that which is dazzling and beautiful, that which is sublime and protective, has had the same signification in Phœnician,[1] and that it is from this same name to which is joined a demonstrative article common to Aramaic, Chaldean, and Syriac, that the word drama[2] is formed, and which being adopted by the Greek tongue, has passed afterwards into the Latin tongue and into ours. This word has expressed an action, because, in truth, it depicts one in the mysteries and besides its primitive root refers to regular movement in general.
But as my purpose is not to follow at present dramatic art in all its ramifications and as it suffices me to have indicated clearly the origin, I return to Greece.
The spectacle of which I have spoken, effect of a Bacchic enthusiasm, and at first abandoned to the caprice of certain rustic grape-gatherers whose indiscretions did not appear formidable, struck so forcibly by its novelty and produced such a marvellous effect upon the people, that it was not long before certain men of most cultivated minds were seen desirous of taking part either from liking or from interest. Thespis and Susarion appeared at the same time and each seized, according to his character, one the noble and serious side and the other the ridiculous and amusing side of the mythological fables; dividing thus from its birth, dramatic(ram). Its primitive root, which is universalized by the hémantique letter [Hebrew: **] (m), is [Hebrew: **] (ra), which has reference to the harmonic movement of good, of light, and of sight. The name of the adversary of Rama, Rawhan, is formed from the root [Hebrew: **] (rawh) which expresses, on the contrary, the disordered movement of evil and of fire, and which, becoming united with the augmentative syllable [Hebrew: **] (ôn), depicts whatever ravages and ruins; this is the signification which it has in Sanskrit.](rama) is formed in Phœnician the word [Phœn.: **] (drama) by the adjunction of the demonstrative article [Phœn.: **] (d'); that is to say, a thing which comes from Rama: an action well ordered, beautiful, sublime, etc. Notice that the Greek verb [Greek: draeîn], to act, whence is drawn very inappropriately the word [Greek: drama], is always attached to the same root [Phœn.: **] (ra) which is that of harmonic movement.]
