'Phormio; or, The Scheming Parasite' Summary

Chremes and Demipho are two aged Athenians, brothers. Chremes's wife, Nausistrata, is a wealthy woman, possessed of large estates in the island of Lemnos. Chremes, who goes thither yearly to receive the rents, meets with a poor woman there, whom he secretly marries, and has by her a daughter called Phanium: while engaged in this intrigue, Chremes passes at Lemnos by the name of Stilpho. By his wife, Nausistrata, at Athens, Chremes has a son, named Phædria, and his brother has a son, named Antipho. Phanium having now arrived at her fifteenth year, the two brothers privately agree that she shall be brought to Athens and married to Antipho. Chremes feigns a journey to Lemnos, but in reality goes to meet Phanium and bring her to Athens. Demipho, suspecting his brother's real design, follows him. Chremes, having brought Phanium to Athens, gives her in charge to a trusty servant, Geta, with instructions to keep her concealed till Antipho shall marry her. Antipho, however, is in love with a slave girl named Sophrona, and refuses to marry Phanium. Demipho, finding his son thus obstinate, threatens to disinherit him. In this dilemma, Antipho applies to a parasite named Phormio for advice. Phormio suggests a plan by which Antipho may marry Sophrona without offending his father. The plan is as follows: Phormio shall pretend to be the father of a wealthy heiress named Phanium, and shall offer her in marriage to Antipho. Demipho, hearing of this, will be so anxious to secure the heiress for his son that he will consent to Antipho's marriage with Sophrona. The plan succeeds, and Antipho is married to Sophrona. Chremes, finding that Phanium is not the heiress he supposed her to be, is greatly enraged, and threatens to disinherit Phædria. However, Phormio, by his cunning and impudence, pacifies Chremes, and all ends happily.