The play begins at the Court of Pella, with a choir of grooms seeing Ipomene, King Atrace’s sister, waiting for the return of her lover Cloridoro. When Cloridoro comes back, the couple sings their mutual love. In the woods, Atamira, daughter of the Corinthian King, is miserable as she waits for the return of her husband Acrimante. Witnessing the sinking of a ship, she saves two unlucky men, who turn out to be Acrimante and his servant Bibi. After recognising her, Acrimante rejects Atamira’s love and instead chooses to follow young shepherdesses. Atamira grieves, then falls asleep: Atrace and Cloridoro, gone hunting, find her in this state. Atrace immediately falls in love with Atamira and promises to help her. Acrimante arrives at Court and falls in love with Ipomene, while Bibi wooes the nurse Delfa. When he comes back from hunting, Atrace learns about Acrimante’s arrival and tasks Cloridoro with looking after their host, to whom he is a loyal friend. While Cloridoro reunites with Ipomene, Acrimante asks Bibi to find a cure to his love for the Infanta. During a farcical duo involving two lovers, Bibi learns from Delfa that Ipomene loves Cloridoro. Bibi asks the nurse to take the young woman to Acrimante’s bedroom, where she is told that she will meet with her lover. During another meeting between Acrimante and Atamira, Acrimante mistreats his wife, who becomes miserable again. The act concludes with a dance of Squires or Moors around the King, who is deeply in love with Atamira.
When he tries to kiss Delfa from his balcony, Bibi falls. Atrace, who sees him flee on his mule dressed in his master’s clothes, believes that Acrimante has betrayed him; he imagines that he is the lover of his sister or of the woman he loves. He decides to avenge himself and has him called. Summoned by the King when he was with Ipomene, Acrimante must leave her. Atrace and Cloridoro are jealous of him—one about Atamira, and the other about Ipomene. The King puts Acrimante in prison, which is a source of distress for Atamira: her husband rejects her love once again. Cloridoro believes that Ipomene has betrayed him and reproaches her for things she does not understand. Atrace decides to sentence Acrimante to death, and Atamira offers to carry out his order. She gives him a vial of fake poison, and he falls apart after asking his wife for forgiveness. Atamira has the body carried to her room. Cloridoro is upset over Ipomene’s betrayal, and Delfa tells him the truth: the two lovers reconcile and agree to meet at night, in the garden. Atrace, who rejoices over Acrimante’s death, proposes to Atamira; she refuses, without saying that she is already married. After dark, Bibi falls asleep while he is guarding his master’s body. Delfa, who came to meet him, caresses him and pretends to be Acrimante’s spirit. Bibi is frightened for a moment. Then, embarrassed to talk about love next to the body, he takes Delfa outside the room. The demon arrives and claims Acrimante’s soul, in a dreaming scene taking place in Proserpina’s kingdom. The monsters and spirits dance during an interlude, while the Queen of the Underworld declares her love to Acrimante. Atamira is waiting for her husband to wake up. When he arises from his lethargic state (greatly scaring Bibi), she declares her love to him. Accusing his wife of attempting to kill him, Acrimante dismisses her again. Bibi informs him of the rendez-vous planned between Ipomene and Cloridoro: Acrimante shows up instead of his friend, in a night scene secretly witnessed by Atrace. When she realises her mistake, Ipomene screams for help; Tidemo, a counsel, rushes to her rescue. Acrimante kills him and flees. Atrace is set on finding the culprit and sentencing him to death. A Corinthian ambassador informs the King that they will be at war, unless he marries Atamira: the King formally proposes to the young Princess, but she refuses to marry him; when he tells her that he will marry her whether she wants it or not, so as to avoid the war, she decides to kill herself. On the run, Acrimante arrives at the garden in Tidemo’s palace, where he finds a statue of his owner. He begins to speak with the statue, which he eventually invites to dinner. The statue tilts its head forward, then goes have dinner with its host. One table and six statues appointed by Pluto appear: Tidemo sits down at the table, as the statues dance and praise Pluto in a song. The earth opens, Acrimante sinks towards the abyss while Tidemo flies off in the sky. Once in the abyss of the Cocytus, Acrimante asks for forgiveness; Caronte (Charon) takes him to the Underworld. At court, Bibi tells Atamira about her husband’s death. She can now agree to marry Atrace. The play ends with three weddings.

