The action takes place in the village near Athens. Setting: a quarrel between two slaves - Dawa and Sirisk.
Recently, in the thickets, Dove found an abandoned baby, and in his diapers - various trinkets and jewelry left in such cases by an unhappy (or careless) mother. But Syriek, his wife recently had a baby and died soon, he begged to give the baby to him. And after a while, he began to demand things found with the baby.
This dispute is asked by the slaves to be resolved by an “arbitrator”, a certain hitherto unknown Smikrin who was passing by. He does not hesitate to decide: all the objects found must be with the child, that is, in the house of Sirisk, because according to them someday the parents who abandoned the baby will be able to identify him. Sifting through the items received, C-risk also considers the signet ring. The thing in his hand is noticed by Onisimus, who has come in, and declares: the ring belongs to his master, the rich young man Charisius.
After vigorous bickering, Onesimus got a ring, but doubts began to prevail over him: would the owner be glad about the returned thing? After all, then, perhaps, he will have to admit his paternity.
It turns out that almost a year ago, at the feast of the Tavropolis, Charisy seduced a girl who had his ring left ... Or maybe they came together amicably - now it's hard to say.
Although Charisy is married to a good and beautiful Pamphilas, he does not behave exemplarily. His constant swings sadden not only Pamphilus, although she is ready to forgive a lot of her young husband, but also justly outrage her father Smikrin. By the way, it was he who recently acted in an unexpected role for him as an arbitrator ...
Meanwhile, the slave-harpist Gabrotonon, having heard about the ring, decided to play the role of dishonored and deserted, and thus get free from the dissolute owner, who supposedly forgot everything about the drunk business. But, kind and honest in her heart, Gabrotonon is then going to find the real mother of the child ...
The comedy was not completely preserved.
However, the existing text makes it possible to present the following: Gabrotonon recognizes Pamphilos (they met at that unfortunate holiday of the Tavropolis), and the offended and disgraced wife Charisia recognizes his ring and understands: the culprit of her misfortune is her own husband! But Charisy so far knows only that his wife is the mother of an illegitimate child. At the same time, he realizes that he himself is far from perfect, therefore he has no right to condemn Pamphilus. But then a kind Gabrotonon arose and tells Charisia everything that she knows. The good-for-nothing young man is happy - they and Pamphila have a son! Smikrin’s discontent also gives way to joy: he became the happy grandfather of a five-month-old grandson! Everyone is happy and even very happy.So safely, as expected, the comedy ends.
