Dramatis PersonaeDEMIPHO,From δημὸς, the people, and φω light. Aged Athenians, brothers. CHREMES,From χρέμπτομαι, to spit. ANTIPHO, From ἀντὶ, opposite to, and φῶς, light, or φῆμι, to speak. son of Demipho. PHAEDRIA, From φαιδρὸς, cheerful. son of Chremes. PHORMIO, From φορμὸς, an osier basket. a Parasite. GETA, One of the nation of the Getae. servant of Demipho. DAVUS, From Dacia, his native country; the Davi and Daci being the same people. a servant. HEGIO, Advocates.From ἡγεῖσθαι, to lead, or take charge of. CRATINUS,From κρατὸς, strength. CRITO,From κριτὴς, a judge. DORIO, From Doris, his country, a part of Caria. a Procurer. NAUSISTRATA, From ναῦς, a ship, and στρατὸς, an army. the wife of Chremes. SOPHRONA, From σώφρων, prudent. the nurse of Phanium. (Scene.—Athens; before the houses of DEMIPHO, CHREMES, and DORIO.)THE SUBJECT CHREMES and DEMIPHO are two aged Athenians, brothers. Nausistrata, the wife of Chremes, is a wealthy woman, possessed of large estates in the island of Lemnos. Chremes, who goes thither yearly to receive the rents, meets with a poor woman there, whom he secretly marries, and has by her a daughter called Phanium: while engaged in this intrigue, Chremes passes at Lemnos by the name of Stilpho. By his wife, Nausistrata, at Athens, Chremes has a son, named Phaedria, and his brother has a son, named Antipho. Phanium having now arrived at her fifteenth year, the two brothers privately agree that she shall be brought to Athens and married to Antipho. For this purpose, Chremes goes to Lemnos, while Demipho is obliged to take a journey to Cilicia. On departing, they leave their sons in the care of Geta, one of Demipho’s servants. Shortly afterward, Phaedria falls in love with a Music-girl, but, from want of means, is unable to purchase her from her owner. In the mean time, the Lemnian wife of Chremes, urged by poverty, embarks for Athens, whither she arrives with her daughter and her nurse. Here they inquire for Stilpho, but in vain, as they can not find any one of that name. Shortly after, the mother dies, and Antipho, seeing Phanium by accident, falls in love with her. Being wishful to marry her, he applies to Phormio, a Parasite, for his advice. The latter hits upon the following scheme: there being a law at Athens, which obliges the next-of-kin to female orphans, either to marry them or give them a portion, the Parasite pretends that he is a friend of Phanium, and insists that Antipho is her nearest relation, and is consequently bound to marry her. Antipho is summoned before a court of justice, and it being previously arranged, allows judgment to be given against himself, and immediately marries Phanium. Shortly after, the old men return upon the same day, and are much vexed, the one on finding that his son has married a woman without a fortune, the other that he has lost the opportunity of getting his daughter advantageously married. In the mean time, Phaedria being necessitated to raise some money to purchase the Music-girl, Geta and Phormio arrange that the former shall pretend to the old man that Phormio has consented to take back the woman whom Antipho has married, if Demipho will give her a portion of thirty mine. Demipho borrows the money of Chremes, and pays it to Phormio, who hands it over to Phaedria, and Phaedria to Dorio, for his mistress. At this conjuncture, it becomes known who Phanium really is, and the old men are delighted to find that Antipho has married the very person they wished. They attempt, however, to get back the thirty minae from Phormio, and proceed to threats and violence. On this, Phormio, who has accidentally learned the intrigue of Chremes with the woman of Lemnos, exposes him, and relates the whole story to his wife, Nausistrata; on which she censures her husband for his bad conduct, and the Play concludes with her thanks to Phormio for his information.THE TITLE OF THE PLAY. PERFORMED at the Roman Games,The Roman Games. The ludi Romani, or Roman Games, were first established by Ancus Marcius, and were celebrated in the month of September. L. Posthumius Albinus and L. Cornelius Merula being Curule Aediles. L. Ambivius Turpio and L. Atilius Praenestinus performed it. Flaccus, the freedman of Claudius, composed the music to a base and a treble flute. It is wholly from the Greek, being the Epidicazomenos of Apollodorus. It was represented four times,Four times. The numerals signifying four, Donatus takes to mean that this was the fourth Play composed by Terence; it is, however, more generally supposed that the meaning is, that it was acted four times in one year. C. Fannius and M. Valerius being Consuls.Being Consuls. M. Valerius Messala and C. Fannius Strabo were Consuls in the year from the Building of the City 591, and B.C. 162.THE SUMMARY OF C. SULPITIUS APOLLINARIS. DEMIPHO, the brother of Chremes, has gone abroad, his son Antipho being left at Athens. Chremes has secretly a wife and a daughter at Lemnos, another wife at Athens, and an only son, who loves a Music-girl. The mother arrives at Athens from Lemnos, and there dies. The girl, her orphan daughter, (Chremes being away,) arranges the funeral. After Antipho has fallen in love with her when seen there, through the aid of the Parasite he receives her as his wife. His father and Chremes, having now returned. begin to be enraged. Afterward they give thirty minae to the Parasite, that he may take her as his own wife. With this money the Music-girl is bought for Phoedria. Antipho then keeps his wife, who has been recognized by his uncle.

