Greek Maid, A
Historical Records
The title possibly points to the story of the rape and revenge of Timoclea or Timoclia of Thebes. The story can be found in Painter's Palace of Pleasure, Vol. 2. (1567). William Painter's translations first appeared in the 1560's and were reprinted in 1575 and in 1580 (?). The story of Timoclea is recounted in a 1574 lost play entitled "Timoclea at the Siege of Thebes." The most obvious source would be from the live of Alexander in Plutarch's Lives. It should be noted that Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Lives was issued in folio the same year, so the Painter version would have been better known to the general public.
Theatrical Provenance
Leicester's. Perhaps at the Theater, given the company's association with James Burbage and given what looks to be the melodramatic theme of this play.
Probable Genre(s)
Melodrama.
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
The obvious source is the story of Timoclea in the life of Alexander in Plutarch's Lives. More likely the better known source would have been the third novel of the second volume of Painter's Palace of Pleasure (1567, 1575), which also covers this story in translation.
References to the Play
<List any known or conjectured references to the lost play here.>
Critical Commentary
<Summarise any critical commentary that may have been published by scholars. Please maintain an objective tone!>
For What It's Worth
Painter claims that he drew the story from Plutarch's De claris mulieribus. He seems to be confusing Plutarch with Boccaccio, who wrote on the lives of famous women. However, the story of the rape of Timoclea is included in Plutarch's life of Alexander the Great.
Works Cited
Site created and maintained by Thomas Dabbs, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo; updated 27 November 2012.