Adelphoe

Adelphoe, also written Adelphoi and Adelphi (English: The brothers) is a play by Terence, a Roman playwright. It was first performed in 160 BC at the funeral of Aemilius Paulus.

Adelphoe aroused controversy since Terence added in it a scene from a play by Diphilus. Conservative writers, since then, objected to the declared freedom with which Terence used his models, which originated rumors that his plays were not his own work but were composed with the help of unnamed nobles. This charge is seemingly not plausible, but was left unanswered by Terence.

Terence's The Brothers is arguably the most interesting of his six surviving comedies, because of the intricacy of his characterization, the complex interplay of characters, and the unresolved debate on the best form of child-rearing.

Plot

Demea, having two sons, decided to raise one (Ctesipho), and let his brother who is not married to raised the other (Aeschinus). The two father's have very different ideas about how to raise the boys. Demea is a strict father, but his brother Micio is the opposite. Ctesipho falls in love with a music girl and Aeschinus takes it upon himself to steal the girl away for his brother, accepting all blame for the affair. Aeschinus has promised to marry Pamphila and so has angered his father Demea who thinks that the music girl is for himself.

Demea and Micio quarrel over who has done a better job raising their sons over Aeschinus's actions. All is revealed at the end of the play and Ctesipho gets to keep the music girl. Aeschinus keeps his promise to marry Pamphila and Micio marries Sostrata.

Characters

• Demea - Micio's brother and father of Aeschinus and Ctesipho, raised Ctesipho
• Micio - Demea's brother and adopted father of Aeschinus
• Aeschinus - son of Demea, raised by Micio
• Ctesipho - son of Demea raised by Demea
• Canthara - Sostrata's servant
• Geta - Sostrata's slave
• Hegio - old man
• Pamphila - daughter of Sostrata
• Music girl
• Dromo - Demea's slave
• Sostrata - woman who lives next to Micio and widow
• Parmeno - a slave

External links

• A synopsis of the play
• The Brothers at The Perseus Digital Library (trans. Henry Thomas Riley)
• Latin text.