in Fuimus Troes (The True Trojans) — Fisher, Jasper
Metadata
Play
Fuimus Troes (The True Trojans)
Author
Fisher, Jasper
Year (catalogued)
1633
First performance
1625
Decade
1630s
Genre
History
Play type
University
Theater
at University;
Speech prefix(es)
Cam.
Words
288
Characters
1612
Typicality
0.28 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A00760
BritDrama no.
1890
Cluster
Cluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 6 (armies, fleece, pestle, wonted, pikes, thundering…). Matches are highlighted.
the Gauls in triumph thorough Greece, To fix their Tents beside Euxinus gulf. Gauls were indeed the Bulk, but Brennus led Then Brother to the Britain King, those armies, Backed with great troops of warlike Ilanders. To thee belongs, To render Bade for Ill: Oh be my Spirit doubled in thy breast, With all the Courage of three Scipio's,
Full speech
But I cut short your fury, and my sword Redeemed the City, making your huge vast trunks To fat our Crows, and dung our Latian fields: I turned your Torrent to another Coast: And what you quickly won, you sooner lost. Arise thou Julian Star, whose angry beams Be Heralds to the North, of war, and death. Let those black Calends be revenged; Those Ghosts, (Whose mangled sheaths deprived of Funeral rites, Made the Six hills promise a Cadmus crop:) Be expiated with a fiery deluge. Jove rules the Spheres, Room all the world beside: And shall this little corner be denied? Julius, stay here: Thy friend Camillus speaks. Only to bid thee fight. And bid thee take a full Revenge on this, This Nation, which did sack and burn down Room, Quenching the coals with blood, and kicked Our ashes, Trampling upon the ruins of our state. Then led the Gauls in triumph thorough Greece, To fix their Tents beside Euxinus gulf. Gauls were indeed the Bulk, but Brennus led Then Brother to the Britain King, those armies, Backed with great troops of warlike Ilanders. To thee belongs, To render Bade for Ill: Oh be my Spirit doubled in thy breast, With all the Courage of three Scipio's, Marius, and Sulla: That this nation fierce In feats of war, be forced to bear our Yoke. Exit. How bravely Caesar passed the angry Main? How did he wheel his sword in Nennius face? How did again his Army fill your coast? How did they pierce through Isis dangerous flood? Mirror of Captains, Julius style hath won. Confess, our valorous raze hath now repaid The Allian Massacre, and our cities Flame: See how they yield, and yearly Tribute pay.
Plot summary
Plot — Fuimus Troes (The True Trojans)
The Romans have invaded Gaul. Caesar reaches the northern shore and thinks himself at the edge of the world, until he sees the white cliffs across the Channel: a new land to conquer. To justify a war, he sends Volusenus to make an offer of peace, expecting the Britons to refuse; Volusenus will also spy out the country in preparation for the Roman assault. News of the Roman invasion plans reaches King Cassibelan, who mobilizes his troops and allies. When Volusenus presents the terms, which require the Britons to pay tribute and send hostages, Cassibelan is advised to reject them, and does. Commius the Gaul makes a last effort to encourage him to come to terms, but is imprisoned for his pains. Caesar invades Britain, but sustains heavy casualties trying to get his troops ashore. Duke Nennius defeats Caesar in the battle, but is killed by Caesar’s poisoned sword. The celebration of the British victory is offset by Nennius’ state funeral. Cassibelan came to power by murdering a previous king and depriving his son Mandubrace of his throne. Seeking revenge, Mandubrace allies himself with Caesar, who agrees to launch a second attack on Britain. Against advice, Cassibelan decides to allow the Romans to land and face them in an inland battle. A storm wrecks forty of Caesar’s ships, and initially the Briton army has the upper hand. The tide turns after many of the British petty kingdoms switch their allegiance to Mandubrace, and Cassibelan realizes that the island will be conquered. The Romans capture a druid, who warns Caesar to concentrate on foreign wars, avoid the Senate House, and beware of Brutus, who will avenge his treatment of the British descendants of Trojan Brute. Using Commius as an intermediary, Cassibelan sues for peace. Caesar dictates terms: Mandubrace is to be restored to his birthright, Cassibelan to pay tribute to Rome, and a tower to be built in Troynovant as a monument to the conquest. With Britain part of the Roman empire, a time of universal peace comes to the world. In the sub-plot, Eulinus loves Landora, who in turn loves his kinsman Hirildas and invites him into her bed. Hirildas bribes her servant Rollano to admit Eulinus instead. At Nennius’ funeral, the two friends fall out during a bout of sword-play and Eulinus kills Hirildas. This leaves him with a problem: he will not now be able to go to bed with Landora posing as Hirildas. Stricken with grief at Hirildas’s death, Landora poisons herself, and when he hears of this Eulinus too…