The plays casina, amphitryon, captivi, and pseudolus provide an introduction to the world of roman comedy. Plautus demonstrates a generalised awareness of obligations implicit in instruments like mandatum, and its connection with a presumption of shared liability among the partners of a societas. The play amphitryon provides an introduction to the world of roman comedy from one of its best practitioners, plautus. Mercury takes on the form of his absent slave, sosia. A rejection of new comedy as a trope from greek new comedy, doppelgangers permeated early roman comedy, especially the works of plautus and in none more so than his amphitryon. The god mercury opens plautus s amphitryon with a prologue of the plays background events. Delphis ancient classics series provides ereaders with the wisdom of the classical world, with both english translations and the original latin texts. His theatrical genius, vitality, farcical humor, and control of the latin language 1 rank him as romes greatest comic playwright.
Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi amphitryon. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi by titus. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise henry thomas riley, ed. The master was sent on a journey, a government quest. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise. Aeschylus oresteia and eugene ofneills mourning becomes electra. The plays of plautus in particular, cleverly combining the stereotypical characters with ridiculous situations, were wellloved.
Comedia videos in a modern sense, comedy from the greek. Amphitruo plautus metadata this file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. He is the author of several books including roman comedy. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. However, not too much should be made of such a fleeting reference. Amphitryon, the comedy of asses, the pot of gold, the two. In the fifth act, at the moment in which alcmena is delivered of hercules and iphiclus, a violent. Almost nothing is known of these plays, it is usually assumed that the immediate original of the latin play was a comedy of the middle or new period.
But the romans were ac quainted with the tragicocom diae of the greeks, their satyr dramas, their rhintonicae, the atellane farces of pomponius, and. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi amphitryon, the comedy of asses, the pot of gold, the two bacchises, the captives author. The oldest manuscript of a plautus play dates back to the 6th century ce and the reappearance of previously lost manuscripts made plautus once more popular during the renaissance. Five comedies is a fascinating postmodernist rendition of some of the most postmodernistmetatheatrical, selfreferential, sophisticated, stylizedliterature classical antiquity has to offer. But the amphitryon, though in some ways typical of new comedy. Includes an analysis of plautus approach to comedy and background on the social and political customs of his times. This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for.
The dispute is referred to blepharo, the pilot of amphitryon, who. Amphitryon moliere on free shipping on qualifying offers. Loosely adapted from lost greek plays, the works of plautus helped establish a truly roman drama in the latin language for the first time. Plautus the rope pdf transformed, as in plautus play, perhaps from the night of generation to a night of incidental. The braggart soldier, by plautus page 2 his master back in athens was a fine young man, named pleusicles. An analysis of major characters in amphitryon by plautus kibin. This performance of plautus amphitruo is the product of my ancient drama and performance class at byu classical civ 340 r. Plautus really does blur the two genres together in this text, and we have tragic figures and scenarios arising amidst an awfully farcical tragedy.
Scenes from plautus amphitryo created by the north toronto c. His theatrical genius, vitality, farcical humor, and control of the latin language rank him as romes greatest comic playwright during the 3d century b. Amphitryon, the plays title character, is a leader in the theban army. The dramatic treatment by plautus has enjoyed a sustaining presence on the stage since its premiere. Watling narration written by maggie rogow filmed and edited by willem crispin. He accidentally killed electryon, and was exiled by electryons brother, sthenelus, along with his wife. In faciem uersus amphitruonis iuppiter, dum bellum gereret cum telobois hostibus, alcmenam uxorem cepit usurariam.
When the play begins, he has recently returned victorious from war and is looking forward to visiting his home and his wife. A story of roman gods playing at their wim with mortal humans written by a late renes. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Mercury was the god of trading and merchandize, and was said to have received his name from the latin word merx. After the real amphitruo 6 and sosia have returned, they are both made fun of in a. Amphitryon was the son of alcaeus in greek mythology, king of tiryns. Plautus casina is a lively and well composed farce.
Twenty complete plays by plautus survive along with around 100 lines of vidularia the suitcase and fragments from several others. After the reopening of the theatre, it was played half a dozen times more the same year, and continued to please. In amphitryon the term tragicomoedia tragicomedy appears for the first time in latin literature to describe this blending of comedy and tragedy, and it is the god mercury who coins. It is perhaps hardly necessary to refer the reader to amphitryon, by plautus, the comedy upon which molieres charming play was, in the main, based. Blepharo is appointed arbiter, but is unable to decide which is the real amphitryon. Plautus amphitruo is the sole specimen of mythological burlesque in ancient comedy to come down to us in nearly complete form. After the real amphitruo 6 and sosia have returned, they are both made fun of in a fantastic fashion. A clue to the greek plays date is found in the description of amphitryons. Two slightly lesser roles, though of equal importance, are those of mercury and sosia. His works were also read, studied, and copied for centuries after that. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi by. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi.
