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Four Comedies
Plautus was the single greatest influence on Western comedy. In fact, Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors and Moliere's the Miser are two subsequent classics directly based on Plautine originals. Plautus himself borrowed from the Greeks, but his jokes, rapid dialogue, bawdy humor, and irreverent
characterizations are the original work of an undisputed genius. The comedies printed here show him at his best, and Professor Segal's translations keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these the most readable and actable versions available. This volume includes, The Braggart Soldier , e
Brothers Menaechmus , The Haunted House , and The Pot of Gold .
characterizations are the original work of an undisputed genius. The comedies printed here show him at his best, and Professor Segal's translations keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these the most readable and actable versions available. This volume includes, The Braggart Soldier , e
Brothers Menaechmus , The Haunted House , and The Pot of Gold .
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 201
18 people are currently reading
733 people want to read
About the author
Plautus
1,875 books113 followersTitus 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 23, 2021
Plautus (-254 to -184 BC)
The comic theatre started, as far as we know with ‘Aristophanes’ of Athens, a contemporary of Pericles. (5th century BC)
Plautus was a Roman author of comic scripts for theatre.
He was born in Sarsina in ancient Umbria and died in Rome and lived at the time of the African wars against Cartago and the famous elephant warrior, Hannibal.
He took inspiration from Ancient Greek authors, like ‘Menander’, ‘Philemonius’, ‘Diphilius’,
but he was able to enrich his work with typical popular humorous actors and Roman backgrounds.
He was a successful author in his lifetime.
Plautus and Terence are the connecting links to our seventeenth-century authors of theatre.
who in turn, inspired authors, like Shakespeare and Moliere.
Five of his best plays give an overview of his style: Amphitryon, Asinaria, Aulularia, Menachmi, Miles Gloriosus;
Our author used small scenes, situated in locations in Greece or Rome, commonly known to the popular audience.
The themes would be simple family conflicts, opposing father and son, or soldiers and courtesans, smart slaves and their dumb owners, old lovers, etc.
For the modern reader, Plautus’ work is a complementary subject for additional knowledge in history and culture.
The comic theatre started, as far as we know with ‘Aristophanes’ of Athens, a contemporary of Pericles. (5th century BC)
Plautus was a Roman author of comic scripts for theatre.
He was born in Sarsina in ancient Umbria and died in Rome and lived at the time of the African wars against Cartago and the famous elephant warrior, Hannibal.
He took inspiration from Ancient Greek authors, like ‘Menander’, ‘Philemonius’, ‘Diphilius’,
but he was able to enrich his work with typical popular humorous actors and Roman backgrounds.
He was a successful author in his lifetime.
Plautus and Terence are the connecting links to our seventeenth-century authors of theatre.
who in turn, inspired authors, like Shakespeare and Moliere.
Five of his best plays give an overview of his style: Amphitryon, Asinaria, Aulularia, Menachmi, Miles Gloriosus;
Our author used small scenes, situated in locations in Greece or Rome, commonly known to the popular audience.
The themes would be simple family conflicts, opposing father and son, or soldiers and courtesans, smart slaves and their dumb owners, old lovers, etc.
For the modern reader, Plautus’ work is a complementary subject for additional knowledge in history and culture.
October 4, 2024
Notwithstanding the claims of Aristophanes (who can lay claim to originating raunchy, acerbic comedy) and Menander (whose work has largely been lost but also largely fails to impress), Plautus basically originated all the tropes of Western light comedy from Shakespeare to Moliere to Restoration drama to Oscar Wilde to Hollywood to stand-up to sitcoms, but he is still very fresh. Not really profound in the slightest, but very enjoyable.
Read
October 30, 2024wrote my essay about how plautus is pornography in case anyone was wondering about that 👍
June 8, 2022
For the most part, I found these four plays to be enjoyable. There are a few points that I could find contention with, but being new to reading ancient works, I enjoyed these. I'm hoping to continue on reading more Roman works.
February 6, 2016
"Whipping slaves is funny" - Potential blurb
October 6, 2021
Only read The Braggart Soldier. Boring compared to Lysistrata.
