Greek and Roman Comedy: Translations and Interpretations of Four Representative Plays

Much of what we know of Greco-Roman comedy comes from the surviving works of just four playwrights - the "Greeks Aristophanes" and "Menander" and the "Romans Plautus and Terence". To introduce these authors and their work to students and general readers, this book offers a new, accessible translation of a representative play by each playwright, accompanied by a general introduction to the author's life and times, a scholarly article on a prominent theme in the play, and a bibliography of selected readings about the play and playwright. This range of material, rare in a single volume, provides several reading and teaching options, from the study of a single author to an overview of the entire Classical comedic tradition. The plays have been translated for readability and fidelity to the original text by established Classics scholars. S. Douglas Olson provides the translation and commentary for Aristophanes' "Acharnians", Shawn O'Bryhim for Menander's "Dyskolos", George Fredric Franko for Plautus' "Casina", and Timothy J. Moore for Terence's "Phormio". Shawn O'Bryhim is Associate Professor of Classics and head of the Classics program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.