Not specified

Acciaiuoli Filippo (aka Gran Burattinajo)

Apolloni Giovanni Filippo

Italy

Ronciglione

Rome

Printed

Jealousy

Seduction

Shipwreck

Statue coming to life

Unfaithfulness

Forced marriage

Lyrical

Melodramatic

Dramatic

Burlesque

Fantasy

L'Empio punito (libretto, title page)

Italian

King

Sister

Cousin

Prince

Princess

Counselor

Servant

Nurse

Ambassador

Sheperherdess

Devil

Proserpina

Captain

Charon

Sailor

Groom

Music

Interlude

Chorus

Avista

Speechless character

Love rivalry

Love story

Thwarted love

Shipwreck scene

Scene of recognition

Hunting scene

Character leaning against the window

Fall of a character

Comical fall of a character

Seduction scene

Monologue

Confinement

Fake death

Dreamt scene

Dream

Nightmare

Apparition of a god

Apparition of a monster

Apparition of demons

Demons dance

Night scene

Scene in the dark

Sword thrust

Sword fight

Duel scene

Gunshot

Messenger

Ascent to heaven

Flying machine

Final wedding

L'Empio punito

The Non-believer punished

Kom, king of the city of Polimicra, announces to his people that a giant is treading on their land. He promises his daughter to whoever defeats him: Occe, who is in love with Nec, therefore comes forward and offers himself as a champion. Although she pretends not to have feelings, Nec is secretly in love with the giant Ercole (Hercules). Vam, the Pygmies’ general, is in love with Has, Kom’s second daughter. But Has is in love with Occe. The envoy Brin announces the arrival of the giant; he describes him in horrifying terms: the giant Ercole demands the king’s two daughters, or he will destroy the city. In the gardens of the palace, Nec and Has see the sky darken when the giant arrives. Has is desperate, but Nec rejoices: either her kingdom defeats him, or she will become Ercole’s wife. In the panic, a propitiatory sacrifice is made to Mammon, while the battle is being prepared. Brin is trying to accept that he will be devoured; the general Vam suggests that they put the giant to sleep to defeat him. Has declares his love to Occe, to try and stop him from the certain death awaiting him; but Occe’s decision does not change in the slightest. During the sacrifice, Has prays for the people, while Nec refuses to pray for the defeat of the one she loves: her father sends her to the dungeon. Brin arrives, distressed: Ercole’s nose is showing - it was taken for a mobile rock – and Ercole is asking for the king’s daughters. The giant makes fun of Occe, who is trying to fight him. Vam fills the place with smoke. Ercole sneezes: everyone falls to the ground and believes that they are being punished by the gods. They try to flee, but are stopped by Ercole’s hand. Only Nec stands before Ercole to declare her love. Out of pity and admiration for her bravery, Ercole commands Nec and Occe to marry, as well as Vam and Has, and he decides to spare everyone.

String marionette

Martello Pier Jacopo

Giant

Pygmies

Threat

Sneezing

Wedding

Humorous

Parodistic

Pier Jacopo Martello, Lo starnuto d'Ercole. Teatro italiano, Parte ultima. Bologna: Lelie Dalla Volpe, 1723.

