Philemon’s Thesaurus (“Treasure”), tentatively dated to the rule of Demetrius Poliorcetes in Athens (392-287 BC), provided the Greek original for Plautus’ play, whose title, Trinummus, refers to a sum of money worth three nummi (singular: nummus): the nummus was a silver coin of small value. The play is set in Athens before the houses of Charmides and Megaronides. The house of Philto is also nearby.

In the play’s prologue, the goddess Luxury sends her daughter Poverty into Lesbonicus’ house because he wasted his father Charmides’ fortune. Following Luxury’s departure, the elderly Megaronides chastises his friend Callicles, another elderly Athe

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Published 30 October 2009

[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21416, accessed 21 November 2009.]