Alcmaeon

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Historical Records

Government Documents

Accounts of the Office of the Revels

Entries from the Revels Accounts for 1573-4 include the following (Feuillerat,Revels p. 193):

		{  Predor : & Lucia. played by Therle of Leices-           }
		{  ters servauntes vpon Saint stevens daye at nighte }
		{   at whitehall aforesaide/                                                        }
		{  Alkmeon, playde by the Children of Powles on         }     vj. all fytted and ffur-
		{  Saint Iohns daye at nighte there/                                      }    nyshed with the store
		{  Mamillia. playde by therle of Leicesteres ser-           }     of thoffice and with the
		{  uauntes on Innosentes daye at nighte there/             }    woorkmanshipp and
Playes showen		{  Truth, ffaythfullnesse, & Mercye, playde by             }    provisions herein
at whytehall		{  the Children of westminster for Elderton vpon           }    expressed as followeth
videlicit		{  New yeares daye at nighte there/                                      }    hereafter orderly.
		{  Herpetulus the blew knighte & perobia playde by  }     ffirst the wages and
		{  my Lorde klintons servantes the third of Ianuary        }     then the Emptions
		{  being the sunday after Newyeares daye there/           }     with the other charges
		{  Quintus ffablus playd by the Children of wyndsor    }     incident
		{  ffor Mr ffarrant on Twelfe daye at nighte lykewise       }
		{  at whitehall.                                                                                     }

Theatrical Provenance

The one known performance of "Alcmaeon" was at court, where it was performed by Paul's Boys under the direction of Sebastion Westcott, Master of the Choir School at St. Paul's Cathedral, from at least 1557 until his death in 1582 (Chambers, ES, 2.9, 15).

Probable Genre(s)

Classical legend Harbage, Wiggins, Catalogue #548

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

The story of Alcmaeon was told in various ancient Greek texts, now mostly lost. The stories have in common the royal warrior escapades of Alcmaeon and his murder of his mother, Eriphyle.

References to the Play

Information welcome.

Critical Commentary

Information welcome.

For What It's Worth

A necklace of gold figures prominently in Ovid's version of the story, as does a chest large enough to imprison a woman.

Works Cited

Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson; Last updated by Rlknutson on 28 February 2023 18:03:14