Blackfriars;Globe;Indoor Professional;Outdoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Flaccilla. | 1 Sister. | Flac. | Fla. | Flacc.
Words
306
Characters
1606
Typicality
0.23 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A07238
BritDrama no.
2333
Cluster
Cluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
We spend our time well. Nothing but praying, and poring on a book, It ill agrees with my constitution, sister. We are gone forsooth, there is no remedy, sister: Oh suffer not, for your own honours sake, The Empress you so late loved to be made A prisoner in the court. And try then, What interest my reverend Sister hath To force you from they. We are charged By the Emperor, our brother, to attend The Empress service. When I come to your years, I'll do as you do, but till then, with your pardon, I'll loose no more time. I have not learnt to dance yet Nor sing, but holy hymns, and those to vile tunes too; Nor to discourse, but of Schoolmen's opinion . How shall I answer my suitors? since, I hope, Ere long I shall have many, without practice To write, and speak something that's not derived From the father's of Philosophy. It's for your credit, that we study How to converse with men; women with women Yields but a harren argument. All young girls are so, Till they know the way of't. And we our duties with you. She is sick sure, Or, in fit reverence to your Majesty, She had waited you at the door. Help, help, violence Offered to the Empress person. Anger and jealousy that conclude in kisses Is a sweet war in sooth. And with speed Sir, For so your auour's doubled. If she be not sick of the sullens, I see not The least infirmi y in her. Grant heaven, your too much learning Does not conclude in madness. Sister, repent in time, and beg pardon For your presumption. I am glad she is gone. Never. Oh sweet Lady How I could weep for her! And repent too All his pother for and apple Sweet brother.
Plot summary
Plot — The Emperor of the East
Paulinus agrees to introduce Athenais at court: she wants to petition the virtuous Protectress Pulcheria after being cheated of her inheritance by her brothers. Pulcheria adopts her as a handmaiden and arranges for her to be converted to Christianity; she also catches-the eye of the Emperor, Theodosius. Urged by his eunuchs, Theodosius declares that his minority is at an end, and takes the reins of power from Pulcheria. She encouragés him to marry, but when he refuses the two diplomatic offers which are under consideration, she presents a third option: Athenais, whom he had been thinking of all along. The eunuchs suspect a stratagem to enable Puicheria to hang onte power by proxy. Theodosius disregards their warnings and insists on marrying as soon as Athenais has been baptised, which also entails her taking 2 new name, Eudoxia. He celebrates the wedding with extravagant largesse. Pulcheria asks the new Empress to use her influence to discourage her husband from prodigality, but Eudoxia contemptuously refuses. Theodosius grants Pulcheria a boon, and he seals it without troubling to find out what it contains. [t turns out to be a deed of gift, conferring ownership of Eudoxia. Pulcheria uses this to teach them beth a lesson, Eudoxia about pride and Theedosius about the dangers of being unwisely bountiful; she then destroys the deed and gives Theodosius back his wife. A countryman presents Theodosius with the gitt of a splendid apple. He in turn sends it to Eudoxia, whe in turn sends it to Paulinus, who is ill. Paulinus decides that only one man is worthy to eat so fine a truit: the Emperor. On receiving the apple back again, Theodosius suspects that Eudoxia and Paulinus are lovers. When questioned. Eudoxia swears that she has eaten the apple, whereupon Theodosius produces it intact. Feeling confirmed in his suspicions, he orders Philanax to have Paulinus killed. Pulcheria argues that Eudoxia is innecent. and Theodosius worries that he might have ordered an uniust execution. He visits the penitent Eudoxia disguised ss a friar, and hears her confession - but it is a confession of perjury, not adultery. It also emerges thal Paulinus was secretly a eunuch, unable to be a woman's lover even if he wanted to. Fortunately Philanax disobeyed his orders and kept Paulinus alive, so no harm has been done. and mutual forgiveness can be the order of the day.