Anonymous
John Isaac Owen (Garland 1979) summarizes claims for authorship by Thomas Kyd , the actor and playwright Robert Wilson, and "anonymous." Tradition also attributes the play to Anthony Munday.

THE RARE TRIUMPHS OF LOVE AND FORTUNE.
Plaide before the Queenes most excellent Majestie: wherein are manye fine Conceites with great delight.

30 December 1582
Printed, 1589

a synoptic, alphabetical character list

APOLLO
Mute character.

ARMENIO
Son of Phizantius, he accuses his sister Fidelia of dishonoring the family name by falling in love with Hermione, who is not thought to be of noble birth. After Hermione wounds him, Hermione is banished. He is tipped off to the young lovers' plans to reunite, and he captures Fidelia and takes her back to the court. While escorting her to the court, he is mysteriously struck dumb. He recovers his speech after being cured by Fidelia's blood and blesses her marriage to Hermione.

BOMELIO
An exiled lord who, while living in a cave for nearly five years, disguises himself as a hermit. He meets with Fidelia, but cannot prevent her capture by Armenio. Hermione arrives, learns of Fidelia's fate from Bomelio, and Bomelio, upon realizing who the young man is, is reunited with his son. Upon hearing of Armenio's dumbness, he disguises himself as a physician and tells Phizantius that Armenio's condition is caused by magic, but that he can cure it with blood from Armenio's greatest enemy, Fidelia. Bomelio persuades her to help cure Armenio. He reveals himself to her and tells her he will escort her to his son, Hermione. Upon doing so, he discover that his son has burned his conjuring books and he becomes maddened. He is cured when Fidelia's blood is sprinkled on his face.

FIDELIA
In love with Hermione. She defends her love to her father and brother, but is saddened by Hermione's banishment. She attempts to secretly meet with Hermione, but her plans are thwarted by Armenio, who takes her back to the court. She rejects the plea by the disguised Bomelio that her blood can cure the dumb Armenio. At the urging of Bomelio, who reveals his identity to her, she yields and agrees to help. With her blood she cures Armenio and Bomelio on the condition she can marry Hermione, and she receives the blessing of both Armenio and Phizantius.

FORTUNE
Debates with Venus as to who is more powerful. Takes credit for the events of the second act, in which Fidelia and Hermione are separated by King Phizantius, and the fourth act, in which Armenio is cured of his dumbness, the lovers are reunited, and Hermione destroys his father's magic books and causes additional chaos. Along with Venus, he saves the lovers from Phizantius and Armenio and order them married. Fortune then explains that Fidelia's blood, when sprinkled on Armenio's tongue, will cure his dumbness and when sprinkled on Bomelio's face, will cure his madness. Along with Venus, blesses all the characters in the final lines of the play.

GHOST of ALEXANDER the GREAT
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of CAESAR
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of CRESSIDA
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of DIDO
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune. Spelled Dydo in the original.

GHOST of HERO
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of LEANDER
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of POMPEY
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune.

GHOST of TROILUS
Main character, though mute, of one of the five dumb shows Jupiter orders which features those slain by the machinations of Venus and Fortune. Spelled Troylus in the original.

HERMIONE
A gentleman and son unknown of Bomelio who is in love with Fidelia, and in defense of his love he wounds Armenio, and is banished from the land. He appeals to the court parasite, Penulo, to help him secretly meet with Fidelia in a cave in the woods. Upon arriving at their planned rendezvous site, he meets his father and learns of Fidelia's fate. Left behind at his father's cave, he discovers his father's conjuring books and destroys them on the premise that they are not Christian. His father brings Fidelia to him, and they are reunited, but his father, upon discovering that his books have been burned, becomes violently and insanely angry.

JUNO
Mute character.

JUPITER
In order to end the rancor between Venus and Fortune, Jupiter commands the ghosts of those slain by the machinations of the two to perform five dumbshows (Show Of Troylus And Cressida, Show Of Alexander, Show Of Queene Dydo, Show Of Pompey And Caesar, Show Of Leander And Hero). When this fails to end the debate, he proposes the use of two mortal lovers, Fidelia and Hermione, to try the strength of the two gods. Seeing the chaos which has ensued, he sends Mercury to inform Venus and Fortune to end their strife.

LENTULO
Servant of Bomelio. Meets Lentulo and engages in comic banter.

MARS
Mute character.

MINERVA
Mute character.

MERCURY
Commanded by Jupiter to bring in the ghosts of those slain by Venus and Fortune, and the ghosts appear in five dumbshows: Show Of Troylus And Cressida, Show Of Alexander, Show Of Queene Dydo, Show Of Pompey And Caesar, Show Of Leander And Hero

PENULO
A parasite. Although he agrees to help Hermione, he secretly causes trouble for the two lovers by telling Armenio where Hermione has planned his meeting with Fidelia. Engages in banter with Lentulo, Bomelio's servant. Tells Lentulo that Armenio has been struck dumb.

KING PHIZANTIUS
Banishes Hermione after Hermione wounds Armenio. Requests that Bomelio, disguised as a physician, cure his son Armenio, who has been struck dumb. Along with Armenio, searches for and discovers the lovers Fidelia and Hermione. When Fidelia offers her life to save that of her lover, Phizantius intervenes, orders Armenio not to harm them, but that they be permanently separated. Venus and Fortune intervene and override Phizantius' orders, and command that the lovers be united in marriage. He forgives both the lovers and restores Bomelio to his former place in the realm.

SATURN
Mute character.

TISIPHONE
A fury who instigates a debate between Venus and Fortune as to which one holds more power in the world.

VENUS
Debates with Fortune as to who is stronger. Takes responsibility for the events of the third act, in which Bomelio is reunited with his son Hermione. At the bidding of Jupiter, agrees to end her argument with Fortune and, with the help of Fortune, saves the lovers and aids them in marriage. Announces that Hermione is of royal blood. With Fortune, gives a blessing to all the characters.

VULCAN
Comments crudely on the dumbshows.

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