The History and Fall of Caius Marius
| The History and Fall of Caius Marius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Original language | English |
| Written by | Thomas Otway |
| Genre | Tragedy |
| Setting | Ancient Rome |
| Premiere | |
| Date | October 1679 |
| Place | Dorset Garden Theatre, London |
The History and Fall of Caius Marius is a tragedy written by English writer Thomas Otway.[1] The play was first performed in 1679[1] and is indebted to William Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. It is set during the Roman civil wars of Gaius Marius and his rival Sulla.
History
It was originally staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. The cast included Thomas Betterton as Caius Marius, Joseph Williams as Sylla, William Smith as Marius Junior, Thomas Percival as Granius, Thomas Gillow as Metellus, Thomas Jevon as Cinna, Cave Underhill as Sulpitius, James Nokes as Nurse and Elizabeth Barry as Lavinia.[2] The published version was dedicated to the politician Lord Falkland.
It was first printed in 1680.[3]
Legacy
Productions of Romeo and Juliet that set Juliet on a raised balcony may derive from Thomas Otway’s play, which explicitly placed the character on a balcony, a detail that Shakespeare's text does not specify.[4]
Characters
The list of characters below:[3]
- Caius Marius
- Sylla
- Marius Junior
- Granius
- Metellus
- Cinna
- Priest
- Apothecary
- Sulpitius
- Quintus Pompeius
- Quintus Pompeius' son
- Lavina
- Nurse
Guards, ruffians and lictors also appear in the play.
References
- 1 2 "History and Fall of Caius Marius". The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare – via Oxford Reference.
- ↑ Van Lennep, W. (1960). The London Stage, 1660-1800: Volume One, 1660-1700. Southern Illinois University Press. p. 281.
- 1 2 Otway, Thomas (July 2003). The history and fall of Caius Marius a tragedy, as it is acted at the Duke's Theatre. Retrieved 17 October 2018 – via Early English Books Online.
- ↑ "5 Iconic Romantic Tropes We Owe to Shakespeare". Mental Floss. 11 February 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.