Aulularia, or The Concealed Treasure (cast-90)

Dramatis PersonaeTHE HOUSEHOLD GOD, who speaks the Prologue. EUCLIO, an aged Athenian. MEGADORUS, uncle of Lyconides. LYCONIDES, a young Athenian. STROBILUS, servant of Megadorus and Lyconides PYTHODICUS, servant of Megadorus. ANTHRAX Cooks CONGRIO EUNOMIA, the sister of Megadorus. PHAEDRA, the daughter of Euclio. STAPHYLA, an old woman, servant of Euclio.

Scene — Athens, before the houses of EUCLIO and MEGADORUS and the Temple of Truth.)

THE SUBJECT EUCLIO, a miserly old Athenian, has a daughter named Phaedra, who has been ravished by a young man named Lyconides, but is ignorant from whom she has received that injury. Lyconides has an uncle named Megadorus, who being ignorant of these circumstances, determines to ask Phaedra of her father, in marriage for himself. Euclio has discovered a pot of gold in his house which he watches with the greatest anxiety. In the meantime, Megadorus asks his daughter in marriage, and his proposal is accepted; and while preparations are making for the nuptials, Euclio conceals his treasure, first in on place and then in another. Strobilus, the servant of Lyconides, watches his movements, and, having discovered it, carries off the treasure. While Euclio is lamenting his loss, Lyconides accosts him, with the view of confessing the outrage he has committed on his daughter, and of announcing to him that his uncle, Megadorus, has cancelled his agreement to marry her, in favour of himself. Euclio at first thinks that he is come to confess the robbery of the treasure. After much parleying, his mistake is rectified, and the matter is explained; on which Lyconides forces Strobilus to confess the theft; and (although the rest of the Play In its original form is lost) we learn from the acrostic Argument that Strobilus gives up the treasure, and Lyconides marries the daughter of Euclio, and receives the gold for a marriage-portion. The Supplement written by Codrus Urcens to supply the place of what is lost has been added.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT OF PRISCIAN. A POT (Aulam) that he has found full of gold, Euclio watches with the greatest strictness (Vi), being distracted in a dreadful manner. Lyconides (Lyconides) debauches his daughter. Megadorus wishes (Vult) to marry her without a portion, and to do it in a cheerful way (Lubens), he provides cooks with provisions. Euclio is afraid on account of the gold (Auro); he drives them out of the house; and the whole matter (Re) having been seen, the servant of the ravisher steals it (Id). He discloses the matter to Euclio; by (Ab) him he is presented with the gold, a wife, and a son.