The Brothers Menaechmus Plautus

Plautus's plays are traditionally divided into five acts; these are referred to below for convenience, since many editions make use of them. However, it is not thought that they go back to Plautus's time, since no manuscript contains them before the 15th century.[3] Also, the acts themselves do not always match the structure of the plays, which is more clearly shown by the variation in metres.

In Plautus's plays the usual pattern is to begin each section with iambic senarii (which were spoken without music), then a scene of music in various metres, and finally a scene in trochaic septenarii, which were apparently recited to the accompaniment of tibiae (a pair of reed pipes). Moore calls this the "ABC succession", where A = iambic senarii, B = other metres, C = trochaic septenarii.[4] However, the ABC order is sometimes varied.

If the A passages (iambic senarii) are taken as starting a section, and the C passages (trochaic septenarii) are taken as ending it, in this play the order of the metrical sections is as follows:[5]

ABBC, ABC, ABC, ABC, ACBCBCBC

Alternatively, following Moore,[6] the sections could be taken as following the two brothers in turn as follows:

ABBC, ABCA, BC, ABCA, CBCBCBC

In first section there are two "B" passages, the first polymetric and the second in mixed iambo-trochaic metres.

Timothy Moore points out that each time Menaechmus I enters the stage, he is accompanied by music; but throughout almost the whole play each entrance of Menaechmus II coincides with iambic senarii, which were unaccompanied. This no doubt helped the audience to distinguish one brother from the other, if they were identically dressed.[7]

Prologue

• Prologue (lines 1–76): ia6 (76 lines)

An actor explains how a merchant in Syracuse in Sicily had twin sons. One of them, on a visit to Tarentum, became separated from his father and was abducted to Epidamnus by a rich childless man, who later drowned in a river, bequeathing his property to the boy. In memory of the lost boy, the grandfather meanwhile renamed the other twin by the same name as the lost one. This second twin has now come to Epidamnus to make enquiry about his brother.

Menaechmus I arranges dinner

• Act 1.1 (77–109): ia6 (33 lines)

A parasite, Peniculus (the name means a sponge used for wiping tables) is waiting outside Menaechmus's house in the hope of an invitation to dinner.

• Act 1.2 (110–119): polymetric song (25 lines)

The young man Menaechmus emerges quarrelling with his wife through the door, threatening to divorce her if she continues nagging.

• Act 1.2 (119–134): mixed iambic and trochaic metres (16 lines)

He says she is spoiled (tr8), and lists all the presents he buys her (ia4). He threatens to dine with a prostitute instead of her (tr7). Then he tells the audience that he has stolen his wife's cloak as a present for his girlfriend.

• Act 1.2–1.4 (135–225): tr7 (87 lines)

The one-eyed Peniculus accosts Menaechmus and exchanges banter, still hoping to get a dinner. They approach the door of Erotium, the prostitute, and knock. Erotium comes out and there is more banter. Menaechmus gives her the cloak, and asks her to prepare dinner for all of them; meanwhile he and Peniculus will go to the market to get a drink. When they have gone, Erotium calls out her cook Cylindrus and orders him to go to buy some food for dinner.

Menaechmus II eats the dinner

• Act 2.1–2.2 (226–350): ia6 (124 lines)

Menaechmus II now enters the street, along with his prudent slave Messenio, who advises him that after six years searching for news of his brother all over the Mediterranean, their purse is almost empty. He warns him to watch his money since Epidamnus is full of voluptuaries, drinkers, tricksters, conmen, and the most charming prostitutes in the world. Menaechmus asks for the purse for safekeeping, which Messenio gives to him. – They now meet Cylindrus the cook, who addresses Menaechmus by name: each thinks the other is mad, but Messenio warns that he is probably a conman.

• Act 2.3 (351–368): song: mostly anapaests and some iambs (18 lines)

The prostitute Erotium comes out from her house. She gives instructions to her staff, then welcomes Menaechmus II and invites him in.

• Act 2.3–3.1 (369–465): tr7 (93 lines)

Menaechmus II is confused. He is surprised that Erotium knows his home city and father's name, but he denies knowing a Peniculus, or having brought a cloak, or having been in Epidamnus before. Nonetheless he decides to go in, against Messenio's advice that this is a trick. He hands over his money to Messenio for safekeeping and tells him to come back for him later. He goes inside with Erotium. Messenio and the porters depart.

– Peniculus returns, having lost track of Menaechmus I in the forum. He is dismayed to see Menaechmus II exiting Erotium's house, wearing the garland customarily put on at a banquet.

Menaechmus II steals the cloak

• Act 3.2–4.1 (466–570): ia6 (102 lines)

Menaechmus II comes out with the cloak, which Erotium has lent him so that he can have it altered; when the door is shut, he congratulates himself on his good fortune and declares that he intends to keep it. Peniculus accosts him. When Menaechmus II denies knowing him, an altercation ensues and Menaechmus insults Peniculus. Peniculus says he will pay Menaechmus back for tricking him out of the meal.

– A maid comes out and hands Menaechmus II a bracelet, saying that Erotium is asking him to have some gold added to it. Before going in, she cheekily requests him to buy her some gold earrings too. Menaechmus II goes off to find Messenio, throwing down his garland on the opposite side to confuse any pursuers.

– Peniculus and Menaechmus I's wife emerge from his house: Peniculus has told her about the cloak. He sees the garland on the ground. Just then Menaechmus I arrives.

• Act 4.2 (571–603): song: bacchiac, anapaestic, trochaic, iambic

Menaechmus I now enters from the forum side of the stage. He sings how he has been very annoyingly delayed by a court case in which he was obliged to represent an obviously guilty client. In a series of eleven rhyming iambic quaternarii he recounts his misfortunes. His wife and Peniculus overhear him and comment (an7).

• Act 4.2 (cont.)–4.3 (604–700): tr7 (97 lines)

Realising he is too late for Erotium, Menaechmus I makes as if to enter his own house, but is stopped by his wife and Peniculus. There is a quarrel. The wife accuses him of stealing her cloak. He says he didn't steal, only borrowed it. She tells him he may not come in until he brings it back. She goes inside without giving Peniculus any reward. Peniculus goes to the forum in annoyance.

– Menaechmus I now knocks on Erotium's door. She is at first welcoming, but when he asks for the cloak back and denies having taken the bracelet she grows angry and refuses to admit him. She goes inside, and Menaechmus I goes off to consult his friends.

Menaechmus II is judged mad

• Act 5.1 (701–752): ia6 (52 lines)

Menaechmus II now returns. Mistaking him for her husband, Menaechmus I's wife quarrels with him for wearing her cloak. Growing angry, she sends a slave to fetch her father. Menaechmus II indignantly denies stealing her cloak or bracelet.

• Act 5.2 (753–774): polymetric song (mostly bacchiacs) (22 lines)

The wife's father arrives, walking slowly. He asks himself what the problem can be.

• Act 5.2 (775–871): tr7 (62 lines)

Menaechmus I's wife complains to her father about her husband's behaviour, but he is unsympathetic. He says that as long as he gives her food and maidservants, she has no right to rule him. When questioned, Menaechmus II denies having ever set foot in her house. The old man accuses him of being mad, and in response Menaechmus II starts raving as if he really is mad.

Menaechmus I is judged mad

• Act 5.2–5.4 (872–898): ia6 (26 lines)

The old man goes off in fear and Menaechmus II makes good his escape towards the port.

– The old man hobbles back, saying he has summoned a doctor, who arrives shortly afterwards.

• Act 5.5 (899–965): tr7 (62 lines)

Menaechmus I arrives complaining about the ungrateful behaviour of Peniculus and Erotium. The doctor questions him, and Menaechmus grows infuriated and begins talking like a madman. The doctor tells the old man to fetch four slaves to tie Menaechmus I up and bring him to his clinic. They go off, leaving Menaechmus I alone complaining of his troubles.

Menaechmus I is seized

• Act 5.6 (966–985): polymetric song: mixed bacchiacs, iambics and other metres (20 lines)

Messenio comes back from the inn to fetch his master from Erotium's house. Singing, he congratulates himself on being a trustworthy servant.

• Act 5.6 (cont.)–5.7 (986–987): ia8 (2 lines)

Messenio prepares to knock on Erotium's door, hoping he has not come too late (ia8).

• Act 5.6 (cont.)–5.7 (988–994): tr7 (7 lines)

Suddenly the old man comes out of the other house with four slaves. He orders them to seize Menaechmus I and carry him immediately to the doctor's surgery (tr7).

Menaechmus I is rescued

• Act 5.7 (cont.) (995–1007): ia8 (9 lines), ia4 (5 lines), tr8 (1 line)

Menaechmus I protests vigorously and calls for help (ia8). Messenio also calls for help (ia4). Menaechmus I begs for help again (tr8).

• Act 5.7 (cont.)–5.8 (1008–1059): tr7 (53 lines)

Messenio gallantly rushes to his aid and together they beat off the slaves, who run away. Messenio then begs Menaechmus I for his freedom, which the puzzled Menaechmus grants. Messenio then departs to fetch the purse to give to Menaechmus.

Meanwhile Menaechmus I, declaring that he will be happy to steal Messenio's money if he is given the purse, goes into Erotium's house.

As soon as he has gone, Menaechmus II arrives. When Messenio tells him he has just rescued him, Menaechmus II vehemently denies that he has just given Messenio his freedom.

The brothers meet

• Act 5.9 (1060–1062): ia8 (3 lines)

Menaechmus I emerges from Erotium's house, strenuously denying that he took away her cloak.

• Act 5.9 (cont.) (1063–1162): tr7 (97 lines)

The brothers meet, to their mutual astonishment. Messenio is unsure which of them is his master. Menaechmus II offers Messenio his freedom if he can prove that Menaechmus I is his twin brother. When Menaechmus II says that Menaechmus I was originally called Sosicles, the evidence is complete. Messenio is granted his freedom. Menaechmus I says he wishes to auction his property, including his wife, and return to Syracuse with his brother.