Hercules

General

Playing with scale

Public announcement

Invisible character

Fight between an actor and a puppet

Ridiculous fight

Earthquake

Character thrown in the air

Lo starnuto d'Ercole

Hercules's sneeze

As the city-state of Faleria is being besieged by the Roman Camillo, Erippo, a teacher, decides to betray his city and hand the children of the Falerian nobility to Camillo as hostages. To avoid being thought of as a traitor, he manages to make the children betray the city themselves by pretending that his daughter Cloridea has been abducted by Camillo and his son Quinzio. Cajetto, Cloridea’s brother and the children’s chosen King, is set on sending ambassadors to Camillo to save his sister. He explains his plan to his other sister, Tulliola, who worries about her lover Fabiello, the pupils’ Great Councillor. She manages to convince the latter to remain hidden; thus, Crispino and Grino are appointed ambassadors. Crispino refuses to betray Faleria and negotiate with the enemy; Cajetto challenges him to a duel. Agripina also fears for Fabiello, whom she is secretly in love with. Diana keeps Cajetto and Crispino from fighting and announces that everything is unfolding according to the gods’ design. Agripina asks Cajetto not to send her brother Crispino: as he agrees to her request, he declares his love to her and decides to send Fabiello instead, to the young girl’s utter despair. Tulliola rejoices at her brother and lover having been spared, but Agripina lets her know that Fabiello was appointed ambassador. Floruccio came to declare his love to Tulliola; to create a diversion, the latter asks him to fulfil the mission. Fabiello overhears the conversation and believes that Tulliola has betrayed him. He stops hiding and decides to fulfil her request: he will be the one to go. To warn her lover and offer herself as a hostage, Tulliola dresses in man’s clothes and goes to meet Camillo. When Grino, whom Fabiello sent scouting, tells her that he met a giant, Tulliola tries to divert his attention from the mission by pretending that she has been sent by Camillo, who wants to meet the Master rather than the pupils. While Erippo is being interviewed by Camillo, Floruccio spreads a rumour: Fabiello has betrayed the city to get rid of his rival. Crispino announces that Camillo is generous and has both refused to take children as hostages and reported their master as a traitor to the Falerian Senate. Fabiello and Tulliola are speaking; she convinces him of her love: the jealous Floruccio walks in on them as they are exchanging vows. Fabiello is wanted, and Cajetto throws him in jail. As Tulliola is trying to free him, the lovers are caught. Floruccio announces that the Falerian Senate is opening the gates of the city to Camillo—to thank him for his magnanimity. The children fear for Erippo, and Cajetto wants to avenge his father by punishing Tulliola and her lover. The stage transforms: Apollo appears and announces that Erippo will be forgiven. He orders the children to resume their studies. The play ends with three weddings.

Gori Antonio (aka Goanto Rinio)

Venice

Siege

School

Rivals

Treason

Hostage

Mock-heroic

Epic

Farcical

Il Cajetto, 1746 (title page)

Brother

Apollo

Diana

Children games

Foresight

Cross-dressing

Hidden character

Arrest scene

Deus ex machina

Il Cajetto

A very agitated Thor wakes up: his hammer disappeared during his sleep. He invokes the spirits of air and of light, and asks Loki to go look for it. Loki refuses; Thor loses patience and implores him to do it. Goddess Freyja intervenes; Thor relates his nightmare and the theft of his hammer. Loki mocks the story but finally agrees. He puts on Freyja’s feather dress and flies away. In the Land of Giants, the sovereign announces the incoming attack on the Land of Gods. Loki arrives, greets him, and mentions the decline of the Land of Gods, as well as Thor’s dismay facing the disappearance of his hammer. The Giant informs him that he has the weapon, but Loki remains sceptical. His doubts vanish when a dolphin emerges from the water with the hammer in its mouth. Loki insists and wants to get it back, and, in return, promises the Giant whatever he wants. As he is in a favourable position, the Giant accepts, on condition that Freyja becomes his wife. He grants the Gods a seven-day delay before declaring war on them. Back in the kingdom, Loki relates everything to Thor who immediately asks Freyja to accept. She takes offence, but Thor is adamant. To fool the Giant, the old Heimdallr suggests that Thor dress up as a bride and Loki as a bridesmaid, which would allow them to retrieve the hammer when the time comes. Thor is unsure at first, but agrees and praises Heimdallr’s wise words. Dressed up as women, Thor and Loki arrive in the Land of Giants where they are greeted with a spectacular feast next to the sea, with game meat galore. Loki improvises several lies to explain to the surprised Giant the bride’s gargantuan appetite and scary eyes. Unsuspecting, the Giant asks for the hammer to be brought to seal the union. Thor reveals his identity, and grasps his hammer as a thunderclap resonates. As everyone cheers, he puts an end to the expansion of the haze and glaciers and, to unite the earth and the Gods, he makes a rainbow appear.

Shadow theatre

Wolfskehl Karl

Germany

Munich

Scandinavian mythology

Thor's hammer

Banquet

Comical

Reproduction of the silhouette of Emile Preetorious' giant (illustration from the Schwabinger Schattenspiele's edition of 1908)