050. Heauton timorumenos / Self-tormentor
This play was written according to the model of a Greek tragedy of Menander and first performed in 163 BC. The prologue tells the audience that some critics say Terence has "combined （contaminasse）a few Latin comedies from many Greek plays". In the history of literature this combination or adaptation is called "contaminatio".
The main figure is Menedemus, an old man living in a village close to Athens. He is doing hard labor in the fields, and thus his neighbor Chremes, another old man, is wondering why he is tormenting himself in this way. As Menedemus asks Chremes why he cares about other peoples matters, Chremes responds with the famous "homo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto" （"I am a human being and consider nothing human as far from me", vs. 77）. Finally Menedemus tells Chremes the reason: he has criticized his son Clinia for having a girl-friend, and Clina was so shaken by these words that he secretly left the house and became a soldier in Asia. Possibly he has already fallen in some battle. Anyway, it is very unlikely that he will ever return home, and Menedemus feels guilty for this. Therefore Menedemus wants to do harsh labor in the fields as a kind of self-imposed punishment. After hearing the story Chremes lectures Menedemus saying a father needs to be indulgent.
Meanwhile Clinia has returned from Asia whithout his fathers knowledge. He lives in Chremes house, together with his friend Clitipho, the son of Chremes. He does not dare to return to his fathers house. Chremes wants to help to bring about the reconciliation between Clinia and his father, but at the same time he explains to his son Clitipho that Menedemus was right in criticizing his son, and Clitipho should understand this. Clitipho complains about this kind of fatherly rigidity which expects the young men to be mature in every respect like an elderly man. Now the audience gets to know that Clitipho too has a girl-friend, he secretly spends his fathers money on the prostitute Bacchis.
Two slaves, Syrus and Dromo, plan an intrigue: They want to introduce Clitiphos girl-friend Baechis as the lover of Clinia and so enable her to move openly to Chremes house. Bacchis comes together with a maid-servent——Clinias lover Antiphila. Bacchis describes her dire fate as prostitute. Then Clinia and Antiphila are overjoyed to meet again. Chremes wants to tell Menedemus that his son has returned and——believing that Bacchis is Clinias girl-friend——describes Bacchis pretentious and luxurious manners. Menedemus does not care much about these matters, he only wants to have his son back. Chremes is worried that Clinia might run away again. As he by chance observes his son Clitipho exchanging some intimacies with Bacchis, he scolds him for this.
Syrus tells Chremes that Antiphila iS in his house.saying that she iS under Bacchiscontrol because AntiphilaS deceased mother owed some money to Bacchis.Bacchis allegedly demands this money from Clinia，and Syrus suggests that Chremes gives the money to Clitipho SO that he can help Clinia.In fact Clitipho needs the money to pay Bacchis.Syrus discovers that Antiphila iS in faet the formerly exposed child of Chremes and his wife Sostrata.that iS to say Antiphila iS a freeborn child and not a slave，as Syrus told Chremes.Syrus iS afraid that Clinia might discover that Antiphila iS not a slave-girl.because then he could easily be reconciled with his father who might not object to a free-born daughter-in-law，and Syrus intrigue would be revealed.Therefore Syrus tries to persuade Clinia to take Bacchis with him and to move to his father Menedemus.SO that Chremes would not discover that Bacchis iS ClitiphoS friend.In a similar way the slave persuades Bacchis who already plans to leave Chremeshouse.
Syrns tells his master Chremes the truth about the relationships between Clinia. Antiphila.Bacchis and Clitipho.but he tells it in a way that Chremes thinks it iS all lies. Syrus also tells Clitipho that Bacchis iS with Clinia.NOW Chremes comes to Clitipho and hands him over the money for Bacchis.Finally Menedemus tells Chremes that Clinia loves Antiphila and wants to marry her.Chremes iS perplexed but finally finds out that Bacchis iS the real lover of his son Clitipho，and that he has been cheated.Chremes who has preached tolerance iS furious.and Menedemus has to prevent Chremes from expelling his own son.After everything has been revealed，Chremes agrees to give his daughter Antiphila in marriage to Clinia.He scolds Clitipho and announces that he will disinherit his son。Syrus suggests to Clitipho that he ask his parents whether he really is their son.because it seems that after they have found Antiphila they simply discard him. In the conversation with his parents.Clitipho gets a confirmation that he iS really his parentsson.He iS reconciled to his father and asks him not to punish Syrus.the master-mind of all the intrigues.
展开
