Antharis' son. Alcidonus is in love with Selina, the daughter of Clephis, his father's mortal enemy. Antharis is opposed to their relationship, and Alcidonus is afraid of telling him that they are already married. He wants Selina to remain silent about their marriage, too, although her father is less opposed to their love. He dares not speak to her in the presence of his father, but he goes to sing in front of her balcony and makes an appointment with her in the garden grove. When they meet there, they are surprised by Antharis, who comes with a guard looking for quarrelers. Antharis has his guards arrest his son and take him home. He then tells Alcidonus that he is Selina's brother by the same mother. Alcidonus decides to kill himself along with his beloved Selina. They take what they think to be a deadly poison, but Clephis has foreseen their plans and exchanged it against a strong sleeping drug. Antharis sees the couple once again just before they seem to die; he confesses his lie and turns mad.
ANDRUCHO
Count Aribert assumes a disguise and calls himself Andrucho, a Swisser. He is Eurinia's (Eugenia's) father. Aribert has been banished from the Court for two years because of some intrigues, but he has returned to observe the courtiers and find out who had been responsible for this. Nobody recognizes him in his disguise as a Swisser with his false beard and longer hair, only his friend Arioldus knows about it. As a Swisser, Andrucho has won the King's favor by openly commenting upon everybody's follies, vices and intrigues. The King calls Andrucho his "bandog". Together with Iseas and Asprandus, Andrucho plays a trick on Timentes, the fearful general. They make him believe that his life is in danger and hide him in a coffin. When they reopen the coffin, Timentes seems to have died of fear and they risk losing their own lives as well. Andrucho goes to the court to beg a pardon from the King, but he is not admitted because the King is seducing Eurinia, Arioldus' prisoner. When Timentes arises from his supposed death, Andrucho swears to become more serious. He discovers that Eurinia is his daughter Eugenia, whom he had believed dead. He now wants to revenge himself on the King. Hidden behind a curtain he overhears the King's conversation with Arioldus and interferes when they start their duel. Together with Arioldus and Panopia, he organizes a plot to punish the King and teach him a moral lesson. Arioldus asks the King to use his sister in the same way as he had used Eurinia, and Andrucho wants him to marry his daughter, a poor Swiss girl. When everything is discovered, the King marries Eugenia, Arioldus marries Panopia, and the "Swisser" is reinstated as Count Aribert.
ANTHARIS
An old nobleman, father of Alcidonus, and mortal enemy of Clephis. Antharis is the typical courtier and flatterer who knows what his king wants to hear, but his counsels always serve his own interests. He has convinced the king to make his kinsman Timentes general because he hates Clephis, who is in favor of Arioldus. But Timentes' turns out to be incapable of leading an army, and the soldiers insist on having Arioldus as their leader instead. Like Iseas and Asprandus, Antharis goes immediately to visit Arioldus to announce the King's arrival and to flatter the new general. He knows that his son Alcidonus is in love with Selina, the daughter of his mortal enemy Clephis, and tries everything to keep them away from each other, without knowing that they are already secretly married. When he discovers them together in the garden grove, where he is looking for quarrelers, he has his guards arrest Alcidonus and take him home. He tells him that Selina is his half sister. Alcidonus, who believes this, decides to commit suicide with his beloved wife and supposed sister. Antharis finds the pair together after they have taken what they think to be a mortal drug, he confesses that the incest story had been nothing more than a lie he had invented to separate them. He turns mad.
ARIBERT
Count Aribert, who has been banned from the court, disguises himself as Andrucho, the Swisser. (See under "ANDRUCHO" for complete description).
ARIOLDUS
The King's cousin, a valiant nobleman, who, disappointed by the intrigues at the King's court, has assumed the life of a stoic in his retirement. Andrucho, Clephis and the soldiers want him as their general against the enemies from Ravenna, who have invaded the Lombardy. Announced by the courtiers Iseas, Asprandus and Antharis, the King comes to see Arioldus in his private seclusion, asks him to excuse his former behavior, and tells him that it is the soldiers' wish that he should lead them now. Arioldus is so pleased with the King's honest excuses that he accepts, and he leads the army to an immediate victory. He is only disappointed that he could not give his life for his King. Among the prisoners that have been taken is Eurinia, a beautiful girl. He takes her to his house because her story moves him. She tells him that she had been secretly in love with a nobleman who had not noticed her. To be near him, she had disguised herself as a boy. Arioldus, who thinks that she is what she pretends to be, i.e. a prisoner from Ravenna, does not understand that she is talking about him, and he swears to protect her chastity. The King, hearing of her beauty, comes to see her and falls in love with her because she reminds him of Eugenia whom he believes to be dead. Arioldus protects her with his life, and the King is about to kill him when she agrees to follow the King to his palace in order to save her protector's life. There, she the King rapes her. She returns to Arioldus to take leave, confessing that he had been her love and that she had served him for some time in the disguise of a boy. Having lost her virginity, she wants to hide herself in a cave and die. When Arioldus hears that the King has raped her, he swears revenge. The King offers him his own sister Panopia in marriage to make amends, but Arioldus declines this immoral offer. Next, the King offers a duel, with a guarantee that if he be killed Arioldus would not be punished. Arioldus accepts this as the only possibility to save Eurinia's honor in some way, but when they start to fight, Andrucho throws himself between them. He tells Arioldus that Eurinia is his daughter, Eugenia. Together with Panopia, they organize a plot to punish the King and teach him a moral lesson. Arioldus asks the King to use his sister in the same way as he had used Eurina, and Andrucho wants him to marry his daughter Eurina, a poor Swiss girl. When everything is discovered, the King marries Eugenia and Arioldus marries Panopia, whom he has always loved.
