in Cupid's Revenge — Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John
Metadata
Play
Cupid's Revenge
Author
Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John
Year (catalogued)
1615
First performance
1608
Decade
1610s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of the Queen's Revels
Speech prefix(es)
Nilo.
Words
161
Characters
845
Typicality
0.40 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A06177
BritDrama no.
1533
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.
here must make a Scarecrow For any thing I know, or at the best, A dorne a Chimney-piece. This will not help it, take down the Images And away with'em. Priest change your coat you had best, all service now Is given to men: prayers above their hearing Will prove but babblings; learn to lie, and thrive, 'Twill prove your best
Full speech
No more of this: here break your Rights for ever The Duke commands it so; Priest do not stare, I must deface your temple, though unwilling, And your God Cupid here must make a Scarecrow For any thing I know, or at the best, A dorne a Chimney-piece. This will not help it, take down the Images And away with'em. Priest change your coat you had best, all service now Is given to men: prayers above their hearing Will prove but babblings; learn to lie, and thrive, 'Twill prove your best profession: for the gods, He that lives by'em now, must be a beggar. There's better holiness on earth they say, Pray God it ask not greater sacrifice. Go home, And if your God be not deaf as well as blind, He will some smoke for it. Gentlemen there is no talking, This must be done, and speedily; I have Commission that I must not break. On to the next Temple.
Plot summary
Plot — Cupid's Revenge
Leontius, King of Lycia, promises his daughter Hydaspes anything she asks for on her birthday. She wants him to ban the cult of Cupid in Lycia: the god’s naked statues are to be taken down and burnt, and Cupid-worship to be made a capital offence. Leontius agrees, persuaded that the religion is the cause of national immorality. His nephew Ismenus demurs: he will promulgate the Duke’s orders, but will himself take no hand in obeying them. As his temples are dismantled, Cupid declares vengeance on the kingdom. The Lycian royal family begins to behave with inappropriate amorousness. Hydaspes fixates on Zoilus, a deformed dwarf, and asks to be allowed to marry him; her father’s response is to have him beheaded, and she pines to death. Prince Leucippus falls for Bacha, a strumpet only interested in his wealth and power, but, questioned by his father, denies sexual misbehaviour and praises her virtue and chastity. Leontius is so impressed that he sends Leucippus away ===== PAGE 378 ===== and woos Bacha for himself, affecting youthful clothing and behaviour. Bacha becomes Queen of Lycia. When Leucippus returns to court, Bacha tries to seduce him again. He refuses to cuckold his father, and, annoyed at his refusal, she plots his death; this will leave her daughter Urania as the only heir to the throne. She makes Leontius jealous of his son’s popularity with the people and courtiers, and persuades him that Leucippus is plotting his assassination. The court parasite Timantus tells Leucippus that the King is to discuss his arrest at a council, and arranges to place him where he can eavesdrop and be forewarned of the charges. It is a ruse: Leucippus is arrested and sentenced to death, and Urania is proclaimed heir to the throne. At the execution, the citizens rise in rebellion and rescue the Prince from the scaffold. As Leontius sickens, Bacha schemes to marry Urania to a foreign prince; but she is in love with Leucippus, locates him through the good offices of Ismenus, and follows him posing as a page. Bacha engages Timantus to murder Leucippus. He finds the Prince by intercepting a letter from Ismenus; but his attack fails when Urania interposes her own body and is mortally wounded. Timantus is killed, but reveals her true identity before he dies. Ismenus brings Leucippus news that Leontius is dead. He declares that he will leave Bacha to heaven’s justice, but she stabs him. He dies, bequeathing the throne to Ismenus and enjoining him to reinstate the cult and…