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[Facts] Re: Samantha
Out of curiosity, I checked the names from those plays and found one exception to them using names inspired by ancient Greek or ancient Persian names - in the play "The Loyal Brother" (from 1682) about half of the characters' names are more or less accurate to 17th-century Persia. I've wondered why this particular play had more accurate names and found that it's based on a French book from 1676, "Tachmas, prince of Persia", though several names (along with the plot itself) were actually changed from the book version.This is the book version, translated into English:
https://ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/handle/20.500.12024/A62415 (click Preview under the second file)I used this article about the play to compare it with the book:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348204519_Thomas_Southerne's_Muslim_Settings_and_the_Politics_of_the_Succession_Crisis_A_Critical_Study_of_The_Loyal_BrotherAs far as I can tell, the book version uses names accurate to those used in 17th-century Persia (with the exception of Begona, as this name seems to be based on Begum, a female title). Semanthe's counterpart is called Negara, for example. But the biggest surprise to me was that the name Sunamire actually came from the book, because I thought it was made up for the play. Now I'm wondering if it's also based on a genuine 17th-century Persian name.
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