ASPRANDUS
A courtier, gentleman, and friend of Iseas and Andrucho. Like Iseas, Asprandus is a courtier who tries to keep his position by flattering the right people. When they hear that Arioldus is going to become general, they immediately go to visit him and bring him the news. They hope in this to be regarded as his friends. Together with Iseas and Andrucho, Asprandus takes part in a prank they want to play upon Timentes, the fearful general. They tell him that some soldiers want to kill him and hide him in a coffin. Then they dissemble their voices and pretend to drown, hang or burn his body. When they reopen the coffin, Timentes seems to have died of fear. They become fearful that they will be hanged for this, especially when Anthares swears revenge. But Timentes awakes and swears that they have been his friends who saved him from a band of criminals.
BOY
Disguise adopted by Eurinia (Eugenia) in order to follow her love Arioldus into battle. (See "EURINIA" for complete description).
CLEPHIS
Old nobleman, father of Selina, mortal enemy of Antharis. Clephis is an honest statesman and courtier who dares to say what he thinks, and who cares for the welfare of the state. His daughter Selina is in love with Alcidonus, the son of his mortal enemy Antharis. Although he does not like this, he is not opposed to their relationship, because he respects his daughter's choice. He suspects that Antharis is trying to separate the couple at all costs and manages to exchange the poison that the two lovers decide to take for a sleeping drug.
EUGENIA
Andrucho's (Count Aribert's) daughter, who is thought to be dead. She adopts an assumed a new identity and calls herself Eurinia. (See "EURINIA" for complete description).
EURINA
Alternate spelling of "EURINIA."
EURINIA
Andrucho's (Count Aribert's) daughter Eugenia, who presumed to be dead and who has assumed a new identity as Eurinia. The King has loved her, and to escape his unwelcome advances she has created the illusion that she is dead. She is secretly in love with Arioldus, who does not notice this because he is already in love with Panopia, the King's sister. To be closer to her beloved "Eurinia" disguised herself as a boy and served him for some time and only recently left him. Arioldus has taken her home again as his female prisoner, believing that she is a lady from Ravenna. She tells him her story without giving names, and he pities and promises to protect her. The King comes to see her and falls in love with her because she reminds him of Eugenia. Arioldus protects her with his life, and the King is about to kill him when she agrees to follow him to his palace in order to save her protector's life. The King tries to seduce her, and as she remains constant he has her taken by three disguised men and rapes her. She then goes back to Arioldus to take leave from him, confesses that he had been her love and that she had served him, disguised as a boy. Having lost her virginity, she wants to hide herself in a cave and die. But in the end, when she hears that Arioldus has always been in love with Panopia, she accepts the King who has always loved her and agrees to marry him.
GENTLEMAN
Iseas and Asprandus try to ask him what is happening in the palace, but he is busy and hurries on.
GENTLEWOMAN
Iseas and Asprandus try to ask her what is happening in the palace, but she is busy and hurries on.
GUARDS
Antharis has guards accompany him to the garden grove to prevent a duel. There they arrest Alcidonus.
ISEAS
A courtier, gentleman, and friend of Asprandus and Andrucho. Like Asprandus, Iseas is a courtier who tries to keep his position by flattering the right people. When they hear that Arioldus is going to become general, they immediately go to visit him and bring him the news. They hope in this to be regarded his friends. Together with Asprandus and Andrucho, Iseas takes part in a prank they want to play upon Timentes, the fearful general. They tell him that some soldiers want to kill him and hide him in a coffin. Then they dissemble their voices and pretend to drown, hang or burn his body. When they reopen the coffin, Timentes seems to have died of fear. They become fearful that they will be hanged for this, especially when Anthares swears revenge. But Timentes awakes and swears that they have been his friends who saved him from a band of criminals.
