Aegiale is the Queen of Egypt, wife to Ptolemy, mother of Aspasia. She loves Duke Cleanthes,
who was exiled because he "attempted [her] with love." She is desperate for his return and consults
Irus to determine the best way to make this happen. He advises that she post pictures of Cleanthes
throughout the land, offering a reward to anyone who finds him, while threatening with death anyone
that succors him. She follows his advice. She also advises Prince Doricles on his suit to her
daughter. Later, at the urging of Count Hermes, she plans to use poison (mandrake, to which her
son was transformed by Hella, a sorceress) to kill her husband so that Cleanthes can return without
risk. She disappears from the play following this scene.
ANTISTHENES
A Lord of Egypt, Antisthenes borrows a substantial sum from the usurer Leon, which he then
repays. Leon, however, has him arrested and taken before Ptolemy by the Burgomaster and
accused of failing to repay it. Count Hermes and Irus are brought as witnesses against him, and
though Ptolemy believes their testimony, he elects to free Antisthenes and pay his debt.
ASPASIA
Princess of Egypt, daughter of Aegiale and Ptolemy, Aspasia is wooed by Prince Doricles of
Arcadia. She remains cold to his suit, even after he changes his tactics (at Aegiale's suggestion). In
her second scene with Doricles, they are confronted by Count Hermes, who murders the Prince,
and proclaims his love for Aspasia. She rejects his suit and tells him he must fly or face death for the
murder.
BEBRITIUS
King of Bebritia. Bebritius joins with Kings Bion, Porus, and Rhesus to attack Egypt. They are
defeated in battle. In the aftermath of the war, Bebritius seeks the love of the widow Elimine, but
she chooses King Porus. Cleanthes, victor in the battle and now King of Egypt, promises to find
him a suitable Egyptian bride.
BION
King of Phasiaca. Bion joins with Kings Bebritius, Porus, and Rhesus to attack Egypt. They are
defeated in battle. In the aftermath of the war, Bion seeks the love of the widow Samathis, who
accepts his suit.
BRAGADINO
Bragadino is a martial Spaniard, and ally of Egypt. He woos Elimine, in competition with Count
Hermes, and loses.
BURGOMASTER
A disguise assumed by Pego (q.v.).
CLEANTHES
A disguise of Irus (q.v.). In this role, Irus wins the love of Aegiale, is exiled, returns to lead the
forces of Egypt to victory, and is declared King by his peers following Pompey's death in the battle.
CLEARCHUS
Clearchus is a courtier in the royal household. He assists Aegiale in posting pictures of Cleanthes,
and appears in the scene in which Prince Doricles is introduced; in the play's final scene, he reveals
the reported suicide of Leon.
DORICLES
Prince of Arcadia. Doricles travels to Egypt to woo Princes Aspasia. Queen Aegiale gives him
some tips on courtship. By report of Count Hermes, who confronts the two young royals, Ptolemy
has declared him heir to the throne. Count Hermes murders him. We later learn from Ptolemy that
the fates had decreed that had Doricles lived, Ptolemy would have added four kingdoms to his
own, and that Doricles would shield him from a "most abhorred death."
DRUSO
A serving man to Samathis, whose duty is to keep her from wanton talk and dalliance. He reveals
to her that Leon is betraying her with Elimine.
ELIMINE
A beautiful young Egyptian woman, vowed sister to Samathis and Martia. She consults Irus the
fortune teller, who predicts she will marry a rich and noble husband. She follows his suggestions and
weds Count Hermes, who later dies. In the final scene, as a widow with a child, she is wooed by
Kings Bebritius and Porus, and chooses the latter as her second husband.
EUPHROSYNE
A lady of the court. She appears in the scene in which Princess Aspasia and Prince Doricles are
introduced, but has no assigned lines.
EURIBATES
Euribates is a courtier in the royal household. He is a witness for Antisthenes in his hearing before
Ptolemy, stating that he did indeed repay his debt to Leon. He is the first to respond when Princess
Aspasia calls for help after Count Hermes murders Prince Doricles. He also appears in the final
scene.
HERMES
One of the disguises of Irus (q.v.), a "mad-brain" count. In this guise, he woos and wins Elimine,
serves as a witness against Antisthenes, attempts to seduce Samathis, and murders Prince Doricles.