January 3, 2023
When one thinks of classic Roman comedy, Plautus is the guy. Cool to see where Shakespeare drew inspiration from for his Comedy of Errors.
October 24, 2010
Yes, I read these plays twice in two editions, what is my life.... They are so much better than Menander - not didactic and hey, with wordplay!
January 15, 2020
I did some research before choosing a translation. There’s a rather good essay knocking about somewhere on the internet that recommends Segal’s translations. I can’t find it now, but I took the chap’s advice. I got off to rather a rocky start.
The Braggart Soldier has puns and word-play and lively poetry, yet all this talent is in service of buffoonery and clowning about. As it happens, I read Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ history of Rome last year and what struck me was that Rome at this time was not the great civilisation we all know and love. At this time the Romans were a bunch of semi-literate barbarians with no native culture worth exporting. Rome was a fort in which they kept their slaves. Livius Andronicus had staged the first play in Rome in 240 BC, when Plautus was 14. It didn’t come as much of a surprise that what the Roman’s had chosen to preserve was as low-brow as you can get. Not that I have anything against low-brow. The Braggart Soldier reminded me of a Mr Bean episode. I’ve not seen a script for one but I bet you could scribble it down on a tissue. Not much fun to be had in reading it. The glory of Mr Bean is all in the physical performance. I reckon if you could get a couple of physical comedy geniuses like Rowan Atkinson and Andrew Sachs then this play would be a success on the stage. Reading the bare text isn’t much fun. Still, I figured I’d finish the book.
Next up was The Brothers Menaechmus. I understand that Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors is a reboot, but can’t compare as I’ve not read it. Menaechmus is a pleasure to read. Simplistic perhaps, compared to what playwrights got up to during the Renaissance, but nevertheless and good, solid piece of writing. Complex enough considering that Plautus’s audience was most probably drunk. I enjoyed it.
But this is the book that keeps giving. I’m going to stick my neck out and say that The Haunted House is a masterpiece. Tranio’s speech at line 348 is a masterclass in how to write. I would wish more writers would play attention, but I’m sure I see a direct influence here on Faulty Towers. Take a look at the episode ‘The Builders’. Basil is the analogue of Tranio and Sybil is Theopropides. Just as Tranio gets up to mischief in Theopropides’ absence, so Basil does in Sybil’s. Tranio’s terrified speech on the return of Theopropides at line 348 matches Basil’s when he realises Sybil is coming back and will realise what he’s done. The whole sequence where Tranio pulls the wool over Theopropides’ eyes is mirrored in Basil doing the same to Sybil, and you’ll notice buildings and building works are involved in both instances. Finally Theopropides discovers the truth and at first Tranio doesn’t know that he knows, just as, for a few moments Basil and Mr O’Reilly don’t know Sybil knows. There’s also the farcical scene where Callidamates is carried off drunk. I realise Faulty Towers is a farce and this kind of thing is common (normally corpses), but Manuel is carried at one point. And Tranio’s joke at line 359 about crucifixion reminded me of Life of Brian: “Right, hands up if you don’t want to be crucified”.
I’ll have to switch to a different translator as there are all Segal wrote, but I’ll be dipping into Plautus again.
The Braggart Soldier has puns and word-play and lively poetry, yet all this talent is in service of buffoonery and clowning about. As it happens, I read Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ history of Rome last year and what struck me was that Rome at this time was not the great civilisation we all know and love. At this time the Romans were a bunch of semi-literate barbarians with no native culture worth exporting. Rome was a fort in which they kept their slaves. Livius Andronicus had staged the first play in Rome in 240 BC, when Plautus was 14. It didn’t come as much of a surprise that what the Roman’s had chosen to preserve was as low-brow as you can get. Not that I have anything against low-brow. The Braggart Soldier reminded me of a Mr Bean episode. I’ve not seen a script for one but I bet you could scribble it down on a tissue. Not much fun to be had in reading it. The glory of Mr Bean is all in the physical performance. I reckon if you could get a couple of physical comedy geniuses like Rowan Atkinson and Andrew Sachs then this play would be a success on the stage. Reading the bare text isn’t much fun. Still, I figured I’d finish the book.
