Prologue (pp. 77-79)
It is important to the plot to understand why both twins have the same
name. Note how the speaker of the prologue breaks the dramatic illusion
in lines 1-16 and 72-76. This is an example of metatheater.
Monologue of the Parasite Peniculus (pp. 79-80)
Why is Peniculus so devoted to Menaechmus I ? His dependence
on Menaechmus I will be important for the plot later.
Menaechmus I and Peniculus (pp. 80-84)
Note that Plautus often makes his characters in this play enter singing
as Menaechmus I does here (lines 110-126).
Erotium, Menaechmus I, Peniculus, and Cylindrus (pp. 84-86)
Comic devices: 1) double-entendre joke (line 193); 2) hyperbole: Menaechmus
I (lines 199-201): Aside: Peniculus (line 195)
Menaechmus II and Messenio (pp. 86-88)
Why does Messenio ask the unnecessary question: why have we come to
Epidamnus? Messenio, like Palaestrio, is a loyal slave, but he is
not a trickster. Word play (lines 263-264): ‘undamaged’ and ‘Epidamnus’
(in Latin ‘damnum’ (‘loss’) and Epidamnus.
Cylindrus, Menaechmus II, and Messenio (pp. 88-91)
Comic misunderstanding: Menaechmus II misunderstands the name Peniculus
and takes it in its literal meaning ‘sponge’. Menaechmus II
assumes that Cylindrus is insane. This will be a typical reaction
in all the later mistaken identity scenes. Menaechmus II wishes that
Cylindrus would be crucified. Crucifixion is ultimate punishment
for bad slaves. One theory is that Romans, who were afraid of slave
revolts enjoyed hearing these threats of violence to slaves in comedy.
Messenio’s explanation of how the cook knows Menaechmus II’s name (lines
339-345) helps to delay the discovery of the mistaken identity.
Erotium, Menaechmus II, and Messenio (pp. 91-95)
Erotium’s song (lines 350-359): represents typical attitude of a prostitute.
Erotium knows name of Menaechmus II’s father (line 407). Reality
check: If this were real life, Menaechmus II would have recognized
by now that Erotium knows his twin brother, but the audience is expected
to suspend its disbelief. Menaechmus II is intrigued and decides
to play along a get a little ‘hospitality’ (opportunism).
Peniculus and Menaechmus II (pp. 96-99)
Monologue of Peniculus, who is angry because Menaechmus I disappeared
at a political meeting and cheated him out of a meal (lines 445-65).
This political meeting (contio in the Latin text) is a Roman institution
in a Greek setting. His attendance at this meeting indicates he is
a citizen. If he were a slave, he wouldn’t have so much trouble finding
a meal; poor citizens were often worse off than slaves, who were taken
care of by their masters. Peniculus’ anger increases when he sees
Menaechmus II coming out of Erotium’s house wearing a crown. Peniculus
denounces Menaechmus II, who thinks he is insane. Peniculus decides
to tell Menaechmus I’s wife in revenge and goes into MI’s house.
Erotium’s maid and Menaechmus II (pp. 99-100)
Maid asks Menaechmus II to take bracelet (also stolen by Menaechmus
I from his wife to give to Erotium) to goldsmith to add some more gold.
To himself Menaechmus II says he will sell dress and bracelet (opportunism).
Wife, Peniculus, and Menaechmus I (pp. 100-107)
Peniculus tells the wife that he will set a trap for her husband.
Suddenly Menaechmus I arrives singing. Menaechmus I’s song is long and
sad about lawyers and clients (lines 571-601). Like the contio, this
lawyer-client relationship is a Roman institution (Greeks defendants had
to defend themselves). Both wife and Peniculus accost Menaechmus
I, she for lost dress and he for lost meal. It is ironical that Menaechmus
I is caught for wrongdoing that he did not profit from. He tells his wife
that he only lent the dress and promises to get it back. He is comforted
by his (erroneous) belief that he has an ace in the hole: Erotium will
take him in and have sex with him and he will promise her another dress.
Menaechmus I and Erotium (pp. 106-108)
Menaechmus I asks Erotium for dress back, but she doesn’t have it and
says that he has dress and bracelet. Erotium is suspicious that Menaechmus
I is trying to swindle her. She locks him out her house. Menaechmus
I is now homeless.
Menaechmus II, Wife and Old Man (pp. 107-116)
Wife accosts Menaechmus II, whom she mistakes for her husband.
She is angry about dress and wants a divorce; she tells a slave to get
her father. Song of Old Man (lines 753-774): two themes: physical
problems of age and big-dowry wives who are fierce to their husbands (like
his daughter). The Old Man is not ready to defend his daughter until she
mentions stealing dress and bracelet. When Menaechmus II denies that
he has ever been in the wife’s house, the Old Man thinks he is insane,
so again Menaechmus II decides to play along for his own benefit.
He decides to scare them away.
Comic Mad Scene: Menaechmus II pretends (p. 113) Bacchic madness thought to be inspired by the god Bacchus. Then switches to a god opposite in spirit to Bacchus: Apollo. He pretends (like the Sibyl, a priestess of Apollo) that he is being given an oracle while in a manic state. He delivers a series of comic oracles, some to frighten the woman away and others to scare off her father: 1) to set wife’s eyes on fire with torches 2) to punch wife in the face 3) to use the old man’s walking stick to beat him with 4) to chop up his internal organs 5) to run old man over with chariot and horses. The Old man runs to get a doctor.
Old Man, Doctor, and Menaechmus I (pp. 116-119)
Hyperbole: Old man in a monologue says that the doctor, who is a quack,
claims to have set Asclepius’ broken leg and Apollo’s broken arm (hyperbole):
i.e., he had taken care of the physical ills of gods who themselves were
patrons divinities of healing. Doctor wants patient in his office
and calls for four men to get him there. The Old man and doctor leave.
Menaechmus I comes back from forum side and laments his situation (899-908).
Messenio, Menaechmus I, Old Man, and Doctor (pp. 119-123)
Messenio sings a song in praise of slave’s obedience (read p. 119-20).
This song foreshadows his loyal conduct (to the wrong master) in this scene.
Messenio mistakenly thinks he has been given his freedom. Menaechmus
I goes to Erotium’s house to see if he can get dress back and take it to
his wife.
Menaechmus II and Messenio (pp. 123-124)
Menaechmus II denies that he had given Messenio his freedom. (1059).
Menaechmus I, Menaechmus II, and Messenio (Recognition Scene)
(124-130)
Menaechmus I is thrown out of house by Erotium. Menaechmus II sees
him and Messenio comments on the similarity. The whole recognition
process is unrealistically drawn out for bigger comic payoff. Menaechmus
II promises freedom to Messenio if he can prove that Menaechmus I is his
twin brother. Proof: Menaechmus I’s memory of being kidnapped; Menaechmus
I’s knowledge of Menaechmus II’s real name and mother’s name.
Happy ending: Messenio asks for his freedom. Menaechmus I pleads with brother on Messenio’s behalf. Menaechmus II grants Messenio freedom with official legal statement: Be thou free! (Liber esto). Menaechmus II suggests a return to homeland (Syracuse); Menaechmus I agrees and says he will hold an auction. Messenio wants to be the auctioneer (typical job of a freedman: Horace’s freedman father was a auctioneer). Last joke: maybe his wife can also be sold and maybe the auction will enrich all of us (1160-1161).
Pay careful attention to the most important comic devices in this play, i.e., the ones that were emphasized in the lecture (see above) and also to the various social relationships on which the comedy of the play is based: