Summary of the “Arbitration Court” Menander


The action takes place in a village near Athens. Tie: a quarrel between two slaves – Dava and Sirisk.

Recently, in a thicket, Dove found an abandoned baby, and in his diapers – various trifles and jewelry left in such cases by an unhappy (or carefree) mother. But Siriek, his wife recently had a baby and soon died, begged to give the baby to him. And after a while he began to demand things found during the baby.

This slave dispute is asked to resolve the “arbitrator” – some kind of unfamiliar Smikrin, who passed by. He does not hesitate to decide: all the items found should be in the child’s house, that is, in the house of Sirisk, because some time after them parents who abandoned the baby will be able to identify him. After reviewing the received items, C-Risk examines the signet ring. He noticed in his hand the Onishim who entered it and said: the ring belongs to its owner, the rich young man Harisii.

After vigorous wrangling

Onesim got a ring, but doubts began to overcome him: would the owner be glad of the returned gizmo? After all, then, perhaps, he will have to acknowledge his paternity.

It turns out that almost a year ago Harisiy at the holiday of Tavropoli, having got drunk, seduced the girl who had his ring left… Or maybe they agreed amicably – now it is difficult to say.

Although Harisii is married to a kind and beautiful Pamphile, he behaves far from being exemplary. His constant drinking spree not only pampers Pamphilus, although she is ready to forgive a young husband, but also rightly outrages her father Smikrin. By the way, it was he who recently appeared in the unexpected role of an arbitrator for him…

Meanwhile, the slave-harpist Gabrotonon, after having examined the ring, decided to play the role of disgraced and abandoned and thus get free from the dissolute master, who, they say, forgot everything on a drunken affair. But, kind and honest in the soul, Gabrotonon then is going to find the real mother of the child…

Completely comedy is not preserved.

However, the existing

text makes it possible to present the following: Gabrotonon recognizes Pamphylus (they met on that ill-fated holiday of the Tavropolians), and Harisia’s offended and dishonored wife finds out his ring and understands: her own husband is the culprit of her misfortune! And Harisius still only knows that his wife is the mother of an illegitimate child. At the same time, he understands that he himself is far from perfect, therefore he has no right to condemn Pamfil. But then there was a kind Gabrotonon and tells Charisia everything he knows. The unlucky young man is happy-he and Pamphyla have a son! Smikrin’s dissatisfaction also gives way to joy: he became the happy grandfather of his five-month-old grandson! Everyone is happy and even very much. So well, as expected, comedy ends.


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Summary of the “Arbitration Court” Menander