Andria (comedy)
Andria is a Roman comedy adapted by Terence from two Greek plays by Menander the first being Samia and the other being Perinthia. It was the first play by Terence to be presented publicly, and was performed in 166 BC during the Ludi Megalenses.
By the time of Cicero, roughly a century later, the play had evidently become—or, perhaps, was still—well-known, as the orator made use of a line therefrom in a speech; thirty-six years thereafter, the play and the phrase seem to have retained currency enough that Horace could use the latter and expect the allusion to be recognized.
Andria became the first of Terence's plays to be performed post-antiquity, in Florence in 1476, and it was adapted by Machiavelli, whose Andria was likewise the author's first venture into playwriting and was the first of Terence's plays to be translated into English ca. 1520. The second English translation was by the Welsh writer Morris Kyffin in 1588.
Characters
- Simo – Athenian nobleman, father of Pamphilus. Named from simos, "flat-nosed".
- Sosia – Simo's freedman, party to Simo's initial plans but is not seen after the first scene. From sozo, "saved in war".
- Pamphilus – Simo's son, publicly betrothed to Philumena but privately promised to Glycerium. From pan and philos, "a friend to all".
- Davus – Pamphilus' slave. From Dacia, his native country.
- Chremes – Athenian nobleman. Friend and peer of Simo; father of Philumena.
- Charinus – friend of Pamphilus; in love with Philumena. From charis, "grace".
- Byrrhia – Charinus' slave. From purrhos, "red-haired".
- Mysis – Glycerium's slave. From Mysia, her native country.
- Lesbia – an old nurse or midwife who attends Glycerium. From Lesbos, her native country.
- Dromo – presumably also a slave of Simo's; has two short lines, and so is perhaps undeveloped as a character. From dromo, a race.
- Crito – Andrian nobleman; an acquaintance of Glycerium's, and a friend of her father.
- Chrysis – Glycerium's sister, an unseen character who dies before the start of the play. Immigrated to Athens from Andros, and—after a time of eking out a living at the loom—became a harlot.
- Glycerium – an unseen character; beloved of Pamphilus. From glukeros, "sweet".
Plot
Pamphilus has a secret relationship with Glycerium and has made her pregnant. Meanwhile, his father has instead arranged for him to marry Chremes' daughter, Philumena; however, following Pamphilus' behaviour at the funeral of Glycerium's sister Chrysis, a prostitute, Chremes withdraws his permission for the union.Wishing to publicly shame his son for his dalliance with a woman of low birth, Simo pretends that not only will the match still go ahead but that it is scheduled for that same day. Pamphilus, on the advice of the cunning slave Davus, who has learnt of Simo's scheme, accepts the proposal willingly in order to wrong-foot his father. However, the plan goes wrong, since Simo persuades Chremes to again accede to giving his daughter away. This leaves Pamphilus in an awkward position, as he has promised Glycerium's sister Chrysis—on her death-bed, no less—that he would protect Glycerium, who is pregnant with their child. In addition, Pamphilus' friend Charinus is himself in love with the soon-to-be-wed Philumena. Davus faces the three-way wrath of Pamphilus, Charinus, and Simo.
The situation is saved by the fortuitous arrival of a stranger called Crito. He tells the protagonists that Glycerium was not Chrysis' natural sister: she had been left in her family's care when her uncle Phania was—while searching for his lost brother—shipwrecked on Andros, and there passed away. Chremes realises that Phania was his brother, and, therefore, that he himself is Glycerium's true father. He gives Glycerium's hand in marriage to Pamphilus—which leaves Philumena free to marry Charinus—and absolves Davus from fault.
Prologue
The poet defends himself against his critics who have accused him of adding parts of Menander's play The Perinthian Girl to his Andrian Girl.Act one
Simo tells his freedman Sosia that the nuptials he is preparing for his son Pamphilus are a sham. When Sosia enquires as to the purpose of the sham, Simo tells him of Pamphilus' shameful secret attachment to Glycerium, the sister of a harlot. Chremes had previously been so impressed by Pamphilus' moderate and upright behaviour that he had offered his daughter unprompted; but, following the uncovering of the affair between Pamphilus and Glycerium at Chrysis' funeral, he has withdrawn his offer. Simo is outraged that Pamphilus does not feel abashed from his private admonition of Pamphilus' behaviour, and so Simo is continuing with the appearance of the nuptials so that Pamphilus will be seen as publicly defying his father; he also hopes that he might draw out the roguish plotting of Pamphilus' slave, Davus.Davus comes out talking to himself, and is overheard by Simo. Having made himself known, he is told by Simo to ensure that the nuptials go to plan, as any hint that Davus' scheming had caused the wedding's cancellation will result in Davus being severely punished. After Simo's departure, Davus vows to undermine Simo's plan. He also reveals that in order to curry favour with Simo, Glycerium has concocted a story that she is a free-born citizen of Athens who was shipwrecked as a child on Andros and is thus not of base birth; Davus, though, heaps scorn on this idea.