KING OF THE LOMBARDS
Brother of Panopia, cousin of Arioldus. At the beginning of the play, troops from Ravenna have invaded Lombardy. General Timentes is unable to keep his army together, but the King still believes his flatterers and lets the fearful but boasting general mishandle the battle, against better advice from Clephis and Andrucho, and against the wish of his soldiers. In the end he has to concede that Timentes is incompetent, and he goes to Arioldus and convinces him to leave his seclusion and lead the army. After the victory he hears from Timentes that Arioldus has a lovely Ravennan prisoner, Eurinia. He goes to see her and falls in love with her because she reminds him of his former love Eugenia, whom he believes to be dead. He wants her to come with him to his palace, but Arioldus defends her honesty, swearing that the King must kill him first. The King is about to kill him when Eurinia interferes and accepts the King's dangerous invitation. At the palace, the King tries to seduce her. When he fails, he rapes her. He only regrets this deed when it is too late. When Arioldus comes to revenge her, the King first tells him that Arioldus may marry his sister Panopia, an offer that Arioldus declines, although he is in love with Panopia. The King then offers a duel and gives Arioldus a written guarantee that he would not be punished if he kills the King. Arioldus accepts this as the only possibility to save Eurinia's honor in some way, but when they start to fight Andrucho intervenes. When Andrucho finds out that Eurinia is his daughter Eugenia, he wants to revenge himself as well. But it seems that Eurinia (upon learning that Arioldus has always been in love with Panopia) is now willing to marry the king. Panopia, Arioldus and Andrucho then organize a plot to punish the King and teach him a moral lesson. Arioldus asks the King to use his sister in the same way as he had used Eurinia, which the King must decline. Andrucho wants a duel unless the King marries his daughter Eurinia, a poor Swiss girl, and then Panopia comes and offers to prostitute herself to Arioldus. When everything is discovered, the King marries Eugenia, whom he has always loved, and Arioldus marries Panopia, whom he has always loved, too.
PANOPIA
The King's sister, Panopia, is in love with Arioldus. She joins Arioldus and Andrucho in a plot to punish her brother and teach him a moral lesson. Arioldus asks the King to use his sister in the same way as he had used Eurina, which the King must decline. Andrucho wants a duel unless the King marries his daughter Eurinia, a poor Swiss girl, then Panopia comes and offers to prostitute herself to Arioldus. When everything is discovered, the King marries Eugenia, whom he has always loved, and Arioldus marries Panopia, whom he has always loved, too.
SELINA
Clephis' daughter. Selina is in love with Alcidonus, the son of Antharis, her father's mortal enemy. Antharis is opposed to their relationship, and Alcidonus is afraid of telling him that they are already married. He wants Selina to remain silent about their marriage, too, although her father is less opposed to their love. Alcidonus dares not speak to her in the presence of his father, but he goes to sing in front of her balcony and makes an appointment with her in the garden grove. When they meet there, they are surprised by Antharis, who comes with a guard looking for quarrelers. Antharis has his guards arrest his son and take him home. Antharis then tells Alcidonus that he is Selina's brother by the same mother. Alcidonus decides to kill himself together with his beloved Selina. They take what they think to be a deadly poison, but Clephis has foreseen their plans and exchanged it for a strong sleeping drug. Antharis discovers the couple once again just before they seem to die, he confesses his lie and turns mad.
SERVANTS
In the scenes in Arioldus' house servants carry in tables and announce guests. Andrucho, Iseas and Asprandus have two servants carrying the coffin.
SOLDIERS
At the beginning of the play, four soldiers are running away from the enemy.
TIMENTES
A fearful general. Timentes is afraid of everything, even of a mouse. Against his own wishes, his kinsman Antharis has made him general, to cross the plans of his enemy, Clephis. Timentes is incapable as a military leader, but he tries to convince himself by boasting. After the soldiers' mutiny the King has to replace Timentes, and Arioldus becomes the new general. After Arioldus' victory, Timentes tells the King of a beautiful captive in Arioldus' house. In front of Clephis' house he has overheard the end of Alcidonus' and Selina's conversation and believes that two gentlemen are going to have a duel at nine in the garden grove. He tells this to Antharis, who wants him to accompany him and intercept them. But Timentes is too afraid that he might be killed in the process. Andrucho, Asprandus and Iseas then come with a coffin to play a trick on him. They tell him that soldiers seek revenge because he shouted at them when they wanted to resist the enemy. He hides in the coffin, and they change their voices and say that they are going to burn him or throw him into the sea. When they reopen the coffin, he seems dead. They become afraid that the trick was too good and that they are now guilty of murder. When they carry the coffin away, they meet Antharis, who promises to have Timentes avenged. Timentes then wakes up, and Antharis grows angry because he sees this was a jest played on him, but Timentes still believes that he has been saved by his friends. Desperate to become less fearful he starts to drink and begins to fight with everybody, even with Antharis over the bodies of the supposedly dead lovers, Selina and Alcidonus.