A Plautus Reader

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advanced Latin readers from Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers

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A Plautus Reader
Selections from 11 Plays
John Henderson

5” x 7.75” Paperback
ISBN 978-0-86516-694-3

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The comic playscripts by Plautus—the earliest Latin texts we have—made it through the ancient world to reach ours because the moves and verbal jousting found in them have always made people laugh. Plautine comedies span a wide range of idioms, extending from saucy adventures in the sex trade with Father as the fall-guy who foots all bills, to the trouncing of bigmouth trooper by Ms. Hot Stuff; from the fairytale wishes come true of faraway foundlings fished up on a surprise romantic shore, to the caricature gospel that re-stages the myth of the birth of the hero, in true panto style, gods and all.

Although there is no such creature as a typical Plautus play, this cannily chosen set of excerpts—ranging from the best- to least-known plays—gives a good sense of how a whole script runs, from opening hush, through brisk cameos and spectacular showstoppers, to final bow. John Henderson’s energy, wit, and contagious affection for Plautus’snappy Latin (which he calls “Plautin”) take the reader along on a whirlwind, laugh-out-loud tour. His combination of commentary, interpretive remarks, and attention to staging and metatheatrics make this edition a perfect introduction to Plautus, and an incentive for further reading.

Features:
Introduction that is as lively as it is informative
616 lines of unadapted Latin text from eleven Plautus plays: Asinaria 746–809, Amphitruo 361–462, Captiui 1029–36, Casina 780–854 and 1012–18, Cistellaria 203–29, Curculio 462–86, Menaechmi 77–109 and 351–69, Poenulus 1–45 and 541–66, Pseudolus 1–2 and 394–414, Rudens 938–1044, and Truculentus 482–548
Notes at the back
Map and five photos
Bibliography and further reading for each play
Appendix on meter
Guide to pronunciation of proper names
Online Latin text, marked for reading aloud
Complete vocabulary

Reviews

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers is a seminal source of materials for the study of Latin. Two of their newest contributions include John Henderson's A Plautus Reader: Selections from Eleven Plays (97808651666943, $19.00) and Victoria E. Pagan's A Sallust Reader: Selections from Bellum Catilinae, Bellum Iugurthinum, and Historiae (9780865166875, $19.00). The comedic playwright Plautus and the Roman historian Sallust are significant in studying the culture and history of Rome and serve as ideal sources in the study of Latin for modem students. Enhanced with grammatical and historical notes, maps and photos, and vocabulary, both A Plautus Reader and A Sallust Reader will prove invaluable additions to personal, professional, and academic library Latin Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
Wisconsin Bookwatch: February 2010
The Language Studies Shelf

John Henderson is Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of King's College. He teaches like crazy, but has also written wicked books and weird articles across the range of classical topics, including a fun edition with text, translation, and commentary on Plautus, Asinaria: the one with the asses (2006). His DPhil Oxon was on the fabulous Phaedrus, and his scholarly output since has centered on reacting enthusiastically to Roman texts, with quirky books on Seneca, Statius, Pliny, Juvenal, and Isidore, and storming articles on Latin poetry and history collected in Fighting for Rome. Poets and Caesars, History and Civil War (1998), with other outrages collected in Writing down Rome: Satire, Comedy and other Offences in Latin Poetry (1999).