THE GOLDEN AGE, or THE LIVES OF JUPITER AND SATURN
1609–1611
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ACRIFIUS
King of Argos, father of the beautiful Danae. After his wife's pregnancy, King Acrifius, per custom, consults the oracle to inquire about the fortune of his awaited child. The oracle informs him that he shall have a beautiful daughter who will bring forth a boy who, in time, will turn his grandfather into stone. Fearing this fate, King Acrifius locks his daughter in a "brazen tower," where four Beldams guard her against men. After learning about Danae's pregnancy by Jupiter, Acrifius burns the Beldams and puts his daughter and grandson to sea, leaving them to the mercy of the stormy waves.
AEGEAN
One of Titan's sons. He fights with his father and brothers against Saturn.
AEOLUS
Homer narrates the story of this "ghost character" at the end. The fates make Aeolus king of the four winds so that these "brothers that still war" would not disturb Neptune, lord of the seas.
ALCMENA
A "ghost character." She is mentioned as one of Jupiter's mistresses.
ARCHAS
Son of Jupiter and Calisto. After Jupiter rapes and casts Calisto away from Diana, she rears Archas in a cave (as his father had been reared). In Act III, Archas pursues his mother with the intention of killing her because she has angered him. Calisto runs to the town to seek help. There, she meets Jupiter who embraces his son and gives him the kingdom of Pelagia (now named Archadia after Archas). Archas fights along with his father and King Melliseus against Titan and his sons who are attacking Saturn and the Cretes.
ATLANTA
Sworn to virginity, this nymph serves Diana, informing her which princess in her train will share Calisto's cabin.
BELDAMS
Four elderly women, appointed by King Acrifius to guard and keep men away from the brazen tower in which his daughter Danae is imprisoned. They are fit for this position because, as Neptune remarks, they are "past their lusts," and therefore cannot be charmed by men. They are also said to be pitiless, and thus will not yield to Danae's tears and prayers. They are bribed and threatened by King Acrifius so they dare not disobey him. However, Jupiter comes to Danae's tower disguised as a peddler, and his clown manages to keep the Beldams busy with gold and precious gifts (supposedly sent by Jupiter–"the shower of gold") while he reveals himself to the young princess. At the end of the evening, the Beldams allow the "peddlers" to stay in for the night, assuming that men of such lowly rank would not dare court a princess. Thus, Jupiter manages to obtain Danae's bed and deflower her. When King Acrifius learns about this, he burns the four Beldams.
CALISTO
Lycaon's daughter. She resists Jupiter's amorous advances and swears virginity, joining Diana's train. Disguised as a "manly lass" called Virago, Jupiter infiltrates Diana's coterie, by turns raping and proposing to Calisto who refuses him again. She retreats into the woods, where she raises her son (by Jupiter) Archas. Later, Jupiter embraces his son and gives him the kingdom of Pelagia (now named Archadia after Archas). Calisto refuses Jupiter's third proposal, preferring the solitude of the forest and abjuring "all peopled cities."
CERES
A "ghost character." Neptune mentions the Queen of Grain as one of Jupiter's mistresses and mother to his daughter, Proserpina.
CLOWN
The comic. He announces that Sybilla is with child and praises the deeds of Saturn, who has taught his people plowing, sowing, reaping and brought them "that strange engine, called a Bow and Arrow." The clown also serves as messenger between Saturn and Jupiter, essentially acting as the agent informing Jupiter of his true parentage. The clown also instructs Jupiter in the art of disguise when they masquerade as peddlers to enter Danae's tower. The clown diverts the Beldams with gold while Jupiter converses with the young princess. In the tradition of a more farcical–and outmoded–style of clowning pioneered by Will Kemp, the clown (almost certainly portrayed by Thomas Greene) adds a comic energy to the generally solemn play with witty and often sexual puns.
