The author is revising the script to reduce the number of characters through double and multiple assignment of roles.
Characters Not Double-Cast
Olympias..........................Queen of Epirus; age 57, I,1
Cassander........................Son of Antipater; age 31, I,2
Alexander IV....................Son of Alexander; age 4, I,2
Characters Multiple-Cast
Roxanê.............................Alexander's first wife; age 23, I,2; Also plays:
Eurydice...........................Wife of Philip Arrhidaeus; age 35, I,2; Also plays:
GREEK CHORUS: OLYMPIAS'S LADY COMPANIONS
Thessalonike.........................Half sister to Alexander; Also plays:
Bacchante I,1
Litae I,4
Demarete........................Also plays:
Lyre player
Bacchante I,1
Ephthalia.....................Also plays:
Drum player
Bacchante I,1;
Woman, attendant to Antipater, I,2
Deïdameia.....................Also plays:
Satyr I,1
Sophia........................Also plays:
Satyr I,1
Litae I,4
Pothos........................Also plays:
Bacchante I,1
Litae I,4
GREEK CHORUS: OLYMPIAS'S GENTLEMEN COMPANIONS
Attalus.......................Also plays:
Alexander the Great I,1
Nobleman I,2
Hecataeus.....................Also plays:
Philip II I,1
Philip Arrhidaeus I,2
Euxenippus....................Also plays:
Antipater I,1
Nobleman I,2
Nicanor I,4
Gorgatus......................Also plays:
Aristotle I,1
Polyperchon I,2
Gorgias.......................Also plays:
Zeus/serpent I,1
Diodotus I,2
Glaucias II,4
Timaeus.......................Also plays:
Antipater I,2
Alexander IV II,4
Additional Character Descriptions
Olympias
Age, fifty-seven in the first scene
She appears in all scenes except the Epilogos.
Widow of Philip II, mother of Alexander, daughter of Neoptolemus, a former King of the Molossians, a tribe in Epirus (in the region of modern Albania), whose dynasty is traced back to the son of Achilles
Direct-line descendant from Achilles
Followed the cult of Dionysus
Claimed to have dreamed that Zeus, in the form of a serpent, impregnated her with Alexander
Variously characterized as honest, outspoken, full of courage, fascinating in conversation, impetuous, violent, unfitted for governing.
She faithfully guarded the interests of Roxanê and her grandson, Alexander IV.
Cassander
Age, thirty-one in the second scene
Tall, lean, red-haired and freckles over a pale complexion
Ambitious son of Antipater, who was Regent of Macedonia, he was a life-long antagonist to Alexander.
Cassander was shocked to see the Regency go to another of more proven reliability and so began the intrigues that led to the total destruction of the family of Alexander.
Fragile health in youth, Cassander was of no use to the armies of Alexander, and could not participate in athletic games and competitions.
A clever, sedentary youth, a frustrated, brooding, and hate-filled spirit who brought about the wars among the formerly united generals, gained the crown, ruled over Macedonia and Greece, and buried the memory of Alexander under disgrace by suppressing the historical records such as those authored by Ptolemy and Aristobulus which are now lost to us.
Roxanê
Age, twenty-three in the second scene
Alexander's first wife, pregnant at the time of Alexander's death
Daughter of Oxyartes, the king of Sogdiana, whom Alexander defeated with 300 "winged soldiers" in a miraculous battle, surmounting the Sogdian Rock to reach the Sogdians above
A "barbarian" of great beauty and charm
Left alone, by Alexander's death, in the realm of Greeks, deprived of Alexander's protection, and in daily danger; a virtual prisoner
Lonely years. Memories of past grandeur while the threat of Cassander's power grows larger and nearer, death for her and her son coming at any moment and in any way.
Antipater
Age, eighty-one in the second scene, his only appearance
Regent of Macedonia (d. 319 B.C.E.)
Appointed by Alexander before Alexander left on his military expedition into Persia, never to return
Polyperchon
Age, fifty in the second scene
Appointed to be Antipater's successor in Macedonia
Eurydice
Age, thirty-five in the second scene
Granddaughter of Philip II (Alexander's father)
She married Arrhidaeus (Philip III), Alexander's half-brother.
Philip Arrhidaeus (Philip III)
Age thirty-seven in the second scene
Alexander's slow-witted half-brother, which defect was rumored to be the result of a drug administered by Olympias in his infancy
Alexander IV
Son of Alexander the Great by Roxanê
Born several months after Alexander died
Age four in second scene
Age, twelve in Epilogos
Nicanor
Son of Antipater, brother of Cassander
Age, slightly younger than Cassander
Diodotus
Staff secretary to Antipater
Middle age
Old Woman
Attends the dying Antipater
Glaucias
A soldier companion of Cassander in charge of the guard placed by Cassander over Roxanê and Alexander IV
Cassander's age or older
Olympias's Lady Companions
Thessalonike
Daughter of one of Philip II's minor wives and half sister to Alexander
Age, mid-thirties
Thessalonike is a politically desirable conquest for Cassander. He would thus ally himself with the house of Alexander and his charisma and have an easier path to the throne. Antigonus said that Cassander took her by force to achieve his political aims.
Demarete
A fictional name
Plays the lyre and sings
Daughter of a general (Aristonoüs) in the army
Age, twenties
Ephthalia
Plays the drum accompaniment and sings
Deïdameia
Beautiful daughter of Aeacides, King of Epirus
(I love this name: day-ee-duh-may-uh. As beautiful as she should be.)
Sophia
Fictional name (wisdom)
Intellectual daughter of Attalus (not the Attalus named below)
Pothos
Fictional name, meaning "longing" (just as Alexander longed to explore, craved exploration)
Daughter of Attalus
(not the Attalus named below)
Olympias's Gentlemen Companions
Attalus
A veteran of Alexander's wars in Persia
He was similar in appearance to Alexander, who once used him as a decoy.
A short man who should have some resemblance to Alexander, with light, abundant hair, clean shaven, muscular
Author's fiction that he re-appears here
Age, late thirties
Hecataeus
A young Macedonian at the court of Olympias when conscripted against Olympias's wishes
Author's fiction that he has been reclaimed by Olympias after Alexander's death
Age, late thirties
Euxenippus
An effeminate, irritating, though very handsome youth when conscripted against Olympias's wishes from her court
A favorite of Alexander's
Author's fiction that he has been reclaimed by Olympias after Alexander's death
Age, late thirties
Gorgatus
Enlisted against Olympias's wishes (author's fiction that he has been reclaimed by her later)
Age, late thirties
Gorgias
Enlisted against Olympias's wishes (author's fiction that he has been reclaimed by her later)
Age, late thirties
Timaeus
(fictional) Son of the father who died shielding the body of Alexander in India.
Age, early twenties.
Slight and shorter in body type, to play very young and very old, frail characters.