THE HUMOROUS LIEUTENANT, or
GENEROUS ENEMIES
DEMETRIUS AND ENANTHE
THE NOBLE ENEMY
1619(?)
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ADONIS
Only mentioned, first by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the
creation of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall
in love with him. Also, a Gentleman mentions Adonis in relation to the
Lieutenant who claims that Adonis was a devil to him because he had fallen
in love with the king after mistakenly drinking the potion. In classical
mythology, Adonis was a beautiful youth loved by Venus, the goddess of
love.
ALEXANDER the GREAT
Only mentioned, the land of Alexander the Great had been divided equally
among the kings Antigonus, Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Ptolomie.
ALTEA
A "ghost character." Altea is one of the young women pursued by the bawd
Leucippe for the pleasure of King Antigonus.
ANTIGONUS
Antigonus, the king of Syria, is an old man with young desires. He takes
over provinces belonging to Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Ptolomie, creating
conflict. After sending his son Demetrius to command the war against these
kings, he instructs his servant to bring Celia, Demetrius's love, to the
court in order to discern her worthiness. Once he sees Celia's beauty, he
decides that he must have her for himself. Despite threats, gifts, and a
failed attempt to use a magic potion, Celia stands firm against the King's
advances. When Demetrius returns from battle Antigonus informs him that
Celia was killed because she was a witch who had confessed to charming
Demetrius in order to have the empire overthrown. After recognizing
Celia's virtue and loyalty to his son, the king is finally shamed,
confesses his wrongdoing, and sees that Celia and Demetrius are reunited.
CELIA
Celia is at first presented as a prisoner from unknown regions and the love
of Demetrius. When Demetrius is sent to war, his father Antigonus tricks
Celia into coming to the court. After meeting Celia, the king admires her
beauty and independence and decides that he must have her for himself.
Celia refuses the King's persistent advances and her virtuous behavior
finally shames him into confessing his wrongdoing and reuniting Celia with
Demetrius. While visiting the court, Seleucus encounters Celia and
recognizes her as his daughter, thus revealing Celia's true identity as the
princess Enanthe.
CIRCE
Only mentioned. Demetrius, influenced by his father's false claim that
Celia is a sorceress, accuses her of being a Circe. In classical
mythology, Circe was an enchantress, or a witch, known for turning
Odysseus's men into beasts.
CITIZENS
The citizens and their wives fail at trying to convince the Ushers to allow
them in the court to view the Ambassadors.
CHARINTHUS
A servant to Antigonus who, along with Timon and Menippus, assists the king
in his pursuit of Celia.
CLOE
A "ghost character." Cloe is one of the young women pursued by the bawd
Leucippe for the pleasure of the King.
COUNTRY WOMAN
Sells her daughter, Phoebe, to the bawd Leucippe for the use of the court.
CUPID
Only mentioned. Leontius claims that the Lieutenant received his illness
from serving under "Captaine Cupid." Also, Cupid is mentioned by the
Fairies that the Magician invokes while creating his love potion for
Antigonus to use on Celia. In classical mythology, Cupid is the god of
love.
DEMETRIUS
The son of King Antigonus and the love of Celia, Demetrius is a young
prince eager to prove his valor in war. The King allows him to command the
battle against the kings Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Ptolomie. His men are
captured but released by Seleucus in the first battle and Demetrius feels
shamed, but after being instructed by his father to charge again, he is
victorious. He shows his compassion by making peace with the kings. When
he returns from battle his father, who has fallen in love with Celia, tells
him that she has been killed for being a witch who has charmed Demetrius in
order to allow the empire to be defeated. In despair, he shuts himself up
in his room until Antigonus, shamed by Celia's virtue, reunites the
lovers. He is cruel to Celia at first, believing that she has lost her
virtue, but with the help of Leontius, the two are reconciled.
EMBASSADORS
Sent by the kings Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Ptolomie to ask for peace from
Antigonus. After requesting restitution, they are denied by Antigonus when
Demetrius asserts that true kings, like his father, have the right to do
what they wish. The Embassadors warn that their rulers will fight back.
ENANTHE
Enanthe is the true identity of Celia, daughter of King Seleucus. Celia,
only known as a prisoner from an unknown region, is loved by the prince
Demetrius. When Demetrius is sent to war, his father Antigonus tricks
Celia into coming to the court. After meeting Celia, the king admires her
beauty and independence and decides that he must have her for himself.
Celia refuses the king's persistent advances, and her virtuous behavior
finally shames him into confessing his wrongdoing and reuniting Celia with
Demetrius.
ENDYMION
Only mentioned by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the creation
of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall in love
with him. In classical mythology, Endymion is the mortal lover of the moon
goddess.
FAIRIES
The Fairies are invoked by the Magician during the creation of a potion
that Antigonus intends to use on Celia to make her fall in love with him.
GENTLEMAN
The Gentlemen are friends and followers of Demetrius. Gentlemen are also
sent by Menippus to tempt Celia, at the request of Antigonus, in his
unsuccessful attempt to prove her unworthy of his son.
GOVERNESS
Servant to Celia. She is questioned by Leucippe about Celia and
Demetrius's relationship. Following Leucippe's instructions, she leads
Celia to believe that it is Demetrius who summons her to the court, when in
fact it is the king Antigonus.
