Captivi (Plautus)

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The comedy Captivi was written by Plautus . This lived from approx. 250-184 BC. As in all of Plautus' comedies, the iambic senary , the trochaic septary and the metrically difficult to determine cantica alternate. The play takes place in Aetolia , since a Greek place was common .

action

The special features of the piece are already pointed out in the prologue. The well-known female roles ( hetaera , matchmaker, wife) are missing and the bogus should give way to the serious. The plot builds on the old man Hegio, who has two sons. However, one was kidnapped by a slave at the age of four, the other was taken prisoner of war in Elis . Thereupon the old man begins to buy up all prisoners of war from the praetor in order to exchange his son back. In doing so he acquires the rich Philocrates and his slave Tyndarus. The father of Philocrates is supposed to have actually acquired the son of Hegios. The slave Tyndarus is therefore supposed to go to Elis to arrange an exchange. Master and slave have swapped roles, however, so Philocrates is released, while the slave remains with Hegio.

Still, the story comes to a happy ending. Because Philocrates does not want to abandon the slave who helped him in this way and brings back the son Hegios. There is also the former slave who escaped from Hegio and robbed his son on the ship. With the help of the parasite Ergasilus it emerges that Tyndarus is the long missing son, so that in the end Hegio can hug both sons overjoyed. While the parasite, the two sons, Philopolemus and Hegio are looking forward to a great supper, the wrongdoer is put in chains.

reception

Due to the clear difference between this piece and the other comedies, there are different opinions about it. Lessing stated that the Captivi were “the most excellent piece that has ever come on the scene.” However, other voices criticized the composition, which in their opinion was weak and which in some places appeared to be poorly thought out and exaggerated. The quick return of Philopolemos from Elis is also unbelievable.

Issues and comments

  • WM Lindsay: T. Macci Plauti, Comoediae, Tomus I, Oxford 1904.
  • WM Lindsay: The Captivi of Plautus / Ed. with introduction, apparatus criticus and commentary, Cambridge 1961.
  • M. Niemeyer, J. Brix: Captivi, 6th edition / edited by Max Niemeyer, Leipzig 1910.

literature

  • M. von Albrecht: History of Roman Literature, Volume 1, 3rd Edition, Munich 2003, pp. 133–167.