THE PROLOGUE.SINCE the old PoetSince the old Poet: He alludes to his old enemy, Luscus Lavinius, who is mentioned in all his Prologues, except those to the Hecyra. can not withdraw our bard from his pursuits and reduce him to indolence, he endeavors, by invectives, to deter him from writing: for he is wont to say to this effect,—that the Plays which he has hitherto composedare poor in their language, and of meagre style; because he has nowhere described a frantic youth as seeing a hind in flight, and the hounds pursuing; while he imploresWhile one implored.Et eam plorare, orare ut subveniat sibi. This is probably in allusion to some absurd passage in one of the Plays of Lavinius. It is generally supposed to mean, that the stag implores the young man; but as the youth is mad, the absurdity of the passage is heightened if we suppose that he implores the stag, and, in the moment of its own danger, entreats it to come to his own assistance; as certainly the Latin will admit of that interpretation.—Ovid has a somewhat similar passage in the Pontic Epistles, B. ii. Ep. ii. 1. 39: The hind that, in its terror, is flying from the savage dogs, hesitates not to trust itself to the neighboring house. and entreated that he would give her aid. But if he had been aware that his Play, when formerly first represented, stood its ground more through the merits of the performers than its own, he would attack with much less boldness than he does. Now, if there is any one who says or thinks to this effect, that if the old Poet had not assailed him first, the young one could have devised no Prologue for him to repeat, without having some one to abuse, let him receive this for an answer: that the prize is proposed in common to all who apply to the Dramatic art. He has aimed at driving our Poet from his studies to absolute want; he then has in-tended this for an answer, not an attack. If he had opposed him with fair words, he would have heard himself civilly addressed; what has been given by him, let him consider as now returned. I will make an end of speaking about him, when, of his own accord, he himself makes an end of offending. Now give your attention to what I request. I present you a new Play, which they call Epidicazomenos,Epidicazomenos: A Play of Apollodorus, so called from that Greek word, signifying one who demands justice from another, in. allusion to Phormio, who is the complainant in the suit, which is the foundation of the plot. in Greek: in the Latin, he calls it Phormio; because the person that acts the principal part is Phormio, a Parasite, through whom, principally, the plot will be’ carried on, if your favor attends the Poet. Lend your attention; in silence give an ear with impartial feelings, that we may not experience a like fortune to what we did, when, through a tumult, our Company was driven from the place;Was driven from the place: Alluding, probably, to the disturbances which took place at the first representation of the Hecyra, and which are mentioned in the Prologues to that Play. which place, the merit of the actor, and your good-will and candor seconding it, has since restored unto us.

(Enter DAVUS,Davus is a protatic character, only introduced for the purpose of opening the story. with a bag of money in his hand.)DAVUSGeta, my very good friend and fellow-townsman, came to me yesterday. There had been for some time a trifling balance of money of his in my hands upon a small account; he asked me to make it up. I have done so, and am carrying it to him. But I hear that his master’s son has taken a wife; this, I suppose, is scraped together as a present for her. How unfair a custom!—that those who have the least should always be giving something to the more wealthy! That which the poor wretch has with difficulty spared, ounce by ounce, out of his allowance,Out of his allowance: Donatus tells us that the slaves received four modii, or measures of corn, each month, which was called their demensum. defrauding himself of every indulgence, the whole of it will she carry of, without thinking with how much labor it has been acquired. And then besides, Geta will be struckWill be struck: Ferietur.To strike a person for a present was said when it was extorted from him reluctantly. So in the Trinummuns of Plautus, 1. 247, Ibi illa pendentem ferit. Then does she strike while he is wavering. for another presentFor another present: Presents were usually made to persons on their birthday, on the day of their marriage, and on the birth of their children. when his mistress is brought to bed; and then again for another present, when the child’s birthday comes; when they initiate him,Initiate him: It is not known what initiation is here referred to. Madame Dacier thinks it was an initiation into the great mysteries of Ceres, which was commonly performed while children were yet very young; others suggest that it means the period of weaning the child, and initiating it into the use of another kind of diet. Donatus says, that Varro speaks of children being initiated into the mysteries of the Deities Edulia, Potica, and Cuba, the Divinities of Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping. too: all this the mother will carry off; the child will only be the pretext for the present. But don’t I see Geta there?

(Enter GETA, from the house of DEMIPHO.)GETA(at the door, to those within.)If any red-haired man should inquire for me—DAVUS(stepping forward.)Here he is, say no more.GETA(starting.)Oh! Why I was trying to come and meet you, Davus.DAVUS(giving the money to GETA.)Here, take it; it’s all ready counted out;Ready counted out: Lectum, literally picked out or chosen—the coins being of full weight. the number just amounts to the sum I owed you.GETAI am obliged to you; and I return you thanks for not having forgotten me.DAVUSEspecially as people’s ways are nowadays; things are come to such a pass, if a person repays you any thing, you must be greatly obliged to him. But why are you out of spirits?GETAWhat, I? You little know what terror and peril I am in.DAVUSWhat’s the matter? GETA.You shall know, if you can only keep it secret.DAVUSOut upon you, simpleton;the man, whose trustworthiness you have experienced as to money, are you afraid to intrust with words? In what way have I any interest in deceiving you?GETAWell then, listen.DAVUSI give you my best attention.GETADavus, do you know Chremes, the elder brother of our old gentleman?