Terence
The Mother-in-law
• A man: "Your mother-in-law fell into my
pond which has some crocodiles.”
• The other man - "The crocodiles are
yours, so you'll have to save them".
• Two men were in a pub. One says to
his mate, "My MIL is an angel." His
friend replies, "You're lucky. Mine is still
alive."
• Two cannibals were sitting down eating
lunch.One says to the other, "You know,
I just can't stand my mother-in-law."The
other one replies, "Just put her to the
side and eat the mashed potatoes."
Mother-in-law
• Prologue 1 and Prologue 2
• Apparently attest to two failures to stage the
play in 165 and 160
After the prologues…
• Enter Philotis and Syra
• Their conversation introduces the theme of
trust—in reverse.
• Contrary to the standard complaints about
feminine infidelity,
• the two complain about male infidelity
enter Parmeno the clever (?) slave
• The conversation between Philotis and the
slave sketches the circumstances
– Pamphilus is married Philumena force by his
father
– He was thinking of repudiating her, but finally
developed an affection for his wife.
– Then he left to take care of an inheritance
– Meanwhile Philumena stopped talking to her
mother in-law and left for her house
enter Laches
• he mistrusts his wife—Sostrata
• Sostrata protests to no avail
• Thus women do not trust men and men do
not trust women…
• Why?
Enter Phidippus (Philumena’s father)
• He tells Laches the girl refuses to return
until her husband comes back
• Laches immediately blames Sostrata
• Sostrata claims her innocence
• Who is right?
Enter Pamphilus and Parmeno
• Pamphilus discusses his feelings in
considerable detail
– He loved Bacchis (so men are flickle)
– Now he loves his wife (so men love virtue)
– He suspects his mother but feels loyal towards
her (so men can be loyal to good women)
– Upon hearing Philumena’s voice screaming in
pain he enters her father’s house
Enter Sostrata
• She is genuinely worried about Philumena
• (another proof that women can be trusted..)
• Pamphilus joins his mother looking
depressed
• (so women cannot be trusted; Pamphilus
has been betrayed by his virtuous wife.)
alone
• Pamphilus tells us
– that Philumena gave birth
– that she and her mother begged him to keep it
secret
– although hurt and betrayed, he will keep her
secret (men are loyal, after all)
– Now he appears to be noble and kind while his
wife’s integrity appears somewhat
questionable…
Enter Parmeno and Sosia
• Pamphilus sends Sosia to the Acropolis to
cancel an appointment for him
• The slave disappears and cannot provide us
with a solution…
Enter the two fathers
• Pamphilus tells them he is aware of the
alleged conflict and says that his loyalty
goes to his mother
• After he leaves the fathers quarrel
• Both patriarchs go inside to vent their anger
on their wives…
So…
• They do not trust or love their long-time
spouses
• But Pamphilus is at least showing affection
towards his wife…
Enter Myrrina
• She fears her husband’s reaction
• When Phidippus discovers the child
• Myrrina tells him that Pamphilus is the
father
• Now he accuses her of hiding the birth in
order to ruin her daughter’s marriage…
• Myrrina seems indeed resentful because of
Pamphilus’ affair with Bacchis
Enter Sostrata…
• She tells her son she would be happy to
leave the city to encourage his wife to come
back
• Pamphilus refuses
Enter Laches and Sostrata
• planning to go to the country together
• Laches heard Sostrata’s conversation and seems to
have regained some respect for her, though he is
still speaking of “putting up” with his wife
• Pamphilus joins them to to protest against his
mother’s departure
Enter Phidippus
• Phidippus claims that his wife was in fact to
blame.
• He announces the birth of their grandson
• Pamphilus, to everyone’s surprise, does not
want to raise the child…
• Laches blames this on P’s relationship with
Bacchis (he MUST blame a woman)
enter Bacchis
• (Laches arranged to speak with her)
• Laches questions her about her relationship
with Pamphilus
• She tells him the truth
• So this particular woman—a prostitute—
seems loyal and trustworthy even when this
is against her interest…
Enter Phidippus
• Bacchis swears to Phidippus that Pamphilus
stopped seeing her.
• She offers his her servants to put under
torture…
• She enters Phidippus’ house to talk to
Philumena and her mother…
Enter Parmeno
• Bacchis sends him to Pamphilus with the news
• The audience ONLY NOW learns that it was the
noble Pamphilus who raped Philumena
• Pamphilus is the father of Philumena’s baby
• He raped her during a festival took a ring from
her, then gave it to Bacchis
• Myrrina recognized the ring…
Enter Pamphilus
• Talking to Parmeno
• He can hardly believe his luck, but does not
seem remorseful…
Enter Bacchis
• Pamphilus thanks her
• for keeping the truth secret from his father
• Parmeno notes that he was useless in this
play
In the end…
• Terence present us with a play where…
– The mother-in-law is a wonderful person
– The prostitute is the most honest character in
the play
– The slave does not help his master to get his
beloved
– Conflicts result from dishonesty and mistrust…
• The characters’ feelings are complex:
– Perhaps Pamphilus kindness towards
Philumena is dictated by the memory of the
rape he committed?
– Perhaps Phidippus chooses not to notice that
the child could not possibly be Pamphilus’ for
the sake of appearances?
– Perhaps the old men blame their wives because
they do not dare to face their problems?
Is the Hecyra a palliata?
• It has a predictable plot, but its characters
are more than stock-types.
• Unlike Plautus, it leaves us with questions
and reflections on human nature,
relationships, and ethics it is almost a new
kind of comedy whose happy ending leaves
you uncomfortable…