Source edition
Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 2. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1896.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This Roman comedy by Plautus explores the themes of friendship, loyalty, and family morality through a series of misunderstandings. In the absence of Charmides, who is abroad, his profligate son Lesbonicus squanders the family estate and puts their house up for sale. To protect a treasure hidden inside the house on behalf of his absent friend, Callicles secretly purchases it, enduring the false accusations of his peers. Meanwhile, the virtuous youth Lysiteles proposes to marry Lesbonicus's sister without a dowry, but the proud Lesbonicus insists on offering their last piece of land as a dowry. To provide a proper dowry from the hidden treasure without revealing its existence, Callicles and his friend Megaronides hire a 'three-penny' sycophant to pretend to bring money from Charmides. The plot thickens when Charmides unexpectedly returns home, unmasks the imposter, and discovers his friend's true loyalty, leading to a joyful resolution and double marriages.