Sir Robert Howard (1626–1698)

A grindy, agitated tragedy of pseudo-incestuous loves and self-destructive nobility. Zempoalla has deposed her sister Amexia as queen of Mexico; meanwhile, her son Acacis has been captured by the Peruvian general Montezuma, who demands the hand of the Ynca's daugher Orazia for his exploits; when he is refused he switches sides and brings down Peru, only for the Mexican general Traxalla to take all the credit; back in Mexico, the Ynca and Orazia are to be killed, but Acacis intervenes--he and Montezuma fight because neither of them wishes to live without her love; he is struck down, and Zempoalla, enraged by his disobedience and Montezuma's rejection, is to have the Ynca and Orazia sacrificed; but Montezuma kills Traxalla, Zempoalla kills herself, Montezuma turns out to be Amexia's son and the rightful king of Mexico,a wedding happens, the end. Occasional moments of moderate atmospherics, a neat interaction between the Mesoamerica setting and the "SOMEONE's gotta die" trope, but way too much unexplained background and confusing changes of setting, clumsy plot delivery, and everybody's just way too ready to stab themselves in the chest.I see Henry Purcell made this into an opera, and that would have worked, but as is you just want either a bit more realism or a bit more mythic power, and you really get neither.… (más)