The main thing in this comedy is not the plot, but the hero, the “boastful warrior”. In the old days, there were no professional soldiers in Greece, there were militias. And then, when the war became a profession, then dashing mercenaries appeared who went to serve anyone, at least to the ends of the world, for the most part they died, and who did not die, he returned rich and richly boasted of the miracles he saw , and the feats that he allegedly performed. Such a boisterous, boastful, rude warrior at once became a permanent character in comedies.
At Plavt, his name is the magnificent name Pyrgopolynik, which means "Tower Winner". He sits in front of his house and watches how the servants clean his armor - “so that it is brighter than the sun!”. He had a hangman named Khlebogryz with them, they both count how many enemies the Pyropoleanic put in their campaigns: there are only seven thousand in Scythia, some in Persia, and all in one day! And even in India, he killed one elephant with his left hand, that is, his leg, and then only hit half-heartedly! And in general, what kind of hero he is - and a hero, and a brave man, and a handsome man, and how women love him!
In fact, he is a crook, a coward and a libertine. This was reported to the public by his slave named Palestrion. Palestrion served in Athens with a young man, and he loved one girl. When the young man was away, this very Pyrgopolynik tricked this girl and took him here to the city of Ephesus. Palestrion rushed to warn the lord, but on the way he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery to the same Pyrgopolynik. However, he managed to send the news to the former owner; he came to Ephesus, settled next to a warrior with a kind old man and secretly sees his beloved. Here on the stage is the warrior’s house, and here is the old man’s house, they are nearby, and between them the clever slave easily made a secret passage.
Everything would be nice, but another warrior slave spied on a meeting of lovers, and the old man's neighbor was very alarmed: the warrior would not have arranged a pogrom for him. “Okay,” says Palestrion, “we’ll think up if his girlfriend had a twin sister in Athens, so she and your lover settled with you, old man.” As for the witness, he can be confused and intimidated: after all, there is demand from him, if he overlooked it. In fact, while the eavesdropper hurries with the denunciation, the girl, having made her way in a secret passage, is already at home and falls upon the unfortunate scammer as a slanderer; and then, again having moved to her neighbor, she already shows herself openly and, under the guise of her own sister, has mercy with the young man, and the head of a stupid slave goes completely round.
The old neighbor is not against such a rally, so the Athenian youth is even uncomfortable: so much trouble because of him! “I’m happy to help in such matters,” the old man replies, “I myself am still greedy for beauties, and they are up to me: well-mannered, witty, amiable - a real hacker!” "And what is still single?" - the young man is surprised. “Freedom Above All!” - the old man proudly declares. “The truth is the truth!” - confirms the slave. “But what about without children? - the young man is surprised. “Who cares about you?” - "What are you! - the old man dismisses, “not a single son will be so attentive and courteous as distant relatives hoping for my inheritance: they carry me in their arms!” “And this is for the best that you are not married,” says the slave. -
Find you a heterosexual, beautiful and greedy, and pass her off as your wife ... ”-“ Why is this yet? ” - the old man is surprised. “Let her pretend as if she was deeply in love with Pyrgopolynik and if she gave me this ring of yours for him ...” the young man suggests. “I don’t understand anything, but I believe you: take it, do what you want,” the old man decides.
Heroes easily negotiate with a getter; the slave comes to Pyrgopolinik, hands him the ring, extols the neighbor, paints her love. The warrior, of course, believes: how not to fall in love with him? Now, then, you just need to get rid of the Athenian kidnapped by him so that the new beauty is not jealous. Perhaps it’s even good that her sister appeared here next door: the warrior decides to hand her his mistress over to her, and even generously bestows her to keep quiet, and to give freedom to the slave Palestrion for the services and send them as a guide, A young man appears, betraying yourself for the confidant of the mother of both girls; the warrior gives him his Athenian woman, she depicts a great sorrow: oh, how hard it is for her to part with such a handsome and hero! A young man with a girlfriend, a slave and gifts safely sail to Athens.
Virtue has triumphed, but vice has not yet been punished. However, this does not wait long. Geter stands and plays, as planned, the old man’s wife, in love with the Pyrgopolinic. He obediently follows on a date with her in a neighboring house. There, an old master with strong slaves pounced on him: “How dare you, cursed, drive up to my wife?” He is grabbed, pounded, sharpened with a knife in order to empty him on the spot; with loud screams, the warrior pays off from reprisal with big money and, "limp from beatings", flees with shame, "I am deceived, I am punished - but, alas, deservedly! All the libertines would be like that: there would be less of them. Well, now go home! and you, viewers, I pat! ” Comedy ends with such morality.
