Translated by Henry Thomas Riley
Epidicus is said to be one of Plautus’ most popular works. It concerns the eponymous slave, who works hard to please his master’s son, Stratippocles. The main plot was based on a Greek play, though the story line was changed in order to prevent a brother from marrying his half-sister. This change was made as Romans considered this incest, unlike the Greeks.
In the plot, Epidicus tricks his master, Periphanes, out of a sum of money in order to purchase a female slave, Acropolistis, who the master’s son, Stratippocles, has fallen in love with. Epidicus does this by convincing Periphanes that this girl is his daughter from Philippa, whom he hasn’t seen in many years, and has been captured in Thebes and brought to Athens. Believing this young woman is his daughter, Periphanes willingly hands over the money. Stratippocles soon goes off to war and falls in love with a different woman while away. To purchase this new woman, Stratippocles borrows money from a banker. When Stratippocles returns home, he vows not to meet with his father until the debt is paid back to the banker.