宮廷舞劇

主題 Topic	宮廷舞劇
書刊名 Title	Neptune’s Triumph for the Return of Albion
作者 Author	Ben Jonson
出版社 Publisher
出版年 Year	1406
語言 Language	English
裝訂 Binding	□ 平裝 Paperback　　　　□ 精裝 Hardcover
頁數 Pages
ISBN (10 / 13)	無
Bibliography Reference	(STC, Duff, GW . . .)
來源網址 Web Link	http://archive.org/stream/worksofbenjonson08jonsuoft/ worksofbenjonson08jonsuoft_djvu.txt
劇本簡介撰稿者	王儀君
撰寫日期 Date	July 2014

A.   簡介 Introduction (within 100 words, Chinese or English) 

宮廷舞劇是十七世紀的重要宮廷活動，一方面在節慶時可以聚眾慶祝，增加王室和宮廷大臣的關係，另一方面，可以維持國際邦誼。班•強生(Ben Jonson)和尹尼哥 • 瓊斯(Inigo Jones)是英國當時宮廷舞劇劇場最優秀的搭檔。《海神的勝利返回阿爾比昂》(Neptune’s Triumph for the Return of Albion) 這部劇本在1624年出版，其主題和《幸運之島》(The Fortunate Isles and Their Union)頗為相似。這個劇本主要在慶祝國王詹姆士一世的嗣子查理士，從西班牙求親返國。雖然求親一是頗為不順，或許由於民族自尊，對於求親一事順利返國一事已以慶作為圓場的方法。詹姆士一世被比喻成劇本中的海神，查理士是劇中的阿爾比昂，故事藉由詩人和廚師的對話陳述海神派遣阿爾比昂和隨行眾神展開追尋之旅，劇中暗示西班牙國王企圖改變查理士信仰的經過。根據《不列顛諸王史》，傳說黛安娜女神曾指點布魯特斯(Brutus)，在高盧的另一邊，有個島嶼從前為巨人之國，是適合居住之處，這個地方會是另一個特洛伊。後來，布魯特斯(Brutus)便以這個島嶼作為基地，命名此地為不列顛，建立國家。    

B.   文本摘錄 Extracts (4-6 Pages)

Poet (reads), The mighty Neptune, mighty in his styles,
And large command of waters, and of isles;
Not as the "lord and sovereign of the seas,"
But "chief in the art of riding," late did please,
To send his Albion forth, the most his own,
Upon discovery, to themselves best known,
Through Celtiberia ; and, to assist his course.
Gave him his powerful Manager of Horse,
With divine Proteus, father of disguise,
To wait upon them with his counsels wise,
In ail extremes. His great commands being done,
And he desirous to review his son,
He doth dispatch a floating isle, from hence
Unto the Hesperian shores, to waft him thence.
Where, what the arts were, used to make him stay,
And how the Syrens wooed him by the way,
What monsters he encountered on the coast,
How near our general joy was to be lost,
Is not our subject now; though ail these make
The present gladness greater, for their sake.
But what the triumphs are, the feast, the sport.
And proud solemnities of Neptune's Court,
Now he is safe, and Fame's not heard in vain
But we behold our happy pledge again;
That with him, loyal Hippius is returned,
Who for it under so much envy burned
With his own brightness, till her starved snakes saw
What Neptune did impose to him was law.
Cook.  But why not this, till now?
Poet,  It was not time,
To mix this music with the vulgar's chime.
Stay,  till the abortive, and extemporal din
Of balladry were understood a sin,
Minerva cried ; that, what tumultuous verse
Or prose could make or steal, they might rehearse,
And every songster had sung out his fit;
That ail the country and the city wit
Of bells and bonfires and good cheer was spent,
 
And Neptune's guard had drunk all that they meant;
That all the tales and stories now were old
Of the sea-monster Archy, or grown cold:
The Muses then might venture, undeterred;
For they love then to sing, when they are heard.
 
Cook.  I like it well, 'tis handsome; and I have
Something would fit this. How do you present them?
In a fine island, say you?
 
Poet.  Yes, a Delos:
Such, as when fair Latona fell in travail,
Great Neptune made emergent.
 
Cook.  I conceive you.
I would have had your isle brought floating in, now,
In a brave broth, and of a sprightly green,
Just to the colour of the sea; and then,
Some twenty Syrens, singing in the kettle,
With an Arion mounted on the back
Of a grown conger, but in such a posture.
As ail the world should take him for a dolphin:
'twould hâve made such music ! Have you nothing
But a bare island?
 
Poet.  Yes, we have a tree too,
Which we do call the tree of Harmony,
And is the same with what we read the sun
Brought forth in the Indian Musicana first,
And thus it grows: the goodly bole being got
To certain cubits height, from every side
The boughs decline, which taking root afresh,
Spring up new boles, and these spring new, and newer,
Till the whole tree become a porticus,
Ot arched arbour, able to receive
A numerous troop, such as our Albion
And the companions of his journey are :
And this they sit in
 
Cook.  Your prime Masquers?
Poet.  Yes.