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…