Because a law forbids merchants from Syracuse to enter Ephesus, elderly Syracusian trader Egeon faces execution when he is discovered in the city.

He can only escape by paying a fine of a thousand marks.

He tells his sad story to Solinus, Duke of Ephesus. In his youth, Egeon married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman without a job also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his sons.

Soon afterward, the family made a sea voyage and was hit by a tempest.

Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one slave, and his wife took the other two infants.

His wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon never again saw his wife or the children with her.

Recently his son Antipholus, now grown, and his son's slave Dromio left Syracuse to find their brothers.

When Antipholus did not return, Egeon set out in search of him.

The Duke is moved by this story and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine.That same day, Antipholus arrives in Ephesus, searching for his brother.

He sends Dromio to deposit some money at The Centaur, an inn.

He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him home to dinner, where his wife is waiting.

Antipholus, thinking his servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio of Ephesus.