The Pot of Gold or Aulularia by Plautus is a romantic Roman comedy based on a lost New Comedy written by the Greek playwright Menander. It employs stock characters including a miser, young lovers, a wealthy older rival for affection of a young girl, and clever slaves. The main characters are: • Euclio, a miser, father of Phaedria. • Phaedria, a young girl, daughter of Euclio, who is in love with Lyconides and pregnant with his child.
• Megadorus, an old wealthy man who wants to marry Phaedria. • Lyconides, a young man in love with Phaedria. • Strobilus, a clever slave belonging to Lyconides. Euclio is obsessed by a pot of gold that was originally owned by his grandfather. He is paranoid about people wanting to steal it and thinks that Phaedria's suitors are after the gold. Euclio agrees to let Megadorus marry Phaedria.
The Pot Of Gold Plautus Characters
Strobilus discovers where the pot of gold is hidden. Lyconides returns the gold to Euclio and persuades Euclio to let him marry Phaedria. Euclio eventually gives the young couple the gold as part of a happy ending.