s agency.]

[Footnote 64: _Your applause_)--Ver. 881. We may here remark, that
the Hecyra is the only one of the Plays of Terence with a single
plot.]

* * * * *
* * * *

PHORMIO; OR, THE SCHEMING PARASITE

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

DEMIPHO,[1] } Aged Athenians, brothers.
CHREMES,[2] }
ANTIPHO,[3] son of Demipho.
PHAEDRIA,[4] son of Chremes.
PHORMIO,[5] a Parasite.
GETA,[6] servant of Demipho.
DAVUS,[7] a servant.
HEGIO,[8] }
CRATINUS,[9] } Advocates.
CRITO,[10] }
DORIO,[11] a Procurer.
NAUSISTRATA,[12] the wife of Chremes.
SOPHRONA,[13] the nurse of Phanium.

_Scene._--Athens; before the houses of DEMIPHO, CHREMES, and DORIO.

THE SUBJECT.

CHREMES and DEMIPHO are two aged Athenians, brothers. Nausistrata, the
wife of Chremes, is a wealthy woman, possessed of large estates in the
island of Lemnos. Chremes, who goes thither yearly to receive the
rents, meets with a poor woman there, whom he secretly marries, and
has by her a daughter called Phanium: while engaged in this intrigue,
Chremes passes at Lemnos by the name of Stilpho. By his wife,
Nausistrata, at Athens, Chremes has a son, named Phaedria, and his
brother has a son, named Antipho. Phanium having now arrived at her
fifteenth year, the two brothers privately agree that she shall be
brought to Athens and married to Antipho. For this purpose, Chremes
goes to Lemnos, while Demipho is obliged to take a journey to Cilicia.
On departing, they leave their sons in the care of Geta, one of
Demipho's servants. Shortly afterward, Phaedria falls in love with a
Music-girl, but, from want of means, is unable to purchase her from
her owner. In the mean time, the Lemnian wife of Chremes, urged by
poverty, embarks for Athens, whither she arrives with her daughter and
her nurse. Here they inquire for Stilpho, but in vain, as they can not
find any one of that name. Shortly after, the mother dies, and
Antipho, seeing Phanium by accident, falls in love with her. Being
wishful to marry her, he applies to Phormio, a Parasite, for his
advice. The latter hits upon the following scheme: there being a law
at Athens, which obliges the next-of-kin to female orphans, either to
marry them or give them a portion, the Parasite pretends that he is a
friend of Phanium, and insists that Antipho is her nearest relation,
and is consequently bound to marry her. Antipho is summoned befo