A Question

Set in ancient Syracuse, the story revolves around Semestre, the stern housekeeper, who reprimands her two maids, Chloris and Dorippe, for neglecting their duties. As they toil away at hand-mills, the maids are unbothered by the dwindling light of their lamps, highlighting their exhaustion and the looming challenges they face, including theft and dwindling resources. Dorippe's defiance is symbolized when she extinguishes the lamps, signaling a shift in their struggle against the burdens of their labor and the circumstances surrounding them.