s us
that this passage was borrowed from Coecilius, the Comic Poet.]

[Footnote 104: _Let him have his mistress_)--Ver. 1001. It must be
remembered that he has the notions of a Greek parent, and sees no
such criminality in this sanction as a parent would be sensible of
at the present day.]

* * * * *
* * * *

HECYRA; THE MOTHER-IN-LAW

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

LACHES,[1] an aged Athenian, father of Pamphilus.
PHIDIPPUS,[2] an aged Athenian, father of Philumena.
PAMPHILUS,[3] son of Laches.
SOSIA,[4] servant of Pamphilus.
PARMENO,[5] servant of Sostrata.

SOSTRATA,[6] wife of Laches.
MYRRHINA,[7] wife of Phidippus.
BACCRIS,[8] a Courtesan.
PHILOTIS,[9] a Courtesan.
SYRA,[10] a Procuress.

_Scene._--Athens; before the houses of LACHES, PHIDIPPUS, and BACCHIS.

THE SUBJECT.

Pamphilus, the son of Laches by his wife Sostrata, being at the time
enamored of Bacchis, a Courtesan, chances, one night, in a drunken
fit, to debauch Philumena, the daughter of Phidippus and Myrrhina. In
the struggle he takes a ring from her, which he gives to Bacchis. Some
time afterward, at his father's express desire, he consents to marry.
By chance the young woman whom he has ravished is given to him as a
wife, to the great joy of her mother, who alone is aware of her
misfortune, and hopes that her disgrace may be thereby concealed. It,
however, happens otherwise; for Pamphilus, still retaining his passion
for Bacchis, refuses for some time to cohabit with her. Bacchis,
however, now rejects the advances of Pamphilus, who by degrees becomes
weaned from his affection for her, and grows attached to his wife,
whom he has hitherto disliked. Meantime, however, he is suddenly
called away from home. During his absence, Philumena, finding herself
pregnant in consequence of her misfortune before her marriage, fearing
detection, especially avoids the company of her mother-in-law. At
length she makes an excuse for returning to the home of her own
parents, where she remains. Sostrata thereupon sends for her, but is
answered that she is ill, on which she goes to see her, but is refused
admittance to the house. On hearing of this, Laches blames his wife as
being the cause of this estrangement. Pamphilus now returns, and it so
happens that, on the day of his arrival, Philumena is brought to bed
of a child. Impatient to see her, Pamphilus rushes into her r