Seleo and Olympo

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Historical Records

Performance Records

Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary


F. 11v (Greg I.22)
ye 5 of marche 1594 . . . . . . ne . . Rd at seleo & olempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iiill
ye 2 of maye 1595 Rd at seleo & olempa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ls
ye 9 of maye 1595 Rd at selyo & olympo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvjs


Fol. 12v (Greg I.24)
ye 1[7]9 of maye 1595 . . . . . . . . . . Rd at olimpo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiijs
ye 29 of maye 1595 Rd at olimpo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxixs
ye 7 of June 1595 Rd at olimpio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvs



Theatrical Provenance

Probable Genre(s)

Unknown

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

References to the Play

Critical Commentary


Malone considered "Seleo and Olympo" the same play as "Olympio and Eugenio," declaring that "Seleo ... is in a subsequent entry called Olempo and Hengens" (p. 296, n.6)

Collier, who spelled the title "steleo and olempo," called attention to Malone's misreading of the initial name as "Seleo," then faulted "the scribe" for repeating Malone's misreading, then settling (apparently incorrectly in Collier's opinion) on Olympio as "the real name" of the play (p. 50, n.2). At the appearance in the playlists of "olempeo and hengenyo," Collier conceded that this "Olempeo" might be "Seleo and Olympo" and that the spelling of the second name might be "Ingenio." Then, letting frustration get the better of editorial restraint, Collier added that "it is sometimes hardly possible even to guess, on account of Henslowe's ingeniously corrupt spelling" (p. 56, n.1).




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Wiggins, Catalogue, #994, #995 reflects the inclination of previous theater historians in leaning toward the merger of "Seleo and Olympo" and "Olympio and Eugenio" being the same play. He finds it persuasive that "Olympio and Eugenio," the later of the two play-titles to appear in Henslowe's lists, is not marked "ne" (suggesting it has been staged previously), but he is troubled by the consistency with which Henslowe spelled "Olympio" for this second-appearing play.



For What It's Worth

Works Cited




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