Dramatis Personae PERIPHIANES, an aged Athenian of rank. STRATIPPOCLES, his son by a former wife. APAECIDES, an aged Athenian, friend of Periphanes. EPIDICUS, servant of Periphanes. CHAERIBULUS, a young Athenian, friend of Stratippocies. THESPRIO, armour-bearer to Stratippocles. A CAPTAIN of . A BANKER. PHILIPPA, a woman of , the mother of Telestis. ACROPOLISTIS, a music-girl, mistress of Stratippocles. TELESTIS, daughter of Periphanes and Philippa. A MUSIC-GIRL. (Scene— Athens : before the houses of PERIPHANES, APAECIDES, and CHAERIBULUS.) THE SUBJECT.
 The plot of this Play is of an involved nature. Periphanes, an aged Athenian, has a son, born in wedlock, named Stratippocles. By Philippa, a woman of Epidaurus, whom he has formerly seduced, he has had a daughter, named Telestis who has been residing with her mother at Thebes . A war arising between the Athenians and Thebans, Stratippocles, on setting out for the army, commissions Epidicus, his father’s servant, to purchase for him Acropolistis, a music-girl, of whom lie is enamoured. Epidicns, on this, persuades Periphanes that this girl is really his daughter by Philippa, whom he has not seen for many years, and that she has been taken captive at Thebes , and brought to Athens . On this the old man gives Epidicus the requisite sum, and she is brought home and introduced to him as his daughter Telestis. In the meantime, Stratippocles meets with another damsel who has been taken captive, and agrees with a Banker to borrow forty mince, for the purpose of purchasing her. He returns to Athens , and resolves not to meet his father until he has paid the money to the Banker and gained possession of the damsel, and Epidicus is threatened by him with a severe punishment, if he does not manage to raise the sum required. On this he accosts his aged master, and tells him that he must find a wife for his son, who is about to purchase a singing-girl of the name of Acropolistis. The old man is persuaded to give a sum of money to Epidicus for the purpose of buying Acropolistis, that she may be kept out of the way of his son. On receiving the money, Epidicus hands it over to Stratippocles, to be paid to the Banker. The old gentleman having that morning ordered a singing-girl to be hired to perform at a sacrifice at his house, she is brought to him as Acropolistis, having been instructed how to play her part. A Captain, who admires Acropolistis, having heard that Periphanes has purchased her, applies to him, and offers to give him a profit of ten minae if he will transfer her to him. Periphanes, thereupon, brings to him the music-girl who is assuming that character (while the real Acropolistis is taken for his daughter), on which the Captain discovers the deception, and Periphanes finds out that the girl is already free, and has been only brought to his house to perform at the sacrifice. At this conjuncture Philippa arrives, having heard that her daughter has been brought to Athens . Periphanes meets her, and assures her that her daughter is safe at his house. On this, Philippa is introduced to Acropolistis, and declares that she is not her daughter, and that Periphanes has been imposed upon. On being questioned,Acropolistis confesses that she has only called Periphanes her father because lie has called her his daughter. Epidicus, on being discovered to be guilty of this second fraud upon his master, is greatly alarmed; but just then he perceives the Banker, who has come for the money, leading the Theban captive. He immediately recognizes her as Telestis, the real daughter of Periphanes and Philippa, Stratippocles, somewhat to his sorrow, is informed that the captive is his half-sister, and therefore, most probably, consoles himself with Acropolistis. For making this discovery, Epidicus is not only pardoned by Periphanes, but receives his freedom. THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. [Supposed to have been written by Priscian the Grammarian.] An old gentleman, thinking her his daughter, purchases ( Emit ) a music-girl, by the advice ( Persuasu ) of his servant, who, a second time ( Iterum ), substitutes for him, in place of his son’s mistress, another one hired; he gives ( Dat ) to his master’s son the money; with it the young man, not knowing it ( Imprudens ), purchases his sister. Soon afterwards, by the aid of a woman whom he has seduced, and of a Captain, the old man understands ( Cognoscit ) that he has been imposed upon, as ( Ut ) the one is in search of his mistress, the other of her daughter. But ( Sed ) on finding his daughter, he gives his servant his liberty. (Enter THESPRIO, followed by EPIDICUS. Translator’s subtitle The Fortunate Discovery : Plautus calls this Play by the name of Epidicus , from the slave, who is the principal actor in it. It will be seen that a fortunate discovery really does take place in the Fifth Act, where Periphanes not only finds his long-lost daughter, but Stratippocles is prevented from unknowingly being guilty of incest. That Plautus thought very highly of this Play, is evident from what is said in the Bacchides, l. 215, where Chrysalus is introduced as saying that he loves the Epidicus as well as his own self. EPIDICUS (pulling THESPRIO by the cloak.) Harkye! young man. THESPRIO Who pulls me by the cloak, when thus in haste? EPIDICUS An intimate. THESPRIO I confess it; for with your annoyance you are too intimate. EPIDICUS But do look back, Thesprio! THESPRIO (looking round.) What? Is it Epidicus that I see? EPIDICUS Why surely you’ve the use of your eyes. THESPRIO Greetings to you. EPIDICUS May the Gods grant what you desire. I’m glad that you’ve got here safe. THESPRIO What besides? EPIDICUS According to the usage, a dinner shall be given you A dinner shall be given you : The coena viatica, or welcome entertainment, has been mentioned in the Notes to the Bacchides, Act I., So. 2. . THESPRIO I agree. EPIDICUS What to do? THESPRIO That I’ll accept it, if you offer it. EPIDICUS How are you? Fare you as you could wish? THESPRIO The proof’s before you. Part of line 9 in the Latin. EPIDICUS Marvellous! Part of line 9 in the Latin. You seem quite plump and hearty. THESPRIO (pointing to his left hand.) Thanks to this. EPIDICUS Which, indeed, you ought to have parted with To have parted with : The thieves of antiquity are said to have used the left hand for the purposes of their nefarious calling. The cutting off of the hand was a common punishment. long ago. THESPRIO I’m less of a pilferer now than formerly. EPIDICUS How so? THESPRIO I rob above-board I rob above- board : It has been suggested that this is an imitation of a passage in Aristophanes, Act II., Sc. 3, where Blepsidemus says, οὐ κεκλοφάς ἄλλ’ ἥρπακας. You have not pilfered, but plundered. The thought, however, is quite natural, without resorting to a previous author for it. . EPIDICUS May the immortal Gods confound you, with what huge strides you do walk! for when I caught sight of you at the harbour, I began to run at a rapid pace; I was hardly able to overtake you just now. THESPRIO You are a town wit. EPIDICUS I know that you, on the other hand, are a military gentleman.