Next up was The Brothers Menaechmus. I understand that Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors is a reboot, but can’t compare as I’ve not read it. Menaechmus is a pleasure to read. Simplistic perhaps, compared to what playwrights got up to during the Renaissance, but nevertheless and good, solid piece of writing. Complex enough considering that Plautus’s audience was most probably drunk. I enjoyed it.
But this is the book that keeps giving. I’m going to stick my neck out and say that The Haunted House is a masterpiece. Tranio’s speech at line 348 is a masterclass in how to write. I would wish more writers would play attention, but I’m sure I see a direct influence here on Faulty Towers. Take a look at the episode ‘The Builders’. Basil is the analogue of Tranio and Sybil is Theopropides. Just as Tranio gets up to mischief in Theopropides’ absence, so Basil does in Sybil’s. Tranio’s terrified speech on the return of Theopropides at line 348 matches Basil’s when he realises Sybil is coming back and will realise what he’s done. The whole sequence where Tranio pulls the wool over Theopropides’ eyes is mirrored in Basil doing the same to Sybil, and you’ll notice buildings and building works are involved in both instances. Finally Theopropides discovers the truth and at first Tranio doesn’t know that he knows, just as, for a few moments Basil and Mr O’Reilly don’t know Sybil knows. There’s also the farcical scene where Callidamates is carried off drunk. I realise Faulty Towers is a farce and this kind of thing is common (normally corpses), but Manuel is carried at one point. And Tranio’s joke at line 359 about crucifixion reminded me of Life of Brian: “Right, hands up if you don’t want to be crucified”.
I’ll have to switch to a different translator as there are all Segal wrote, but I’ll be dipping into Plautus again.
Read
August 27, 2021Surprising seemingly contemporary pranks considering the playwright’s from the 3rd century BC!!! Titus Maccius Plautus, 254-184 BC. From the intro: Pg XV, On Casina – “Perhaps the strongest irony is the dramaturgical in-joke of the title itself. We know from internal evidence that this is one of the plays which has been renamed by Plautus. Thus he has deliberately called it after a person who does not appear, the ultimate thumb in the nose to Greek New Comedy.”
In the first play - The Braggart Soldier - a vainglorious soldier makes easy prey for a shrewd servant who steals from his master by way of a dowry. The second play - The Brothers Menaechmus - is a comedy of revolving doors as long lost twins are mistaken for one another over and over. The third play - The Haunted House - isn’t quite as effective as the other two, as, rather than offering variations on a central conceit, the plot is rather convoluted. My favourite is the 4th and final play in this volume, even though the character of the miser is inconsistent, and not all of the play has survived for the telling. From The Pot of Gold (I thought comedy would date more than this after more than a couple of millennia!!!), the slaves discuss Euclio the miser
Anthrax: What do you mean?
Strobilus: I mean he’s mean! That man’s about as liquid as a pumice stone!
Anthrax: You don’t say.
Congri: (butting in) Yes I do say.
Strobilus: Just see for yourself. He calls on gods and men to witness that he’s bankrupt, totally wiped out if but a smoky wisp blows from his twiggy fire. And at night he ties a bag around his mouth.
Anthrax: Why?
Strobilus: So he won’t lose any breath while he’s asleep.
Anthrax: Why doesn’t he plug up his lower parts as well? Then he won’t even lose a fart when he’s asleep.
Strobilus: Believe me, you should trust what I’m saying.
Anthrax: But honestly I do believe you.
Strobilus: And there’s more. He cries to heaven if we throw out water from a person’s bath.
Anthrax: (facetiously) In other words, he won’t give us a silver talent to buy our freedom. Do you think there’s not much chance?
Strobilus: The fellow wouldn’t even let you have his hunger if you asked. The other day when he had his nails cut by the barber he scooped up all the bits and took them home with him.
Anthrax: By Pollux, what a miserable mingy miser!
Strobilus: Indeed. Could anyone be more miserable and miserly?
One day a kite pecked off a little grain of porridge. The fellow stormed down to the courthouse, all in tears, and uncontrollably he wailed and railed to have an order issued that the bird be jailed!
