A "ghost character." Brother to Disanius, husband to Themyle. A beloved General who died 20 years prior to the action of the play, he is the father of Philargus and believed to be the father of Philocles.
APOLLO'S ORACLE
Philargus and Philocles consult Apollo's oracle at Delphi (off stage) to determine which of them will marry Eudyna. They return with the following riddle: "Contend not for the Jewel, which / Ere long shall both of you enrich. / Pursue your fortune: for tis she / Shall make you what you seem to be." Justinius interprets the riddle to mean that the brothers should not contend for Eudyna at the expense of the "fortune" of their friendship. In actuality, Eudyna enriches Philargus by becoming his wife and Philocles by becoming his sister. Her marriage makes the two men brothers, which they previously seemed to be.
DISANIUS
A lord, brother to Adrastus. At the beginning of the play, he returns to the court to help the King quell the unrest caused by the lack of a definitive heir to the throne. Disanius believes that the peace and prosperity have made the people presumptuous and suggests that the King would not be troubled now if he had beheaded a certain number of the populace a month ago. He repeatedly warns Stratocles that his ambition diminishes his accomplishments. To end his nephew's indecision over who shall marry Eudyna, he writes "friendship" on one slip of paper and "love" on another and forces them to draw a slip. The one who draws "friendship" is to leave the kingdom; the one who draws "love" is to marry Eudyna. When Philargus is poisoned, Disanius immediately suspects and apprehends
Varillus.
DORIS
Waiting woman to Themyle. When Eudyna's suitors send messengers to inquire about her after she faints, Doris gives a more encouraging assessment of her health to those messengers who give her a more pleasant greeting. She is courted by Geron, Tersulus, and Varillus. She hopes that Philocles will marry Eudyna as this will improve the standing of Varillus, whom she most loves. She rejects Geron's affection because she claims she cannot understand what he is asking of her in his mock-scholarly language. Ultimately, she agrees that if Eudyna marries Tersulus's master, she will marry Tersulus; if Eudyna marries Varillus's master, she will marry Varillus, and if Eudyna marries both, she will marry Geron. She then gives Varillus a sleeping potion (that he believes to be poison) made by her apothecary father with which to drug Philargus, so that Eudyna will be forced to marry Philocles.
EPILOGUE
Claims that the audience alone can determine the goodness of a play and asks for their applause.
EUDYNA
Also identified as Eudina. Daughter to the King. She loves Philargus and Philocles equally and vows to marry no one if she cannot marry one of them. When the two brothers (following Justinius's interpretation of Apollo's oracle) vow not to let their love for Eudyna interfere with their friendship, she laments the fact that unless she is able to marry both brothers she will be unable to marry either. Thereupon, she faints and is carried to bed. When she recovers, she speaks with Philargus, who entreats her to marry Philocles. Instead, she determines to marry Philargus. Then she speaks with Philocles, who likewise entreats her to marry Philargus. She then determines to marry Philocles. When it appears she will be unable to make up her mind, her father announces that she will have to choose within five days or be forced to marry Stratocles. She asks Placilla to sing to her. During the song, she falls asleep and dreams that Philargus and Philocles are dueling. When she awakens, she meets with Philargus and tells him that she would kill herself if not for the fact that doing so would result in the election of the next king by the populace. She is captured by Stratocles who threatens to rape her (though he must prevent her from killing herself in order to do so), but she is rescued by Philargus, Philocles and six rustics. She pleads clemency for Stratocles and hopes he will reform. When she must finally decide who to marry, she vows to marry whichever one enters the room first. When Philargus's seemingly dead body is brought in, she vows her love to him. Eventually, her father convinces her to marry Philocles, but their marriage is postponed until Philocles can seek justice for his brother's murder. The marriage is ultimately interdicted by Themyle, who reveals that Philocles is Eudyna's sister. When Philargus revives, Eudyna marries him.
EUPHATHUS
Identified as Euphalus in the Dramatis Personae. An attendant to the King. He presents the four rustics to the King in the first scene. In the forth act, he brings news that Stratocles has been prevented from raping Eudyna. In the fifth act he brings the King news of Philargus's poisoning.
GARULA
Also identified as Garrula. A midwife, mother to Geron. She delivered Themyle's son Philargus and the Queen's son Philocles. To protect Philocles's life, she helped make it appear that Themyle gave birth to both children. She coerces Themyle by threatening to reveal the secret of Philocles's true identity. A talkative character, prone to digression, she often revives her tongue by sipping a bottle of medicinal "syrup" she carries with her. In the first act, she attempts to inform Themyle that Philargus and Philocles have returned from Delphi safely, but she takes so long in doing so that she is preempted by Placilla. Later, she coerces Themyle into helping win Doris's affection for Geron. When Doris refuses Geron, she attempts to reveal Philocles's identity to the King, but he dismisses her before she can speak. In the final act, she corroborates Themyle's claim that Philocles is the King's son.
