Their
chief characteristics are an extraordinary boldness and skill in inven-
tion and trickery, with the most utter shamelessness in carrying out
their plans.
chief characteristics are an extraordinary boldness and skill in inven-
tion and trickery, with the most utter shamelessness in carrying out
their plans.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v16 to v20 - Phi to Qui
And when they come to the judge, as those
from Asia came to Rhadamanthus, he places them near him and
inspects them quite impartially, not knowing whose the soul is:
perhaps he may lay hands on the soul of the great king, or of
some other king or potentate, who has no soundness in him;
but his soul is marked with the whip, and is full of the prints
and scars of perjuries, and of wrongs which have been plastered
into him by each action, and he is all crooked with falsehood and
imposture, and has no straightness, because he has lived without
## p. 11547 (#161) ##########################################
PLATO
11547
truth. Him Rhadamanthus beholds, full of deformity and dis-
proportion, which is caused by license and luxury and insolence
and incontinence, and dispatches him ignominiously to his prison,
and there he undergoes the punishment which he deserves.
Now the proper office of punishment is twofold: he who is
rightly punished ought either to become better and profit by it,
or he ought to be made an example to his fellows, that they
may see what he suffers, and fear and become better. Those
who are punished by gods and men, and improved, are those
whose sins are curable: still the way of improving them, as in
this world so also in another, is by pain and suffering; for there
is no other way in which they can be delivered from their evil.
But they who have been guilty of the worst crimes, and are in-
curable by reason of their crimes, are made examples; for, as
they are incurable, the time has passed at which they can receive
any benefit themselves. But others get good when they behold
them forever enduring the most terrible and painful and fearful
sufferings as the penalty of their sins; there they are, hanging
up as examples, in the prison-house of the world below,—a spec-
tacle and a warning to all unrighteous men who come thither.
And most of those fearful examples, as I believe, are taken from
the class of tyrants and kings and potentates and public men;
for they are the authors of the greatest and most impious crimes,
because they have the power. And Homer witnesses to the truth
of this; for those whom he has described as suffering everlast-
ing punishment in the world below are always kings and poten-
tates; there are Tantalus, and Sisyphus, and Tityus. But no
one ever described Thersites, or any private person who was a
villain, as suffering everlasting punishment because he was incur-
able. For to do as they did was, as I am inclined to think, not
in his power; and he was happier than those who had the power.
Yes, Callicles, the very bad men come from the class of those
who have power. And yet, in that very class there may arise
good men, and worthy of all admiration they are; for where
there is great power to do wrong, to live and die justly is a
hard thing, and greatly to be praised, and few there are who
attain this. Such good and true men, however, there have been,
and will be again, in this and other States, who have fulfilled
their trust righteously; and there is one who is quite famous all
over Hellas,— Aristides the son of Lysimachus. But in general,
great men are also bad, my friend.
-
## p. 11548 (#162) ##########################################
11548
PLATO
And as I was saying, Rhadamanthus, when he gets a soul of
this kind, knows nothing about him, neither who he is nor who
his parents are: he knows only that he has got hold of a villain;
and seeing this, he stamps him as curable or incurable, and sends
him away to Tartarus, whither he goes and receives his recom-
pense. Or again, he looks with admiration on the soul of some
just one who has lived in holiness and truth: he may have been
a private man or not; and I should say, Callicles, that he is most
likely to have been a philosopher who has done his own work,
and not troubled himself with the doings of other men in his
lifetime: him Rhadamanthus sends to the islands of the blest.
Eacus does the same; and they both have sceptres, and judge;
and Minos is seated, looking on, as Odysseus in Homer declares
that he saw him,-
"Holding a sceptre of gold, and giving laws to the dead. "
Now I, Callicles, am persuaded of the truth of these things; and
I consider how I shall present my soul whole and undefiled be-
fore the judge in that day. Renouncing the honors at which the
world aims, I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well
as I can; and when the time comes, to die. And to the utmost
of my power, I exhort all other men to do the same. And in
return for your exhortation of me, I exhort you also to take part
in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater
than every other earthly conflict. And I retort your reproach of
me, and say that you will not be able to help yourself when the
day of trial and judgment, of which I was speaking, comes upon
you: you will go before the judge, the son of Ægina, and when
you are in the hands of justice you will gape and your head will
swim round, just as mine would in the courts of this world; and
very likely some one will shamefully box you on the ears, and
put upon you every sort of insult.