I won’t give this a star rating, as I’ve no barometer for hits of the 3rd century BC
In the first play - The Braggart Soldier - a vainglorious soldier makes easy prey for a shrewd servant who steals from his master by way of a dowry. The second play - The Brothers Menaechmus - is a comedy of revolving doors as long lost twins are mistaken for one another over and over. The third play - The Haunted House - isn’t quite as effective as the other two, as, rather than offering variations on a central conceit, the plot is rather convoluted. My favourite is the 4th and final play in this volume, even though the character of the miser is inconsistent, and not all of the play has survived for the telling. From The Pot of Gold (I thought comedy would date more than this after more than a couple of millennia!!!), the slaves discuss Euclio the miser
Anthrax: What do you mean?
Strobilus: I mean he’s mean! That man’s about as liquid as a pumice stone!
Anthrax: You don’t say.
Congri: (butting in) Yes I do say.
Strobilus: Just see for yourself. He calls on gods and men to witness that he’s bankrupt, totally wiped out if but a smoky wisp blows from his twiggy fire. And at night he ties a bag around his mouth.
Anthrax: Why?
Strobilus: So he won’t lose any breath while he’s asleep.
Anthrax: Why doesn’t he plug up his lower parts as well? Then he won’t even lose a fart when he’s asleep.
Strobilus: Believe me, you should trust what I’m saying.
Anthrax: But honestly I do believe you.
Strobilus: And there’s more. He cries to heaven if we throw out water from a person’s bath.
Anthrax: (facetiously) In other words, he won’t give us a silver talent to buy our freedom. Do you think there’s not much chance?
Strobilus: The fellow wouldn’t even let you have his hunger if you asked. The other day when he had his nails cut by the barber he scooped up all the bits and took them home with him.
Anthrax: By Pollux, what a miserable mingy miser!
Strobilus: Indeed. Could anyone be more miserable and miserly?
One day a kite pecked off a little grain of porridge. The fellow stormed down to the courthouse, all in tears, and uncontrollably he wailed and railed to have an order issued that the bird be jailed!
I won’t give this a star rating, as I’ve no barometer for hits of the 3rd century BC
November 16, 2021
This was my first introduction to any Roman theatre, and I loved it! I initially picked up this book to read alongside Shakespeare's 'Comedy of Errors' as it was inspired by 'The Brothers Menaechmus'. It was incredibly intriguing to see the two stories side by side. That and the other three plays were a joy to read. I do not think I would be able to pick a favourite. They still had funny moments over two millennia later, and the poetry still shines through. Of course, this is also in no small part because of the translation by Erich Segal. He updates the Latin into English expertly, and his introduction was well-written and insightful. I would recommend these 'Four Comedies' by Plautus to anyone looking for a classic play to read. You are sure to have fun with them, and I would love to read some more Roman theatre, comedy or tragedy, in the future.
January 16, 2021
Four fairly light, entertaining plays. They aren't high literature. Slapstick plots to suit a rough Roman audience. Admittedly puns don't translate well, and Plautus was a punner, but the simple plots with mistaken identities of long lost twins, a boastful soldier getting his comeuppance, a trickster slave rehabilitating the wastrel son of a long-lost father and a miser parting with his pot of gold to enable the nuptials of his daughter to the man who ravished her (apparently a favourite Greek trope) are diverting, if not very convincing.
If only the Romans had stuck to the theatre rather than the arena....
If only the Romans had stuck to the theatre rather than the arena....
January 27, 2022
As an undergraduate classicist I read this book for my studies. But. My. God. Will I only pick up this sexist text again if the situation calls for it. And even then only with trepidation. Women who work in the sex trade should not be called sluts. Surely the interpreter could have a more suitable term to describe a sex worker? And wives who seek for their husband to be kind to them??? They are not bitches and that gives no man the right to sell them into slavery. No right. I understand women were viewed differently back in the day, but that is no excuse. Even for “comedy”.
