Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

BACCHUS

in Midas — Lyly, John

Metadata

PlayMidas
AuthorLyly, John
Year (catalogued)1592
First performance1589
Decade1590s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of Paul's (first)
Theaterbefore the Court;
Speech prefix(es)Bacchus | Bac.
Words190
Characters1011
Typicality0.40 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA06621
BritDrama no.835
ClusterCluster 24 — Gods, cupids & celestial agents

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

M Ida's, where the Gods bestow benefits they ask thanks, but where they receive good turns they give rewards. Thou hast filled my belly with meat, mine ears with music, mine eyes with wonders. Baccnus of all the Gods is the best fellow, and Midas amongst men a king of fellows. All thy grounds are vineyards, thy corn grapes, thy cham bers sellers, thy household stuff standing cups: and therefore ask any thing it shall be granted. Wouldst thou have the pipes of thy conducts to run wine, the udders of thy beasts to drop nectar, or thy trees to bud ambrosia? Desirest thou to be fortunate in thy love, or in thy victories famous, or to have the years of thy life as many as the hairs on thy head? Nothing shall be de nied, so great is Bacchus, so happy is Midas. Consult, Bacchus will consent. Midas thy wish cleaveth to thy last word. Take up this stone. If Midas be pleased Bacchus is, I will to my tem ple with Silenus, for by this time there are many to offer unto me sacrifices: Paenam pro munere poscis.

Plot summary

Plot — Midas
Offered anything he wishes by way of reward for entertaining Baéehus) KingiMidas seeks advice. Two of his lords suggest that he request love and empire respectively; the third proposes gold, which can buy both, so Midas asks that everything he touches should turn to gold. The gift proves to be an inconvenience, turning Midas’s food and even his beard to gold. (A BaBE steals the golden beard from the FSyalibarber, but the barber gets his own back by giving him toothache.) Regretting his folly and his imperialistic designs on other nations, Midas seeks a remedy from the oracle, and washes off the golden touch in a nearby river. On the way home, Midas goes hunting in the woods, gets lost, and encounters Ajpoll6 and Pan ‘The two gods are in dispute over which is the best musician; Midas is asked to judge, and, perversely, chooses Pan. Apollo gives him ass’s ears in reprisal, and he becomes reclusive while rumours spread; even the reeds whisper about his ears. Meanwhile his empire begins to disintegrate and he is unable to achieve his overriding objective, the conquest of Lesbos. Finally he seeks a remedy from the oracle of Apollo, and also proclaims that any further talk about his ass’s ears will cost the speaker his own. The pages inveigle Motto the barber into flouting the edict, and thereby force him to return the golden beard. Midas makes his obeisance at Apollo’s oracle, and is ordered to give up his imperial ambitions; in particular, his ears will only get longer if he continues to covet Lesbos. He agrees, and promises to make annual sacrifices at the oracle. The ass’s ears fall off, and the play ends with praise for Apollo.