While pleusicles was away, the soldier came to athens, and made advances to philocomasium. In the amphitruo plautus stages an imaginary world of mischievous gods and bewildered mortals, a place where personal identities, literary sources, and genre expectations are all in flux and a magically long night is center stage and played for. The rope and other plays paperback plautus author e. Amphitryon or amphitruo is a latin play for the early roman theatre by playwright titus maccius plautus. More than laughter in plautuss amphitryon plautuss amphitryon is an anomaly among extant roman comedies, because it is the one surviving example of a play in which gods appear alongside mortal characters. A comparative study of plautus amphitrou, molieres amphitryon and giraudouxs amphitryon 38 severns, maya department. The next line says, what is more, he certainly appears in tragedy, a verse deleted by many editors because it appears pointless after what precedes. Accuracy to the original has been thoroughly respected, but. Mercury was the messenger of the gods, and, therefore, the patron of messengers. Plautus amphitryon and jean giraudouxs amphitryon 38. Apr 17, 2014 this performance of plautus amphitruo is the product of my ancient drama and performance class at byu classical civ 340 r. Amphitryon and his slave sosia are returning to their native city of thebes following a long period. The major roles in the play are those of amphitryon, jove, and alcamena. While amphitruo was waging war against the teloboians, jupiter assumed his appearance and took a loan of his wife, alcumena.
See the tradesmans prayer to him in the fasti of ovid, b. Five comedies major blowhard miles gloriosus by plautus. This body of work was first attributed to plautus by the 1st century bce roman scholar varro and the titles are. Alcmene refused to consummate her marriage with amphitryon until he had avenged the death of her brothers, all of whom. These two characters act as main intermediaries for. Plautus menaechmi and its derivative play, shakespeares.
Five plays by plautus and terence and casina, amphitryon, captivi, pseudolus, both for focus publishing. Having accidentally killed his uncle electryon, king of mycenae, amphitryon fled with alcmene, electryons daughter, to thebes, where he was cleansed from the guilt by creon, his maternal uncle, king of thebes. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. This sex farce delighted roman audiences and readers for centuries and continues to inspire adaptations to this day. The play is mostly extant, but includes several large missing sections in its latter portion. As with all focus translations, the emphasis is on a handsomely produced, inexpensive, readable edition that is close to the original, with an this anthology contains english translations of four plays by one of the best practitioners of.
In amphitryon the term tragicomoedia tragicomedy appears for the first time in latin literature to describe this. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise, act 1. Together, they fled to thebes, where amphitryon was purified by the king of the city, creon. It is reported that miles gloriosus was repeated six times in the same festival when it was first produced. Plautus, the roman comedian, used this tale to present amphitryon, a burlesque play. Res amphitryon, and the amphit ryon of dryden the amphitruo of plautus is the only play of this type that has survived in roman literature. Amphitryon comedy in a prologue and 3 acts by moliere which is based on the. All versions are exceedingly witty and versatile, in verse that ripples from ones lips, pulling all the punches of plautus, the knockabout king of farce, and proving that the more polished terence can be just as funny. Roches translations of amphitryon, miles gloriosus, and the prisoners clearly illustrate how plautus writing has withstood the test of time.
Nov 22, 20 scenes from plautus amphitryo created by the north toronto c. The play amphitryon, by plautus, revolves around a small circle of characters. Menaechmi is one of plautus liveliest and most entertaining comedies, the main inspiration for shakespeares the comedy of errors. The plot, which concerns the competition of a father and his son for the same girl and the variou. Plautus plays continued to be popular after his death and they were performed in rome for another century or so.
This play, which unfortunately remains unnamed, was performed the year before the amphitruo, and jupiter played a part in it. Mercury, in the guise of sosia, seconds his father and dupes both servant and master on their return. It is the first and only use of the word tragicomedy in classical latin, and it is not just a pun as it first appears. As with all focus translations, the emphasis is on an inexpensive, readable edition that is close to the original, with an extensive introduction, notes and. It includes an introduction discussing date, sources, revivals, manuscripts, metre, arguments and prologues. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue.
While this play maintains characteristics of new comedy, such as twins and the representation of common life. The plays casina, amphitryon, captivi and pseudolus provide an introduction to the world of roman comedy. Welcome as a full autobiography of plautus would be, in place of such scant. He was a general in thebes, who married alcmene, daughter of electryon, king of mycenae. Amphitryon 339 writing burlesque, was the author of an amphitryon. The latin text is accompanied by notes explaining the irregularities of plautus syntax and metre, and citing relevant parallels and secondary sources. Aug 20, 2005 amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi by titus maccius plautus. In athens, pleusicles was crazy for a courtesan named philocomasium. For plautus, such a presumption need not have entailed an actionable contractual obligation.
Mercury as, in purchasing and selling your merchandize 1, you are desirous to render me propitious to your bargains, and that i should assist you in all things. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi amphitryon, the comedy of asses, the pot of gold, the two bacchises, the captives ebook written by titus maccius plautus. Amphitryon was the title of a lost tragedy of sophocles, but most others who have used this story have rendered comic treatments instead. In 201112, he was a loeb classical library foundation fellow. As with all focus translations, the emphasis is on a handsomely produced, inexpensive, readable edition that is close to the original, with an extensive introduction, notes and appendices. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise, act 1, scene.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi amphitryon. We turned the problem of filling the missing fourth act into an. Amphitruo lateinische form des griechischen namens amphitryon ist eine tragikomodie des. Amphitryon, in greek mythology, son of alcaeus, king of tiryns. Plautus bacchides is one of the best and most typical of his plays which in its treatment of character, theme and dialogue provides an excellent intr. Funny things happened in roman comedy university of georgia. An analysis of major characters in amphitryon by plautus. The god mercury opens plautuss amphitryon with a prologue of the plays background events.