First a recap of the Epitrepontes. The young man Charisios has become consumed with grief when he learns that his new wife has just exposed her newborn child because he was the result of non-marital sex. In his grief, Charisios hires Habrotonon and spends his time with her rather than with his wife.
Who is Habrotonon? Well that depends on who you ask. The cook Onesimos refers to her a harp-girl. However, her pimp describes her as a hetaira, a Greek courtesan. Habrotonon describes herself as being hired as a harpist to perform at festivals for citizen girls. Traill and Lape make convincing arguments that the best way to reconcile Habrotonon’s different jobs is to accept that the men talking about her will chose to how to describe her.
If Habrotonon succeeded in her attempt to marry Charisios, she would no longer be so vulnerable. Marriage with Charisios, a wealthy man, would mean that she would no longer be susceptible to such attacks by men outside her new family.