Cistellaria, or The Casket (cast-52)

Dramatis PersonaeTHE GOD OF HELP, who speaks the Prologue in the Second Act. DEMIPHO, a merchant of . ALCESIMARCHUS, a young man of . LAMPADISCUS, servant of Demipho. PHANOSTRATA, wife of Demipho. SILENIUM, their daughter, beloved by Alcesimarchus. MELAENIS, a Procuress. HALISCA, her servant. A PROCURESS, the mother of Gymnasium. GYMNASIUM, a Courtesan.

(Scene.-Sicyon, in Peloponnesus. Before the houses of DEMIPHO, SILENIUM, and the father of ALCESIMARCHUS.)

THE SUBJECT. DEMIPHO, a merchant of Lemnos, having ravished Phanostrata, a young woman of Sicyon, she is brought to bed of a female child. This she gives to her servant Lampadiscus, to be exposed. On this being done, in the sight of Lampadiscus, a Procuress picks up the infant, and afterwards makes a present of it to her friend Melaenis, by whom it is brought up, under the name of Silenium. Alcesimarchus, a young man of Sicyon, falls violently in love with her, and takes her under his protection. In the meantime, Demipho, who has married another wife, after her death marries Phanostrata, and comes to live at Sicyon. He and his wife are then anxious, if possible, to regain their lost child. The daughter of Demipho by his first wife is destined by her father to become the wife of Alcesimarchus; on hearing which, Melaenis removes her foster-child from his protection. At this conjuncture Lampadiscus finds out the Procuress that had taken up the infant when exposed, and from her discovers that the child of his mistress is with Melaenis. He informs his mistress of this, while Melaenis is, unknown to them, standing by; upon which she determines to confess the truth, and to restore Silenium to her parents. While she is thinking upon this plan, Alcesimarchus lays hands on Silenium, and carries her off to his father’s house. In the confusion attendant on this, Halisca, the servant of Melaenis, drops a casket in the street, containing some trinkets which had been worn by Silenium at the time when she was exposed. Phanostrata and Lampadiscus find the casket, and on Halisca coming to search for it, they discover where Silenium is. They go into the house, and Phanostrata discovers her long-lost child.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. [*] A young man of Lemnos ravishes (Comprimit) a woman of Sicyon. He (Is) returns to his country, and becomes father of a daughter by his marriage there. The woman of Sicyon (Sicyonia) also bears a daughter. A servant takes (Tollit) and exposes her, and keeps watch in secret; her (Eam), taken up, a Courtesan presents to another. Coming back afterwards from Lemnos (Lemno), he marries her whom he had ravished; and his daughter born at Lemnos (Lemni) he promises in marriage to a young man captivated by passion (A more) for the one that had been exposed. On making enquiry (Requirens), the servant finds her whom he had exposed; and so (Itaque) legaliy and properly does Alcesimarchus (Alcesimarchus) gain her recognized as a free woman, whom before he had had as a concubine.