How many lines does Antipholus of Syracuse have in The Comedy of Errors?

The size of the part, every scene it speaks in, its longest speeches, and how long it takes to learn.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Antipholus of Syracuse has about 272 lines in The Comedy of Errors: 2,081 words in 103 speeches, 14.5% of the play, and the second-largest part. The role speaks in 6 of the 11 scenes, and its longest wait is 2 scenes in a row without a line.

Antipholus of Syracuse is almost tied with Adriana for the largest part, and four fifths of his words come in the first three acts. His opening scene sets up his search for his lost brother, and his longest speech, in Act 3, Scene 2, woos Luciana, his brother’s sister-in-law. After that his scenes get shorter as the mix-ups pile up.

Lines: 272
Words: 2,081
Share of play: 14.5%
Speech time: 15 min

78% of the words are verse. 103 speeches means about 103 cues to learn.

Scene by scene

Scene	Words	Minutes
Act 1, Scene 2	442	3.2
Act 2, Scene 2	609	4.3
Act 3, Scene 2	621	4.4
Act 4, Scene 3	188	1.3
Act 4, Scene 4	42	0.3
Act 5, Scene 1	179	1.3

The longest speeches

Speech	Scene	Words
“Sweet mistress—what your name is else, I know not,”	Act 3, Scene 2	204
“The gold I gave to Dromio is laid up”	Act 2, Scene 2	102
“There’s not a man I meet but doth salute me”	Act 4, Scene 3	83
“Upon my life, by some device or other”	Act 1, Scene 2	80
“He that commends me to mine own content”	Act 1, Scene 2	78
“Because that I familiarly sometimes”	Act 2, Scene 2	73
“There’s none but witches do inhabit here;”	Act 3, Scene 2	69
“What I should think of this, I cannot tell:”	Act 3, Scene 2	63

How many lines a day to learn

New lines a day to be off book in time, learning five days a week. Review what you already know on the other days.

Time until off book	New lines a day
2 weeks	28
3 weeks	19
4 weeks	14
6 weeks	10

Questions actors ask