His _Comedy of Errors_ is modelled upon the _Menœchmi_ of Plautus, or rather on an English play of the same title dating from 1580, which was not itself taken direct from Plautus, but from Italian adaptations of the old Latin farce. Following the example of Plautus in the _Amphitruo_, Shakespeare has supplemented the confusion between the two Antipholuses by a parallel and wildly improbable confusion between their serving-men, who both go by the same name and are likewise twins. But it is in the contrast between the two female figures, the married sister Adriana and the unmarried Luciana, that we catch the personal note in the play. On account of the confusion of persons, Adriana rages against her husband, and is at last on the point of plunging him into lifelong misery. To her complaint that he has not come home at the appointed time, Luciana answers:-- "A man is master of his liberty: Time is their master; and, when they see time, They'll go, or come: if so, be patient, sister. _Adriana_. Why should their liberty than ours be more? _Luciana_. Because their business still lies out o' door. _Adr_. Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill. _Luc_. O! know he is the bridle of your will. _Adr_. There's none but asses will be bridled so. _Luc_. Why, headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe. There's nothing situate under heaven's eye But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky: The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls. Are their males' subjects, and at their controls. Men, more divine, the masters of all these, Lords of the wide world, and wild wat'ry seas, . . . . . . . . . Are masters to their females, and their lords: Then, let your will attend on their accords." In the last act of the comedy, Adriana, speaking to the Abbess accuses her husband of running after other women:-- "_Abbess_. You should for that have reprehended him. _Adriana_. Why, so I did. _Abb_. Ay, but not rough enough. _Adr_. As roughly as my modesty would let me. _Abb_. Haply, in private. _Adr_. And in assemblies too. _Abb_. Ay, but not enough. _Adr_. It was the copy of our conference. In bed, he slept not for my urging it: At board, he fed not for my urging it; Alone, it was the subject of my theme; In company, I often glanced it: Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. _Abb_. And therefore came it that the man was mad: The venom clamours of a jealous woman Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems, his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing, And thereof comes it that his head is light. Thou say'st, his meat was sauc'd with thy upbraidings: Unquiet meals make ill digestions; Thereof the raging fire of fever bred: And what's a fever but a fit of madness?"