August 9, 2019
one overlap with the previous plautus volume so i did the pot of gold, the haunted house and the brothers menaechmus, the latter being the only one this time around with the plot revolving around mistaken identities. slightly better translation but notes aren't as good. the puns dont really come off that well in english and one gets the sense you need to read this in the original latin. good thing duolingo is introducing the course later this year
May 7, 2024
Verse translations can be deadly but Segal's is a real romp. Not only does he keep the meter going but Segal's line is flexible and playful just like Shakespeare's, while being refreshingly different from Shakespeare, as in 'Say - you couldn't come more rightly right on time than you've just come. / That's my style: I know exactly how to pick the nick of time.' (p. 81), and 'Don't you want to have her hurry from your house with no hard feelings?' (p. 48). Love it!
December 13, 2022
Read this for a university class on Greco-Roman Old and New comedy. I loved all four Plautus plays- from the stock types to the plots of stories. Each one is so uniquely funny yet the four perfectly flow as a set. The translations are additionally extremely accessible and the comedy is not lost in them.
Want to read
June 21, 2021Not read yet, only said that so I could make a note. This particular book contains Pot of Gold; The Haunted House; Braggart Soldier; Two Menaechmi.
Also recommended: The Rope; Amphitryon; The Captives; The Merchants.
Also recommended: The Rope; Amphitryon; The Captives; The Merchants.
March 17, 2021
These plays were a wholly perplexing ride
September 5, 2022
i only read the brothers menaechmus for school, so that’s my rating for that story
October 5, 2022
Den var ret sjov. Gad godt have set en komedie opført tilbage i oldtidens Grækenland
January 27, 2023
Rating is for Menaechmi and Mostellaria
April 10, 2023
What a hoot. I feel very connected to the parasites of Roman comedy.
May 12, 2023
best part was the scathing explanatory notes by the translator
June 23, 2023
These plays are more than 2000 years old, but they're still funny.
June 16, 2024
边读边翻，看完了，四出闹剧的核心都是“某人不是某人”的刻意或无意的误会，我觉得娱乐性不强，对于戏剧热情不高的我而言过于细碎车轱辘话了。前言的介绍很不错
August 9, 2025
New Comedy > Old Comedy
April 2, 2017
I read the third and fourth plays - Haunted House and Pot of Gold - a few months ago and really enjoyed them, so I decided a couple days ago that I should finish the book. Indeed, it was definitely worth the read.
This translation was awe-inspiring. Beautifully worded, with an almost lyrical style (forsooth, I read it mentally as if a song), clever word-play, witty witticisms. I haven't checked yet, but I do so hope that this translator has more, many more, for if he does I shall search for them (I probably have them in my collection, so many plays have I, and so few have I read), for he is a master at his craft. Rarely do I get any joy from reading English plays, those that I have read seeming stilted and fake, but not this.
As seems to be Plautus's theme, most of the characters (at least, the heroes) are slaves. His misogyny is hilarious, his love for slaves is endearing, and his oafish citizens are, well, oafish. I am tired of Shakespeare; if you want real theatrical literature, the place to go is Plautus.
This translation was awe-inspiring. Beautifully worded, with an almost lyrical style (forsooth, I read it mentally as if a song), clever word-play, witty witticisms. I haven't checked yet, but I do so hope that this translator has more, many more, for if he does I shall search for them (I probably have them in my collection, so many plays have I, and so few have I read), for he is a master at his craft. Rarely do I get any joy from reading English plays, those that I have read seeming stilted and fake, but not this.
As seems to be Plautus's theme, most of the characters (at least, the heroes) are slaves. His misogyny is hilarious, his love for slaves is endearing, and his oafish citizens are, well, oafish. I am tired of Shakespeare; if you want real theatrical literature, the place to go is Plautus.
January 1, 2011
Plautus - A Roman comic playwrite circa 200 BC.
I was a little hesitant to read this as the only other comedies I've read from ancient times were terrible (the Greek comic playwrite Aristophanes).
But these were rather enjoyable and an easy read. Probably due to a good translation.
I was a little hesitant to read this as the only other comedies I've read from ancient times were terrible (the Greek comic playwrite Aristophanes).
But these were rather enjoyable and an easy read. Probably due to a good translation.
January 10, 2008
Roman comedies that are full of more than just slapstick.
September 12, 2012
Segal's translations are good, but I hate having the notes at the back of the book rather than the bottom of the page.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews