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Dear All, I have been pondering what lies behind the phrase 'o'erdoing Termagant' in Hamlet's advice to the Players, and find I need to check my amateurish conclusions with the experts, so I apologise for troubling you with a trifling point about a non-existent infidel deity! As you may know, several authorities, including the Oxford English Dictionary (2nd edition) and various editions of Hamlet, take Termagant as a medieval stage character - 'in the mystery plays represented as a violent overbearing personage' (OED) or 'introduced into our old plays and moralities, and represented as of a most violent character ... so that a ranting actor might always appear to advantage in it' (Nares, Glossay). But so far I can only agree with the dissenting editor of the New Cambridge Shakespeare (Edwards), who claims that Termagant 'does not figure in earlier drama'. There are, of course, plenty of references to, or appearances of, T. in medieval literature, e.g., the Chanson de Roland, Lagamon's Brut, Octavian etc., where T. is a Saracen god or idol to be worshipped, invoked, or smashed; and T. becomes a figure of speech by the 16th century, but as for actual appearances in the drama, I have drawn a blank in the lists of dramatis personae in the Malone Society texts, in Berger & Bradford's Index of Characters in English Printed Drama to the Restoration (1975), and in various lexicons, concordances and databases, so that I can't at present bridge the gap between T.'s appearance in Jean Bodel's Le jeu de saint Nicholas) c. 1200, and Shakespeare's mention of Termagant. (This is a connection made by Nares, and by Hardin Craig.) The possible routes to Shakespeare seem therefore to be either 'general (non-dramatic) usage' or 'lost drama'. So, the first question is, does anyone know of any dramatic appearances of Termagant (in English or Continental drama, other than Bodel), or have further suggestions as to where to look? I would also be interested in actual stage appearances of Mahomet/Mahounde in pre-Shakespearian drama, as a parallel. (I don't think the interesting discussion of Mahounde by this group a few weeks ago focussed on M. as a stage character). So far I am only aware of the brazen head of M. belching smoke in Greene's Comicall Historie of Alphonsus. A second query arises from the possibility that St Nicholas drama in England was a context for Termagant as a stage character. So far, having checked through the published REED volumes, I only know of evidence of St Nicholas plays (as distinct from the Boy Bishop/St Nicholas' Bishop ceremonies) from Gloucester 1383-4 and in Trinity College Cambridge B 14. 39, but if anyone could direct me to further evidence I would be very grateful. Thanks for reading this, and apologies again for troubling you all with a longwinded question or three, but the opportunity to pick so many distinguished brains at once is irresistible! Diana Whaley Dr Diana Whaley School of English University of Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU. England Tel: (091) 222 7756; Fax: (091) 222 8708