Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CELIA

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)Cae. | Cael. | Cae
Words213
Characters1159
Typicality0.47 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA06621
BritDrama no.835
ClusterCluster 12 — Wooers, gallants & courtly love-talk

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Indeed men vary in their love. Love and change are at variance, therefore if they vary, they must change. The same Jupiter was and Aegle, a Swan, a Bull, and for every Saint a new shape, as men have for every mistress a new shadow. If you take example of the gods, who more wanton, more wavering? if of your selves, being but men, who will think you more constant then gods? Eristus, if gold could have allured mine eyes, thou knowest Midas that commandeth all things to be gold, had conquered: if threats might have feared my heart, Midas being a king, might have commanded my affections: if love, gold, or authority might have enchanted me, Midas had obtained by love, gold, and authority, Quorum si singula nostram flectere non po terant, potuissent omniam mentem. Madam, I am free from love, and unfortunate to be beloved. If thou shouldst wish that whatsoe ver thou thoughtest might be love, as Midas what ever he touched might be gold, it may be love would be as loathsome to thine ears, as gold is to his eyes, and make thy heart pinch with melancholy, as his guts do with famine. I attend. Wé are content at this time to sooth her in her vanity. Sing.

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.