The Argvment according to Muretus collection.
There were two brethren Citizens of Athens, the one called Chremes the other Phania. Chremes being to trauell into Asia left the charge of his then onely daughter Pasibula an infant with his brother Phania. Shortly after his departure out of Attica, Phania also to auoid the rage of warre growing hot in Greece, shipped himselfe thence with his little niece, directing his course towards the place where he supposed Chremes aboad: but suffering shipwracke was cast with the little one, vpon the shoare of the Isle of Andros, where getting entertainement of a poore Islander he shortly after died. His host after his decease, changeth the childs name from Pasibula into Glycerium; and hauing bred her vp for some yeares in equall education with his owne naturall child called Chrysis, himselfe also dyeth. Chremes in the Interim had returned to Athens, and there had another daughter named Philumena: And all this while supposed his brother and his other daughter to haue long since perished at sea. Chrisis being left fatherlesse and poore leaues Andros, and taking Glycerium with her sailes to Athens; where they dwell together as reputed sisters. Chrisis turnes harlot: her louers draw along with them to her house one Pamphilus sonne of Simo an antient Athenian Citizen. Pamphilus falling in loue with Glycerium gets her with child, and affianceth
himselfe to her.
Chremes vpon a publique fame of
Pamphilus his vertues treates with
Simo for a match betweene their children
Pamphilus and
Philumena: and a marriage is agreed vpon betweene the two old fathers,
Pamphilus being not made acquainted.
Chrysis soone after dies, at whose funerals
Pamphilus occasionally discouered signes of very ardent affection to
Glycerium; which
Chremes hearing of, renounceth him for sonne in law as one apparantly besotted and intangled with extraordinarie loue to a stragling strumpet (so ignorantly he stiled the issue of his proper loynes)
Pamphilus (now first hearing of the determined match) is glad such marriage is disappointed.
Simo frets at it. And now is the prefixed day of marriage come, being the day containing the argument of this Comedie.
Simo makes shew to all the people of his familie, as if the marriage were on this day to be solemnized, and this he did out of a foxlike subtiltie to feele his sonnes inclination to marriage, and vpon his refusall to haue iust occasion of complaint against him, which hitherto he had not. And if his sonne should declare readinesse to entertaine the match, he then thought it would proue no such difficult matter to ouerrule
Chremes; and so the businesse to go on as it was first determined.
Simo hauing thus proiected matters, meets his sonne; and wils him to pray to the gods for successe vpon his marriage instantly to bee accomplished. The sonne at his fathers salutation stands thunderstrucken, ignorant what course to take for preuention.
Dauus comes to him in this distraction, at what time one
Charinus was with him. This
Charinus was a yong man inflamed with the loue of
Philumena, the intended bride; and was now in a manner desperate, when he vnderstood that
Pamphilus was that day to marrie her:
Pamphilus assuers him of his purposed resolution to the contrarie. This was the theame of their discourse when
Dauus came vpon them.
Dauus (now) was
Simoes seruant, a fellow
of good reach: and he vpon grounds reasonable had conceiued his old masters fetch in this pretended marriage, which (hauing sent away
Charinus) he opens to
Pamphilus: resoluing him that in all likelihood the old man did but cast out a hooke to catch at his inclination to
Glycerium: wishing him therefore without all scruple to promise his father all obedience and readinesse in imbracing this faced marriage; he further intimates, that no hazard was likely hereby to insue: for that
Chremes hauing once openly refused him, would not (at least so suddenly) intertaine him for a sonne in law.
Pamphilus puts the aduice in execution.
Simo and
Dauus venter either of them vpon the hazard, but
Simo his lucke carries it. For
Chremes is wonne to a new consent, and now is
Pamphilus in danger to bee cast vpon a present marriage, where hee neuer intended. What may
Dauus how do? author of a counsell not so vnlikely as vnluckie? Chance presents him occasion, and he hath good braine to make vse of the least offered occasion: what is that?
Glycerium is brought to bed: the new borne child is by her maid (but by
Dauus direction) laid at
Simo's doore: and this is done iust when
Chremes must of necessitie see it:
Dauus further so carries the matter, that
Chremes vnderstands who is father, who is mother to the child. These things iustly moue
Chremes to a second renunciation: Hence great stirre ariseth:
Crito a man of
Andros (arriued at Athens vpon newes of
Chrysis her death, being next heire to her estate) ends all; by discouering
Glyceriums freedome & parentage.
Pamphilus marries
Glycerium now againe knowne by her first name
Pasibula;
Charinus marries the other sister
Philumena.
