Wealth

Acts

• Prologue

  Chremylus, an honest poor man, has been told by the oracle to follow the first person he meets leaving the temple. That person turns out to be a blind, ragged beggar.

  309 lines
• Parodos

  The beggar reveals himself as Plutus, the god of wealth. Zeus blinded him so that wealth would be distributed randomly rather than going to the good.

  36 lines
• Parodos (cont.)

  Chremylus proposes to cure Plutus' blindness so that wealth will go to the deserving. His slave Carion spreads the news.

  32 lines
• First Episode

  The chorus of poor farmers arrives, overjoyed at the prospect. Blepsidemus, a friend, suspects Chremylus has stolen money and comes to investigate.

  209 lines
• Agon

  Poverty herself appears to argue against the plan. She claims that without poverty, no one would work, and civilisation would collapse.

  140 lines
• Choral Interlude

  Chremylus and Blepsidemus debate Poverty. She argues eloquently, but they reject her case and drive her away.

  8 lines
• Second Episode

  Plutus is taken to the temple of Asclepius to have his sight restored. Carion describes the overnight healing ritual.

  156 lines
• Stasimon

  Plutus can see. Wealth now flows to the honest. Chremylus' household is suddenly prosperous.

  32 lines
• Third Episode

  A just man arrives to give thanks — he is finally wealthy. An informer arrives to complain — he has lost everything.

  185 lines
• Fourth Episode

  An old woman laments that her young lover has abandoned her now that he no longer needs her money.

  156 lines
• Fifth Episode

  Hermes arrives from Olympus: the gods are starving because nobody sacrifices to them any more. Everyone is too content.

  87 lines
• Sixth Episode

  Hermes begs for a job in the new order. Various suggestions are made. He settles on a minor domestic role.

  44 lines
• Exodos

  A priest of Zeus arrives, equally destitute. Plutus is installed on the Acropolis as the new supreme deity. The old order is upended.

  2 lines