Pseudolus

In Pseudolus, social status is indicative of intelligence, but not in the way one might think: slaves often exhibit wit and quick-thinking, whereas their masters fall for tricks and disguises. Calidorus, the son of Pseudolus’s master, Simo, begs Pseudolus for help freeing Phoenicium. Stating that it will “be the end of me, / Unless you can help” (60-61), Calidorus pleads with Pseudolus to let him “be worthless” (240), while Pseudolus does “the worrying for both of [them]” (232). That Pseudolus hasn’t “got the last bit of a plan” (397) is no barrier for Pseudolus: he promises to obtain the money for Calidorus, who complains frequently about his lack of resources. Pseudolus’s power over Calidorus—and Calidorus’s acceptance of it—is a departure from typical slave/master relationships.

Pseudolus proves Calidorus’s trust in him to be well-founded; he continuously remains one step ahead of Simo and Ballio. When he overhears Simo and Callipho speaking and discovers that Simo is “right on the scent of his son” (422), he quickly adjusts his plan. He demonstrates this same quick-thinking and resilience when he encounters Harpax: despite the suddenness of the meeting, Pseudolus successfully pretends to be Ballio’s slave, ultimately convincing