Bonduca

(1609/14).

John Fletcher

Tragedy about the British-Roman conflict.

Queen Bonduca (the historical Boadicea) is severely rebuked by her cousin Caratach (Caractacus), who is nominally in charge of her forces: he condemns both her blind hatred of the Romans (because her daughters had been ravished) and her inept military tactics. When the Romans attack, her army is defeated despite its superiority in numbers and arms. Bonduca and her daughters, surrounded in the fort where they have taken refuge after the battle, choose to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner. Caratach, alone, starving, and surrounded, yields and accepts the offer of his captors to go to Rome.