in Supposes — Gascoigne, George, trans.; Ariosto, Ludovico
Metadata
Play
Supposes
Author
Gascoigne, George, trans.; Ariosto, Ludovico
Year (catalogued)
1573
First performance
1566
Decade
1570s
Genre
Comedy
Play type
Inns of Court; Translation
Speech prefix(es)
Sc. | Sce.
Words
260
Characters
1269
Typicality
0.15 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A01513.1
BritDrama no.
419
Cluster
Cluster 8 — Martial kings & Roman gravity
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
I speak not of that. Jesu, what a blockehead thou art, I speak of the pe rill we are in presently since we came into this city. Yea marry, God reward the gentle young man that we met, for else we had be in a wise case by this time. But have done with these tales, and take you heed, and you also sirrah, take heed y none of you say we be Sceneses, and remember that you call me Philogano of Cathanea. I say, Cathaenea, and not Haccanea, with a vengeance. Then hold thy peace, and take heed thou name not Scene. Do as thou thinkest best: but look where comes the gentleman whom we are so much bound unto. Gramercy my good son Erostrato. No, no, be you sure we will do as you have bidden us. I warrant you, I was giving the ̄ warning as I came to you, and I doubt not but they will take good heed. Sir I am a Sicilian, at your commandment. Of Cathanea. My name is Philogano. Merchandise. None, I came only to see a son that I have here, whom I saw not these two years. Erostrato. Yea verily. The same. What need I tell you so often? I will not tell you a lie. Sir, you offer me great wrong with these injurious words. Sir I am Philogano of Cathenea, out of all doubt, if I were not I would be loath to tell you so. Well, you may believe me of you list: what wone der you?
Plot summary
Plot — Supposes
Polynesta loves Dulippo, whose suit has been promoted by her nurse, and who is supposed a poor servant. In fact he is not Dulippo at all but Erostrato, who two years ago gained access to Polynesta by swapping identities with his servant and entering her father Damon’s household. Meanwhile Cleander seeks her hand, and the supposed Erostrato (the true Dulippo) becomes his rival for trust with him. Cleander appears to offer the best dowry, but Damon gives ‘Erostrato’ a fortnight’s grace pending his father Philogano’s arrival to underwrite his counter-offer. ‘Erostrato’ duly arranges to produce a false Philogano, recruiting a Sienese gentleman for the role by persuading him that a diplomatic incident has made Ferrara an unsafe place for a Sienese visitor. Overhearing an argument between two women servants, Damon discovers that ‘Dulippo’ and Polynesta have been sleeping together. ‘Dulippo’ is apprehended and imprisoned in the dungeon of his master’s house, and therefore unable to warn his servant of the arrival of the true Philogano: he misses his son and has come to take him back to Sicily. By chance, Philogano meets the true Dulippo, who refuses to acknowledge him. After the locals confirm that they know the young man as Erostrato, Philogano suspects that he has murdered his master and stolen his identity, and seeks legal assistance from Cleander. However, Dulippo turns out to be Cleander’s son, whom he lost as a child when evacuating Otranto during the Turkish conquest; he was later captured by Sicilians and sold to Philogano. The exchange of identities is revealed, allaying Damon’s worries about his daughter’s reputation. Cleander withdraws his suit: he no longer needs to marry and beget an heir now that his lost son has been restored to him. The true Erostrato is confirmed as Polynesta’s future husband.