But pardon, gentles all,
The flat unraised spirits that hath dared
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth
So great an object: can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a million;
And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.
(Henry V, prologue)
Alarum. The Romans are beat back to their
trenches. Enter Martius, cursing.
(Act 1, scene 4)
Leave out the insurrection wholly and the
cause thereof, and begin with Sir Thomas
More at the Mayor's sessions, with a
report afterwards of his good service done
being Sheriff of London upon a mutiny
against the Lombards – only by a short
report, and not otherwise, at your own
perils.
E. Tilney
Enter a company of mutinous citizens, with
staves, clubs, and other weapons.
(Act 1, scene 1)
‘Roman’ Plays, 1574-1607
1574
1577
1578
1580
1581
1588?
1588
1592
1593?
1593
1594
1594-1595
1595
1596
1598
1599
1601
1602
1603-1604
Quintus Fabius – Anonymous
Mucius Scaevola – Anonymous
Catiline’s Conspiracies – Stephen Gosson
Scipio Africanus – Anonymous
Caesar and Pompey – Anonymous
The Wounds of Civil War – Thomas Lodge
Sylla Dictator – Anonymous
Titus and Vespasian – Anonymous
Caesar’s Revenge – Anonymous
Titus Andronicus – Shakespeare
Caesar and Pompey, part 1 – Anonymous
Pompey the Great His Fair Cornelia’s Tragedy – Thomas Kyd
Caesar and Pompey, part 2 – Anonymous
Julian the Apostate – Anonymous
Catiline’s Conspiracy – Robert Wilson and Henry Chettle
Diocletian – Thomas Dekker?
Constantine – Anonymous
Julius Caesar – Shakespeare
Hannibal and Scipio – Richard Hathawaye and William Rankins
Poetaster – Ben Jonson
Caesar’s Fall, or The Two Shapes – Dekker, Drayton, Middleton, et al.
Sejanus His Fall – Ben Jonson
‘Roman’ Plays, 1574-1607
1574 Quintus Fabius – Anonymous
1577 Mucius Scaevola – Anonymous
1580 Scipio Africanus – Anonymous
1601 Hannibal and Scipio
– Richard Hathawaye and William Rankins
Albrecht Dürer, War in Heaven, 1498
Lucas Cranach, War in Heaven, 1534
Enter Coriolanus in a gown of humility.
(Act 2, scene 3)