HERALD
The herald is sent to Demetrius during the battle with a request from the
opposing kings who want to meet with Demetrius in order to resolve the
conflict.
HOST
The host informs Demetrius that Celia has been summoned to the court by his
father.
JASON
Only mentioned by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the creation
of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall in love
with him. In classical mythology, Jason of the Argonauts is the lover of
Medea, a foreign sorceress.
KING PHILIP'S SON
A "ghost character." Leontius, after Antigonus explains that Demetrius
would be commanding the battles, speaks of the experience King Philip's son
had already acquired by the time he was Demetrius's age.
LADY
A servant to Celia while at the court.
LEONTIUS
Also addressed as Colonel, Leontius is an old faithful servant of Antigonus
and advisor to Demetrius in battle. He tricks the Lieutenant, who loses
courage when he is well, into believing that his ailments have returned.
He is also instrumental in reuniting Celia and Demetrius by convincing
Celia to return to the court after the lovers have an argument.
LEUCIPPE
Leucippe is an agent for the king's lust. She is very efficient and
thorough in finding young and beautiful women for the king. It is Leucippe
that provides her husband Menippus information about Celia. She is later
instructed by the king to deliver the love potion to Celia and to let no
one else touch it. However, while delivering the potion she encounters the
fainted Lieutenant and after retrieving water for him, returns to find the
potion gone. She decides to lie to the king about the mistake, fearing his
anger, but is eventually found out and forgiven for her error.
LIEUTENANT
The lieutenant, an eccentric and humorous character, is admired for the
bravery in combat he demonstrates whenever he suffers from a painful
ailment. When cured, however, he becomes a coward and refuses to fight in
the battle. Leontius, with the help of the Gentlemen and Phisitians,
tricks the lieutenant into believing that his ailment has returned, causing
his courage to return as he takes off by himself challenging whole
companies of men. After the battle, he confronts Demetrius to pay his
charge who, distraught over the false news of Celia's death, points a gun
at him causing him to faint. Leucippe sets down the love potion, which the
king has created for Celia, to retrieve water for him and while she is gone
Leontius gives the lieutenant the potion, thinking it is liquor. After
drinking the potion, the lieutenant falls violently in love with the king
and wishes himself a "wench of fifteen." In the end, the lieutenant is
rewarded by the king for his suffering.
LORD
Announces to the king the return of Demetrius from battle.
LYSIMACHUS
A king, along with Seleucus and Ptolomie, opposing Antigonus.
MAIDS
The maids assist the bawd Leucippe in obtaining young women for the court.
MAGICIAN
The Magician is instructed by Antigonus to create a love potion that causes
anyone who drinks it to fall violently in love with the king. While
Antigonus intended to use the potion to force Celia to love him, the
Lieutenant is given the potion by accident.
MEDEA
Only mentioned by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the creation
of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall in love
with him. In classical mythology, Medea, a sorceress, is the lover of
Jason of the Argonauts.
MELEAGER
Only mentioned, Celia sees Demetrius returning from hunting and compares
him to Meleager. In classical mythology, Meleager is a young gallant
hunter identified with the Calydonian hunters.
MERIONE
A "ghost character." Merione is one of the young women pursued by the bawd
Leucippe for the pleasure of the king.
MENIPPUS
Servant to Antigonus, along with Timon and Charinthus, and the husband of
the bawd Leucippe. Menippus assists the king in learning about Celia and
is instructed to test her virtue.
OMPHALE
Only mentioned by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the creation
of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall in love
with him. In classical mythology, Omphale is a barbarian queen who owned
Hercules as a slave.
PHOEBE
The young Phoebe is taken to the court by her mother, a country woman, to
be a maid of the bawd Leucippe in exchange for payment.
PHISITIANS
The Phisitians assist Leontius in tricking the Lieutenant into believing
that his ailment has returned, allowing the Lieutenant to regain his
courage.
PTOLOMIE
A king, along with Seleucus and Lysimachus, opposing Antigonus.
SELEUCUS
A king, along with Ptolomie and Lysimachus, opposing Antigonus. Seleucus
shows his compassion in battle by releasing the captured men of Demetrius.
While visiting the court of Antigonus after the conflict is resolved, he
encounters Celia and recognizes her as his daughter Enanthe.
SOLDIER
A soldier is sent by Leontius to inform Antigonus of Demetrius's grief over
losing his men in battle. Also, a soldier of the opposing camp informs the
kings Seleucus, Ptolomie, and Lysimachus, of the strange behavior of the
Lieutenant.
THISBE
A "ghost character." Thisbe is sent a package by the bawd Leucippe
instructing her to send twenty young maids for the use of the court.
TIMON
A servant to Antigonus of twenty-five years, Timon, along with Charinthus
and Menippus, is instructed to assist the king in pursuing Celia.
USHERS
The Ushers open the play by preparing the court for the visiting
ambassadors. They encounter Celia, distraught by the absence of Demetrius,
and while they refuse to let her enter, one of the ushers offers to dine
with her after the show. The Ushers feel foolish after realizing that
Celia is involved with Demetrius.
VENUS
Only mentioned by the Fairies invoked by the Magician during the creation
of a love potion that Antigonus intends to use to make Celia fall in love
with him. In classical mythology, Venus is the goddess of love.