Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed (cast-58)

Dramatis PersonaeANTIPHO, an old gentleman of . EPIGNOMUS Two Brothers. PAMPHILUSIn the former Editions he is called Pamphilippus. Ritschel clearly shown that this is incorrect. GELASIMUS, a Parasite. STICHUS, the servant of Epignomus. SAGARINUS, the servant of Pamphilus. PINACIUM,In the former Editions he is called Dinacium. a boy. A PIPER. PHILUMENA,In the former Editions she is called Panegyris. the wife of Epignomus. PAMPHILA,In the former Editions she is called Pinacium. the wife of Pamphilus, and sister of Philumena. CROCOTIUM, a female servant of Philumena. STEPHANIUM, a female kitchen servant of Pamphila.

(Scene.—Athens: a Street before the house of ANTIPHO and those of EPIGNOMUS and PAMPHILUS; the two latter being nest door to each other.)

THE SUBJECT. THE plot of this Play (which is supposed by some Commentators not to have been written by Plautus) is extremely meagre. Antipho, a wealthy and jovial old gentleman of Athens, has two daughters, Philumena and Pamphila. They are married to two brothers, Epignomus and Pamphilus, who, having run through their property in the company of idlers and Parasites, have, with the view of retrieving their fortunes, taken to merchandize. Having been absent three years from home, and no tidings being heard of them whether they are alive or not Antipho assumes the prerogative of a father, and requests his daughters to marry again; who resolve, however, to maintain their fidelity to their absent husbands. Philumena sends the Parasite, Gelasimus, to the harbour to see if any ships have arrived. In the meantime, the boy, Pinacium, brings her word that her husband has. returned to Athens. He and his brother meet the Parasite, and resist all his attempts to fasten himself upon them; they then go home, and become reconciled to Antipho, from whom, in their poverty, they had become estranged; and who now requests them to make him a present of a female slave. Stichus, the servant, obtains a day’s holiday, together with a present from his master of a cask of wine. He makes an entertainment for himself, his friend Sagarinus, and their mistress Stephanium. The Play concludes with a dance, to the music of the Piper.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. [*] An old man (Senex) rebukes his daughters because they are so (Tam) persevering in thus (Ita) adhering to their husbands, brothers, poor and abroad, and in not deserting them. And, on the other hand (Contra), he is softened down by prudent words to allow them to retain (Habere) those whom they have already got. Enriched with wealth, their husbands (Viri) come back from beyond the sea; each one retains his own (Suam) wife, and to Stichus a holiday is given.