DANAE
Renowned for her beauty, Danae is daughter to King Acrifius of Argos. Before her birth, an oracle foretold Acrifius that he shall have a beautiful daughter that will bring forth a boy who will, in turn, metamorphose his grandfather into stone. Fearing this fate, Acrifius locks his daughter up in a "brazen tower," where four Beldams guard her against men. Despite these precautions, Jupiter comes to Danae's tower disguised as a peddler and ravishes the princess. Upon learning of his daughter's subsequent pregnancy, King Acrifius puts her and her baby to sea, leaving them to the mercy of the stormy waves. At the end of the play, a Lord of Argos informs Jupiter that Danae has managed to land safely on the shore of Naples, where, assisted by a fisherman, she is presented to King Pelonnus who makes her queen.
DAUGHTERS of MELLISEUS
The guardians of Jupiter as a baby who zealously guard his true identity.
DIANA
Queen of the virgins. She admits Calisto into her train, but she casts her away upon learning of her pregnancy by Jupiter.
ENCELADUS
One of Lycaon's son, he joins his father in combat against Saturn and the Cretans and is eventually killed by Jupiter.
EUROPA
A "ghost character." She is mentioned as one of Jupiter's mistresses.
FAIRIES
These characters accompany Diana and her train.
FATES
Non-speaking characters. The three "fatal sisters" appear in a dumb show at the end of the play, with a rock, a thread, and a pair of scissors representing Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune, the kingdoms of Heaven, Hell, and the Sea. They are in control of Man's fate, and what they decree is inevitable.
GANIMEDE
The son of King Troos of Troy. In order to foreclose on the oracle that prophesied that Saturn's son will someday depose his father, Saturn enlists the aid of Troos and his sons in an his ongoing campaign against Jupiter. King Troos and Saturn are defeated and Ganimede is the only one who refuses to escape. When Ganimede refuses to surrender to Jupiter on the battlefield, the two fight, and, after loosing their arms, they embrace and become friends. Ganimede accompanies Jupiter in the play's final dumb show, when Jupiter is given the kingdom of heaven.
HERCULES
A "ghost character." He is mentioned once at the end of the play by Homer, who claims that he has prepared "an ampler field" for such a hero, since time does not permit him to narrate his story at the moment. Hercules' exploits are the subject of Heywood's Brazen Age (1613).
HOMER as PROLOGUE
The narrator who appears as a prologue to each of the play's five acts. In addition to fulfilling the traditional role of the prologue by setting the historical scene for the drama's five episodes, Homer acclimates the audience to the world of the play in a manner different from his better-known counterparts (cf. Shakespeare's Henry V). During his first appearance, the blind poet discusses the creations of his "pen": "I was the man that flourished in the world's first infancy." He addresses the audience, telling them that he will show them the state of the world when it was in its Golden Age, thereby placing himself outside the plot, but locating the audience in the historical present by drawing a sharp distinction between the current "decrepit" Age and the Golden Age of the Greco-Roman pantheon. He does not, in other words, seek to "transport" the audience to a distant historical landscape, but forces them to confront the distinction between actor and character rather than attempting to conflate them. The importance of Homer also lies in his several "moral" comments on the actions of the play.
HYPERION
He fights with Titan and his sons against Saturn and Jupiter.
IRIS
A non-speaking character. Her only appearance occurs in the play's final dumb show in which Iris descends and presents Jupiter with his eagle, crown, scepter, and thunderbolt.
JO
A "ghost character." She is mentioned as one of Jupiter's mistresses.
JOVE
Another name given to Jupiter, Saturn's son.
JUNO
Daughter of Saturn and Sybilla. When Jupiter comes to the aid of his father in his battle with Titan and his sons, he is enamored of his sister and marries her. Juno quickly becomes jealous of her husband/brother's many mistresses and comes to harangue Jupiter's sexual escapades.
