perial lodge is faithfully reproduced.
The famous Nika revolt is the event
of the reign chosen for the principal
motive of the plot. Life was idled
away at the hippodrome. where horse
races were the order OF the day. Socie-
ties, regular racing clubs. were organ
lied to buy horses and to run them.
The two great rival societies were the
green's and the blues. so called from
the colors worn by the drivers of the
chariots.
"SOon these two rival parties at the
hippodrome had become political par
ties, whose rivalry was accentuated by
the fact that Justinian and Theodore
protected the blues. Theodore was the
daughter of the guardian of the wild
beasts at the hippodrome, called the
master of the bears, and who was a
blue. Theodore remained true to the
blues. "
AT almost every move the rival par
ties came 10 blows. One day woman,
rendered desperate by seeing her fami-
ly outraged by the blues, threw herself
into the Bosphorus. This was the
cause of considerable disturbance in the
town, and the police arrested the rings
leaders, whether blues or greens. The
blues appealed to .Justinian, who, be-
ing tired of the excesses, refused to lib
crate their friends. The next day when
the emperor entered his lodge at tie.
hippodrome, he found 100000 people
shouting and gesticulating. A curious
usage permitted the people to speak to
the emperor while in his lodge at the
hippodrome. 1t was only in that place
that the people could make complaints
against the taxes or the high prices of
food. On this occasion the emperor, as
soon as he entered his lodge, was loud
ly called upon by the greens and the
blues, and the shouts soon became in
suits. The tumult increased, and JUS
tinian regained his palace with difficult
ty. The whole town was in insurrec-
ton; fires broke out at different points
and the nperial palace was besieged.
The couiicil of ministers met; all, in
cluding Justinian and Belisarius, pro-
posed Il COwardlr course. They want
ed to embark from the palace and make
for the coast of Asia. a.
Theodore alone resisted; she want
ed to die an empress.
Theodore triumphed. Belisarius
left the palace at the head of his Goth4,
and tried TO penetrate into the town,
tut fires from all sides prevented him
from advancing. The populace threw
boiling oil and pitch upon the soldiers
He made = last effort. All the rebels
had met at the hippodrome, and We're
busy crowning new emperor. Hypa-
rius. Beiisarius hid some uf his troops
near the four doors OF the hippodroms
! and then penetrated himself into the
palace by the principal entrance At their
mead. \ terrible panic followed. At
the same tine the other doors were at
| tackled and tn. l0U. 900 rebels crushed
que another within the circus. The
Cloths OF Belisarius had only to strike
at the mass. Thirty thousand bodies
were afterwa ard removed.
My drama starts from this point
The word uika. which has given the
name to the rebellion. was the cry oi
| the rebels. .'-IHteFt'irto toith SdTttoH SN
! PARIS NetoS.