Gloriana (play)

Last updated

Gloriana
Written by Nathaniel Lee
Date premiered29 February 1676
Place premiered Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London
Original languageEnglish
GenreTragedy

Gloriana; Or, The Court of Augustus Caesar is 1676 tragedy by the English writer Nathaniel Lee. It was first performed by the King's Company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.

The original cast included Michael Mohun as Augustus Caesar, Charles Hart as Caesario, Edward Kynaston as Marcellus, Edward Lydall as Tiberius, William Cartwright as Agrippa, Philip Griffin as Mecaenas, Thomas Clark as Ovid, Martin Powell as Leander, Rebecca Marshall as Gloriana, Elizabeth James as Julia and Mary Corbett as Narcissa. [1] The published play was dedicated to the Duchess of Portsmouth, mistress of Charles II.

The play is set in the Roman Empire during the reign of the first Roman Emperor Augustus. Amongst other things it portrays the Emperor's banishment of the poet Ovid from Rome. [2]

Related Research Articles

Tiberius 2nd Roman emperor, from AD 14 to 37

Tiberius Caesar Augustus was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father was the politician Tiberius Claudius Nero and his mother was Livia Drusilla, who would eventually divorce his father, and marry the future-emperor Augustus in 38 BC. Following the untimely deaths of Augustus' two grandsons and adopted heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Tiberius was designated Augustus' successor. Prior to this, Tiberius had proved himself an able diplomat, and one of the most successful Roman generals: his conquests of Pannonia, Dalmatia, Raetia, and (temporarily) parts of Germania laid the foundations for the empire's northern frontier.

Ovid Roman poet (43 BC – 17/18 AD)

Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō, known in English as Ovid, was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature. The Imperial scholar Quintilian considered him the last of the Latin love elegists. Although Ovid enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime, the emperor Augustus banished him to a remote province on the Black Sea, where he remained a decade until his death.

Ides of March Day of the Roman calendar that corresponds to March 15

The Ides of March is the 74th day in the Roman calendar, corresponding to 15 March. It was marked by several religious observances and was notable for the Romans as a deadline for settling debts. In 44 BC, it became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar, which made the Ides of March a turning point in Roman history.

Constantius Chlorus Roman emperor from 293 to 306

Flavius Valerius Constantius "Chlorus", also called Constantius I, was a Roman emperor as one of the four original members of the Tetrarchy established by Diocletian in 293. He was a junior-ranking emperor (caesar) from 293 to 305, and senior emperor (Augustus) from 305 to 306. Constantius was also father of Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome. The nickname Chlorus was first popularized by Byzantine-era historians and not used during the emperor's lifetime.

Classical Latin Literary form of the Latin language (75 BC-3rd ct. AD)

Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BC to the 3rd century AD, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later periods, it was regarded as good or proper Latin, with following versions viewed as debased, degenerate, or corrupted. The word Latin is now understood by default to mean "Classical Latin"; for example, modern Latin textbooks almost exclusively teach Classical Latin.

Principate First period of the Roman Empire (27 BC - AD 284)

The Principate is the name sometimes given to the first period of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the reign of Augustus in 27 BC to the end of the Crisis of the Third Century in AD 284, after which it evolved into the so-called Dominate.

Michael Mohun

Michael Mohun was a leading English actor both before and after the 1642–60 closing of the theatres.

<i>Tyrannick Love</i> Restoration heroic tragedy by John Dryden

Tyrannick Love, or The Royal Martyr is a tragedy by John Dryden in rhymed couplets, first acted in June 1669, and published in 1670. It is a retelling of the story of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and her martyrdom by the Roman Emperor Maximinus, the "tyrant" of the title, who is enraged at Catherine's refusal to submit to his violent sexual passion. Dryden reportedly wrote the play in only seven weeks.

<i>Amboyna</i> (play) Restoration heroic tragedy by John Dryden

Amboyna, or the Cruelties of the Dutch to the English Merchants is a tragedy by John Dryden written in 1673. Its subject is the Amboyna massacre and the death of Gabriel Towerson that took place on Ambon Island in 1623. Dryden reportedly wrote the play in the short space of a month; he wanted to produce a topical piece, since England was at that time at war with the Dutch Republic. It was dedicated to Lord Clifford, a member of the Cabal.

Cultural depictions of Augustus

Caesar Augustus, also known as Octavian, was the first and among the most important of the Roman Emperors. As such, he has frequently been depicted in literature and art since ancient times.

Augustan literature (ancient Rome) Period in Latin literature

Augustan literature refers to the pieces of Latin literature that were written during the reign of Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor. In literary histories of the first part of the 20th century and earlier, Augustan literature was regarded along with that of the Late Republic as constituting the Golden Age of Latin literature, a period of stylistic classicism.

Exile of Ovid Exile of Ovid from Rome to Tomis (now Romania) by emperor Augustus

Ovid, the Latin poet of the Roman Empire, was banished in 8 AD from Rome to Tomis by decree of the emperor Augustus. The reasons for his banishment are uncertain. Ovid's exile is related by the poet himself, and also in brief references to the event by Pliny the Elder and Statius. At the time, Tomis was a remote town on the edge of the civilized world; it was loosely under the authority of the Kingdom of Thrace, and was superficially Hellenized. According to Ovid, none of its citizens spoke Latin, which as an educated Roman, he found trying. Ovid wrote that the cause of his exile was carmen et error, probably the Ars Amatoria and a personal indiscretion or mistake. The council of the city of Rome revoked his exile in December 2017, some 2000 years after his banishment.

<i>Sophonisba</i> (Lee play) 1675 play

Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow is a 1675 tragedy by the English writer Nathaniel Lee. It is based on the story of the Carthaginian noblewoman Sophonisba, one of numerous versions based on the story including John Marston's The Wonder of Women (1606) and James Thomson's Sophonisba (1730).

Boadicea, Queen of Britain is a 1697 tragedy by the English writer Charles Hopkins. Based on the story of Boudica the British ruler who revolved against Roman Rule, it was first staged by Thomas Betterton's company at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London.

The Massacre of Paris is a 1689 tragedy by the English writer Nathaniel Lee. It was first staged by the United Company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. It is based around the 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day massacre which led the killing of many Huguenots during the French Wars of Religion. The events had previously been portrayed in Christopher Marlowe's Elizabethan play The Massacre at Paris.

<i>Theodosius</i> (play) 1680 play

Theodosius; Or, The Force Of Love is a 1680 tragedy by the English writer Nathaniel Lee. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre. It takes place during the reign of the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. Incidental music for the play was composed by Henry Purcell.

<i>Love in a Wood</i> (play) 1671 play

Love in a Wood; Or, St James's Park is a 1671 comedy play by the English writer William Wycherley. His debut play, it was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by the King's Company.

Edward Lydall was an English stage actor of the seventeenth century. He was a member of the King's Company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. His first known performance was in 1668. He generally played supporting roles. His surname is sometimes written as Lidell.

Thomas Clark was an English stage actor of the seventeenth century. He was a long-standing member of the King's Company, based at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London, from 1670 onwards. He was part of the group of actors who briefly left for Edinburgh in 1679 after a dispute with the management of the company.

Mary Corbett was an English stage actress of the seventeenth century. She was a member of the King's Company, based at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She appears to have left the company around the time of the merger creating the new United Company. Her name is sometimes written as Mary Corbet.

References

  1. Van Lennep p.242
  2. Hopkins & Martindale p.198

Bibliography