Plautus Bacchides front

Dramatis Personae SILENUS, the Divinity, who speaks the Prologue. NICOBULUS, an aged citizen of . MNESILOCHUS, his son. PHILOXENUS, another aged citizen of . PISTOCLERUS, his son. LYDUS, servant of Philoxenus, and tutor of Pistoclerus. CHRYSALUS, servant of Nicobulus. CLEOMACHUS, a Captain of . A PARASITE of Cleomachus. BOY, servant of Cleomachus. SERVANT of Pistoclerus (in the introductory fragment). ARTAMO, servant of Nicobulus. FIRST BACCHIS Twin-sisters, Courtesans. SECOND BACCHIS

Scene— Athens : before the houses of the FIRST BACCHIS and of PHILOXENUS which are in the same street.)

THE SUBJECT. MNESILOCHUS, when absent at Ephesus , writes and requests his friend, Pistoclerus, to search for his mistress, Bacchis, who has left Athens with a military Captain. Having discovered her on her return to Athens , Pistoclerus falls in love with her twin-sister, whose name is also Bacchis, and is severely reproved by his tutor, Lydus, for so doing. Mnesilochus returns to Athens , and discovers from Lydus that his friend Pistoclerus is in love with a female of the name of Bacchis. He thereupon imagines that he has supplanted him with his own mistress, and in his anger resolves to restore to his father some money of his which he had gone to Ephesus to recover, and a part of which he had contrived, through a scheme of the servant Chrysalus, to retain, in order that he might redeem his mistress from the Captain. Having afterwards discovered the truth, he greatly repents that he has done so, as the officer threatens to carry Bacchis off instantly, if the money is not paid. On this, Chrysalus contrives another stratagem against Nicobulus, his aged master, and makes him, through fear of the Captain’s threats, pay the required sum. Having gained not only this but a still further sum of money, the young men regale themselves at the house of Bacchis. Nicobulus afterwards discovers from the Captain the trick that has been played upon him, and he and Mnesilochus repair to the house of Bacchis to demand their sons. The damsels, hereupon, apply themselves to coaxing the old men, who are at last persuaded to forgive their sons and Chrysalus and to go into the house and join the entertainment.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. ¹ MNESILOCHUS is inflamed with love for Bacchis ( Bacchidis). But, first of all, he goes to Ephesus , to bring back some gold ( Aurum). Bacchis sails for Crete ( Cretam), and meets with ( Convenit) the other Bacchis; thence she returns to Athens ; upon this ( Hinc), Mnesilochus sends a letter to Pistoclerus, that he may seek for her ( Illam). He returns; he makes a quarrel while ( Dum) he supposes that his own mistress is beloved by Pistoclerus; when they have discovered the mistake as to the twin-sisters, Mnesilochus pays the gold to that ( Ei) Captain; equally are the two in love. The old men ( Senes), while they are looking after their sons, join the women, and carouse.