Rudens home Plautus (Dramata)

Author: Plautus
Date: unknown
Model: A play written by Diphilus
Adaptations: none known

Act and Scene	Lines	Characters	Action
Prologue	1-82	Arcturus	Arcturus introduces Daemones, an old man living in Cyrene.Daemones’ daughter was lost as a child and a pimp purchases her. A young man falls in love with the daughter and makes an oath with the pimp so that he may purchase her. The pimp invites him to a sacrifice at the temple of Venus, right by Daemones’ cottage. The pimp, disregarding the oath, leaves with a guest for Sicily.By the time the young man hears of this, they have already sailed away. Arcturus, seeing that the pimp’s promise to the young man has been broken, sends a vicious storm that causes their ship to crash. The young lady and her attendant escape by means of a boat.
I. i	83-86	Sceparnio	Sceparnio tells that a storm has damaged the cottage in which Daemones resides.
I. ii	89-184	Plesidippus Sceparnio Daemones	Plesidippus asks Daemones if he has seen the pimp.The two men see Palaestra coming ashore.
I. iii	185-219	Palaestra	Palaestra expresses that she is now penniless and confused in this strange place.
I. iv	220-258	Ampelisca Palaestra	Ampelisca and Palaestra are reunited. They find a temple.
I. v	259-289	Ptolemocratia Palaestra Ampelisca	Palaestra and Ampelisca meet Ptolemocratia, the priestess of Venus. She offers to help them.
II. i	290-305	Fisherman	A fisherman expresses his frustration because of the waves. He sets out to worship Venus.
II. ii	306-330	Trachalio Fishermen	Trachalio asks the fishermen if they have seen either Plesidippus or the pimp. When they answer no, he sets out for the temple of Venus so that he might ask the priestess.
II. iii	331-413	Ampelisca Trachalio	Trachalio finds Ampelisca at the temple of Venus. Ampelisca tells how they have arrived there and informs Trachalio that Ampelisca is within the temple crying. Ampelisca explains that Palaestra has a casket that holds certain trinkets which she can use to recognize her lost parents. Palaestra weeps because she fears that the casket, enclosed in Labrax’s wallet, has been lost in the shipwreck. Ampelisca then goes to the cottage to retrieve water, as Ptolemocratia has ordered.
II. iv	414-457	Sceparnio Ampelisca	Sceparnio is quite smitten by Ampelisca and goes to fetch water for her. Meanwhile, Ampelisca becomes fearful that the pimp will find her and returns to the temple.
II. v	458-484	Sceparnio	Sceparnio realizes that Ampelisca has left and delivers the water to the temple.
II. vi	485-558	Labrax Charmides	Much like the two young ladies, Labrax and Charmides find themselves cast ashore with nothing but the clothes that they are wearing.
II.vii	559-592	Sceparnio Labrax Charmides	Labrax and Charmides encounters Sceparnio and hear that there are two women at the temple of Venus. Labrax goes to find the ladies while Charmides begs Sceparnio to help him. Sceparnio refuses to allow Charmides into the house.
III. i	593-614	Daemones	Daemones describes a dream that he had last night concerning his confrontation with an ape.
III.ii	615-663	Trachalio Daemones	Trachalio explains to Daemones that two innocent girls are within the temple of Venus. The pimp is trying to seize them again.
III.iii	664-705	Palaestra Trachalio Ampelisca	Trachalio finds Palaestra in the temple. Palaestra states that she would rather die than to return to the pimp. Trachalio encourages the girls to remain in the temples and pray to Venus.
III.iv	706-779	Daemones Trachalio Labrax Servant	Daemones confronts Labrax in the temple. Daemones notes the resemblance of Palaestra to his long lost daughter. He agrees to watch after the women while Trachalio seeks his master.
III.v	780-838	Daemones Labrax Servant	Daemones orders his servants to prohibit Labrax from reaching the girls. Labrax continues to persist.
III. vi	839-891	Plesidippus Trachalio Labrax Charmides Servant	Plesidippus brings Labrax to court for running off with his mistress.
IV. i	892-905	Daemones	Daemones wonders where his servant Gripus is. He then returns home for breakfast.
IV.ii	906-937	Gripus	Gripus reveals that while fishing he has found a wallet.
IV.iii	938-1044	Trachalio Gripus	Trachalio insists that Gripus has no right to keep the wallet for himself. After much bickering, they both agree to find an arbitrator to settle the dispute.
IV. iv	1045-1190	Daemones Palaestra Trachalio Gripus	Daemones agrees to arbitrate the dispute. Trachalio asserts that the wallet holds trinkets that belong to Palaestra. Gripus is hesitant to believe this so he asks Palaestra to identify the trinkets within the wallet. Palaestra says that the wallet holds trinkets with her mother and father’s name inscribed upon them. At this point, Daemones realizes that Palaestra is indeed his daughter and brings her home to her mother.
IV.v.	1191-1204	Daemones	Daemones expresses his gratitude that his daughter has been returned to him. He desires to give to her a Athenian young man and sends a servant to the forum for this reason.
IV.vi.	1205-1226	Daemones Trachalio	Daemones sends Trachalio to seek Plesidippus so that he may marry Palaestra. Daemones grants Trachalio his freedom and promises to give Ampelisca to him in marriage.
IV.vii	1227-1264	Gripus Daemones	Gripus asks Daemones for the wallet. Daemones refuses.
IV.viii	1265-1280	Plesidippus Trachalio	Trachalio informs Plesidippus that Palaestra has found her parents and that her father wishes to give her to him in marriage.
V. i	1281-1287	Labrax	Labrax states that he intends to find Ampelisca in the temple of Venus.
V. ii	1288-1356	Gripus, Labrax	Gripus meets Labrax. Labrax promises to pay Gripus if his wallet is returned to him.
V.iii	1357-1190	Gripus, Daemones, Labrax	Gripus tells Labrax that Daemones has his wallet. Daemones returns the wallet. Gripus reminds Labrax of his oath. After much dispute, it is decided that Daemones would give Labrax a thousand didrachms, what he paid to purchase Ampelisca. Half of this sum is then given to Gripus who is then able to purchase his freedom. Daemones invites Labrax, Gripus, as well as the audience to supper at his house.