discuss the role of lar familiaris in plautus's pit of gold

Hello aspirant,

Lar Familiaris is the family God of Euclio’s house. Even though the stingy Euclio does not offer worship to Lar Familiaris, his daughter named Phaedria conducts all the required ceremonies to mitigate the living spirit of the household. He is the first character to come on the stage. As he is playing as a God, he is not visible to the other characters of the play. Lar Familiaris prompts the Prologue of the play, which prepares the stage for the action that is performed after it. Through Lar Familiaris the audience get the information that the grandfather of Euclio, who was also a very stingy person, had hidden a pot of gold in the central hall of his house. This wealth had never been discovered before Lar Familiaris, in his compassion for Euclio’s exhausted condition, and his respect for Phaedria’s devotion towards him, led Euclio to the treasure. As the family God, Lar Familiaris was the person who influenced the action. As he informs in his Prologue, he leverages Megadorus to wish to marry Phaedria. Megadorus has never married before, so the sudden interest of him to marry Phaedria gives a very simple clarification here. Lar Familiaris also gives information to the audience in the Prologue about Phaedria who was tortured by Lyconides and that Megadorus’ nephew, and she were now awaiing for their child. Lar Familiaris launches the plot; he gives introduction to the theme of the play towards the audience. Hence through this methods Lar plays an important role.

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