Basket shop

The Cistellaria is a comedy by the Latin author Plautus. In Latin, cistella means basket, reason why we can translate the original title like the cestita or the Comedy of the cestita. It is the typical comedy of recognition, in which the main character, in this case the courtesan Selenia, is abandoned at birth, and managed to be recognized by her relatives as an adult, thanks to an object that identifies her, this time the cistella that gives title to the piece. Nor are there any other elements typical of the genre, such as amorous intrigue, rape before marriage ... However, despite all these elements, so typical of Plauto's comedy, it is one of the most and also seems to be one of the most attached to the original Greek on which it is based.In fact, it is missing some of the comic elements and buffoons characteristic of Plautus, although it should not be ruled out that they appeared in some of the fragments that have not been transmitted to us, given the fragmentary state in which the text has been preserved. Taking into account the attachment to the Greek original, the lack of buffoon elements and the scarcity of songs, it is very possible that it is one of the first pieces composed by Plauto. This thesis, moreover, seems to be corroborated by the end of the prologue pronounced by the god Auxilio (verses 199-202), which could be referring to the military situation in the last years of the second Punic war, shortly before the victory of Zama of the year 202 a. C.

Location

The work takes place in the Greek city of Sion, in front of the house of Selenia, rented by Alcesimarco, and the house of Demifón Characters Argument

Alcesimarco and Selenia are two young people who love each other. However, Alcesimarco's father does not approve of this relationship, since everyone believes that Selenia is the daughter of a courtesan named Melénide. Although Selenia has been educated honestly and has never been involved in prostitution, Alcesimarco's father prefers his son to marry Demifon's daughter, an old and rich neighbor. In the end, after a series of fun adventures, it will be discovered that Selenia is not the daughter of the Melonide courtesan, but of the very Demifón, with which the two young people will finally be able to marry. Posterior inflow

The Cistellaria has influenced the plot of works such as Gli Incantesimi, by Giovanni Maria Cecchi (published in prose in 1550 and in verse, in 1585).

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