Perhaps this may appear to you to be only an old wife's tale,
which you contemn. And there might be reason in your con-
temning such tales, if by searching we could find out anything
better or truer: but now you see that you and Polus and Gorgias,
who are the three wisest of the Greeks of our day, are not able
to show that we ought to live any life which does not profit in
another world as well as in this. And of all that has been said,
nothing remains unshaken but the saying, that to do injustice is
more to be avoided than to suffer injustice, and that the reality
## p. 11549 (#163) ##########################################
PLATO
11549
and not the appearance of virtue is to be followed above all
things, as well in public as in private life; and that when any
one has been wrong in anything, he is to be chastised; and that
the next best thing to a man being just is, that he should become
just, and be chastised and punished; also that he should avoid
all flattery of himself as well as of others, of the few as of the
many; and rhetoric and any other art should be used by him,
and all his actions should be done, always with a view to justice.
FROM THE REPUBLIC'
[The figure of the cave. ]
A
FTER this, I said, imagine the enlightenment or ignorance of
our nature in a figure: Behold! human beings living in a
sort of underground den, which has a mouth open towards
the light, and reaching all across the den; they have been here
from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so
that they cannot move, and can only see before them; for the
chains are arranged in such a manner as to prevent them from
turning their heads around. At a distance above and behind
them the light of a fire is blazing, and between the fire and the
prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a
low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette
players have before them, over which they show the puppets.
I see, he said.
And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carry-
ing vessels, which appear over the wall; also figures of men
and animals, made of wood and stone and various materials; and
some of the passengers, as you would expect, are talking, and
some of them are silent?
That is a strange image, he said, and they are strange pris-
oners.
Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shad-
ows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the
opposite wall of the cave?
True, he said: how could they see anything but the shadows
if they were never allowed to move their heads?
And of the objects which are being carried in like manner
they would only see the shadows?
Yes, he said.
## p. 11550 (#164) ##########################################
PLATO
11550
And if they were able to talk with one another, would they
not suppose that they were naming what was actually before
them?
Very true.
And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came
from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy that the
voice which they heard was that of a passing shadow?
No question, he replied.
There can be no question, I said, that the truth would be to
them just nothing but the shadows of the images.
That is certain.
And now look again, and see how they are released and cured
of their folly. At first, when any one of them is liberated and
compelled suddenly to go up and turn his neck round and walk
and look at the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will
distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which
in his former state he had seen the shadows: and then imagine
some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion,
but that now he is approaching real Being, and has a truer sight
and vision of more real things,- what will be his reply? And
you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the
objects as they pass and requiring him to name them,- will he
not be in difficulty? Will he not fancy that the shadows which
he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown
to him?
Far truer.
And if he is compelled to look at the light, will he not have
a pain in his eyes, which will make him turn away to take
refuge in the object of vision which he can see, and which he
will conceive to be clearer than the things which are now being
shown to him?
True, he said.
And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a
steep and rugged ascent, and held fast and forced into the pres-
ence of the sun himself, do you not think that he will be pained
and irritated, and when he approaches the light he will have his
eyes dazzled, and will not be able to see any of the realities
which are now affirmed to be the truth?
Not all in a moment, he said.
He will require to get accustomed to the sight of the upper
world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflec-
tions of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects
## p. 11551 (#165) ##########################################
PLATO
11551
themselves; next he will gaze upon the light of the moon and
the stars; and he will see the sky and the stars by night, better
than the sun, or the light of the sun, by day?
Certainly.
And at last he will be able to see the sun, and not mere
reflections of him in the water, but he will see him as he is in
his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contem-
plate his nature?
Certainly.
And after this he will reason that the sun is he who gives
the seasons and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in
the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things
which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?
Clearly, he said, he would come to the other first and to this
afterwards.
And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom
of the den and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he
would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?
Certainly he would.
And if they were in the habit of conferring honors on those
who were quickest to observe and remember and foretell which
of the shadows went before, and which followed after, and which
were together, do you think that he would care for such honors
and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say
with Homer,-
"Better be a poor man, and have a poor master,"
and endure anything, rather than to think and live after their
manner?
Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything
than live after their manner.
Imagine once more, I said, that such a one, coming suddenly
out of the sun, were to be replaced in his old situation: is he
not certain to have his eyes full of darkness?
Very true, he said.
And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in
measuring the shadows with the prisoners who have never moved
out of the den, during the time that his sight is weak, and be-
fore his eyes are steady (and the time which would be needed
to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable),
would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he
## p. 11552 (#166) ##########################################
11552
PLATO
went and down he comes without his eyes; and that there was
no use in even thinking of ascending: and if any one tried to
loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch
the offender in the act, and they would put him to death.
No question, he said.
This allegory, I said, you may now append to the previous
argument: the prison is the world of sight, the light of the fire
is the sun, the ascent and vision of the things above you may
truly regard as the upward progress of the soul into the intel-
lectual world; that is my poor belief, to which, at your desire, I
have given expression. Whether I am right or not, God only
knows: but whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world
of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen
only with an effort; and when seen, is also inferred to be the
universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light
and the lord of light in this world, and the source of truth and
reason in the other: this is the first great cause, which he who
would act rationally either in public or private life must behold.
