The Comedies
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Book Overview
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 Moli re. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:014044324X
ISBN13:9780140443240
Release Date:November 1976
Publisher:Penguin Group
Length:400 Pages
Weight:0.60 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.2" x 7.7"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Fresh, Lively Translations of a Classic (and Classical) Roman Playwright
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
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!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
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
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
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
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
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
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
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.
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