About the work
"Rodogune, Princess of Parthia" is a tragedy by Pierre Corneille, first performed in 1644 at the newly reopened Théâtre du Marais in Paris and printed in 1647. Corneille himself considered it his best play.
Plot
Queen Cléopâtre of Syria has had her husband Nicanor murdered out of jealousy over his love for the Parthian princess Rodogune. To keep her power, she promises the throne to whichever of her twin sons, Séleucus or Antiochus, kills Rodogune – unaware that both are in love with her. When the sons refuse, Cléopâtre poisons Séleucus herself, but is exposed and, in the end, drinks the poisoned cup that Rodogune refuses.
Cultural significance
With its intrigue escalating right to the close and the mother figure Cléopâtre as one of the darkest characters in classical French theatre, "Rodogune" ranks among Corneille's most admired tragedies and long held a place in the repertoire of the Comédie-Française.