in The Golden Age, or The Lives of Jupiter and Saturn — Heywood, Thomas
Metadata
Play
The Golden Age, or The Lives of Jupiter and Saturn
Author
Heywood, Thomas
Year (catalogued)
1611
First performance
1610
Decade
1610s
Genre
Classical Myth
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Queen Anne's Men
Theater
Red Bull;Outdoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Nurs.
Words
280
Characters
1424
Typicality
0.29 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A03205
BritDrama no.
1637
Cluster
Cluster 15 — Devils, vices & grotesques
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 15 (ang, hunc, fleire, shillings, chil, sblood…). Matches are highlighted.
I'll quickly bring the youngster to his end. Alack my pretty knave, t'were more then sin, With a sharp knife to touch thy tender skin. On Madame, he's so full of Angel grace I cannot strike, he smiles so in my face. Give me the child, I'll find a messenger, Shall bear him safe to Melliseus Court.
the King hath slain his first born son, Whom had he seen alive, hee'd not have given For ten such Kingdoms as he now enjoys, The death of such a fair and hopeful child, Is full as much as Titan can demand. The mother Queen's returned. How looks she Nurse? Let her not speak, but yet a little longer My Hope's hold in suspense:
Full speech
That is without question, for she is now a Queen. Is she so near her time? Your reason? What's the best news abroad? That covenant was the most unnatural That ever father made: one lovely boy Hath felt the rigor of that strict decree, And if this second likewise be a son, There is no way but death. Why I pray thee? Madam, not yet. Madam, the King hath slain his first born son, Whom had he seen alive, hee'd not have given For ten such Kingdoms as he now enjoys, The death of such a fair and hopeful child, Is full as much as Titan can demand. The mother Queen's returned. How looks she Nurse? Let her not speak, but yet a little longer My Hope's hold in suspense: o me most wretched, I read my Lords harsh answer in her eye, Her very looks tell me the boy must die. Say, must he? must he? kill me with that word, Which will wound deeper then King Saturn's sword. Look to the Queen, she faints. Madam you hear the king does threat our lives Let's kill him then. You may be careless of the kings command, But it concerns me, and I love my life More then I do a sucklings, give him me, I'll make him sure, a sharp weapon lend, I'll quickly bring the youngster to his end. Alack my pretty knave, t'were more then sin, With a sharp knife to touch thy tender skin. On Madame, he's so full of Angel grace I cannot strike, he smiles so in my face. Give me the child, I'll find a messenger, Shall bear him safe to Melliseus Court.
Plot summary
Plot — The Golden Age, or The Lives of Jupiter and Saturn
King Uranus of Crete is dead. Titan is the eldest son, but his younger brother Saturn is the popular choice to ascend the throne. Titan agrees to make way for him provided that he agrees to settle the succession on Titan’s issue and kill his own sons as soon as they are born. Saturn is declared a god, and under his benevolent rule, the people learn agriculture, ship- building, and architecture, and begin to make weapons for hunting. His wife, Sibylla, becomes pregnant, but Saturn keeps his promise to Titan and kills the baby. During a second pregnancy, an oracle foretells that the child will depose Saturn. This time Sibylla demands the privilege of killing her own child; but neither she nor her women can bring themselves to do it, so the baby is sent to a foster mother, the Princess of Epirus, and Saturn is deceived with the blood of a goat. Jupiter grows up in the court of King Melisseus of Epirus, and is sent as an envoy to conclude a peace with King Lycaon of Pelasgia; but Lycaon has murdered the Epirote hostage and offers his limbs to Jupiter as a cannibalistic banquet. Jupiter deposes Lycaon and the people elect him their King. During the conflict, he encounters Callisto, Lycaon’s daughter, and is attracted to her. She asks him to grant her a boon to prove his love; he promises, but her request is to live a chaste life as a nymph of Diana. She joins Diana, but the nymphs are already paired off, so she must await the next recruit to have a bedfellow. This turns out to be Jupiter in female disguise. During a stag hunt, he diverts her, reveals his identity and rapes her. Months later, the nymphs undress to bathe together; Callisto is reluctant, and is forcibly stripped. She is found to be pregnant. and expelled from the order. Titan learns that Saturn’s sons are alive, and marches on Crete to seize the throne. Saturn learns that Sibylla has deceived him, and sends to Jupiter for help. Meanwhile, Jupiter is curious about his parentage. He meets Callisto, pursued by their son Archas, whom she has brought up among beasts in a remote cave. Saturn’s ===== PAGE 135 ===== 1611 message arrives, confirming Jupiter’s origins, and he goes to Crete, leaving Archas as King in his stead. Meanwhile Titan and his sons have taken Saturn prisoner. Jupiter frees them after defeating Titan in battle, and is granted his sister, Juno, in marriage. Saturn worries about the oracle, and attempts to kill Jupiter, but the plot backfires: Saturn is deposed and sent into exile, and…