Only mentioned. When the hungry Captain actor performs to the Gentleman for food and clothing, he uses references to classical mythology to demonstrate the extremity of his hunger. The Captain declaims that he is a disciple of Bellona, the Roman goddess of war, who will lend him her fiery daggers to conquer and eat the pastry before him.
CAPTAIN
The Captain is a member of the hungry troupe of actors performing at the Gentleman's house in exchange for food and clothing. The Captain speaks in martial metaphors, using allusions to classical mythology to demonstrate he is hungry and wants a piece of pastry crust.
GENTLEMAN
The Gentleman discusses with Histrio the decayed state of the theatre after the plague in London. The Gentleman complains it has been too long since he saw a comedy, adding that he missed the actors' wit in the taverns. When Histrio announces to the Gentleman that the actors will play The Hungry Courtier for him in exchange for food and clothing, the Gentleman observes it is more appropriate to call the play The Hungry Actors. Seeing the actors' poverty, the Gentleman describes their destitute condition, saying that he would not sit on any stage in London these twelve months for fear that the actors might devour the audience. The Gentleman promises to feed and clothe the actors for their performance because they line the audience's clothes with wit. When an actor playing the role of Captain asks him for food in bellicose terms, the Gentleman gives him a pie to eat and notes that the Captain looks fit to assault a cupboard and besiege an alms tub. When the Lover who plays Thisbe asks him in the romantic mode to give him money to mend his boots, the Gentleman pities the poor "Lady." When the two Roarers start a theatrical fight in which they use allusions to food and drink, the Gentleman sends them to the kitchen to eat with the servants. Finally, the Gentleman asks Histrio how he has been living all these dire days. When Histrio responds he lived by speaking the prologue to this play, the Gentleman invites him to supper.
GREENE
Only mentioned. When the Gentleman complains of the paucity of comedies and new words of wit lately, due to the closing of the theatres because of the plague, he suggests that the alternative entertainment would be reading books. Thus, the Gentleman says, people must either study Euphues or return to Greene's Arcadia.
HERCULES
Only mentioned. When the Gentleman complains of the paucity of comedies in London, Histrio laments that actors are poor and hungry due to the closing of the theatres because of the plague. Histrio gives graphic examples of the troupe's hunger saying that the actor who was big enough to play Hercules has grown so thin that all the clothes in the wardrobe cannot stuff him up to his former stature.
HISTRIO
Histrio is an actor in the poor troupe performing at the Gentleman's house in exchange for food and clothing. The name suggests his profession, from the Latin meaning actor, comedian. When the Gentleman complains of the paucity of new comedies and words of wit in the London theatres and taverns, Histrio comments that the actors are hungry and their feet have little else to do but walk away the stomach. Histrio announces they are going to perform a play entitled The Hungry Courtier, but the Gentleman says it is more appropriate to call it The Hungry Actor. Histrio gives examples of how the actors eked out a living during the period of deprivation. Some, he says, begged in blank verse, others acted Timberline to a butcher, and many declaimed speeches in taverns. Histrio and his fellow actors are ready to perform for the Gentleman in exchange for food and clothing. Histrio introduces the Captain, the Lovers, and the two Roarers. When the Gentleman asks him about his life during these past months of deprivation, Histrio responds ironically that he has been speaking the prologue to this play. When the Gentleman invites him to supper, Histrio says he is so hungry he could eat an ox with a pudding in his belly and a dozen calves in a dish.
JOVE
Only mentioned. When the hungry Captain actor performs to the Gentleman for food and clothing, he uses references to classical mythology to demonstrate the extremity of his hunger. The Captain declaims that in vain would someone use Jove's thunders to oppose him, because nothing will impede him to eat the piece of pastry before him.
LOVER
The Lover is a member of the hungry troupe of actors performing at the Gentleman's house in exchange for food and clothing. The Lover uses the lachrymose rhetoric of the romantic lover to persuade the Gentleman to give him half a crown to mend his boots. Playing Thisbe, who apparently languishes in flames for the Gentleman's affection, the Lover complains that the object of his/her affections seems to be deaf to her desperate plea for help, which consists in asking for some money to mend his boots.
MARS
Only mentioned. When the hungry Captain actor performs to the Gentleman for food and clothing, he uses references to classical mythology to demonstrate the extremity of his hunger. The Captain declaims that he is a disciple of Mars, the god of war, who will attend him in his aggressive take-over of the piece of pastry he wants to eat.
ROARERS
Also spelled Rorer, the two Roarers are members of the hungry troupe of actors performing at the Gentleman's house in exchange for food and clothing. Histrio introduces them as brothers of the knife, willing to perform a fight at the Gentleman's charge.
During the performance, the First Roarer threatens the Second Roarer that he would eat up his nose, slice up his cheeks, and cut his body into pieces. Then he provokes the Second Roarer to a duel. Among the many bellicose metaphors the First Roarer uses, he says his thirsty steel must have blood to drink. Upon this allusion to food and drink, the Gentleman sends the two Roarers to the kitchen to eat with the servants.
During the performance, the Second Roarer fights with the First Roarer and tells him that no lean Rhetoric can abate the edge of his hungry blade, which must have flesh to feed on. Upon this allusion to food, the Gentleman sends the two Roarers to the kitchen to eat with the servants.
THISBE
Thisbe is the character performed by the Lover, who is a member of the hungry troupe of actors performing at the Gentleman's house in exchange for food and clothing. The Player's Thisbe apparently languishes in flames for the Gentleman's affection. The Lover complains that the object of his/her affections seems to be deaf to her (Thisbe's) desperate plea for help, which consists in asking for some money to mend his (the actor's) boots.
TAMBERLAINE
Only mentioned. When Histrio explains to the Gentleman how the actors eked out a living during the period of deprivation, when the London theatres were closed because of the plague, he says some actors played Timberline to a butcher.