The Comedies Of Terence

Terence's six plays are comedies written while he was a slave to a Roman senator. NOTE: the main plot elements in Hecyra are quite unacceptable today: Pamphilus has just married a woman he does not recognize that he had earlier raped in a drunken fit; nor does she recognize him. His mistress Bacchis is upset with the marriage and rejects him. He then wanders off, returning only in time to discover his wife with a new child that can't possibly be his. It takes both Mother and Mother-in-Law, and Bacchis, to bring a happy ending out of this confusion.

In Andria, Pamphilus wants to marry a woman different than his father has chosen for him. Add in paternal scheming, death bed promises, shipwreck, and other complications, and comedy ensues.

se.

Phæd. Your will must be a law.

Thais. Thanks, my sweet Phædria!

Phæd. I’ll to the country: there consume myself

For these two days: it must be so: we must

Give way to Thais. See you, Parmeno,

The slaves brought hither.

Par. Sir, I will.

Phæd. My Thais,

For these two days farewell!

Thais. Farewell, my Phædria!

Would you aught else with me?

Phæd. Aught else, my Thais?

Be with yon soldier present, as if absent:

125

All night and day love me: still long for me:

Dream, ponder still of me; wish, hope for me:

Delight in me; be all in all with me;

Give your whole heart, for mine’s all yours, to me.

Exeunt.

414

SCENE III.

Manet Thais.

Ah me! I fear that he believes me not,

And judges of my heart from those of others.

I in my conscience know, that nothing false

I have deliver’d, nor to my true heart

Is any dearer than this Phædria:

And whatsoe’er in this affair I’ve done,

126

For the girl’s sake I’ve done: for I’m in hopes

I know her brother, a right noble youth.

To-day I wait him, by his own appointment;

Wherefore I’ll in, and tarry for his coming.

A collection of six enjoyable plays from a Roman author who drew on Greek New Comedy sources. They differ somewhat in style from Plautus even though both drew from the same sources. It is apparent how they were found to be inspirational for later playwrights.

Six plays, all of them are enjoyable middle of the road.

So I just finished this book and... uh... I... Give me a sec.

Okay I'm back. Where was I? Oh, yes. Terence. In particular, we are talking about all six plays that African dramatist Publius Terentius Afer wrote in his short career before he disappeared at the tender age of 25. I'm certainly no expert

Oxford edition has all of the Terentian plays (6) along with introductory notes at the beginning of each one.

When it comes to Roman Comedy I tend to see Plautus's work like a gently flowing clear stream, while his later successor Terence seems to resemble more of a loose faucet that can only be rep

Terence

The Comedies of Terence

Terence

Download Here

Downloading

Downloading

Downloading

Downloading

SCENE III.

How It Works

30-day FREE trial

UNLIMITED access

Forever Downloads

Significant Savings

Our Story

Welcome to All You Can Books, the ultimate destination for book lovers.