T. Macci Plauti Rudens; (The Palatine classics)

by Plautus

Latin, English

Genres: Classics, Roman, Comedy, Plays

221 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 201

About the author

Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254 – 184 BC), commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest works in Latin literature to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of Latin literature, Livius Andronicus. The word Plautine refers to both Plautus's own works and works similar to or influenced by his.

Reviews

[blanca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qué ganas de sentirme una griega trágica haciendo esta obra. Graciosísima y con un mensaje muy potente.
(no sé hasta qué punto cuenta poner las obras que hago pero una chica tiene que sumar)

[Illiterate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced comedy full of sharp repartee.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by-far the best comedy by Plautus I have read: a tight plot, vivid characters, not too much needless dialogue/tangents, and only one character who disappears (Sceparino). This is all a marked improvement over his other plays. I also have a feeling that this one was lifted most directly from the Greek source, as Diphilus is name-checked once again in the Prologue.

The more I read of Plautine theater, the greater appreciation I have for his dialogue, which is required to construct scenes for audiences who (we must assume) saw little-to-no elaborate sets, props, or even costumes. What I had initially derided as over-exposition was in reality a way to paint the setting in dialogue -- almost the opposite of the visual language is silent cinema. We might call Plautine theater “verbal mis-en-scene.”

[dea !! · Rating 3 out of 5]

i actually enjoyed menaechmi a lot more as a whole but this offers a lot more fast paced back and forths and it offers a lot more dimensions to the "clever slave" archetype and it reads a lot quicker. its wittier too but the ending just falls a bit flat for me.

[Santiago González · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me suelen gustar más cortas pero esta bien lograda, la trama es interesante y los diálogos están bien, no se me ha hecho especialmente graciosa pero si entretenida.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plautus is amazing. Great slapstick humor in Roman comedy. I would highly recommend this book -- seriously a quick read!!

[Anna Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorta funny, interesting subversions