He then disappears and is later reported dead, leaving his widow with a child.
IANTHE
Maid to the queen. In the third scene, she accompanies the Queen as pictures of Cleanthes are
posted throughout the city, and encourages her to turn to merriment now that this task is done.
IRUS
Irus is the title character, the blind beggar of Alexandria. By self-report, he is a shepherd's son,
born in Memphis. He learned the art of fortune telling from his father and became rich. He also
became ambitious, and intends to win the crown of Egypt. In pursuit of this goal, he assumes three
additional disguises: Duke Cleanthes, who wins the love the queen, but is exiled by Ptolemy; Leon,
a rich usurer, whose money supports his scheming (in this guise he woos and wins Samathis); and
Count Hermes, who woos and wins Elimine, and who murders Prince Doricles when Ptolemy
declares Doricles his heir. By the end of the play, he has conveniently dispatched two of his
disguises, Count Hermes and Leon, and has reassumed his heroic role as Cleanthes. As the Duke,
he leads Egypt's armies to victory and assumes the throne after Ptolemy's death (whether in battle
or at the hand of his queen is not clarified).
JAQUINE
Maid to Samathis. She accompanies (and encourages) her mistress in the courting scene with Leon.
LEON
One of the disguises of Irus (q.v.), a usurer. In this disguise he has Antisthenes arrested for
(allegedly) failing to repay his loan, woos and wins Samathis, attempts to seduce Elimine, reports
the apparent death of Hermes (by being swallowed up by the earth), and reportedly kills himself by
leaping from the Alexandrian Tower into the sea.
MARTIA
A beautiful young Egyptian woman, vowed sister to Samathis and Elimine. She consults Irus the
fortune teller, who predicts she will find a husband by standing at her father's door with herbs in her
bosom. She follows his suggestions and weds the Burgomaster. In the play's final scene, she is with
child, and begs her husband not to go to war (although the war appears to be over). The
Burgomaster requests that King Cleanthes be the child's godfather and he agrees.
MENIPPUS
Serving man to Elimine, whose duty is to keep her from wanton talk and dalliance. He reveals to
her that Hermes is betraying her with Samathis.
PEGO
Irus's man, who assumes the disguise of the Burgomaster of Alexandria. In this disguise, he seizes
Antisthenes, and brings him to a hearing before Ptolemy, and woos and wins Martia. In the play's
final scene, he has reportedly seized the goods of Elimine (as a result of Hermes's murder of
Doricles and subsequent death) and Samathis (as a result of Leon's debts to creditors following his
suicide). King Cleanthes asks that he restore their goods and lands. His valor in the recent battle is
also mentioned.
POLLIDOR
Serving man to Martia, whose duty is to keep her from wanton talk and dalliance.
PORUS
King of Ethiopia. Porus joins with Kings Bebritius, Bion, and Rhesus to attack Egypt. They are
defeated in battle. In the aftermath of the war, Porus seeks the love of the widow Elimine, who
accepts his suit.
PTOLEMY
King of Egypt, husband to Aegiale and father of Aspasia. He exiled Duke Cleanthes after his
attempt to woo the queen. He encourages Prince Doricles to court his daughter, and oversees the
trial of Antisthenes, and rules against him and in favor of Leon (although he pays the debt and
releases Antisthenes). When Doricles is murdered by Hermes, he fears his fate. He is informed that
four armies have gathered to attack Egypt and he gather his forces to confront them. He is reported
dead in the final scene of the play, whether in battle or at the hand of his queen is not specified.
RHESUS
King of Arabia. Rhesus joins with Kings Bebritius, Bion, and Porus to attack Egypt. They are
defeated in battle. In the aftermath of the war, Rhesus seeks the love of the widow Samathis, but
she chooses King Bion. Cleanthes, victor in the battle and now King of Egypt, promises to find him
a suitable Egyptian bride.
SAMATHIS
A beautiful young Egyptian woman, vowed sister to Elimine and Martia. She consults Irus the
fortune teller, who predicts she will marry the richest man of Alexandria, who will die shortly
thereafter. She follows his suggestions and weds Leon, who later dies, reputedly a suicide. In the
final scene, as a widow with a child, she is wooed by Kings Rhesus and Bion and chooses the latter
as her second husband.