Asinaria ("The Comedy of Asses") is a comic play written in Latin by the Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. In the play an Athenian gentleman, Demaenetus, tells his slave Libanus that he knows his son Argyrippus is having an affair with the prostitute Philaenium next door, and he asks him to try to find some money to pay for the affair. When by chance a stranger comes bringing money owed for some donkeys sold by Saurea, the steward of Demaenetus's wife, Libanus's fellow-slave Leonida pretends to be Saurea, and the two slaves trick the stranger into giving them the money. Argyrippus is given the money on condition that his father is to be allowed to enjoy the first night with the prostitute. But a jealous rival, Diabolus, snitches on Demaenetus to his wife Artemona, who storms to the brothel and prevents her husband from enjoying the girl as well. The title Asinaria is short for asinaria fabula "the play about donkeys". Similar titles ending in the suffix -aria are found the plays Aulularia, Cistellaria, Mostellaria and Vidularia. In his edition, de Melo suggests that this is a relatively early play, partly because it has few polymetric cantica. Another indication is that in line 307 there is a probable reference to the velites "light-armed soldiers", a special force which was first officially introduced in 211 BC. The play is famous for containing the lines Lupus est homo homini, non homo, quom qualis sit non novit which has been translated as "A man is a wolf rather than a man to another man, when he hasn't yet found out what he's like"; facias ipse quod faciamus nobis suades "Practice yourself what you preach"; and necesse est facere sumptum qui quaerit lucrum "You must spend money to make money."

Metrical scheme

Plautus's plays were divided up probably in Renaissance times into 5 acts. However, it is not thought that these divisions go back to Plautus's time, since no manuscript contains them before the 15th century. Also, the acts themselves do not always match the structure of the plays, which is more clearly shown by the changes from one metre to another. In Plautus's plays a common pattern is to begin each section with iambic senarii (which were spoken without music), then a scene of music in various metres, and finally a scene in trochaic septenarii, which were apparently recited to the accompaniment of tibiae (a pair of reed pipes). Moore calls this the "ABC succession", where A = iambic senarii, B = other metres, C = trochaic septenarii. The Asinaria has a very simple metrical scheme consisting of just nine metrical units. These could be divided as follows: C. W. Marshall (2006), however, who sees the metrical sections as usually starting with iambic senarii, divides the play into just two sections as follows: In this play there is one short song of 11 lines in various cretic metres. Otherwise Asinaria resembles Miles Gloriosus in that only four metres are used: in the Asinaria, besides the usual iambic senarii and trochaic septenarii, there are two long passages of iambic septenarii and one short passage of iambic octonarii; in Miles, however, the fourth metre is anapaestic septenarii. The two passages of iambic septenarii both consist of the two cunning slaves' exuberant performance of their trick to obtain money. Another feature of this play is the fact that the unaccompanied lines in iambic senarii form only a small portion of the play, compared with other plays. The whole of lines 127–745 is accompanied by or sung to music. Like the Bacchides and Miles Gloriosus, the plot of Asinaria has a symmetrical structure: The metrical scheme of the play is as follows:

Looking for money

The trick works

Demaenetus is caught out

Analysis

Asinaria belongs to the genre called fabula palliata, of Greek plays adapted for a Roman audience. This has caused a debate over Plautus' originality and creativity arguing contamination, while others point out that neither is redundant, or conflictual with Plautus' dramatic intentions.

Characters

The initial reversal of roles comes from Demenetus and his wife Artemona, as he is the dependent on her dowry and she implicitly plays the strict paterfamilias. Classically, the paterfamilias is the obstacle in his dependent son's relationship, while Plautus makes Artemona the obstacle in front of Demenetus' desire for Philaenium. Moreover, by introducing Demenetus in the role of a rival, Plautus disturbs the classical paradigm of the love triangle present in Miles Gloriosus (play) and Pseudolus. Plautus takes great care to enrich his characters beyond their obvious roles. In this play, Demenetus is ostensibly cast as a senex, but he denies both the audience and his slave Libanus in their expectations to get angry over his son's affair with a prostitute. The play takes an unexpected turn with his stipulation to spend one night with Philaenium. Thus Demenetus goes beyond both the strict father and the avuncular role of senex and becomes involved in a love triangle.

Themes

The role of parents in their children's lives is represented through various perspectives in the play. With Artemona as the obstacle, Demaenetus as the dependent is cast in a traditionally adolescent role. His relation with Argyrippus is then set against Cleareta's with her daughter, both having lost the respect traditionally due to this position, one by a lack of funds and the second by her occupation. They are comparable in their appeal of filial piety to indulge their vices of lust and greed, respectively. The result is a materialistic abuse of conventional rules. The power of money is apparent in the now familiar theme of moral corruption as Demaenetus is further infantilized by his lack of moral strength. Moreover, Argyrippus and Philaenium are humiliated and made to beg and offer favours to Leonida and Libanus for the twenty minae. The theme of materialism pervades the play, turning Asinaria into a defense of the ethical structure of the ancient patriarchal family than against money and passion.

Translations