The Comedies (Classics)
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The Roman dramatist Terence (c. 186-159 BC) adapted many of his comedies from Greek sources, rendering them suitable for audiences of his own time by introducing subtler characterization and more complex plots. In his romantic play, The Girl from Andros, Terence portrays a love affair saved by a startling discovery. The Self-Tormentor focusses on a man's remorse after sending his son to war, and The Eunuch depicts a case of mistaken identity. Phormio is as rich in intrigue as a French farce, while The Mother-in-Law shows two families striving to save a marriage and The Brothers contrasts strict and lenient upbringings. With their tight plots and spare dialogue, Terence gave his plays a sense of humanity that became a model in the Renaissance and greatly influenced Molière.
About the Author
Terence (c.186-159) was born at Carthage of Libyan parentage, and was brought Rome as a young slave. According to Roman tradition his talents and good looks won him an education, manumissions, and entry to a patrician literary circle, with whose encouragement he wrote six Latin plays, modelled on Greek New Comedy. Only one, The Eunuch, was a popular success in his lifetime but he was read and admired in Roman times and became the main influence on Renaissance comedy.
Betty Radice was one of the greatest translators of her lifetime, and translated many titles for the Penguin Classics including Erasmus's Praise of Folly and Livy. She died in 1985.
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[simo, a gentleman in late middle age, and his elderly freed slave sosia come on right with servants carrying food and drink for a party.] Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
[simo, a gentleman in late middle age, and his elderly freed slave sosia come on right with servants carrying food and drink for a party.] Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Plays about love, rape and cunning. Typically a slave is in cahoot with his master's son to deceive the master and help the son win his "true" love. The comedies are based on greek originals and reveal the ancient conflict between a man's assumed right to violate his woman of choice and at the same time respect the fact that she's someone's daughter. It's ok if she's a whore or a slave but not if she's a citizen. Understandably uneasy in our modern world where even serial killers can invoke their UN Human Rights. Terence was the greatest playwright of his generation and (according to the jacket) has influenced writers down the ages from Moliere to P.G. Wodehouse. This collection includes his greatest success "The Eunuch". The challenge with comedies written in any age is that one needs to understand the context and then act the play with imagination in one's head. The more successfully you do this the more you'll enjoy these plays.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4 reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
timeless classic comedy
20 Dec 2002
Format:Paperback
Terence's character development is superb. He takes stock characters of past Greek plays and turns them around so that the reader sees that people are not black or white. They are rather gray with good and bad qualities. His stories develop around his characters and in each comedy there is a message that is as timesless as the dialogue and interaction between characters in his plays. I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with the mastery with which Terence took Greek plays and adapted them for his Roman audience. The editing was good, and I think that there is a little something for all readers in the comedies of Terence. They are timeless classics that draw a quiet smile from the reader rather than an outright laugh.
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Comedic
27 Jun 2003
Format:Paperback
This book is one of my favorite textbooks ever. The storylines are interesting, though perhaps not hilarious from a modern standpoint. They do however make excellent fodder for research papers and for a deeper understanding of the ancient world!
Loved this book
22 Nov 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this book for a Roman history class and I really enjoyed the plays. I think that I will read more than just the assigned readings.
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