GERON
Son to Garula. He serves as tutor to Philargus and Philocles. His ridiculous advice is delivered in pithy anecdotes that always begin, "whilom...." He is in love with Doris, but she refuses to marry him. He enlists the rustics to perform a dance to celebrate the Princess's wedding. This dance concludes the play.
JUSTINIUS
A lord. He and Disanius advise the King. In the first act, he mocks the rustics for their indecision. When the riddle from Apollo's oracle arrives, he interprets it to mean that the Philargus and Philocles should not contend for Eudyna at the expense of their friendship.
KING OF THESSALY
Having no son, the King is plagued by demands that he establish a rightful heir. The law stipulates that if the King dies without a male heir, the commons may elect anyone who is "of noble blood, a soldier, and one / That had done public service for the Crown" or "the son of some / Great General slain in battle for his country." However, if his daughter marries, her husband "stand immediate heir unto the Crown / Against all contradiction." The King promises that within a month his daughter Eudyna shall be married to a suitable heir. When Eudyna is unable to choose between Philargus and Philocles, he gives her five days to choose one or he will force her to marry Stratocles. The King announces that he favors Philocles but does not disapprove of Philargus. He accepts Stratocles's penitence after the attempted rape of Eudyna and maintains that she must marry him if she does not choose between the brothers. When Eudyna's time has run out and the brothers have not appeared (because Philargus has been drugged) he orders Stratocles to marry her. Stratocles, however, refuses because he claims that doing so would fly in the face of the clemency that Eudyna and the brothers have shown him. After learning of Philargus's apparent death, he persuades Eudyna to marry Philocles. This match is prevented by the discovery that the two are brother and sister.
MATHO
Servant to Stratocles. After Eudyna faints, he is sent to learn of her health from Doris. Later, he disguises himself and delivers a forged challenge to Philargus from Philocles and vice versa. He then waits for the brothers at the place appointed in the challenge, planning to wait until they are weary from combat and kill both of them. When they refuse to try to kill each other, Matho confronts them both and is quickly disarmed and captured. In hopes of saving his life, he tells them of Stratocles's plan to capture and rape Eudyna. He is held in custody by six rustics who happen by.
PHILARGUS
Son to Adrastus and Themyle, brother to Placilla. He and Philocles, who he believes to be his twin brother, are both in love with Eudyna and travel to Delphi to ask Apollo's oracle who should marry her. They follow Justinius's interpretation of the oracle's riddle and vow not to let their love for Eudyna destroy their friendship. Philargus entreats Eudyna to marry Philocles, which only deepens her love for him. When Eudyna cannot choose between the two, Stratocles sends forged challenges to each brother from the other. They travel to the place appointed in the challenge, but each brother attempts to let the other brother win. When it becomes apparent that neither will strike the other, each tries to kill himself but is prevented by his brother. Matho, who has been waiting in ambush, attempts to kill them both, but he is quickly disarmed and taken into custody. Matho reveals Stratocles's plot to capture and rape Eudyna, and the two brothers apprehend Stratocles with the help of six rustics. Each brother then insists upon leaving the kingdom so that the other brother can marry Eudyna. To end the dispute, Disanius writes "friendship" on one slip of paper and "love" on another and forces them to draw a slip. The one who draws "friendship" is to leave the kingdom; the one who draws "love" is to marry Eudyna. Philargus draws "love," but as he is drinking a farewell toast to Philocles, he is drugged by Varillus. With what might have been his dying breath, he lies and says that he poisoned himself. Fortunately, the drug was only a sleeping potion and he lives to marry Eudyna.
PHILOCLES
Son to the King and Queen. He was raised with Philargus, who he believes to be his twin brother. Both are in love with Eudyna and travel to Delphi to ask Apollo's oracle who should marry her. They follow Justinius's interpretation of the oracle's riddle and vow not to let their love for Eudyna destroy their friendship. Philocles entreats Eudyna to marry Philargus, which only deepens her love for him. When Eudyna cannot choose between the two, Stratocles sends forged challenges to each brother from the other. They travel to the place appointed in the challenge, but each brother attempts to let the other win. When it becomes apparent that neither will strike the other, each tries to kill himself but is prevented by his brother. Matho, who has been waiting in ambush, attempts to kill them both, but he is quickly disarmed and taken into custody. Matho reveals Stratocles's plot to capture and rape Eudyna, and the two brothers apprehend Stratocles with the help of six rustics. Each brother then insists upon leaving the kingdom so that the other brother can marry Eudyna. To end the dispute, Disanius writes "friendship" on one slip of paper and "love" on another and forces them to draw a slip. The one who draw "friendship" is to leave the kingdom; the one who draws "love" is to marry Eudyna. Philocles draws "friendship," but while the brothers are drinking a farewell toast, Philargus is poisoned by Varillus. After Philargus's apparent death, Philocles agrees to marry Eudyna. The marriage is prevented when it is revealed that the two are brother and sister. Philocles then agrees to marry Placilla.
