Plautus Poenulus front

Dramatis Personae HANNO, a Carthaginian. AGORASTOCLES, a young Carthaginian, living at Calydon. ANTHEMONIDES, a Captain. MILPHIO, servant of Agorastocles. COLLYBISCUS, bailiff of Agorastocles. LYCUS, a Procurer. SYNCERASTUS, servant of Lycus. A BOY. SOME ASSISTANTS. [ADVOCATI.] ADELPHASIUM, sisters, Courtesans. ANTERLASTYIS, GIDDENEME, their Nurse. A MAID-SERVANT.

(Scene—Calydon, a city of Aetolia. Before the houses of AGORASTOCLES and LYOUS, and the Temple of Venus.)

THE SUBJECT THERE were two cousins, citizens of Carthage; the daughters of one of them named Hanno, were stolen in their childhood, and being carried off to Calydon, were there purchased by Lycus, a Procurer. In the same place there is living Agorastocles, the son of the cousin of Hanno, who, having been stolen in his infancy, was sold to a wealthy old man, and finally adopted by him. Here, without knowing their relationship, Agorastocles falls in love with Adelphasium, the elder of the sisters, while Anthemonides, a military officer, entertains a passion for Anterastylis, the younger sister. The Procurer being at enmity with Agorastocles, the latter, with the assistance of his servant Milphio, devises a plan for outwitting him. Collybiscus, the bailiff of Agorastocles, is dressed up as a foreigner, and, a sum of money being given him for the purpose, pretends to take up his abode in the house of Lycus. On this being effected, by previous arrangement Agorastocles comes with witnesses, and accuses the Procurer of harbouring his slave, and encouraging him to rob his master. At this conjuncture, Hanno arrives at Calydon in search of his daughters. He discovers them, and finds that Agorastocles is the son of his deceased cousin. The play ends with the removal of the damsels from the house of Lycus, who is brought to task for his iniquities; and Adelphasium is promised by her father in marriage to Agorastocles.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. ¹ A BOY ( Puer), seven years old, is stolen at Carthage. An old man, a hater ( Osco) of women, adopts him when bought, and ( Et) makes him his heir. His two kinswomen and their nurse ( Nutrix) are also carried off. Lycus buys them and torments ( Vexat) Agorastocles in love. But he palms off his bailiff with some gold upon the Procurer ( Lenoni), and so convicts him of theft. Hanno, the Carthaginian, comes ( Venit), discovers him to be the son of his cousin, and recognizes his own ( Suas) daughters whom he had lost.