Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

FLORA

in The Masque at Lord Hay's Marriage (Apollo's Knights) — Campion, Thomas

Metadata

PlayThe Masque at Lord Hay's Marriage (Apollo's Knights)
AuthorCampion, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1607
First performance1607
Decade1600s
GenreMasque
Play typeOccasional
Theaterbefore the Court;Whitehall;
Speech prefix(es)Flora | Flora. | Flor. | Flo.
Words166
Characters987
Typicality0.30 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA17871
BritDrama no.1526
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

FLowers and good wishes Flora does present, Sweet flowers, the ceremonious ornament Of maiden marriage, Beauty figuring, And blooming youth, which though we careless fling About this sacred place, let none profane Think that these fruits from common hills are taken, Or Vulgar valleys which do subject lie To winter's wrath, and cold mortality. But these are hallowed and immortal flowers With Floras hands gathered from Floras bowers. Such are her presents, endless, as her love, And such for ever may this nights joy prove. Be mild stern night Flora does honour Cinthia, and her right, Virginity is a voluntary pour, Free from constraint, even Like and untouched flower Meet to be gathered when 'tis thoroughly blown. The Nymph was Cinthia's while she was her own, But now another claims in her a right By fate reserved thereto, and wise foresight. ALL grace this night, & Silvans so must you, Offering your marriage song with cham ̄ ges new Honoured be Cynthia for this generous deed.

Plot summary

Plot — The Masque at Lord Hay's Marriage (Apollo's Knights)
Flora and Zephyrus strew flowers over the dancing area in honour of the bride and groom. Two sylvans debate in song the relative virtues of maid and wife. Night appears and upbraids Flora for colluding with Hymen in his theft of one of Diana’s nymphs (that is, the bride). She introduces Apollo’s knights, whom Diana has transformed into trees for attempting to seduce her nymphs. Hesperus brings news that Apollo has pacified Diana, and relays her command that Night change the trees back into men. She does, but makes them dance first. After their metamorphosis, they dance again. Night’s servants pull off the leafy camouflage robes in which the knights came wooing, and more dancing follows. It is getting late, and since the happy couple undoubtedly want to go to bed, Night calls an end to the masque; it concludes with another dance and a song. ===== PAGE 358 =====