LOVE'S TRIUMPH THROUGH CALLIPOLIS. PERFORMED IN A MASQUE AT COURT, 1630. By his Majesty, with the Lords and Gentlemen assisting. The Inventors, BEN JONSON; INIGO JONES. Quando magis dignos licuit spectare triumphos? LOVE'S TRIUMPH THROUGH CALLIPOLIS.] From the small edition in 4to. 1630, which differs in no material point from the second folio. In this, which was the Queen's Masque, the King was a performer; in that which follows, (the King's Masque,) she returned the compliment. It does not appear that either Love's Triumph, or Chloridia, which follows it, was given to the press by Jonson: the latter is not dated, but was printed for the same bookseller, Thomas Walkley, as the former. LOVE'S TRIUMPH. TO MAKE THE SPECTATORS UNDERSTANDERS. WHEREAS, all Representations, especially those of this nature in court, public spectacles, either have been, or ought to be, the mirrors of man's life, whose ends, for the excellence of their exhibitors (as being the donatives of great princes to their people) ought always to carry a mixture of profit with them, no less than delight; we, the inventors, being commanded from the KING to think on something worthy of his majesty's putting in act, with a selected company of his lords and gentlemen, called to the assistance; for the honour of his court, and the dignity of that heroic love, and regal respect born by him to his unmatchable lady and spouse, the queen's majesty, after some debate of cogitation with ourselves,' resolved on this following argument. First, that a person, boni ominis, of a good character, as Euphemus, sent down from heaven to Callipolis, which is understood the city of After some debate with ourselves, &c.] This is worth notice, as it seems to prove that up to this late period, nearly thirty years from the commencement of their connection, nothing had happened to interrupt the good understanding between Inigo Jones and Jonson. Beauty or Goodness, should come in; and, finding her majesty there enthroned, declare unto her, that Love, who was wont to be respected as a special deity in court, and tutelar god of the place, had of late received an advertisement, that in the suburbs, or skirts of Callipolis, were crept in certain sectaries, or depraved lovers, who neither knew the name, or nature of love rightly, yet boasted themselves his followers, when they were fitter to be called his furies: their whole life being a continued vertigo, or rather a torture on the wheel of love, than any motion either of order or measure. When suddenly they leap forth below, a mistress leading them, and with antic gesticulation and action, after the manner of the old pantomimi, they dance over a distracted comedy of love, expressing their confused affections, in the scenical persons and habits of the four prime European nations. A glorious boasting lover. A phantastic umbrageous lover. A sordid illiberal lover. A melancholic despairing lover. and con All which, in varied intricate turns, and involved mazes, exprest, make the ANTIMASQUE clude the exit, in a circle. EUPHEMUS descends singing. Joy, joy to mortals, the rejoicing fires Love is the right affection of the mind, The father Plenty is, the mother Want, But rest not here. For love hath larger scopes, [He goes up to the state. To you, that are by excellence a queen! 2 The father Plenty is, the mother Want.] This allegory is a fiction of Plato, in his Symposium. WHAL. Whalley was not aware of the existence of the 4to. edition, There Jonson gives the names Porus and Penia. |