Miles Gloriosus home Plautus (Dramata)

MILES GLORIOSUS

Author: Plautus
Date: about 206 BC
Model: Alazon by unknown Greek playwright
Adaptations: Stephen Sondheim uses the recognition scene in his A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Texts and Commentaries

Latin text on-line at the Perseus Project (Leo 1895)
Lindsay, W.M. 1904-1905. T. Macci Plauti Comoediae. 2 vols. Clarendon: Oxford.
Nixon, Paul. 1916-38. Plautus. 5 vols. Loeb Classical Library 161. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 3:163-286.
Ernout, Alfred. 1932. Plaute. 7 vols. Paris: Les Belles Lettres. 4:161-275.
Hammond, Mason., Mack Arthur, and Walter Moskalew. 1970. T. Macci Plauti Miles Gloriosus. Rev. ed. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

English Translations Available

Riley, Henry Thomas. 1912. The Comedies of Plautus. 2 vols. London: G. Bell and Sons. 1.67-144.

translation on-line at the Perseus Project

Nixon, Paul. 1916-38. Plautus. 5 vols. Loeb Classical Library 161. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 3:163-286.
Duckworth, George. 1942. The Complete Roman Drama. 2 vols. New York: Random House. 1:541-615
Watling, E. F. 1965. Plautus: The Pot of Gold and Other Plays. New York: Penguin. 147-212.
Roche, Paul. 1968. Three Plays by Plautus. New York: Mentor. Reprint, Wauconda, Illinois: Bolchazy-Carducci, 1984. ***
Segal, Erich. 1969. Plautus: Three Comedies. New York: Harper and Row, 1969. Reprint in Plautus: The Comedies, eds. David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. 4:79-174.
Peter L. Smith. 1991. Plautus: Three Comedies. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. 11-116.
Wind, Robert. 1995. Plautus: Three Comedies. Washington: University Press of America. 1-85.
Segal, Erich. 1996. Plautus: Four Comedies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1-74.
Berg, Deena and Douglass Parker. 1999. Plautus & Terence: Five Comedies. Indianapolis: Hacket. 1-98.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

