her thanks to Phormio for his information. THE TITLE OF THE PLAY. Performed at the Roman Games,[14] L. Posthumius Albinus and L. Cornelius Merula being Curule Ædiles. L. mbivius Turpio and L. Atilius Prænestinus performed it. Flaccus, the freedman of Claudius, composed the music to a base and a treble flute. It is wholly from the Greek, {being} the Epidicazomenos of Apollodorus. It was represented four times,[15] C. Fannius and M. Valerius being Consuls.[16] PHORMIO; OR, THE SCHEMING PARASITE. THE SUMMARY OF C. SULPITIUS APOLLINARIS. Demipho, the brother of Chremes, has gone abroad, his son Antipho being left at Athens. Chremes has secretly a wife and a daughter at Lemnos, another wife at Athens, and an only son, who loves a Music-girl. The mother arrives at Athens from Lemnos, {and there} dies. The girl, her orphan daughter, (Chemes being away,) arranges the funeral. After Antipho has fallen in love with her when seen there, through the aid of the Parasite he receives her as his wife. His father and Chremes, having {now} returned, {begin} to be enraged. Afterward they give thirty minæ to the Parasite, that he may take her {as his own} wife. With this money the Music-girl is bought {for Phædria}. Antipho {then} keeps his wife, who has been recognized by his uncle. THE PROLOGUE. Since the old Poet[17] can not withdraw {our} bard from his pursuits and reduce him to indolence, he endeavors, by invectives, to deter him from writing: for he is wont to say to this effect,-- that the Plays which he has hitherto composed are poor in their language, and of meagre style: because he has nowhere described a frantic youth as seeing a hind in flight, and the hounds pursuing; while he implores[18] {and} entreated that he would give her aid. But if he had been aware that {his Play}, when formerly first represented, stood its ground more through the merits of the performers than its own, he would attack with much less boldness than he does. Now, if there is any one who says or thinks to this effect, that if the old Poet had not assailed him first, the young one could have devised no Prologue for him to repeat, without having some one to abuse, let him receive this for an answer: “that the prize is proposed in common to all who apply to the Dramatic art.” He has aimed at driving our Poet from his studies to {absolute} want; he {then} has intended this for an answer, not an attack. If he had opposed him with fair words, he would have heard himself civilly addressed; what has been given by him, let him consider as {now} returned. I will make an end of speaking about him, when, of his own accord, he himself makes an end of offending. Now give your attention to what I request. I present you a new play, which they call “Epidicazomenos,”[19] in Greek: in the Latin, he calls it “Phormio;” because the person that acts the principal part is Phormio, a Parasite, through whom, principally, the plot will be carried on, if your favor attends the Poet.