's kingly line
Or sweet Shakuntala in pious grove,
In hearts that met where starry jasmines twine

Or hearts that from long, lovelorn absence strove
Together. Still his words of wisdom shine:
All's well with man, when man and woman love.

Willst du die Bluete des fruehen, die
Fruechte des spaeteren Jahres,
Willst du, was reizt und entzueckt,
Willst du, was saettigt und naehrt,
Willst du den Hummel, die erde mit
Einem Namen begreifen,
Nenn' ich, Sakuntala, dich, und
dann ist alles gesagt.

GOETHE.
* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: These verses are translated on pp. 123, 124.]

[Footnote 2: The passage will be found on pp. 190-192.]

[Footnote 3: This matter is more fully discussed in the introduction to my
translation of _The Little Clay Cart_ (1905).]

[Footnote 4: Levi, _Le Theatre Indien_, p. 163.]

* * * * *

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: KALIDASA--HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS

SHAKUNTALA

THE STORY OF SHAKUNTALA

THE TWO MINOR DRAMAS--
I. Malavika and Agnimitra
II. Urvashi

THE DYNASTY OF RAGHU

THE BIRTH OF THE WAR-GOD

THE CLOUD-MESSENGER

THE SEASONS

* * * * *

SHAKUNTALA

A PLAY IN SEVEN ACTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

KING DUSHYANTA.

BHARATA, _nicknamed_ All-tamer, _his son_.

MADHAVYA, _a clown, his companion_.

His charioteer.

RAIVATAKA, _a door-keeper_.

BHADRASENA, _a general_.

KARABHAKA, _a servant_.

PARVATAYANA, _a chamberlain_.

SOMARATA, _a chaplain_.

KANVA, _hermit-father_.

SHARNGARAVA }

SHARADVATA } _his pupils_.

HARITA }

DURVASAS, _an irascible sage_.

The chief of police.

SUCHAKA }
} _policemen_.
JANUKA }

A fisherman.

SHAKUNTALA, _foster-child of Kanva_.

ANUSUVA }
} _her friends_.
PRIYAMVADA }

GAUTAMI, _hermit-mother_.

KASHYAPA, _father of the gods_.

ADITI, _mother of the gods_.

MATALI, _charioteer of heaven's king_.

GALAVA, _a pupil in heaven_.

MISHRAKESHI, _a heavenly nymph_.

_Stage-director and actress (in the prologue), hermits and
hermit-women, two court poets, palace attendants, invisible fairies_.

The first four acts pass in Kanva's forest hermitage; acts five and
six in the king's palace; act seven on a heavenly mountain. The time