中文导读
《兄弟》是泰伦提乌斯最后一部作品（公元前 160 年），改编自米南德（Menander）的同名剧。剧中的核心冲突是两种教育理念的较量：乡村农夫德梅亚（Demea）主张严格管教，城市商人米奇奥（Micio）主张宽容自由。德梅亚的两个儿子——一个由自己严格管教，一个由弟弟米奇奥宽松抚养——最终各自走上不同的道路。
但泰伦提乌斯的戏剧技巧远不止于"严格 vs 宽松"的二元对立。全剧最精彩的转折是：当看似失败的"严格教育"之子被迫坦白自己的错误时，反而是德梅亚发现自己一直以来对"严格"的理解是肤浅的——真正的教育不是惩罚，而是理解。最终，两个"对立"的兄弟都不得不承认：没有一种教育方法是完美的，真正的智慧在于灵活应对。
泰伦提乌斯的喜剧以心理洞察力和情节编织的精密著称——他不像普劳图斯那样依赖闹剧和粗俗笑料，而是用细腻的人物刻画和复杂的双重情节来制造喜剧效果。莫里哀的《丈夫学堂》（L'École des Maris）直接改编自本剧。
本文据公版英译全文收录。
Adelphoe
Prologue
I have taken this play from the Greek of Menander.
Those who have seen it before may judge whether I have improved it.
I have not added any characters from other plays, as some writers do,
but have kept the plot as I found it, with such changes as were necessary
to make it work in Latin.
Act I
Micio, an elderly bachelor living in Athens, reflects on the challenges
of raising his adopted son Aeschinus. His brother Demea, a farmer,
has two sons: Ctesipho (by his own strict hand) and Aeschinus
(given to Micio to raise in the city).
MICIO: It is not easy to be a father. But I have tried
to raise Aeschinus with kindness rather than fear. I have let him
go his own way, within reason. And so far, the results have been good—
he is well-mannered, popular, and has not disgraced himself.
DEMEA: You spoil that boy, Micio. A father must be strict.
Look at my Ctesipho—I keep him on a short leash,
and he has turned out perfectly. He is modest, hard-working,
and obedient. That is the result of a proper upbringing.
Act II
Aeschinus has fallen in love with Pamphila, a poor girl
from the neighboring town. He has promised to marry her—
but his father knows nothing of this. Meanwhile, Ctesipho
has become infatuated with a music-girl, and Aeschinus,
out of brotherly devotion, has undertaken to abduct her on Ctesipho's behalf.
The plot thickens when Demea discovers that Aeschinus has been
involved in the abduction. He is furious—not because of the crime itself,
but because it seems to confirm his belief that leniency leads to vice.
DEMEA: There! I told you, Micio! Your soft methods
have produced a criminal! If you had been strict with him,
as I was with Ctesipho, this would never have happened!
Act III
Aeschinus confesses to Micio that he abducted the music-girl
not for himself but for Ctesipho. Micio is relieved—
and amused—that his nephew is the real culprit.
MICIO: So it is your brother who is in love,
and you have taken the blame to protect him?
That is very noble—if not very wise.
AESCHINUS: What else could I do? He begged me.
He said he would die if I did not help him.
And besides—there is something else I must confess.
MICIO: What is it?
AESCHINUS: I have promised to marry a girl.
A poor girl—from the country. Her name is Pamphila,
and she is about to have my child.
MICIO: I see. Well, if she is a good girl,
and you love her, I have no objection.
I only wish you had told me sooner.
Act IV
Demea confronts Ctesipho about the music-girl.
Ctesipho admits everything, and Demea is devastated—
his "perfect" son has turned out to be just as foolish
as Aeschinus. The strict method has failed.
DEMEA: My own son—the one I raised with discipline—
he has done exactly what I feared. And all my preaching
has come to nothing.
CTESIPHO: Father, I am sorry. I know I have disappointed you.
But I could not help myself—I fell in love.
Surely you can understand that?
Act V
In the final scene, Demea makes a surprising speech.
He admits that his strictness has not made his sons better—
only more secretive. He praises Micio's patience and kindness,
and urges both families to forgive each other and live in peace.
DEMEA: I have been a fool. I thought that severity was wisdom,
and that indulgence was weakness. But I was wrong.
The truth is that both methods have their merits,
and both have their faults. The wise father is he who knows
when to be strict and when to be gentle.
I have learned this lesson late—but better late than never.
MICIO: Brother, I am glad to hear you say so.
Let us put aside our differences and be friends.
Our sons are good young men—they have made mistakes,
but they have also shown courage and loyalty.
That is worth more than perfect obedience.