Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - 2019
Brave Warrior
Titus Maccius Plautus (approx. 250-184 BC e)
In this comedy, the main thing is not a plot, but a hero, "a bravado warrior." In ancient times there were no professional soldiers in Greece, there were militias. And then, when the war became a profession, there appeared evil mercenaries who went to service to anyone, at least to the edge of the world, for the most part they perished, and whoever did not perish, he returned to his homeland rich and nicknamed boasting of the miracles he saw , and the exploits he supposedly did. Such an instant rich-boastful rude warrior became a constant character in comedies.
Platus is called by the magnificent name Pyrgopolitnyk, which means "Bashnegorodopoditel". He sits in front of his house and watches his servants clean his armor - "to be brighter than the sun!" Under him, the hunter named Khlebogrz, they both consider how many enemies Pergolopinik put in his campaigns: who in Scythia, who in Persia, only seven thousand, and all in one day! Or else in India, he left one arm with an elephant's hand, then you hit a leg, and then only struck the horn! And in general, what is he a hero - and a hero, and a brave man, and a handsome woman, and how women love him!
In fact, he is a scammer, a coward and a looter. This is reported to the public by his slave by the name of Palestrion. Palestrión served in Athens with one young man, and he loved one girl. When the young man was at a loss, this same Pyrgopolinik cheated on the girl and took him to Ephesus. Palestrone rushed to warn the gentleman, but in his journey he was captured by pirates and sold to the same Pergolinists as slavery. However, he managed to send the news to the former owner; he arrived in Ephesus, settled in the neighborhood of a warrior with a good old man and secretly sees with his beloved. Here on the stage there is a warrior, but an old man's house, they are near, and between them a clever servant easily built a secret passage.
Everything would be fine, but another servant of the warrior looked at the date of the lovers, and the old neighbor was very alarmed: would not arrange a bouyan warrior to him a pogrom. "Okay," says Palestrion, "we figure out that his girlfriend was a sister-in-law in Athens, and she's settled with her lover from you, old man." As for the witness, it can be confused and intimidating: since it is demand, if not looked at it. In fact, while the sitter is in a hurry with denunciations, the girl, having gone through the secret procession, turns out to be at home already and falls into an unlucky informer as a slanderer; and then, once again having crossed to the neighbor, she is already shown openly and under the sight of her own sister admires with the young man, and the head of a silly slave goes completely in the circle.
The old neighbor is not against such a drawing, so it's even uncomfortable for a young Athenian: so much trouble because of him! "In such cases, I am glad to help," the old man replies, "and I myself am still a bit to the beauties, and they are to me: educated, witty, kindly - a real Ephesian!" "And what is still empty?" - the boy is surprised. "Freedom above all!" - proudly says the old man. "What is true, it's true!" - confirms the slave. "And what about the children without children? - the boy is surprised. "Who cares about you?" "What are you?" - the old man throws up, - no son will be as careful and circumspect as distant relatives who are hoping for my inheritance: they wear me in their hands! "-" And this is for the better that you are not married, "says the slave. - Find that you geter, beautiful and greedy, and give her out for her wife ... "-" Why, why? "- the old man is surprised. "Let her pretend to be as if I was in love with Pyrgopolinika at my ears and as if I was handing it to me for it, this is your ring ... "- suggests a young man. "I do not understand anything, but I believe you: take, do what you want," the old man decides.
Heroes without difficulty agree with a heterosexual; the slave is to PyroPolitan, hand him a ring, praises the neighbor, paints her love. The warrior, of course, believes in how to not fall in love with him? Now, then, you just need to get rid of the kidnapped afinyanka, so that the new beauty is not jealous. Perhaps, it is even good that her sister appeared in the neighborhood: the warrior decided to hand over her lover from hand to hand, and also generously give a present to the mother, and let the servant of Palestrist for services to give freedom and send with them the attendants, the young man appears, giving out a mother of both girls for a trusted face; the warrior gives him his Athenian woman, and portrays the great sorrow: ah, how hard it is for her to part with such a handsome man and hero! A boy with his girlfriend, slave and gifts safely swim in Athens.
The virtue triumphed, but the fault has not yet been punished. However, this is not a long time to wait. Appears to the hetman and plays, as it is conceived, the wife of an old man who is in love with Pyrgopolyinka. That obediently follows a date with her in the neighboring house. There, the old man with a strong slave hits him: "How dare you, accursed, to come to my wife?" His grasp, his bells, the knife, and the knife to put it to the ground; with loud cries the warrior pays off from massacre with big money and, "softening from beatings", shoots with shame, "I'm deceived, I am punished - but alas, deserved! All the companions would be like this: it would be less of them. Well, now home! and you, spectators, I pat you! "This morality ends in a comedy.