Casina (play)
Casina is a Latin comedy or farce by the early Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. Set in ancient Athens, the play describes how an Athenian gentleman and his son are both in love with the same slave-girl, Casina. The old man tries to conduct a secret affair with Casina by having her marry his farm-manager; but his plan is foiled by his wife, who dresses her son's armour-bearer up as the bride and sends him into the bridal chamber in place of Casina.
| Casina | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Plautus |
| Characters | Olympio - slave of Lysidamus Chalinus - slave of Cleostrata Cleostrata - wife of Lysidamus Pardalisca - maid of Cleostrata Myrrhina - wife of Alcesimus Lysidamus – Athenian gentleman Alcesimus – neighbour Citrio or Chytrio - cook |
| Setting | a street in Athens, before the houses of Lysidamus and Alcesimus |
The play is probably one of Plautus's later comedies, because of the amount of song which it contains. There is also a mention Bacchanialian revels, which are said no longer to take place; this may be a reference to a Roman senatorial decree of 187 BC forbidding such revels. If so, it would date the play to shortly before Plautus's death in 184 BC.
According to the prologue (which appears to have been written for a revival some years after Plautus's death), the play is adapted from a comedy called Klerumenoi ("The Lot-Casters") by the Greek playwright Diphilus.
The name "Casina" (pronounced with three short vowels) is thought to be related to casia, a scented spice similar to cinnamon, one of several references to scents and foods in the play.