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Terence · Adelphoe §cast-subject_1

Dramatis Personae and Argument

Passage 1 of 18 · Latin

Summary

The cast list of Terence's comedy Adelphoe, followed by an introductory summary of the play's background and plot concerning two brothers brought up under different parental philosophies.

§cast## FABULAE INTERLOCUTORES. AESCHINUS, adolescens.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE. AESCHINUS, a young man.
CANTHARA, nutrix Pamphilae.
CANTHARA, nurse of Pamphila.
CTESIPHO, adolescens, frater Aeschini.
CTESIPHO, a young man, brother of Aeschinus.
DROMO, servus Micionis.
DROMO, servant of Micio.
DEMEA, senex, frater Micionis, pater Aeschini et Ctesiphonis.
DEMEA, an old man, brother of Micio, father of Aeschinus and Ctesipho.
GETA, servus Sostratae.
GETA, servant of Sostrata.
HEGIO, senex, propinquus Pamphilae.
HEGIO, an old man, relative of Pamphila.
MICIO, senex, frater Demeae, pater adoptivus Aeschini.
MICIO, an old man, brother of Demea, adoptive father of Aeschinus.
PAMPHILA, filia Sostratae, amica Aeschini.
PAMPHILA, daughter of Sostrata, mistress of Aeschinus.
SANNIO,leno.
SANNIO, a slave-dealer.
SOSTRATA, mater Pamphilae.
SOSTRATA, mother of Pamphila.
SYRUS, servus Aeschini.
SYRUS, servant of Aeschinus.
§subject_1INTRODUCTION. This play derives its name from the two pairs of brothers who are introduced.
INTRODUCTION. This play derives its name from the two pairs of brothers who are introduced.
Demea and Micio, the elders, had always been very dissimilar in character and manner of life.
Demea and Micio, the elders, had always been very dissimilar in character and manner of life.
Micio was a pleasant old bachelor, and had always lived in town, and was very lenient and indulgent towards his young relations.
Micio was a pleasant old bachelor, and had always lived in town, and was very lenient and indulgent towards his young relations.
Demea on the contrary had kept up the thrifty habits of his early years, residing on his farm and taking a severe view of the conduct of his sons.
Demea on the contrary had kept up the thrifty habits of his early years, residing on his farm and taking a severe view of the conduct of his sons.
Ctesipho, the younger of his sons, lived with his father at this farm; but Aeschinus, the elder, had been adopted by his uncle.
Ctesipho, the younger of his sons, lived with his father at this farm; but Aeschinus, the elder, had been adopted by his uncle.
They had accordingly been very differently brought up.
They had accordingly been very differently brought up.
Ctesipho had been kept very strictly at home, and was, to the best of his father’s belief, a model of propriety.
Ctesipho had been kept very strictly at home, and was, to the best of his father’s belief, a model of propriety.
Aeschinus had been indulged by his uncle in every way, till he was notorious for his dissipation.
Aeschinus had been indulged by his uncle in every way, till he was notorious for his dissipation.
He went so far at last as to offer violence to a young lady named Pamphila, whom he met one night when he was intoxicated.
He went so far at last as to offer violence to a young lady named Pamphila, whom he met one night when he was intoxicated.
This was the last of his excesses.
This was the last of his excesses.
He promised to make all amends in his power by marrying Pamphila, and on this condition the matter was kept quiet by Sostrata her mother.
He promised to make all amends in his power by marrying Pamphila, and on this condition the matter was kept quiet by Sostrata her mother.
Ctesipho in one of his visits to the town had fallen in love with a music girl belonging to a slave-merchant, and was carrying on an intercourse with her under the cover of his brother’s name; for Aeschinus had taken the credit of the affair to himself that his father might not hear of Ctesipho’s doings.
Ctesipho in one of his visits to the town had fallen in love with a music girl belonging to a slave-merchant, and was carrying on an intercourse with her under the cover of his brother’s name; for Aeschinus had taken the credit of the affair to himself that his father might not hear of Ctesipho’s doings.
After a time the slave-merchant gave notice to Ctesipho that unless he bought the music girl at his price she should be immediately sold.
After a time the slave-merchant gave notice to Ctesipho that unless he bought the music girl at his price she should be immediately sold.
Ctesipho was in the greatest despair at this announcement, and was half inclined to run away from his troubles and leave the country, when Aeschinus, hearing the state of the case, cut matters short by breaking into the house of Sannio the slave-merchant, maltreating him, and carrying off the girl to his own house, where she was received by Ctesipho.
Ctesipho was in the greatest despair at this announcement, and was half inclined to run away from his troubles and leave the country, when Aeschinus, hearing the state of the case, cut matters short by breaking into the house of Sannio the slave-merchant, maltreating him, and carrying off the girl to his own house, where she was received by Ctesipho.

Notes

  1. §castFABULAE INTERLOCUTORES — Meaning "speakers of the play (dramatis personae)". fabulae is the genitive singular of the feminine noun fabula (play, story), modifying the nominative plural interlocutores (conversationalists, speakers).
  2. §castpropinquus Pamphilae — Meaning "relative of Pamphila". The adjective propinquus (near, close) is used substantively to mean "relative". Pamphilae is the genitive (or dative) of the feminine proper name, modifying it.

Cite this passage

Terence, Adelphoe §cast-subject_1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0134.phi006.humanitext-lat2:cast-subject_1

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