T. Maccius Plautus, Rudens, or The Fisherman's Rope
Henry Thomas Riley, Ed.

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THE SUBJECT

DÆMONES, an aged Athenian, having lost his property, goes to live in retirement near the sea-shore of Cyrene, in the vicinity of the Temple of Venus. It so happens that Labrax, a Procurer, makes purchase of two damsels, Palæstra and Ampelisca, and comes to reside at Cyrene. Plesidippus, a young Athenian, sees Palæstra there, and falls in love with her; and making an arrangement with the Procurer, gives him a sum in part payment for her, on which occasion, Labrax invites him to a sacrifice in the Temple of Venus. A Sicilian guest of his, however, named Charmides, persuades him to carry the young women over to Sicily, where he is sure to make a greater profit by them. On this, the Procurer, accompanied by his guest, sets sail with them. A tempest arises, and they are shipwrecked. The young women escape in a boat, and arriving ashore, are hospitably received by the Priestess of Venus. Labrax and Charmides also escape, and on discovering where the women are, the former attempts to drag them by force from the Temple. On this they are protected by Dæmones and Plesidippus, who, through Trachalio, finds out where they are. In the wreck a wallet has been lost, which belongs to Labrax, and in which is a casket enclosing some trinkets belonging to Palæstra. Gripus, a servant of Dæmones, draws this up with the rope attached to his net; and by means of these trinkets it is discovered that Palæstra is the daughter of Dæmones, whom he had lost in her infancy; on which she is given in marriage to Plesidippus by her father, who becomes reconciled to Labrax.