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Apu Ollantay: A Drama of the Time of the Incas

Chapter 5: MS. TEXTS.
By Sir Clements R. Markham
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About This Book

The play recounts a high-ranking chief’s secret marriage to the Inca’s daughter and the fallout when their union and her pregnancy are discovered, bringing him into conflict with the sovereign. Action moves through palace and ceremonial spaces, alternating solemn remonstrances, comic interludes led by a witty page, and lyrical songs presented in octosyllabic quatrains. Central tensions arise from royal marriage rules, authority, and questions of loyalty, leading to exile, appeal, and confrontation. The work preserves indigenous dramatic forms by integrating ritual speech, choral yarahui, dance, and staged scenes that combine pathos, humor, and formal poetic structure.

MS. TEXTS.

1. The original text of Valdez. In 1853 the property of Don Narciso Cuentas of Tinta, heir of Dr. Valdez.

2. The Justiniani text. In 1853 at Laris. Copy of the Valdez text.

3. Markham’s copy of the Justiniani text (printed 1871).

4. Rosas copy of the Justiniani text.

5. Copy in the convent of San Domingo at Cuzco (the Dominican text).

6. Von Tschudi’s copy of the Dominican text (printed 1853).

7. Text of Zegarra (printed 1878).

8. Second text of von Tschudi.

9. Text of Spilsbury.

10. Text of Sahuaraura penes Dr. Gonzalez de la Rosa.

There is light thrown upon the name Ollantay by the evidence taken during the journey of the Viceroy Toledo from Jauja to Cuzco, from November 1570 to March 1571. He wanted information respecting the origin of the Inca government, and 200 witnesses were examined, the parentage or lineage of each witness being recorded. Among these we find six witnesses of the Antasayac ayllu. Sayac means a station or division, Antais a small town near Cuzco. The names of the six Anta witnesses were,

ANCAILLO; USCA; HUACRO; MANCOY; AUCA PURI; ULLANTAY;
Besides ANTONIO PACROTRICA and PUNICU PAUCAR, Chiefs of Anta.

We thus find that the name of Ollantay belonged to Anta. Now the Incas were under great obligations to the chief of Anta, for that chief had rescued the eldest son of Inca Rocca from the chief of Ayamarca, and had restored him to his father. For this great service the chief of Anta was declared to be a noble of the highest rank and cousin to the Inca family. Moreover, the daughter of the Anta chief was married to the Inca Uira-cocha, and was the mother of Pachacuti. Assuming, as seems probable, that Ollantay was a son of the chief of Anta, he would be a cousin of the Inca, and of very high rank, though not an agnate of the reigning family. This, I take it, is what is intended. Pachacuti desired to raise his family high above all others, and that, consequently, there should be no marriages with subjects even of the highest rank; and his excessive severity on the transgression of his rule by his daughter is thus explained.