[FN#4]  The wives of the Incas were called ccoya.  The ccoya of the

second Inca was a daughter of the chief of Sanoc.  The third Inca

married a daughter of the chief of Oma, the fourth married a girl of

Tacucaray, the wife of the fifth was a daughter of a Cuzco chief.  The

sixth Inca married a daughter of the chief of Huayllacan, the seventh

married a daughter of the chief of Ayamarca, and the eighth went to Anta

for a wife.  This Anta lady was the mother of Pachacuti.  The wife of

Pachacuti, named Anahuarqui, was a daughter of the chief of Choco.

There was no rule about marrying sisters when Pachacuti succeeded.  He

introduced it by making his son Tupac Yupanqui marry his daughter Mama

Ocllo, but this was quite unprecedented.  The transgression of a rule

which he had just made may account for his extreme severity.

 

 

The play opens with a dialogue between Ollantay and Piqui Chaqui, his

page, a witty and humorous lad.  Ollantay talks of his love for the

Princess Cusi Coyllur, and wants Piqui Chaqui to take a message to her,

while the page dwells on the danger of loving in such a quarter, and

evades the question of taking a message.  Then to them enters the Uillac

Uma, or High Priest of the Sun, who remonstrates with Ollantay--a scene

of great solemnity, and very effective.

 

The next scene is in the Queen's palace.  Anahuarqui, the Queen, is

discovered with the Princess Cusi Coyllur, who bitterly laments the

absence of Ollantay.  To them enters the Inca Pachacuti, quite ignorant

that his daughter has not only married Ollantay in secret, but that she

is actually with child by him.  Her mother keeps her secret.  The Inca

indulges in extravagant expressions of love for his daughter.  Then boys

and girls enter dancing and singing a harvest song.  Another very

melancholy yarahui is sung; both capable of being turned by the Princess

into presages of the fate of herself and her husband.

 

In the third scene Ollantay prefers his suit to the Inca Pachacuti in

octosyllabic quatrains, the first and last lines rhyming, and the second

and third.  His suit is rejected with scorn and contempt.  Ollantay next

appears on the heights above Cuzco.  In a soliloquy he declares himself

the implacable enemy of Cuzco and the Inca.  Then Piqui Chaqui arrives

with the news that the Queen's palace is empty, and abandoned, and that

Cusi Coyllur has quite disappeared; while search is being made for

Ollantay.  While they are together a song is sung behind some rocks, in

praise of Cusi Coyllur's beauty.  Then the sound of clarions and people

approaching is heard, and Ollantay and Piqui Chaqui take to flight.  The

next scene finds the Inca enraged at the escape of Ollantay, and

ordering his general Rumi-naui to march at once, and make him prisoner.

To them enters a chasqui, or messenger, bringing the news that Ollantay

has collected a great army at Ollantay-tampu, and that the rebels have

proclaimed him Inca.

 

The second act opens with a grand scene in the hall of the fortress-

palace of Ollantay-tampu. Ollantay is proclaimed Inca by the people, and

he appoints the Mountain Chief, Urco Huaranca, general of his army.

Urco Huaranca explains the dispositions he has made to oppose the army

advancing from Cuzco, and his plan of defence.  In the next scene Rumi-