Plautus Captivi front

Dramatis Personae HEGIO, an Aetolian, father of Philopolemus. PHILOCRATES, an Elean, captive in Aetolia. TYNDARUS, his servant. ARISTOPHONTES, an Elean, captive in Aetolia. PHILOPOLEMUS, an Aetolian, captive in Elis. ERGASILUS, a Parasite. STALAGMUS, the servant of Hegio. A SLAVE of Hegio. A LAD, the same.

(Scene—A place in Aetolia, before the house of Hegio)

THE SUBJECT. HEGIO, a wealthy native of Aetolia, had two sons, one of which was stolen by a slave when four years old, and being carried away to Elis, was sold there; the father being unable for many years to learn what has become of him. A war having commenced between the Eleans and the Aetolians, Phiiopolemus, the other son of Hegio, is taken prisoner by the Eleans. The Aetolians having taken many Elean prisoners, Hegio commences to traffic in captives, with the view of thereby redeeming his son from the Eleans, in exchange for some prisoner of rank. A this conjuncture the Play commences. Among the captives whom Hegio has purchased, Philocrates is one, having been taken prisoner, together with his servant, Tyndarus. With the object of deceiving Hegio, Philocrates and Tyndarus change their clothes, and having exchanged names as well, Philocrates pretends to be the servant of Tyndarus. Hegio being desirous to procure the exchange of his son, Philocrates (in the character of the servant of his fellowcaptive) is sent to Elis for that purpose. After his departure, Aristophontes, another captive, accidentally puts Hegio in the way of discovering the manner in which he has been deceived. On this, the old man, losing all hope of obtaining the liberation of his son, sends Tyndarus in chains to the stone-quarries. Shortly after, Philocrates returns, and brings with him Philopolemus, the son of Hegio, and Stalagmus, the runaway slave, that had stolen his other son. It is then discovered that Stalagmus had sold the child to the father of Philocrates, and that he is no other than Tyndarus, the slave; on which, Tyndarus is sent for, and is informed that he is the lost son of Hegio. Stalagmus is then condemned to the chains from which Tyndarus is liberated.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT ¹ . ² One son of Hegio has been made prisoner ( Captus) in battle. A runaway slave has sold the other ( Alium) when four years old. The father ( Pater) traffics in Elean captives, only ( Tantum) desirous that he may recover his son, and ( Et) among these he buys his son that was formerly lost. He ( Is), his clothes and his name changed with his master, causes that ( Ut) he is lost to Hegio; and he himself is punished. And ( Et) he brings back the captive and the runaway together, through whose information ( Indicio) he discovers his other son.