Adelphoe

Adelphoe (from Greek αδέλφοι; German Brothers ) is a comedy by the Roman poet Terence, which was 160 BC premiered at the funeral games in honor of Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus.

Content

The focus is on the education of conflict between the two brothers Ctesipho and Aeschinus. While the former is subject to the strict upbringing of his father Demea, has the other, who is liberally educated by his uncle Micio, " free hand ". Between Demea and Micio it always comes back to the conflict because of different methods of education, especially as Demea thinks he has an impeccable model son in Ctesipho. The action of the Aeschinus, the Pamphila, the daughter of Sostrata, raped and impregnates Demea has enough ammunition to rant against his brother and his methods of education. As then Aeschinus his brother Ctesipho, is in love with a Kitharaspielerin, doing a favor and this snatches a coupler, but it tries to give the impression, it may capture it for themselves to meet his brother from his father, breaking all barriers: Sostrata believes Aeschinus leave her daughter in favor of Kitharaspielerin, and Demea denounces more intense the liberal methods of Micio to. Once, however, come out, what the conditions are actually ordered, Demea begins an exuberant generosity on the day to lay, but actually goes on Micios costs. Aeschinus may now marry his Pamphila, Ctesipho and his Kitharaspielerin stay together. Micio but is forced by Demea to marry the old mother of Pamphila, Sostrata. At the end of the acceptance of the Father is part of both sons.

Background

As four more comedies of Terence is also Adelphoe back to a Greek model of the poet Menander. In the prologue are to Terence that he has built in the Greek original a scene from a piece of Diphilus to ensure rapid action and not use - to start the entire piece with a reproducing Passage - as in Menander. The education of both boys sets, as well as the Greek model, the overarching plotline dar. Micio It embodies the moderate part that stands out through modern methods of education. In his opinion, fear is not a basis for self-responsibility, but only the condition of slaves obedience. The foundation of his education is not the tyranny, but the camaraderie that does not comply with his adopted son completely. This, however, is the " lubricant " for the comedy whose entanglements based on the exploited liberality of his uncle. Micio confronts his brother Demea, which is decorated with suspicion, severity and curmudgeon. In conferring it the realization that his son Ctesiphon is not the model boy, as he has always believed, since this has just taken out the freedoms of youth without the knowledge of the Father. Until the fourth scene inside seems clear that the author prefers the bountiful position. In the fifth part, however, the plot of the comedy is restructured so that at the end shows Demea as the unexpected winner. This is also the big difference to Menander, the Micio it much easier to get away as Terence. The final reasons are obscure. We can assume is that Terence, who had premiered the comedy on the Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus funeral games, the father of Scipio Aemilianus, wanted to bring the distrust of his client Scipio against the liberal Greek expression. It is a piece with the peculiarities of his time, in which there was a strong return to the old Roman culture "en vogue".