JUPITER
Saturn's son, whose life is endangered from birth. His father orders his death because of an oracle that prophesied that his son will take his crown away from him and drive him into Hell. Saturn has also promised his elder brother, Titan, that he would kill his baby sons upon their birth so that his own offspring might rule the kingdom of Crete. However, his grandmother Vesta spares the child. She sends him away to the two daughters of king Melliseus of Epyre who vow not to reveal his identity. After coming of age, he makes peace with Lycaon, son of Titan. When this accord crumbles, the two young princes fight until Lycaon flees and Jupiter seizes the kingdom of Pelagia. He attempts to ravish Lycaon's daughter, Calisto, who refuses his advances, choosing to join Diana's train as a perpetual virgin. Disguised as a "manly lass" called Virago, Jupiter infiltrates Diana's compound and rapes Calisto who bears him a son, Archas, who later inherits the kingdom of Pelagia (which is renamed Arcadia after Archas). The Clown reveals Jupiter's true identity to him. Jupiter then sets out to help his father Saturn fight against Titan and his sons. Titan is slain; Jupiter kills Enceladus and, fascinated by the beauty of his sister Juno, he marries her. Fearing the oracle, Saturn again tries to kill his son, but Jupiter defends himself and banishes his father, who seeks the help of King Troos and Ganimede. Meanwhile, Jupiter comes to Danae's tower disguised as a peddler, and his clown manages to keep the guardian Beldams busy with gold and precious gifts (supposedly sent by king Jupiter–"the shower of gold"), while Jupiter reveals himself to the young princess. Through this ruse, Jupiter manages to impregnate Danae. Leaving his new bride, Jupiter again repels the attack of Saturn and King Troos and befriends Ganimede. At the end of the play, the three Fates allot him the kingdom of Heaven.
KING MELLISEUS
King of Epyre. Along with his daughters he harbors Jupiter as a baby, and he rears him to be a courageous prince and considers him his own son. He also assists Jupiter in his battle against King Troos and Saturn.
KING TROOS
King of Troy, father of Ganimede. He helps Saturn attack his son Jupiter, but, loosing the battle, they fly from the battlefield leaving Ganimede (who refuses to escape) behind. Upon his retreat, King Troos says, "Crete thou hast won/ My thirty thousand soldiers, and my son."
LORD of ARGOS
A lord. Informs Jupiter of Danae's pregnancy and the subsequent birth of his son, Perfeus.
LORDS of CRETE
Men of Crete. A conversation between these lords introduces the audience to the conflict between Titan and Saturn, the sons of King Uranus informing the auditory of their relative merits: Saturn, the youngest, "hath the hearts of all the people," while Titan, the eldest, is proud and insolent. They also inform Saturn of the oracle that prophesies that his son will eventually usurp his throne. All three lords eventually swear allegiance to Jupiter.
LORDS of EPYRE
Brief companions of Jupiter.
LORDS of PELAGIA
Companions of Lycaon. They encourage Jupiter to rule the kingdom of Pelagia.
NEPTUNE
The third son of Saturn, brother of Jupiter. He is sent to Athens where he lives unknown to his brothers. He is reunited with his brothers, Jupiter and Pluto, at which time he informs the eldest of the beautiful Danae, daughter of King Acrifius, locked up in a "brazen tower." At the end of the play, the three Fates assign him the kingdom of the sea.
NURSE
She attends Sybilla, wife of Saturn. Her conversation with the clown comments on Saturn's "most unnatural" agreement with Titan. She is also present with the queen when Vesta brings the news of Saturn's decree for the execution of the child. When Sybilla and Vesta falter, the Nurse tries to murder the baby herself, but fails when she is faced with his innocent smile.
NYMPHS
They accompany Diana, princess of virginity, with garlands on their heads and javelins in their hands.
OPS
A "ghost character." He is Saturn's first baby boy, murdered in his cradle in fulfillment of the covenant between Saturn and Titan.
PAN
A non-speaking character. Pan is the God of Shepherds.
