The young man Pamphilus was very partial to Geter Bacchid. But under the pressure of his parents, reluctantly, he married a neighbor - a respectable Filumen. She loves a young husband. But the heart of that probably still belongs to Geter ...

Unforeseen case: at death, a close relative, and Lachet, the father of Pamphilus, sends his son to another city on inheritance matters.

In the absence of Pamphilus, the unexpected happens: Filumena returns to her parents' house. Her mother-in-law of Sostratus is puzzled and saddened by this: she managed to fall in love with her daughter-in-law and does not understand the reasons for her departure. And even attempts to see Filumena are futile: the mother of the girl Mirinna and the maidservants always say that Filumena is ill and should not be disturbed by visits.

Lachet and even the father of the girl Fidipp are in ignorance. They are neighbors, are in good relations: all this is incomprehensible and unpleasant to them. Moreover, even Fidippa is not allowed to visit her daughter's house (in the gynec).

Returns from a Pamphil trip. By the way, he did not bring any inheritance: the kinsman is still alive and, it seems, has even decided to die. Pamphil wants to see his wife. And it soon turns out that her illness was quite natural: Filumena gave birth to a boy!

But the apparent, it would seem, joy is overshadowed by the fact that this child is not from Pamphilus. He was conceived at least two months before the wedding. That was the reason for the urgent move of Filumena under the reliable wing of her mother, away from the gaze and gossip of her neighbors.

She admits that at some holiday she was possessed by a drunken rapist. And now a child was born ...

The young mother loves her Pamphil very much. He, however, does not want to recognize someone else's child. The older generation takes a more reasonable position: both Sostratus and Lachet are ready to accept both Filumena and the small grandson into the house. And Fidipp bitterly reproaches Mirinna for hiding her home situation from him (naturally, sparing her daughter’s reputation and not wanting to worry her husband).

But Lachet immediately reminds his son that he is not without sin: well, at least his recent interest in heterosexual ... Grandfather decides to speak directly with Bacchida. And it turns out that, as soon as the young man got married, heterosexual forbade him to come to her, showing undoubted nobility. Moreover, she agrees to go to Fidipp's house: to tell Filumena and Mirinna that she had not been to Pamphil since the wedding. And not only tells, but swears solemnly, And says, turning to Lachet: “... I do not want your son / Was rumored to be false and without foundation / It turned out to be too frivolous before you ...”

During this visit, Mirinna notices a ring on the finger of a getter And recognizes it: it is a ring of Filumena! A ring torn from her finger on that fateful night by a rapist and then ... presented to Bacchida.

So, Pamphil himself turned out to be a drunken hang! And the born boy is his own son!

“Bacchida! Oh Bacchid! You saved me! ” - exclaims the happy newlyweds and the young father.

The comedy ends with a scene of universal joy.