The Comical History of
ALPHONSUS, KING OF ARRAGON

1587–1588

ALBINIUS
Does not recognize Alphonsus and mistakenly taunts him, assuming he is a lowly villain. Once he realizes his mistake, he helps Alphonsus enter the service of Belinus, King of Naples, who is fighting the current king of Arragon. After Alphonsus' betrayal of Belinus, Albinius sides with Alphonsus, who in turn rescues him from an angry Belinus. Eventually made king of Arragon by Alphonsus.

ALPHONSUS
Carinus' son, Alphonsus vows to get revenge on those who usurped his father, Carinus, and kept him from inheriting the throne. As the first step in his revenge, he enters the service of Belinus in his fight against Arragon and convinces Belinus to grant to him any territories captured as a result of Alphonsus' efforts. Therefore, after killing Flaminius, Alphonsus is given the crown of Arragon. Upon claiming the throne, he turns on Belinus, telling him that Naples is now subject to Arragon. He gives away the newly acquired crowns of Naples and Arragon to Laelius and Albinius, respectively, and sets his sights on Turkey. Meeting Amurack's forces in Naples, he fights with Amurack and defeats and imprisons him. Next, he meets Iphigina on the battlefield, offers to marry her, and after her refusal, fights with her, taking her prisoner. He is reunited with his father, who helps him to properly woe Iphigina, who finally agrees to marry him.

AMURACK
Sides with Belinus in an attempt to stop the advancement of Alphonsus. In a dream, he envisions the slaughter of his men at the hand of Alphonsus, and as a result he decides to marry his daughter, Iphigina, to Alphonsus in order to protect his kingdom. Not believing Fabius' report of Mahomet's prophesy that they should hurry off to war (given the superior numbers of Alphonsus, he rightly assumes victory is impossible), and then upon news that Mahomet has in fact tricked them, he has Fabius arrested and then killed. He is defeated by Alphonsus and taken prisoner, but in the concluding scene celebrates the marriage of his daughter to Alphonsus.

ARCASTUS
King of the Moors. Fights on the side of Amurack.

BELINUS
The King of Naples. At war with Arragon, he quickly finds that he must defend his capital, Naples; in order to do so he unwittingly enlists the help of Alphonsus. After Alphonsus' betrayal of him, and the loss of Naples, he flees to Turkey in order to get help in his war with Alphonsus.

BAIAZET
A lord serving Amurack

CALCHAS
Raised from the dead by Medea to foretell the outcome of Amurack's war.

CALLIOPE
Accepts Venus as her student in Venus' attempt to write the history of Alphonsus.

CARINUS
The rightful heir to the crown of Arragon, he has been usurped by his younger brother, Flaminius. Has a dream in which he sees his son in triumph over his enemies. Meets the outcast Duke of Milan and stabs him after the Duke acknowledges that he wishes Carinus and Alphonsus dead. He finds his son and reunites with him, finally helping him to woo Iphigina.

CROCON
King of Arabia. Fights on the losing side with Amurack.

DUKE of MILAN
After the fall of Milan, the Duke disguises himself as a pilgrim and meets Carinus, to whom he mistakenly confesses that he wished death to Carinus and Alphonsus. He is then stabbed to death by Carinus.

FLAMINIUS
Usurping King of Arragon. Mute character, killed by Alphonsus in the battle for Naples.

FABIUS
A soldier fighting for Belinus, he is eventually arrested (and later killed) by Amurack who does not believe his news of Mahomet's last prophecy.

FAUSTA
Wife to Amurack, she argues against the marriage of their daughter Iphigina to Alphonsus, and as a result she and her daughter are banished by Amurack. She is quickly convinced by Medea that Alphonsus' victory is assured by fate and that she will have little choice but to eventually marry her daughter to him and save her land. She takes Medea's advice and, before submitting, raises an army of her own, only to be taken prisoner by Alphonsus.

FAUSTUS
King of Babylon. Fights on the losing side with Amurack.

IPHIGINA
Amurack and Fausta's daughter. Banished, along with her mother, Fausta, from the kingdom for her refusal to marry Alphonsus. However, after being convinced by Medea that Alphonsus is destined to be king, she acknowledges that she will eventually have to marry him, but not before going into battle against him. She meets Alphonsus on the battlefield and fights with him, eventually being defeated and taken prisoner. With the help of Carinus, she is finally won over and agrees to marry Alphonsus.

LAELIUS
A soldier fighting for Arragon, he threatens Alphonsus with revenge after discovering the dead King Flaminius. Upon discovering his mistake, he vows to serve Alphonsus. He is crowned king of Naples after the defeat of Belinus.

MAHOMET
Speaks from a brazen head and announces that he will no longer prophesy on Amurack's behest since Amurack refuses to heed his advice. He reluctantly agrees, however, to one more prophecy, and sends the soldiers off to Naples to fight Aragon, telling them that they will be wear crowns in victory. What he does not tell them, however, is that they will only wear those crowns in a mock display put on by the victorious Alphonsus.

MEDEA
An enchantress, she conjures the ghost of Calchas in order to foretell the outcome of Amurack's war. Puts Amurack into a dream state, in which he dreams of the slaughter of his own men. Convinces Fausta and Iphiginia to travel to Naples and marry Alphonsus, thus saving Turkey.

MILES
An Arragonian solider, at first he does not trust Alphonsus, but is convinced by Laelius that Alphonsus is the legitimate king.

MELPOMINE
One of the nine Muses, bemoans the attention Calliope gets from modern scholars and poets.

PRIESTS of MAHOMET, TWO
Receive Mahomet's announcement that he will prophecy no more for the aid of Amurack.

VENUS
After bemoaning the lack of poetic talent in the present age, and calling upon the nine muses for aid, she agrees to become a student of Calliope's. Serves as a chorus throughout the play, summarizing the action at the beginning of each act.