Plautus: Amphitryon. The Comedy of Asses. The Pot of Gold. The Two Bacchises. The Captives (Loeb Classical Library) (Volume I) (English and Latin Edition)

Plautus; Nixon, Paul [Translator]

ISBN 10: 0674990676 / ISBN 13: 9780674990678

Published by Harvard University Press, 1916

About this Item

Harvard University Press; Cambridge, 1997. Hardcover. Reprint Edition. A Near Fine, red cloth binding with gilt lettering on spine and gilt emblem on front board, binding firm, interior and extremities tidy, bit of age toning to pages, in a Near Fine, trace handling/rub marks to panels, mild edge/corner wear, Dust wrapper. A nice, clean and unmarked copy. 8vo[octavo or approx. 6 x 9 inches]. 570pp., indexed. We pack securely and ship daily with delivery confirmation on every book. The picture on the listing page is of the actual book for sale. Additional Scan(s) are available for any item, please inquire.Please note: Oversized books/sets MAY require additional postage then what is quoted for 2.2lb book.

Seller Inventory # SKU1033603

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Plautus: Amphitryon. The Comedy of Asses. The Pot of Gold. The Two Bacchises. The Captives (Loeb Classical Library) (Volume I) (English and Latin Edition)
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Publication Date: 1916
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0674990676
• ISBN 13: 9780674990678
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: As New
• Seller catalogs:
  • Literature

About this title

Synopsis

Plautus (Titus Maccius), born about 254 BCE at Sarsina in Umbria, went to Rome, engaged in work connected with the stage, lost his money in commerce, then turned to writing comedies.

Twenty-one plays by Plautus have survived (one is incomplete). The basis of all is a free translation from comedies by such writers as Menander, Diphilus, and Philemon. So we have Greek manners of Athens about 300–250 BCE transferred to the Roman stage of about 225–185, with Greek places, people, and customs, for popular amusement in a Latin city whose own culture was not yet developed and whose manners were more severe. To make his plays live for his audience, Plautus included many Roman details, especially concerning slavery, military affairs, and law, with some invention of his own, notably in management of metres. The resulting mixture is lively, genial and humorous, with good dialogue and vivid style. There are plays of intrigue (Two Bacchises, The Haunted House, Pseudolus); of intrigue with a recognition theme (The Captives, The Carthaginian, Curculio); plays which develop character (The Pot of Gold, Miles Gloriosus); others which turn on mistaken identity (accidental as in the Menaechmi; caused on purpose as in Amphitryon); plays of domestic life (The Merchant, Casina, both unpleasant; Trinummus, Stichus, both pleasant).

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Plautus is in five volumes.

About the Author

Mason Hammond is Pope Professor of Latin, Emeritus, Harvard University.