Glycerium is soon to give birth. Mysis leaves her mistress' house to make some preparations for this when she overhears Pamphilus bemoaning the fact that his marriage to Philumena is still proceeding. Mysis reveals herself to him. Pamphilus earnestly repeats that he will not desert Glycerium. Mysis leaves to find a midwife.
Act two
Charinus and Byrrhia speak. Byrrhia confirms the rumour that Pamphilus is still proceeding with the marriage to Philumena. Charinus declares his love of Philumena; and, as he is unsure why Pamphilus is going ahead with the match, he vows to go and beg him at least to delay. Byrrhia warns him not to do this, as it might appear to Pamphilus that Charinus is effect telling him that he will cuckold him at the first opportunity.Charinus catches up with Pamphilus and begs him to break off, or—failing that—delay, the wedding. Pamphilus tells him that he would love nothing better than acquiesce to this request, and is endeavouring to bring about the wedding's termination. Charinus is relieved by this. He dismisses Byrrhia for his poor counsel. Davus approaches them and they surmise from his happy disposition that Davus is unaware of their fated heartbreak. Davus tells them that in fact the planned nuptials are a ruse and that he has checked Chremes' house and there is no sign of preparations. Charinus leaves happy that he will have his beloved Philumena.
Davus counsels Pamphilus to accept Simo's wish to marry. This will cause the match to be publicly ended by Chremes. As a disclosed libertine Simo will be willing to let him marry Glycerium rather than no one at all. Pamphilus agrees but asks Davus to ensure his father does not discover that he has agreed to bring up Glycerium's child.
Simo enters to set his trap. Byrrhia enters and hides himself as he is under orders to watch Pamphilus' movements in regard to Philumena. Simo tells Pamphilus he must marry today. Pamphilus surprises him by agreeing. Byrrhia believes that Pamphilus is betraying his master.
Simo collars Davus and voices his suspicions of Pamphilus' volte face. Davus parries these queries and the accusation that Davus is somehow plotting against him. Davus says that any unhappiness Simo might have detected was due to Simo's mean expense on the celebrations.
Act three
Simo and Davus overhear Mysis and Lesbia, who in the course of their conversation reveal that Pamphilus has made a pledge to support Glycerium's child. Simo believes that this is a ruse concocted by his son to anger Chremes and thereby end his wedding to Philumena. While they are talking, they hear a cry while Glycerium gives birth to a son.Simo accuses Davus of advising his master in this deception. Davus denies this. To avoid suspicion as to his true plans, Davus tells Simo this is a plan by Glycerium to keep the attentions of his son and the next move of Glyceium's servants will be to place the new-born son on Simo's doorstep so as to prevent the wedding.
Simo meets Chremes in the street. Chremes asks why there is a rumour about town that their children will still be wed. Simo implores Chremes to reagree to the match. He reveals that, as Davus has said, Glycerium is faking a birth in order to get back together with Pamphilus. Believing Simo appraisal of the situation Chremes agrees. Simo meets Davus and thanks him for helping with his plans. He 'reveals' the nuptials had been a sham and says if they now go ahead it is wholly due to Davus' good advice. Davus privately berates himself. Pamphilus searches for Davus seeking to imprison or kill him for putting him in an intractable situation. Davus implores him to let him redeem himself and promises to come up with something to stop the wedding, but no plan comes to mind.
Act four
Charinus on hearing that the wedding will proceed believes that his friend has betrayed him taking Philumena only because he had revealed his love of the girl. He comes on Davus and Pamphilus and accuses his friend. Pamphilus says that it was not his doing but down to the plotting of Davus. Facing a two-time wrath Davus doubles his promise that, somehow, he will extricate Pamphilus from the union. Mysis enters telling Pamphilus that Glycerium needs his presence. Davus tells Charinus that he has a plan but there may not be enough time to pull it off, but he should go and wait in his house.Davus bids Mysis to stay a moment, and returns with the child. He tells her to place it on the doorstep of Simo's household. Davus retires into the background as Chremes comes onto the scene, and then reappears after Chremes has seen what Mysis was doing. Chremes hides himself not realising that Davus knows he is present. Davus berates a confused Mysis for her actions, saying that it would be terrible if Chremes had come on the scene and not him. Chremes reveals himself and says the wedding is off.
Crito arrives in Athens, and on learning of Chrysis' death berates his ill fortune because, as Glycerium is in reality an orphan, he is Chrysis' closest relative and will need to take a case to law to claim her estate ahead of Glycerium who will no doubt be defended by some gallant protector.
