in Chloridia: Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs — Jonson, Ben
Metadata
Play
Chloridia: Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs
Author
Jonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)
1631
First performance
1631
Decade
1630s
Genre
Masque
Play type
Occasional
Theater
before the Court;
Speech prefix(es)
SPRING.
Words
213
Characters
1090
Typicality
0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A04644
BritDrama no.
2332
Cluster
Cluster 22 — Ghosts, curses & horror voices
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
It is already done, in flowers As fresh and new as are the hours, By warmth of yonder Sun. But will be multiplied on us, If from the breath of ZEPHYRUS Like favour we have won. Beloved of the Spring! That wisest Nature cause can call Of quickening any thing. Fresh Fountains, I am come to tell A tale in yond'soft ear, Whereof the murmur will do well: If you your parts will bear. Go up with me, then: help to sing The story to the King. Cupid hath taken offence of late At all the Gods, that of the State, And in their Council, he was so deserted, Not to be called into their Guild But slightly passed by, as a child. And though his Mother seek to season, And rectify his rage with reason, By showing he lives yet under her command, Rebellious he, does disobey, And she hath forced his arms away. Whereat the Boy, in fury fell, With all his speed, is gone to hell, There to excite, and stir up lealousy, To make a party against the Gods, And set Heaven, Earth, and Hell at odds. She that led, a Queen was at least, Or a Goddess, above the rest: And all their graces, in her self expressed!
Plot summary
Plot — Chloridia: Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs
The gods have decreed that heaven and earth shall love one another; in order to facilitate this, earth as well as heaven is to have stars, which will be spring flowers. Cupid, offended at being excluded from the gods’ council on account of his minority, travels to Hell to make trouble. There his arrival warrants a holiday: the damned rejoice, freed from their perpetual torments, while Cupid releases troublesome goblins and sends a messenger to attack Spring with bad weather. Tempest ensues. Juno calms the storm and brings the spring: Chloris is revealed in her bower with her nymphs, and dancing ensues. The disruptive forces flee back to Hell, and Cupid sues for pardon. Fame ascends to heaven with attendants representing the collaboration of the verbal and visual arts, leaving Chloris on earth as the guardian of spring. Further dancing ensues. 1631