"So that no one may wonder who I am, I'll briefly introduce myself. I am the Lar of the family of this home that you saw me come from. For many years now I have been in possession of this house. I looked after it for the father and grandfather of the present occupant. As a suppliant, the grandfather secretly entrusted to me a pot of gold. He buried it in the center of the hearth, supplicating me to guard it for him...

After the death of the man who entrusted the gold to me, I began to observe whether his son would pay me greater honor than his father. But his devotion to me soon diminished, and I had a smaller and smaller share of honor. So I did the same by him, and he died. He left a son who now occupies this house, a man of the same sort as his father and a grandfather. He has one daughter. She is constantly praying to me every day, with gifts of incense or wine or something. She gives me garlands. Because of her devotion, I have caused her father Euclio to discover the treasure here so that he might more easily find her a husband, if he is willing."


-Plautus, 'Pot of Gold'