Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

HIPPOLITO

in Humor Out of Breath — Day, John

Metadata

PlayHumor Out of Breath
AuthorDay, John
Year (catalogued)1608
First performance1608
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the King's Revels
Speech prefix(es)Hip. | Hip ▪
Words636
Characters3398
Typicality0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA19975
BritDrama no.1559
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

Rather Like soldiers, and Octanioes sons, Lets throw a general challenge through the world, For a proud turney, at the which our selves Consorted with a hundred of our knights, Accoutered Like so many Gods of war, Will keep the lists gainst all adventurers, Which Like the suns light sigurd in a star, Should be a brief Epitome of war. My sister would make a rare beggar. The Like (you pleased) vows young Hippolito. Whats that? feeding? Canst get any living out of them? They are scarce worth giving. A match, isle venture twice so much of mine. Las thou art but a star to beauty's sun. That tongue weel practice, sister to love we leave you. Hast any skill in Love? And I desire to live in found desire, And yet I doubt to changed blind ancie f e . Doubt and misdoubt? what difference is there here? Experien worser lover, you have spoken well. O we are sons of a great father. Fair maids if so you be you are well met. We did not meet, you sa us come together. Then sisters, let us brother's husbands e. A shepheatd is and honest trade of life. He seldom swears but by his honesty. Yet if I swear, that needs must be mine oath, Take time, mean time weel praise ye to our powers. I'll say this is the heaven of heavenly graces. I but the first brother is first in beauty Me thinks 'tis sweeter music. And worse, when age spits poison against youth. Canst thou heave hills? then thou my thoughts mayest mon but never else. We are bound for love. How slow runs swift desire? This passion, which, but in passion Hath not his perfect shape. Then sleepy wakers, let these graven lets wander And wait th'ascension of beauty's wonder: But stay, a man striving betwixt life and death. If speech-bereauing love will let thee speak, Then speechless man, speak with the tongue of love, And tell me, if thou sawest not Cynthia Seeking Endymion in these flowery dales. Rather a Cell, Enter Octavio & whisper with Antonio. Where pleasure grows, and none but Angels dwell. I will compare her beauty to the sun, For her bright lustre gives the morning light. Oh speak but to me, and J shall be blessed. Nymph. Saint, once more, you're both well met. She fairer. Say sweet, intend you not to fish to day? Come, will you talk with me till time of fishing? Oh I would live and die with such annoy. No, they are fair, beauty is highly prizde. And what say you to this? Not Jove, Should a speak Ourloue admits no As Father. Our oaths. Your tongue V speaks your former speech. Tell me Florimel, Dost thou live there enforced, or of freewill? Leave that to trial. Aspero make surrender of our sister. Why do you love him. Brother, my shield the Like presents to me, But holds far more familiar reference, Here does the amorous shepherd kiss the Nymph; Which she with a chased blush consents unto: And see, a gloomy man, clad Like a pilgrim Comes in, and separates their sweet delights: The Motto, Sie! I so my Father came, and banished me from beauteous Hermia, and this hope tells me is fair Hermia. The more I think the more I find 'tis she. I that but now was all for war and death, am made all love, wars humour's out of breath. Yes, and in such arms as no Coward, but would venture life to march in. Well ep that liking still. Wood us to this course. But should he prove Apostata, deny Love which he first enforced us to profess, So firm are our inseparate affections, To win our loves weed lose the names of son .

Plot summary

Plot — Humor Out of Breath
Octavio has just won a war against Mantua, which has resulted in the banishment of Antonio, the Mantuan ===== PAGE 427 ===== 1607 Duke, and his family. Now Octavio sends his sons out into Italy to look for wives, but accompanies them incognito to keep an eye on them. His daughter Florimell protests that she wants love too, but Octavio leaves her in the custody of Hortensio, giving him a brief to restrain her wanton tendencies. Antonio and his family are living a rustic life, eating fish they have caught themselves. Aspero, the son, goes to Venice, eager to assassinate Octavio in revenge. With Octavio gone, he meets Florimell, who is attracted to him. When he does not reciprocate, she concurs in Hortensio’s decision to arrest him, but asks that he should be imprisoned in her own chamber. On hearing that she is planning to have him executed, but only because she is playing hard-to-get, he pretends to be dead. The sight of his body shocks her into declaring her love openly, and this brings him back to life. Hortensio has just received information as to his identity, and has him committed to close prison. Florimell and Hortensio visit him, and Hortensio is persuaded to play blind man’s buff in the cell. While Hortensio is hoodwinked, she disguises Aspero in his clothes and removes him from the prison; Hortensio is left behind in the cell. The jailer is given orders to allow nobody to see the prisoner, even if he should pretend to be Hortensio or imitate his voice. Aspero and Florimell go to Mantua. Octavio’s two sons éncounter Antonio’s two daughters, and fall in love despite the disguised Octavio’s insistence that they should seek women of higher rank. Octavio reveals his true identity at the wedding, forbids the marriage, banishes Antonio and his daughters, and takes his sons back to Venice. There he finds that Florimell has apparently eloped with Hortensio, but the truth emerges when the cell is opened and Hortensio found in Aspero’s place. News arrives that the Mantuans have rebelled against Venetian overlordship and reinstated Antonio. Octavio and his sons besiege Mantua, but Antonio’s daughters pass cryptic shields to Octavio’s sons, whose impresas refer to their rustic wooing. Realizing that the Mantuan princesses are their rustic loves, the Venetian princes call off the siege, and the war ends happily with a triple marriage.