Dramatis Personae and Plot Outline

§cast## FABULAE INTERLOCUTORES. ANTIPHO, adolescens. CHAEREA, adolescens. CHREMES, adolescens rusticus. DORIAS, ancilla. DORUS, eunuchus. GNATHO, parasitus. LACHES, senex. PARMENO, servus. PHAEDRIA, adolescens. PYTHIAS, ancilla. SANGA, lixa. SOPHRONA, nutrix. THAIS, meretrix. THRASO, miles. §subject_1INTRODUCTION. PAMPHILA and Chremes were the children of an Athenian citizen. Pamphila, while an infant, was carried off from her home at Sunium by robbers, and by them sold to a merchant of Rhodes. He presented her to a courtesan of that place, who had her brought up with her own daughter Thais as her younger sister. When Thais grew up she removed to Athens with a lover of hers, who at his death left her all his property. She then kept company with a soldier named Thraso, who went to Caria after living with her a short time. Meanwhile her mother had died, and her uncle wishing to realize money by Pamphila, who was beautiful and accomplished, sold her to Thraso, who happened to be at Rhodes on his return to Athens, and carried her with him intending to make a present of her to Thais. During his absence, however, Thais had found a new lover, one Phaedria, son of Laches. This Thraso discovers on his return, and in order to secure his footing with her, makes his present conditional upon Phaedria’s dismissal. This causes Thais great perplexity, for she is really attached to Phaedria, and yet much wishes to get possession of Pamphila, whose history she has learnt in part, and whom she hopes to restore to her Athenian family, intending by so doing to make herself friends in Athens. Accordingly she shuts her door against Phaedria. §subject_2He is at first highly incensed at her conduct; but after an interview with her, consents to absent himself from Athens for a day or two, that she may have time to obtain Pamphila from Thraso.

Before he goes he gives orders that an Ethiopian slave, and an eunuch whom he has bought for Thais, shall be taken to her house.

At this moment Thraso sends Pamphila under the escort of Gnatho his follower.

On her way to Thais’ house she is seen in the street by Chaerea, Phaedria’s brother, who at first sight falls desperately in love with her, and hurries after her, but being detained on his way by an old friend of his father’s, arrives just too late to see her taken into the house.

Here he falls in with Parmeno, his father’s slave, and between them they concoct the scheme on which the plot of the play turns.

Chaerea is dressed up in the eunuch’s clothes and conducted to Thais’ house, where he soon has an opportunity of carrying out his intended scheme, during the absence of Thais at Thraso’s house; after which he makes his escape.

This event causes the greatest consternation in the household; and is no less distressing to Thais, who finds her plan for restoring Pamphila to her relations thus awkwardly frustrated.

For in the meantime she has obtained some interviews with Chremes, the brother of Pamphila, and has nearly identified Pamphila when the catastrophe comes to her knowledge.

Phaedria, too, is much disconcerted at discovering that his present has worked so much mischief.

All parties, in fact, are at their wit’s end, with the exception of Chaerea, who, upon discovering Pamphila’s history, makes the best amends he can by undertaking to marry her.

Pythias meanwhile, Thais’ maid, pays off old scores by driving Parmeno to divulge the whole matter to Laches, father of Chaerea and Phaedria.