Latin 383: Roman Comedy

Department of Classics
The University of Texas at Austin
Spring, 2001, MWF 11-12, Waggener 112
Unique number 29060
Timothy Moore, Waggener 211, 471-5742
Office hours: MW 2-4 and by appointment
timmoore@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu

Objectives: We will seek a greater understanding of the most significant theatrical genre of ancient Rome: the palliata, or comedy in Greek dress. We will read and discuss in class four plays of the two surviving writers of palliatae, Plautus and Terence. Most Mondays and Wednesdays will be dedicated to discussion of these four plays. Most Fridays will be spent discussing broader questions about the palliata, including its relationship to its Greek predecessors, its place in the history of theatre, and aspects of performance. In addition, each student will read in Latin and study one additional play of Plautus or Terence and will use knowledge of that play where relevant in class discussions.

Grading will be based on a midterm exam, an oral presentation, a term paper, and class participation.

Texts:

• Plautus, Menaechmi, ed. A.S. Gratwick (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1993)
• Terence, Phormio, ed. Elaine M. Coury (Bolchazy-Carducci, 1982)
• Plautus, Casina, ed. W. Thomas MacCary and M.M. Willcock (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1976)
• Terence, Adelphoe, ed. R.H. Martin (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1976).

Tentative schedule

January
17 Introduction to course
19 Plautus, Menaechmi 1-109

22 Plautus, Menaechmi 110-225
24 Plautus, Menaechmi 226-350
26 Theatre at Rome

• Beare, The Roman Stage, chapters 1-4, 9-11, 13-18, 27

29 Plautus, Menaechmi 351-465
31 Plautus, Menaechmi 466-601
February
2 Plautus, Terence, and their Greek Predecessors: I

• Menander, Dyskolos (read as much in Greek as you can, the rest in translation)
• J.C.B. Lowe, "Aspects of Plautus' Originality in the Asinaria," Classical Quarterly 42: 152-75
• Walther Ludwig, "The Originality of Terence and His Greek Models," Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 9: 169-82.

5 Plautus, Menaechmi 602-752
7 Plautus, Menaechmi 753-899
9 Plautus, Terence, and their Greek Predecessors: II

• Eric Walter Handley, "Menander and Plautus," Inaugural Lecture, University College, London, 5 Feb, 1968. London: Levis, 1968.
• William C. Anderson, Barbarian Play: Plautus' Roman Comedy, chapter 1: "Plautus and the Deconstruction of Menander"

12 Plautus, Menaechmi 900-1059
14 Plautus, Menaechmi 1060-end
16 Scholarship on Menaechmi

• Eleanor Winsor Leach, "meam quom formam noscito: Language and Characterization in the Menaechmi," Arethusa 2 (1969) 30-45
• Erich Segal, "The Menaechmi: Roman Comedy of Errors," Yale Classical Studies 21 (1969) 77-93
• Kathleen McCarthy, Slaves, Masters, and the Art of Authority in Plautine Comedy (Princeton, 2000), Chapter II: "The Ties that Bind: Menaechmi"

19 Terence, Phormio 1-152
21 Terence, Phormio 153-314
23 Performance conditions

• Duckworth , The Nature of Roman Comedy, chapters 4-5
• Beare, The Roman Stage, chapters 19-24
• Sander M. Goldberg, "Plautus on the Palatine." Journal of Roman Studies 88 (1998): 1-20.

26 Terence, Phormio 315-464
28 Terence, Phormio 465-605

March
2 Music

• Timothy J. Moore, "Music and the Structure of Roman Comedy," American Journal of Philology 119 (1998) 245-273
• Timothy J. Moore, "Facing the Music: Character and Musical Accompaniment in Roman Comedy," Syllecta Classica 10 (1999) 130-153
• Timothy J. Moore, "Music in Epidicus" (forthcoming, Studien zum Epidicus).

5 Terence, Phormio 606-795
7 Terence, Phormio 796-end
9 Midterm Exam

12-16: Feriae Vernales

19 Plautus, Casina 1-216
21 Plautus, Casina 217-352
23 Prologues: Assignment to be announced

26 Plautus, Casina 353-514
28 Plautus, Casina 515-719
30 Plautus' Topicality

• Erich S. Gruen, Studies in Greek Culture and Roman Policy (Leiden: Brill, 1990)Chapter 4: "Plautus and the Public Stage."
• Paul B. Harvey, Jr. "Historical Topicality in Plautus." Classical World 79 (1986): 297-304.

April

2 Plautus, Casina 720-854
4 Plautus, Casina 855-end
6 Scholarship on Casina

• Niall W. Slater, Plautus in Performance: The Theater of the Mind (Princeton, 1985), chap. 5: "The Pilots of Penance &emdash;or&emdash;The Slave of Lust"
• Shawn O'Bryhim, "The Originality of Plautus' Casina," American Journal of Philology 110 (1989) 81-103
• Timothy J. Moore, The Theater of Plautus: Playing to the Audience (Austin, 1998), chapter 10: "Husbands and Wives: Casina"

9 Terence, Adelphoe 1-154
11 Terence, Adelphoe 155-354
13 Nachleben

• Duckworth, The Nature of Roman Comedy, Chapter 15: "The Influence of Plautus and Terence upon English Comedy"
• Shakespeare, Comedy of Errors

16 Terence, Adelphoe 355-516
18 Terence, Adelphoe 517-712
20 Terence's Topicality

• D.C. Earl, "Terence and Roman Politics," Historia 11 (1962) 469-485.

23 Terence, Adelphoe 713-854
25 Terence, Adelphoe 855-end
27 Scholarship on Adelphoe

• T.A. Dorey, A Note on the Adelphi of Terence," Greece and Rome 9 (1962) 37-39
• W.G. Arnott, 'The End of Terence's Adelphoe: A Postscript," Greece and Rome 10 (1963) 140-144
• W.R. Johnson, "Micio and the Perils of Perfection," California Studies in Classical Antiquity 1 (1968) 171-86
• Nathan A. Greenberg, "Success and Failure in the Adelphoe," Classical World 73 (1979-80) 221-36.

30 Reports
May
2 Reports
4 Reports

May 10 , 5:00 PM: Seminar papers due

Academic disabilities
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259 or 471-4641.

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