PYRGOPOLYNICES - the braggart soldier

ARTOTROGUS - parasite

PERIPLECTOMENUS - neighbor of Pyrgopolynices and friend of Pleusicles

PLEUSICLES - young Athenian

PALAESTRIO - servant of Pyrgopolynices

SCELEDRUS - servant of Pyrgopolynices

LUCRIO - servant of Pyrgopolynices

CARIO - cook of Periplectomenus

BOY

PHILOCOMASIUM - girl stolen from Pleusicles

ACROTELEUTIUM - Courtesan

MILPHIDIPPA - Acroteleutium’s maid

SLAVES

Act and Scene	Lines	Characters	Action
I. i	1-79	Pyrgopolynices Artotrogus	On a street in Ephesus, Pyrgopolynices stands with his parasite and several soldiers, who carry his shield. As he brags about his victories and his strength in battle, Artotrogus sucks up by complimenting him on his beauty. At the end of the scene, they head towards the forum to enlist men into the military.
I.ii	80-155	Palaestrio	Palaestrio explains how he came to be Pyrgopolynices’ servant. Philocomasium, Pyrgopolynices stole his previous master’s lover. When he attempted to inform his master of this scandal, Palaestrio was attacked by pirates. The pirates awarded him to Pyrgopolynices as a present. When they returned to Ephesus, Palaestrio informed Pleusicles of the situation through a letter. In order to rescue his love, Pleusicles moved to the city and lives in the house of Pyrgopolynices’ neighbor. The couple is able to visit each other through a secret passage, which links the two houses.
II. ii	156-272	Palaestrio Periplectomenus	Periplectomenus tells Palaestrio that a servant from Pyrgopolynices’ house saw Philocomasium kissing Pleusicles. After realizing the impact of this news, Palaestrio devises a plan, in which Philocomasium becomes an identical twin. He intends to tell his master that a young Athenian and Philocomasium’s twin sister have come to stay with Periplectomenus.
II. iii	273-254	Palaestrio Sceledrus	Sceledrus, the servant in charge of guarding Philocomasium, emerges from the soldier’s house. He informs Palaestrio that he witnessed Philocomasium kiss an unknown man in the neighbor’s house. Palaestrio badgers Sceledrus by making fun of his eyesight. Since Sceledrus stubbornly thinks the girl was in the neighbor’s house, Palaestrio brings Philocomasium out of the soldier’s house to Sceledrus.
II. iv	255-410	Palaestrio Sceledrus Philocomasium	Even though Sceledrus sees Philocomasium emerge from his master’s house, he still believes that she committed an unlawful act. Philocomasium acts as if she is offended by his accusations and runs into the house.
II. v	411-481	Palaestrio Sceledrus Philocomasium	Philocomasium uses the passage between the two houses, and quickly reemerges from Periplectomenus’ house as Dicea, the twin sister. Sceledrus attempts to force her into the soldier’s house, since he believes that she is Philocomasium. After escaping his grasp, Philocomasium escapes back into the neighbor’s house. Palaestrio convinces Sceledrus that the woman must be Philocomasium’s sister. With his plan in motion, Palaestrio enters Periplectomenus’ house.
II. vi	482-596	Sceledrus Periplectomenus	Playing out his part in Palaestrio’s plan, Periplectomenus angrily confronts Sceledrus about the treatment of his guest, Dicea. Even though Periplectomenus forgives Sceledrus for his accusations, Sceledrus is afraid that his master will find out about his actions. So, he runs away.
III. i	597-812	Palaestrio Periplectomenus Pleusicles	Palaestrio, Periplectomenus and Pleusicles meet in the street to discuss the next steps in their plan. Although Palaestrio does not reveal the entire plan, he sends Periplectomenus looking for a beautiful woman and her maid. The two women will be used to lure Pyrgopolynices into adultery.
III. ii	813-873	Palaestrio Lurcio	Palaestrio calls for Sceledrus but Lurcio comes stumbling out the door. In a drunken state, he informs Palaestrio that Sceledrus is asleep.
III. iii	874-946	Palaestrio Periplectomenus Acroteleutium Milphidippa	Periplectomenus finds Acroteleutium, the courtesan, and her maid and he introduce them to Palaestrio. Palaestrio goes over certain details of the plan with them. He explains that Acroteleutium will act as Periplectomenus’ wife, who is infatuated with the soldier. Palaestrio will bring Periplectomenus’ ring to Pyrgopolynices to show her desire.
IV. i	947-990	Pyrgopolynices Palaestrio	Palaestrio gives Pyrgopolynices the ring and tells him about Acroteleutium’s desire for him. Since Pyrgopolynices is intrigued by her description, he asks Palaestrio what he should do about Philocomasium. Palaestrio advises him to send her back home with all the expensive items that he purchased for her.
IV. ii	991-1093	Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices Milphidippa	Palaestrio and Pyrgopolynices speak with Milphidippa about her mistress. Throughout their discussion, Milphidippa continuously flatters Pyrgopolynices and inflates his ego further. Pyrgopolynices finally agrees to see Acroteleutium.
IV. iii	1094-1136	Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices	While Palaestrio and Pyrgopolynices wait for Acroteleutium to appear, Pyrgopolynices discusses the removal of Philocomasium from his house. Again, Palaestrio advises him to send her home with the clothing and jewelry, which he had brought her. Pyrgopolynices takes his advise and runs into the house to speak with Philocomasium.
IV. iv	1137-1199	Palaestrio Pleusicles Acroteleutium Milphidippa	Palaestrio hands out further instructions while Pyrgopolynices is in the house. He tells Acroteleutium to use her trickery to win the attention of Pyrgopolynices. He tells Pleusicles to dress up in a skipper's outfit and inform Pyrgopolynices that the ship is leaving for Athens. If Philocomasium is to return home, she must gather her belongings and aboard the ship. Palaestrio will escort Philocomasium to the ship. But, instead of returning to Pyrgopolynices, he will also board the ship and return to Athens.
IV. v	1200-1215	Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices	Pyrgopolynices describes his triumph in convincing Philocomasium to return to Athens. He gives her everything that she desires including Palaestrio.
IV. vi	1216-1283	Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices Acroteleutium Milphidippa	Milphidippa and Acroteleutium play on the fact that the soldier is so conceited about his good looks. Acroteleutium acts as if she faints from the mere sight of him. Pyrgopolynices is drawn to the woman because she adores his beauty as much as he does.
IV. vii	1284-1310	Pleusicles Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices	Pleusicles, disguised as the skipper, comes to the soldier’s house to fetch Philocomasium.
IV. viii	1311-1377	Pleusicles Palaestrio Pyrgopolynices Philocomasium	Palaestrio and Philocomasium say their good-byes to Pyrgopolynices and set out for the ship with Pleusicles.
IV. ix	1378-1393	Pyrgopolynices boy	Pyrgopolynices enters his neighbor’s house in search of Acroteleutium. He soon finds out that Periplectomenus is waiting for him on the other side of the door.
V. i	1349-1439	Pyrgopolynices Periplectomenus Cario Sceledrus	After Pyrgopolynices enters the house, Periplectomenus grabs hold of him and orders him to be beaten. He is aided by Cario, a cook, who threatens to cut out Pyrgopolynices' organs. Pyrgopolynices begs and pleas with Periplectomenus. He tells him that he thought his wife was divorced. Finally, Pyrgopolynices is released. As he returns home, he is greeted by Sceledrus and other servants. He inquires about Philocomasium’s departure. They inform him that her ship has set sail and that her lover was disguised as the skipper. Pyrgopolynices figures out the plan that Palaestrio set in motion.