The Two Bacchises by Menander. Short summary

5 seconds

Sostratus travels to Ephesus on his father’s business, where he falls in love with a hetaera. The girl has sold out to the warrior and wants to end her contract early. Sostratus seeks money to ransom his beloved.

1 minute

A young man named Sostratus travels to Ephesus on his father’s business. Here he falls in love with a hetaera who has sold herself to the warrior. She wants to break with him before her contract expires.

The heroine suddenly leaves Ephesus for Athens, where her sister lives. The girls have the same names. Sostratus is surprised by the imminent departure of his beloved. He asks his friend Moschus to find her. At this time Sostratus, with the help of his slave Cyrus, attempts to find money to buy the girl back from the warrior. When the heroes return to Sostratus’ father, they can tell him that they have not received the sum they were sent for.

Mosch finds Sostratus’ lover and falls in love with her sister. Sostratus meets Mosch’s father and uncle. He discovers that his friend is dating a hetaera. The hero thinks the friend is having an affair with his lover because the names of the girl and her sister were the same.