of the last act, however, is before the citadel of Genoa, from which the action passes direct to the palace.[1] The Dutch Courtesan is a London comedy with four houses, of the same type as What You Will, but less crowded.[2] In the tragedy of Sophonisba, on the other hand, we come for the first time at Blackfriars to a piece which seems hopelessly unamenable to continuous setting. It recalls the structure of such early public plays as the Battle of Alcazar. 'The scene is Libya', the prologue tells us. We get the camps of Massinissa (II. ii), Asdrubal (II. iii), and Scipio (III. ii; V. iv). We get a battle-*field with a 'mount' and a 'throne' in it (V. ii). We get the forest of Belos, with a cave's mouth (IV. i). The city scenes are divided between Carthage and Cirta. At Carthage there is a council-chamber (II. i) and also the chamber of Sophonisba (I. ii), where her bed is 'discovered'.[3] At Cirta there is the similar chamber of Syphax (III. i; IV. ii) with a trapped altar.[4] A curious bit of continuous action, difficult to envisage, comprehends this and the forest at the junction of Acts IV and V. From a vault within it, a passage leads to the cave. Down this, in III. i, Sophonisba descends, followed by Syphax. A camp scene intervenes, and at the beginning of IV Sophonisba emerges in the forest, is overtaken by Syphax, and sent back to Cirta. Then Syphax remembers that 'in this desert' lives the witch Erichtho. She enters, and promises to charm Sophonisba to his bed. Quite suddenly, and without any Exit or other indication of a change of locality, we are back in the chamber at Cirta. Music sounds within 'the canopy' and 'above'. Erichtho, disguised as Sophonisba, enters the canopy, as to bed. Syphax. . . Cocledemoy stands at the other door . . . and overhears them'.]descends through the vault'.]
- ↑ Malc. V. ii. 163. This transition is both in Q_{1} and Q_{2}, although Q_{2} inserts a passage (164-94) here, as well as another (10-39) earlier in the scene, which entails a contrary transition from the palace to the citadel.
- ↑ Dutch C. has (a) Mulligrub's (I. i; II. iii; III. iii) with action in a 'parlour' (III. iii. 53); (b) Franceschina's (I. ii; II. ii; IV. iii, v; V. i), with action above, probably in a loggia before Franceschina's chamber, where she has placed an ambush at V. i. 12, 'She conceals them behind the curtain'; (c) Subboy's (II. i; III. i; IV. i, ii, iv; V. ii), with a ring thrown from a window above (II. i. 56); (d) Burnish's shop (III. ii; V. iii), with an inner and an outer door, for (III. ii. 1) 'Enter Master Burnish [&c.
- ↑ Soph. I. ii. 32, 'The Ladies lay the Princess in a fair bed, and close the curtains, whilst Massinissa enters' . . . (35) 'The Boys draw the curtains, discovering Sophonisba, to whom Massinissa speaks' . . . (235) 'The Ladies draw the curtains about Sophonisba; the rest accompany Massinissa forth'.
- ↑ Soph. III. i. 117, 'The attendants furnish the altar'. . . . (162) 'They lay Vangue in Syphax' bed and draw the curtains' . . . (167) Soph. 'Dear Zanthia, close the vault when I am sunk' . . . (170) 'She descends' . . . (207) '[Syphax
