Dido, Queen of Carthage

About this book

Dido, Queen of Carthage is the earliest of Christopher Marlowe's known plays, possibly written while he was still a student at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge whose college library held a copy of Virgil's Aeneid, the principal source of the story. The play was co-authored by a fellow Cambridge undergraduate Thomas Nashe, although Nashe's contribution is now thought to have been a minor one. It was acted by the "Children of Her Maiestie's Chappell " around 1587. The play tells of the tragic love affair between Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, a survivor from the destruction of Troy who is voyaging to Italy to build a new city. When Aeneas and his men are driven ashore near Carthage he and Dido fall in love and plan to marry. But Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, reminds Aeneas of his divinely decreed mission to found Rome. (Summary by Alan Mapstone) Dido, Queen of Carthage: Michele Eaton Aeneas: Greg Giordano Jupiter: Beeswaxcandle Ganymede: ShrimpPhish Venus: dc Cupid: ShrimpPhish Juno: Jessie Percival Hermes: Beeswaxcandle Ascanius: Inkell Anna: Hannah Lake Achates: Hallow Orbiter Ilioneus: Todd HW Iarbas: Larry Wilson Cloanthus: Cavaet Sergestus: Priamedes Nurse: Winnifred Assmann A Lord: Wayne Cook Narration: Alan Mapstone Editor (acts 1,2 5): Alan Mapstone Editor (acts 3&4): Inkell