PLACILLA
Daughter to Adrastus and Themyle, sister to Philargus. She brings news that Philargus and Philocles have returned safely from Delphi. She secretly loves Philocles, who she believes to be her brother, and is conflicted when he asks her to help him court Eudyna. She sings for Eudyna. During the song, Eudyna falls asleep and dreams that Philargus and Philocles are dueling. After the discovery of Philocles's true identity, the two agree to marry.
PROLOGUE
The Prologue informs the audience that Brome claims to possess "A little wit, less learning, no poetry," but he attributes this to the playwright's modesty. However, he cautions against high expectations, reasoning, "If you find pleasure in't, we boasting none, / Nor you nor we lose by expectation." He likens this unexpected pleasure to the discovery of a great dish on a poor man's table. He ends by entreating those who "pleased your palates here" to "bring your friends w'you next, you know your cheer."
QUEEN OF THESSALY
A "ghost character." She has died prior to the action of the play. She gave birth to Philocles during a civil war while fleeing for her life. Fearing for the child's safety, she arranged to have the child raised as Themyle's and gave out that she had miscarried. After the war ended, she still did not feel that Philocles would be safe, so she forbad Garalus and Themyle from revealing his true identity. Before her death, she certified Philocles's identity in writing.
RUSTICS, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD and FOURTH
Believing a rumor started by Stratocles that Philargus and Philocles (two popular candidates for successor to the throne) were killed at Delphi, the people of Thessaly nominate four rustics to petition the King to name Stratocles his heir. The King identifies them as Head Carpenter, Head Smith, Head Plowman and Head Shepherd, but there is no clear indication which occupation corresponds to which rustic. Upon learning that Philargus and Philocles are alive, the second, third and fourth rustics endorse Philargus, Philocles and Stratocles respectively. The first rustic entreats the King to make a speedy decision. In act four, six rustics of Tempe appear and help Philargus and Philocles apprehend Matho and Stratocles. Only three of these rustics speak. In the fifth act, Geron enlists four rustics to dance at the Princess's wedding. Their dance ends the play. These may or may not be the same characters reappearing throughout the play, but they were presumably played by the same actors.
SOLDIER
One of the soldiers (number unspecified) who accompanies Stratocles when he captures Eudyna thanks him for his money before they depart.
STRATOCLES
A politician and war hero. He justifies his ambition in his first speech by claiming that because man is "Prescrib'd on earth to imitate the Gods," man should attempt to become king. To this end, he has won the hearts of many people and would have been a powerful contender for the throne in a popular election. After spreading a rumor that Philargus and Philocles are dead fails to win him the throne, he begins to court Eudyna. To eliminate his competition, he sends forged challenges to each brother from the other and instructs Matho to ambush and kill both of them. He then abducts Eudyna and threatens to rape her. He is apprehended by Philargus, Philocles and six rustics. When he is shown clemency, he becomes penitent. He even refuses to marry Eudyna against her wishes when the King commands him to do so.
TERSULUS
A tailor, servant to Philargus. He is in love with Doris. After Eudyna faints, he is sent to learn of her health from Doris. Doris agrees to marry him if Eudyna marries Philargus. In the fifth act, he runs to get a physician for the drugged Philargus and reveals that Doris enticed Varillus to murder Philargus.
THEMYLE
Also identified as Themile. She is mother to Philocles and Placilla and Governess to Eudyna. Following the Queen's wishes, she has led everyone to believe that Philocles is her son. She tries to ensure that Philargus, not Philocles, will win Eudyna and ensures that he is the first person to see her after she recovers from her swoon. She recognizes Placilla's love for Philocles and cryptically promises to help her. Garula, who repeatedly threatens to expose Philocles's identity, coerces her into helping win Doris's affection for Geron. When it appears that Philargus is dead and Philocles will marry Eudyna, she is forced to reveal his true identity.
VARILLUS
A barber, servant to Philocles. He is in love with Doris. After Eudyna faints, he is sent to learn of her health from Doris. Doris agrees to marry him if Eudyna marries Philocles. When Philargus wins at drawing lots for Eudyna, Varillus slips a drug (that he believes to be poison) into his wine. Fortunately, the drug that Doris gave him turns out to be a sleeping potion.