Source edition
Terence. Publii Terentii Comoediae Sex. Parry, Edward St. John, editor. London: Whittaker and Co.; George Bell, 1857.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This Roman comedy by Terence, set in Athens, revolves around the chaotic romantic pursuits of two brothers and a daring disguise. The elder brother, Phaedria, agrees to temporarily withdraw from his beloved courtesan, Thais, and sends her a eunuch as a gift. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Chaerea, falls instantly in love with a beautiful girl entering Thais's house and decides to infiltrate the residence by disguising himself as the very eunuch. This audacious scheme leads to an assault, sparking a series of complications, including a comical military standoff with the boastful soldier Thraso, who seeks to reclaim the girl, and a frantic web of lies involving the slave Parmeno. Ultimately, the girl's true identity as a free citizen is revealed, paving the way for her marriage to Chaerea, while Phaedria also achieves a favorable compromise, bringing the lively drama to a happy resolution.