Cast of Characters Solinus Duke of Ephesus Dromio of Syracuse Twin and servant to Antipholus of Syracuse Egeon Merchant of Syracuse Angelo Merchant Antipholus of Ephesus Twin son of Egeon and Aemilia Aemilia Wife of Egeon Antipholus of Syracuse Twin son of Egeon and Aemilia Adriana Wife of Antipholus of Ephesus Dromio of Ephesus Twin and servant to Antipholus of Ephesus Luciana Sister of Adriana
Our Setting 585 The Comedy of Errors is set in the ancient Greek town of Ephesus In Roman times Ephesus was a port on the west coast of Asia Minor which is now Turkey The ancient city was the second largest city after Rome for many years Ephesus was founded in about 600 BC Tyrants ruled Ephesus until the city fell to Cyrus of Persia For years the city was ruled by many people who contributed great temples churches and public buildings By the early Middle Ages Ephesus was abandoned The once famous port was forgotten until 1869 when archaeologists discovered remains of the city
Act I In the city of Ephesus FOR WHAT CAUSE THOU CAMEST TO EPHESUS IN SYRACUSA WAS I BORN AND WED WITH MY SPOUSE I LIVED IN JOY OUR WEALTH INCREASED BY PROSPEROUS VOYAGES I OFTEN MADE TO EPIDAMIUM GREAT CARE OF GOODS DREW ME FROM MY SPOUSE MY SPOUSE SOON ARRIVED WHERE I WAS THERE SHE BECAME A JOYFUL MOTHER OF TWO GOODLY SONS ONE SO LIKE THE OTHER AS COULD NOT BE DISTINGUISHED BUT BY NAMES THAT VERY HOUR A MEAN WOMAN DELIVERED MALE TWINS THOSE I BOUGHT AND BROUGHT UP TO ATTEND MY SONS MY WIFE MADE MOTIONS FOR OUR HOME RETURN A LEAGUE FROM EPIDAMILIM HAD WE SAILED BEFORE THE DEEP GAVE ANY TRAGIC INSTANCE OF OUR HARM
THE SAILORS SOUGHT FOR SAFETY AND LEFT THE SHIP THEN SINKING TO US MY WIFE MORE CAREFUL FOR THE LATTER BORN HAD FASTENED HIM UNTO A SMALL SPARE OF THE OTHER TWINS WAS BOUND WHILST I HAD BEEN LIKE HEEDFUL OF THE OTHER WE WERE ENCOUNTERED BY A MIGHTY ROCK OUR HELPFUL SHIP WAS SPLITTED IN THE MIDST HER PART WAS CARRIED WITH MORE SPEED BEFORE THE WIND AND IN OUR SIGHT THEY THREE WERE TAKEN UP BY FISHERMEN OF CORINTH AS WE THOUGHT
