Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

DRIAPON

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)Dria. | Driap.
Words150
Characters753
Typicality0.21 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA06621
BritDrama no.835
ClusterCluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

'Tis true, yet since Midas grew so mischievous, as to blur his diadem with blood, which should gli ster with nothing but pity; and so miserable, that he made gold his God, that was framed to be his slave, ma nigh broad speeches have flown abroad: in his own Country they stick not to call him Tyrant, and else where usurper. They flatly say, that he eateth into oh there dominions, as the sea does into the land, not know wing, that in swallowing a poor Island as big as Lesbos, he may cast up three territories thrice as big as Phrygia: for what the sea wins in the marsh, it loses in the sand. Nay, he means to angle for it with and hook of gold, and a bait of gold, and so to strike the fish with a pleasing bait, that will slide out of and open net.

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.