Act five
Chremes berates Simo for enticing him into giving permission for the wedding again. Simo mollifies his rage saying what he saw was a ruse orchestrated by Glycerium and that Davus had even warned him beforehand that this would be attempted in order to break the wedding off. They then spy Davus exiting Glycerium's house. They ask him why he was there. Davus replies that he was attending Pamphilus and that there is news that claims Glycerium is an Athenian citizen. Not believing him Simo has Davus arrested. Pamphilus arrives and Simo berates him for breaking his word. Pamphilus responds that he will indeed break his word but that his father ought to listen to Crito's story before he scolds him. Crito tells all present that Glycerium is the niece of an Athenian nobleman shipwrecked on Andros while searching for his brother. Chremes reveals that he was that brother and, approving of the match, gives a dowry of ten talents.Metrical structure
The majority of lines in the Andria consist of the following metres:- iambic senarii : 52%
- trochaic septenarii : 22%
- iambic octonarii : 18%
- iambic septenarii : 4%
- cretic quaternarii : 1%
- trochaic octonarii : 0.7%
The Andria also differs from Plautus's plays by its unusually heavy use of the iambic octonarius metre. Another unusual feature is that it contains a short passage in bacchiac quaternarii, and another passage in various cretic metres, which Terence otherwise mostly avoided.
The different metres are used for different purposes, reflecting the emotional content of the lines. The iambic senarii passages are used for narrative and giving background information; they are also used five times in short sections to emphasise a point or give important information. Trochaic septenarii move the plot forward. Iambic octonarii are common when characters express their anxieties. Iambic septenarii—the so-called "metre of love"—are used especially in passages singing about love and marriage. The bacchiac metre, used briefly when the midwife Lesbia comes out of the house, is a solemn metre often sung by women characters.
Compared with a Plautus play, such as Epidicus, Terence's Andria has many more changes of metre. Thus the metrical scheme is:
There is a similarity of plot between the two, however: in both, a wily slave tricks his master and his master's friend; in both, the plan goes badly wrong, but the slave escapes punishment in the nick of time by a lucky chance. In the end, in both plays, the two old men are placated, a long-lost daughter is found, and the young man of the house gets to keep his girlfriend.
Davus is warned not to interfere
Prologue
- '''Prologue : ia6 '''
The wedding preparations
- Act 1.1 : ia6
- Act 1.2 : mixed metres
- Act 1.2 : ia6
- '''Act 1.2–1.3 : ia8 '''
Glycerium's pregnancy
- Act 1.3 : ia6
- Act 1.3 : ia8, ia6, ia8
- '''Act 1.4 : tr7 '''
Davus suggests a plan
Pamphilus and Mysis's anxieties
- Act 1.4–1.5 : mixed iambic-trochaic
- Act 1.5 : ia6
- '''Act 1.5, Act 2.1: ia7 '''
Charinus's anxieties
- Act 2.1 : mixed iambic and trochaic
- Act 2.1 : ia6
- '''Act 2.1, 2.2: tr7 '''
Davus carries out the plan
- Act 2.3 : ia6
- Act 2.3 : ia8
- Act 2.4, 2.5, 3.1 : ia6
- Act 3.2 : bacchiac + various iambic metres
- '''Act 3.2 : tr7, tr4cat, tr7 '''
Davus's plan goes wrong
Simo meets Chremes
- Act 3.2 : ia6
- Act 3.3 : ia8 + ia4
- Act 3.3 : ia6
- '''Act 3.3 : ia7 '''
Pamphilus's distress
- Act 3.3 : ia8
- Act 3.4 : tr4cat, tr7, tr8, tr7
- Act 3.4 : ia8
- '''Act 3.4 : tr7 '''
Charinus's anger
- Act 4.1 : mixed metres
- '''Act 4.1 : tr7 '''
Pamphilus's excuses
- Act 4.1 : ia8
- Act 4.1 : ia6
- Act 4.1 : ia8
- Act 4.1 : ia6
- Act 4.1 : ia8
- '''Act 4.2 : ia7 '''
Davus escapes punishment
Chremes finds the baby
- Act 4.3–4.5 : ia6
- Act 5.1–5.2 : tr7
- '''Act 5.2 : ia8, tr7, ia8 '''
Simo interrogates Pamphilus and Crito
- Act 5.1–5.2 : ia6
- '''Act 5.2–5.3 : tr7 '''
Chremes recognises his daughter
- Act 5.3–5.4 : ia8
- '''Act 5.5–5.6 : tr7 '''
Quotes
"Moderation in all things." – Sosia"Compliance raises friends, and truth breeds hate." – Sosia
"Hinc illae lacrimae!" ' – Simo
"All who like mistresses dislike the thought of marriage." – Simo
"Charity begins at home." – Charinus'''