The Comedies of Terence: Literally Translated into English Prose, with NotesTerence
General
The Comedies of Terence: Literally Translated into English Prose, with Notes
Terence
Latin drama (Comedy) -- Translations into English; Terence -- Translations into English
[Footnote 77: _Makes a noise_)--Ver. 683. The doors with the
Romans opened inwardly, while those of the Greeks opened on the
outside. It was therefore usual with them, when coming out, to
strike the door on the inside with a stick or with the knuckles,
that those outside might be warned to get out of the way. Patrick,
however, observes with some justice, that the word “concrepuit”
may here allude to the creaking of the hinges. See the Curculio of
Plautus, l. 160, where the Procuress pours water on the hinges, in
order that Cappadox may not hear the opening of the door.]
[Footnote 78: _Take some sacred herbs_)--Ver. 727. “Verbena”
appears to have been a general term applied to any kind of herb
used in honor of the Deities, or to the boughs and leaves of any
tree gathered from a pure or sacred place. Fresh “verbenæ” were
placed upon the altars every day. See the Mercator of Plautus,
l. 672.]
[Footnote 79: _From the altar here_)--Ver. 727. It was usual to
have altars on the stage; when Comedy was performed, one on the
left hand in honor of Apollo, and on the representation of
Tragedy, one on the right in honor of Bacchus. It has been
suggested that Terence here alludes to the former of these. As,
however, at Athens almost every house had its own altar in honor
of Apollo Prostaterius just outside of the street door, it is most
probable that to one of these altars reference is here made. They
are frequently alluded to in the Plays of Plautus.]
[Footnote 80: _Which I had first purposed, I now give up_)--Ver.
734. His first intention no doubt was to go and inform Simo of the
child being laid at the door.]
[Footnote 81: _Whenever there’s necessity_)--Ver. 737. He retires
without fully explaining his intention to Mysis; consequently, in
the next Scene she gives an answer to Chremes which Davus does not
intend.]
[Footnote 82: _Stuffed out beneath her clothes_)--Ver. 771.
“Suffarcinatam.” He alludes to the trick already referred to as
common among the Greeks, of the nurses and midwives secretly
introducing supposititious children; see l. 515 and the Note.]
[Footnote 83: _Several free women were present_)--Ver. 772. She
speaks of “liberæ,” “free women,” because in Greece as well as
Italy slaves were not permitted to give evidence. See the Curculio
of Plautus, l. 621, and the Note to the passage in Bohn’s
Translation. See also the remark of Geta in the Phormio, l. 293.]
[Footnote 84: _Constrained by the laws_)--Ver. 782. He alludes to
a law at Athens which compelled a man who had debauched a
free-born woman to marry her. This is said by Davus with the view
of frightening Chremes from the match.]
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