The Comedies

by Terence, George Colman, Friedrich Lindenbrog, et al.

Book Overview

'I thought you'd do what the common run of slaves normally do, cheating and tricking me because my son's having an affair.'

Terence's comedies have provided plots and characters for comic drama from classical times to the present; the outstanding comic playwright of his generation at Rome, he has influenced authors from Moli re and Wycherley to P. G. Wodehouse. Scheming slaves, parasites, prostitutes, pimps, and boastful soldiers...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199556032
• ISBN13: 9780199556038
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Fresh, Lively Translations of a Classic (and Classical) Roman Playwright

It is always nice when the translation of a verse original is likewise rendered into verse. The three translators use modern free verse, the best compromise of presenting a Latin verse work in English while preserving the lyricism of the original. This edition, which first appeared in 1974, starts out with an introduction by Smith Palmer Bovie. I had the good fortune to have studied under professor Bovie at Rutgers in the 1980s and still recall his insightful (yet playful) presentations of Roman literature. This volume includes all six surviving complete plays by Terence: The Girl from Andros, translated by Palmer Bovie; The Self-Tormentor, also translated by Dr. Bovie; The Eunuch, translated by Douglass Parker; Phormio, also translated by Dr. Parker; The Brothers, translated by Constance Carrier; and Her Husband's Mother, also translated by Constance Carrier. Each play is prefaced by a foreword by the translator.

Hey, join the party!

Terence is the guy who said "I'm human; nothing human is alien to me." I think that's the most concise and eloquent expression ever of humanistic empathy and tolerance (San Francisco values!). But then, Terence was also reputed to be Nero's favorite dramatist. Go figure! At any rate, I'm glad to see so many other reviewers getting a kick out of Latin literature.If you still remember any high school Latin, you'll find P. Terenti Afri in print, ISBN 0-19-814636-1.

hilarious

Wow. I've read plenty of dramas, but this was my first ancient comedy. My girlfriend and I read this together, and neither one of us expected to enjoy it very much. But to our surprise, within 2 pages we were laughing constantly. We usually pause to talk frequently when we read something together, but this one we read very quickly because the plots and situations engrossed us so much. If you are looking to read and enjoy something truly classical, I suppose there's no better place to start than this. I imagine the translator was not too strict, but she did a good job in the spirit that I imagine Terence would want: not too literal, but very enjoyable.

Comedic

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!

timeless classic comedy

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.