This play is known to us from the statement in the Prologue to Terence’s Andria2 that the plots of Menander’s Girl from Andros and Girl from Perinthos were almost indistinguishable; and also from Donatus’s commentary on Terence’s play. The papyrus fragment comes from late in the play, where Daos, the cunning slave, has taken refuge from his master’s anger on a convenient altar, and the master is trying to burn him out from its protection.3 We can construct the list of characters shown on the following page.
LACHES, an old man
DAOS, his servant
| PYRRHIAS | |
servants |
| SOSIAS |
| TIBEIOS | |
also servants, who perhaps do not speak |
| GETAS |
LACHES’S WIFE
A MID WIFE
LACHES’S SON
ANOTHER OLD MAN
SCENE: a street in a city, with at least two houses.
LACHES [to servant]: And you come with me, and bring out the firewood… fire…
DAOS: Fire, too. Obviously. Hey, Tibeios! Getas! Is he really going to burn me up? You might let me go, Getas, and rescue your fellow-servant. It would be great if you let me go now. [Pause] Ignoring me, are you? Are we no longer friends? Here comes Pyrrhias – what a load he’s carrying! This is the end. And behind him, Master with a lighted torch.
LACHES: Put it all round him, quickly. Now, Daos, show us your [10]
low cunning. Think up some trick and get out of my clutches!
DAOS: Trick? Me?
LACHES: You, Daos. For ‘deceiving an easy-going and empty-headed master is a piece of cake’.4
DAOS: Oh, help!
LACHES: And if the ‘crème de la crème of intelligence… [DAOS winces.]
SOSIAS: That registered, did it?
DAOS [reproachfully]: This is not like you, sir.
SOSIAS: The brazen rogue, the one who’s just fouled himself here… the inheritance…
LACHES: Light the fire! [20]
DAOS: There’s nothing particularly splendid in a servant cheating a master who’s easy-going and empty-headed, in outwitting someone who’s never had any wits.