One Chremes had a brother Demipho, who wishing for some cause abroad to go, had left his son young Antipho at home at Athens, while it pleased him thus to roam. This Chremes had a wife and daughter too in Lemnos domiciled, that no one knew; another one at Athens, and an heir that desperately loved a harper fair. From Lemnos came the mother with the maid to Athens, and there died. The daughter paid the last sad rites (now Chremes was away). And so it came about that on that day young Antipho the orphan child espied, fell deep in love and took her for his bride. (’twas through a parasite ’twas brought about). The brothers coming home with rage broke out, gave thirty minæ to the parasite to take her off and marry her outright. With this they buy the girl that Phædria prized; the other keeps his bride now recognized.[27] In essentials this is the plot of any Latin comedy. That the Greek originals of the New Comedy were less crystallized is suggested by larger fragments recovered recently; and that Menander was a creator of plots may be inferred from the saying reported by Plutarch: “I have made my comedy; for the plan is arranged, and I have only to write verses for it.”[28] Even with so few situations as in Latin comedy there is room for variety of handling. Early commentators distinguish the _modus motorius_,[29] the kinetic mode, from the _statarius_, or static, and find that Terence, except in the _Phormio_, tends to the latter. But even the movement of Plautus is rather bustle and go than onward progress. Dramatic movement will hardly be compelling where motivation is so much from circumstances and so little from character. _Modus motorius_ seems to imply rather liveliness than sequence. To the large, miscellaneous, and turbulent Roman audience, it has been plausibly suggested, there would have been little appeal in cogency of plot.