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 40: _From the dispositions of other women_)--Ver. 198.
Donatus observes that this is one of the peculiar points of
excellence shown by Terence, introducing common characters in a
new manner, without departing from custom or nature; since he
draws a good Courtesan, and yet engages the attention of the
Spectators and amuses them. Colman has the following Note here:
“Under the name of Thais, Menander is supposed to have drawn the
character of his own mistress, Glycerium, and it seems he
introduced a Courtesan of the same name into several of his
Comedies. One Comedy was entitled ‘Thais,’ from which St. Paul
took the sentence in his Epistle to the Corinthians, ‘Evil
communications corrupt good manners.’” Plutarch has preserved four
lines of the Prologue to that Comedy, in which the Poet, in a kind
of mock-heroic manner, invokes the Muse to teach him to depict the
character of his heroine.]
[Footnote 41: _Not any one was there_)--Ver. 226-7. Very nearly
the same words as these occur in the Mostellaria of Plautus,
l. 29, 30: “Than whom, hitherto, no one of the youth of all Attica
has been considered more temperate or equally frugal.”]
[Footnote 42: _Nor submit to blows_)--Ver. 244. It has been
remarked in the Notes to the Translation of Plautus that the
Parasites had, in consequence of their state of dependence, to
endure blows and indignities from their fellow-guests. Their
attempts to be “ridiculi” or “drolls” were made in order to give
some small return to their entertainers. See especially the
character of Gelasimus in the Stichus of Plautus, and the words of
Ergasilus in the Captivi, l. 88, 90. Diderot, as quoted by Colman,
observes: “This is the only Scene in Terence which I remember that
can be charged with being superfluous. Thraso has made a present
to Thais of a young girl. Gnatho is to convey her. Going along
with her, he amuses himself with giving the Spectators a most
agreeable eulogium on his profession. But was that the time for
it? Let Gnatho pay due attention on the stage to the young woman
whom he is charged with, and let him say what he will to himself,
I consent to it.”]
[Footnote 43: _Fishmongers_)--Ver. 257. “Cetarii;” strictly
speaking, “dealers in large fish.”]
[Footnote 44: _Cooks_)--Ver. 257. The “coqui” were in the habit of
standing in the market-place for hire by those who required their
services. See the Pseudolus, the Aulularia, and the Mercator of
Plautus, and the Notes to Bohn’s Translation. See also a remark on
the knavish character of the sausage-makers in the Truculentus of
Plautus, l. 110]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account