A shipwreck had separated one Dromio, the elder Antipholus and Emila from Egeon and the others. The twin slaves called Dromio were employed to look after them. We find out that Egeon and his wife Emilia had twin sons who were exactly identical and were both named Antipholus. Egeon has been arrested in Ephesus and, being an enemy of the state as a Syracusan merchant, he is forced by the duke to explain his presence. The play on which it is based is Plautus's Menaechmi, although he adds a number of new elements such as a new pair of twins both named Dromio. It also follows the neo-classical unities of time, place and action.
It was published in the First Folio of 1623 and is Shakespeare's shortest play. The Comedy of Errors may have been written as early as 1590 and was performed at Gray's Inn in 1594.
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