In this first introduction to Plautus' Trinummus, students and
non-specialists alike are guided through the themes, context, and
enduring humor of this Roman comedy. The play portrays the story of an
elaborate game of keep-away involving a hidden treasure, a hot-blooded
spendthrift youth, his pious sister, her would-be fiancee, a con-artist,
and the most unlikely of comic schemers-a group of overly pious old men.
The conflict of the plot focuses on whether a pair of old men can help
their absent friend Charmides by getting a dowry to his daughter without
Charmides' wastrel son Lesbonicus first spending the money on the usual
comic debauchery. The money is taken from a treasure hidden by Charmides
when he left and a sycophant is hired to pretend to bring letters from
Charmides along with the cash for the dowry. Comic confusion ensues when
Charmides returns from abroad just in time to intercept the con-artist
and overturn the scheming of his friends.
Long neglected, Trinummus is one of many Plautine plays that is
experiencing a resurgence. This volume elucidates the humor of the play,
which is largely based on parody and clever inversions of typical
characters and situations from Roman comedy. This discussion is
accompanied by an examination of the religious, social, and historical
context of the play, as well as its modern reception. The genuine humor
of Trinummus has something to say to modern readers, as it showcases
how parody can skewer those engaged in pompous moral posturing and
presents readers with a playwright who astutely views issues of
imperialism and moral justification through a comic lens.
