*C*aptust in pugna Hegionis filius; *A*lium quadrimum fugiens servus vendidit. *P*ater captivos commercatur Aleos, *T*antum studens ut natum captum recuperet; *E*t inibi emit olim amissum filium. *I*s suo cum domino veste versa ac nomine *V*t amittatur fecit: ipsus plectitur; *E*t is reduxit captum, et fugitivum simul, *I*ndicio cuius alium agnoscit filium. One of Hegio’s sons has been taken prisoner in a battle with the Eleans; the other was stolen by a runaway slave and sold when he was four years old. The father, in his great anxiety to recover the captured boy, bought up Elean prisoners of war; and among those that he purchased was the son he had lost many years before. This son, having exchanged clothes and names with his Elean master, secured the latter’s release, taking the consequences himself. This master of his returned, bringing Hegio’s captive son, and along with him that runaway slave, whose disclosures led to the recognition of the other son. PERSONAE DRAMATIS PERSONAE ERGASILVS PARASITUS HEGIO SENEX LORARIVS PHILOCRATES ADULESCENS TYNDARVS SERVUS ARISTOPHONTES ADULESCENS PVER PHILOPOLEMVS ADULESCENS STALAGMVS SERVUS ERGASILUS, _a parasite._ HEGIO, _an old gentleman._ SLAVE OVERSEER, _belonging to Hegio._ PHILOCRATES, _a young Elean captive._ TYNDARUS, _his slave, captured with him._ ARISTOPHONTES, _a young Elean captive._ A PAGE, _in the service of Hegio._ PHILOPOLEMUS, _Hegio’s son._ STALAGMUS, _Hegio’s slave._ _Scene:--A city in Aetolia. A street on which stands Hegio’s house._ PROLOGVS PROLOGUE _Tyndarus_ AND _Philocrates_ ARE CHAINED, IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION, TO A PILLAR IN FRONT OF _Hegio’s_ HOUSE Hos quos videtis stare his captives duos, illi qui astant,[1] hi stant ambo, non sedent; hoc vos mihi testes estis me verum loqui. senex qui his habitat Hegio est huius pater. These two prisoners you see standing here, well, both of those bystanders are men who are--standing, not sitting down. (_Prologue laughs uproariously at his pleasantry_) I leave it to you if so much is not true. The old man that lives yonder--(_pointing to Hegio’s house_) Hegio, by name-- is this man’s (_pointing to Tyndarus_) father. sed is quo pacto serviat suo sibi patri, id ego hic apud vos proloquar, si operam datis. seni huic fuerunt filii nati duo; alterum quadrimum puerum servos surpuit eumque hinc profugiens vendidit in Alide patri huius. iam hoc tenetis?[2] optume est. 10