Mercator (play)

Mercator ( Latin for " the merchant " ) is the title of a Latin comedy of the Roman comic poet Plautus Titus Maccius. The work is based on a template called Emporos ( Ἔμπορος ) of the Greek comic poet Philemon. This Plautus rewrote for the Roman audience. Thus, the play is set in Athens and the performers have names of Greek origin, the language of comedy, however, is Latin. Thus, the Mercator belongs to the genus of fabula palliata.

Actors

In Mercator following persons come with important speaking roles on ( sorted by order of appearance ):

  • Charinus, a young Athenian who has brought with him from his trade mission Pasicompsa as his courtesan
  • Acanthio, Charinus ' slave and his former teacher
  • Demipho, father of Charinus, who also falls in love with Pasicompsa
  • Buys Lysimachus, neighbor of Demipho, the Pasicompsa for this and hides in his house
  • Eutychus, son of Lysimachus and Charinus ' friend who is trying to buy this Pasicompsa
  • Pasicompsa, courtesan from Rhodes and friend of Charinus
  • Dorippa, wife of Lysimachus
  • Syra, old slave of Dorippa
  • Cook is appointed by Demipho and Lysimachus for the preparation of a feast

In addition, there are several silent roles in the play, as the agent of the Kochs or money carrier and Ankleidesklaven.

Content

The piece begins with a monologue of Charinus in which this is the history of the piece. It is learned that Charinus was sent by his father to trading voyage on which he has retracted a considerable profit. A part of Charinus are from while traveling for the purchase of the courtesan Pasicompsa that he has left on his ship in order to hide them from his father.

After the monologue Charinus learns from his slaves Acanthio that his father Demipho Pasicompsa has discovered. Acanthio submitted by the white lie, Charinus bought his mother the woman as a maid Demipho. After this dialog Demipho comes on stage, setting forth in a monologue that he has fallen in love Pasicompsa. He reveals his neighbors Lysimachus his love. In the following scene Charinus and Demipho clash: Demipho tries to convince his son of Pasicompsa to resell, so he can even leave them secretly buy from his friend Lysimachus for themselves. Charinus commissioned in return his friend Eutychus, the woman for him to buy.

Lysimachus, it is possible to buy Pasicompsa, and hosts them in his house until a permanent accommodation for them is found. He meets the excited Demipho, and the two agreed to come, to celebrate to have a cook. Charinus meanwhile learns of Eutychus that Pasicompsa was bought by a stranger to him, and then decides in his grief to leave Athens forever. Eutychus sets out to search for Pasicompsa to keep Charinus of his journey.

After Lysimachus ' wife Dorippa comes back with her ​​slave from the country and discovered Pasicompsa in their home. She suspects her husband of infidelity, which is further supported by the appearance of the cook. Eutychus comes back exhausted from his fruitless search and strikes Syra, who tells him that Pasicompsa is in the house. Eutychus disappears into the house to convince yourself.

Charinus enters the stage ready and would like to make on the way. Eutychus! Come and tries to stop him. Charinus falls into his grief into a delusion and believes Eutychus not only that Pasicompsa is still there. He lived through an imaginary Search Pasicompsa by different countries, but in the end still comes to his senses and disappears happy with Eutychus in the house of Lysimachus. Then Demipho and Lysimachus occur. Eutychus steps out of the house again and makes sure that Demipho discharges of Pasicompsa and leaves it Charinus. He also tells his father Lysimachus that his wife no longer angry with him.

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