This play derives its name from the two pairs of brothers who are introduced. Demea and Micio, the elders, had always been very dissimilar in character and manner of life. Micio was a pleasant old bachelor, and had always lived in town, and was very lenient and indulgent towards his young relations. Demeaonthe contrary had kept up the thrifty habits of his early years, residing onhis farm and taking asevere view of the conduct of hissons. Ctesipho, the younger of hissons, lived with his father atthis farm; but Aeschinus, the elder, had been adopted by his uncle. They had accordingly been very differently brought up. Ctesipho had been kept very strictly at home, and was, to the best of his father's belief, a model of propriety. Aeschinus had been indulged by his uncle in every way, till he was notorious forhis dissipation. He went so faratlast as to offer violence to a young lady named Pamphila, whom he met one night when he was intoxicated. This was thelast of his excesses. He promised to make all amends inhis power by marrying Pamphila, and onthisconditionthe matter was kept quiet by Sostrata her mother. Ctesipho inone of his visits to the town had falleninlove with a music girl belonging to a slave-merchant, and was carrying onan intercourse with her under the cover of his brother's name; for Aeschinus had taken thecredit of the affair to himself that his father might not hear of Ctesipho's doings. After atimethe slave-merchant gave notice to Ctesipho that unless he bought the music girl athis price she should be immediately sold. Ctesipho was inthe greatest despair atthis announcement, and was half inclined to run away from his troubles and leave the country, when Aeschinus, hearing thestate of thecase, cut matters short by breaking intothe house of Sanniothe slave-merchant, maltreating him, and carrying off the girl to his own house, where she was received by Ctesipho.
Heretheaction of the play commences. Demea coming into town hears of this new outrage of Aeschinus', and accuses his brother Micio of being the cause of all this excess. It was his indulgence that had made Aeschinus so dissolute. How different was the conduct of his brother Ctesipho who had been brought up strictly at home inthe country! Micioinreturn justifies hismode of education. Meanwhile Aeschinus is busied, with the assistance of his slave Parmeno, in arranging matters with Sannio, who blusters loudly at first, but finds atlast that the best plan is to pocket his affront and trust to the young men to pay him, for he will lose more by waiting to prosecute the affair, as he isonthe eve of a voyage to Cyprus, than if he abandons the slave altogether. The news of Aeschinus' prank had spread overthe city, and it was now carried to Sostrata his destined mother-in-law by Geta her slave, who had witnessed the whole affair. Sostrata sends her trusty Geta to Hegio, an old friend of her late husband Simulus, who will stand by her, and see that her daughter has justice done her. Demeainthemeantimeisin consternation, for he has heard that Ctesipho was with Aeschinus when this music girl was carried off; but Syrus, one of Micio's slaves, contrives, with great skill, to make the fact increase his good opinion of his son; for he represents Ctesipho to have taken part inthe affair only to blame his brother's dissolute conduct, and says that as soon as the matter was over he had returned to the country to his usual work. Demeais greatly affected to find that he hasone son who isacredit to his family, and sets off forhis farm. Onhis way he meets Hegio, from whom he learns the circumstances of Aeschinus' connexion with Pamphila; and atthe same time he finds from one of his farm servants that Ctesipho has never been to the farm at all, as Syrus had pretended. These news send him back to Micioina rage; but he is again met with a new fiction by Syrus, who revenges himself on him by sending him ona fool's errand overthe whole town to look forhis brother. Micio meanwhile has been with Hegio to Sostrata and Pamphila, and has comforted them by giving his consent to the marriage of the young lady and Aeschinus. Demea now returns from his fruitless search after his brother, and there isa general disturbance, particularly when one of the slaves accidentally betrays the fact of Ctesipho's being inMicio's house, where his father finds him with the music girl. After some more discussions between Demea and Micio, the former suddenly determines to change his demeanour; and to the surprise of every one whom he meets, and not a little to his own, he acts the courteous and complaisant man. He falls in with all their humours, and promotes the happiness of all parties. Pamphila is married to Aeschinus; Sanniois paid; Micioismade to marry Sostrata; Hegio is provided for; and Syrus and his wife are freed in consideration of the great services which the cunning slave had rendered to morality. The play concludes with a speech in which Demea explains the meaning of hislate conduct, and gives his hearers a little wholesome advice forthefuture.