PEDDLER
A disguise assumed by Jupiter in order to gain access to the beautiful Danae. His clown manages to keep the guardian Beldams busy with gold and precious gifts (supposedly sent by king Jupiter–"the shower of gold"), while he deflowers the young princess.
PELONNUS
A "ghost character." Pelonnus is the King of Naples. Danae and her son arrive in Naples where the princess is crowned Pelonnus's queen. Pelonnus does not appear physically on stage, but a Lord of Argos narrates the story of the marriage between Pelonnus and Danae to Jupiter.
PERFEUS
A non-speaking character. The son of Jupiter and Danae, he is mentioned briefly by Homer at the end of the play.
PHOEBUS
A "ghost character." Phoebus, or the Delphic god, is the deity of oracles.
PLUTO
He is the youngest of Saturn's sons. Upon his birth, he is secretly sent to Tartary, where he builds "a strange city called Hell." His subjects are famous for the "spoils and thefts" and they are known abroad as devils. He is reunited with his brothers, Jupiter and Neptune, when the fates assign to him the kingdom of Hell.
PROSERPINA
A "ghost character." Daughter of Jupiter and Ceres, queen of Grain.
SATURN
Son of Uranus and Vesta. At the beginning of the play, there is a struggle between him and his older brother, Titan. The people want Saturn to rule because Titan (the rightful heir) is proud and insolent. In order to avoid war and bloodshed, a covenant is made between the two brothers: after Saturn's death, the kingdom of Crete should be given to Titan's heirs, and, in order to ensure this, Titan requires Saturn to kill all his infant boys in their cradles, a condition to which Saturn agrees. As a king, Saturn's inventions and knowledge make Crete prosper: he teaches his people sowing, plowing and reaping corn, he invents the bow and arrow, and he is even knowledgeable in the fields of medicine and architecture. However, there is a melancholic side to Saturn's character, caused by his constant indecision. For After the murder of his first infant boy, Ops, another boy is born that Saturn, according to his agreement with Titan, should kill. He is reluctant to do this until he is informed of an oracle that foretells that his sons will eventually kill him and drive him to Hell. Melancholy and confusion consistently distort Saturn's reason: he claims that "mortality fails me, and I am wrapped in millions of confusions."
SATYRS
They accompany Diana, queen of the virgins, and sing for her.
SEMELE
A "ghost character." She is mentioned as among Jupiter's panoply of mistresses.
SYBILLA
Saturn's wife and the mother of Jupiter, Pluto, Neptune, and Juno. Possessed of a strong maternal instinct, she mourns the infanticide of her first son, Ops, and cannot kill the second one. She also proves resourceful, for she is the one who sends for Jupiter's aid when Titan is about to attack Saturn.
TITAN
Eldest son of Uranus, brother of Saturn. Involved in the initial power struggle between him and his younger brother after the death of Uranus. Saturn is the people's choice to rule them since they believe that Titan (the rightful heir) is proud and insolent. In order to avoid war and bloodshed, and after Titan's violent threats, a covenant is made between the two brothers: after Saturn's death, the kingdom of Crete should be inherited by Titan's heir, and, in order to ensure the compact Titan requires Saturn to kill all his infant boys in their cradles, a condition to which Saturn agrees. After learning about the secret survival of Saturn's sons, Titan and his sons attack Saturn, a battle in which he is slain by Jupiter.
URANUS
Father of Saturn and Titan, he is described as "old Uranus, son of Air and Day." Two Lords of Crete announce his death at the opening of the play.
VESTA
Wife of Uranus, mother of Saturn and Titan. She prefers her younger son Saturn as heir over his brother Titan. She informs the elder that, although he is older in age, he is "youngest in brain." Like Sybilla, she is an important female character because of what Homer calls "women's wits."
VIRAGO
A disguise assumed by Jupiter in order to trick, and ultimately rape, Calisto.