I agree, he said, as far as I am able to understand you.
I should like to have your agreement in another matter, I
said. For I would not have you marvel that those who attain to
this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs; but
their souls are ever hastening into the upper world in which they
desire to dwell: and this is very natural, if our allegory may be
trusted.
Certainly, that is quite natural.
And is there anything surprising in one who passes from
divine contemplations to human things, misbelieving himself in a
ridiculous manner; if while his eyes are blinking and before he
has become accustomed to the darkness visible, he is compelled
to fight in courts of law, or in other places, about the images or
shadows of images of justice, and is endeavoring to meet the
conceptions of those who have never yet seen the absolute
justice?
There is nothing surprising in that, he replied.
Any one who has common-sense will remember that the be-
wilderments of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise from two
causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into
the light; which is true of the mind's eye quite as much as of
the bodily eye: and he who remembers this when he sees the
soul of any one whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be
―
## p. 11553 (#167) ##########################################
PLATO
11553
too ready to laugh; he will first ask whether that soul has come
out of the brighter life, and is unable to see because unaccustomed
to the dark, or having turned from darkness to the day is dazzled.
by excess of light. And then he will count the one happy in his
condition and state of being, and he will pity the other; or if he
have a mind to laugh at the soul which comes from below into
the light, there will be more reason in this than in the laugh
which greets the other from the den.
That, he said, is a very just remark.
But if this is true, then certain professors of education must
be mistaken in saying that they can put a knowledge into the
soul which was not there before, like giving eyes to the blind.
Yes, that is what they say, he replied.
Whereas, I said, our argument shows that the power is already
in the soul; and that as the eye cannot turn from darkness to
light without the whole body, so too, when the eye of the soul
is turned round, the whole soul must be turned from the world
of generation into that of Being, and become able to endure the
sight of Being and of the brightest and best of Being,- that is
to say, of the good.
Very true.
And this is conversion: and the art will be how to accomplish
this as easily and completely as possible; not implanting eyes,
for they exist already, but giving them a right direction, which
they have not.
Yes, he said, that may be assumed.
And hence while the other qualities seem to be akin to the
body, being infused by habit and exercise and not originally in-
nate, the virtue of wisdom is part of a divine essence, and has a
power which is everlasting; and by this conversion is rendered.
useful and profitable, and is also capable of becoming hurtful and
useless.
FROM THE STATESMAN›
TRANGER
STR
When we praise quickness and energy and acute-
ness, whether of mind or body or speech, we express our
praise of the quality which we admire, by one word; and
that one word is manliness or courage.
Young Socrates - How is that?
―
XX-723
## p. 11554 (#168) ##########################################
PLATO
11554
•Stranger-We speak of an action as energetic and manly,
quick and manly, or vigorous and manly; this is the common
epithet which we apply to all persons of this class.
Young Socrates - True.
Stranger - And do we not often praise the quiet strain of
action also?
Young Socrates-To be sure.
Stranger - And do we not then say the opposite of what we
Isaid of the other?
Young Socrates - How do you mean?
Stranger-In speaking of the mind, we say, How calm!
How temperate! These are the terms in which we describe the
working of the intellect; and again we speak of actions as delib-
erate and gentle, and of the voice as smooth and deep, and of all
rhythmical movement and of music in general as having a proper
solemnity. To all these we attribute not courage, but a name
indicative of order.
Young Socrates -Very true.
Stranger-But when, on the other hand, either of these is
out of place, the names of either are changed into terms of
censure.
Young Socrates-How is that?
Stranger Too great sharpness or quickness or hardness is
termed violence or madness; too great slowness or gentleness
is called cowardice or sluggishness: and we may observe that
these qualities, and in general the temperance of one class of
characters and the manliness of another, are arrayed as enemies
on opposite sides, and do not mingle with one another in their
respective actions; and if we pursue the inquiry, we shall find
that the men who have these qualities are at variance with one
another.
-
Young Socrates- How do you mean?
Stranger
In the instance which I mentioned, and very likely
in many others, there are some things which they praise as being
like themselves, and other things which they blame as belonging
to the opposite characters; and out of this, many quarrels and
occasions of quarrels arise among them.
Young Socrates - True.
Stranger-The difference between the two classes is amusing
enough at times; but when affecting really important matters,
becomes a most utterly hateful disorder in the State.
## p. 11555 (#169) ##########################################
PLATO
11555
Young Socrates - What part of the State is thus affected? .
Stranger - The whole course of life suffers from the disorder.
For the orderly class are always ready to lead a peaceful life,
and do their own business; this is their way of living with all
men at home, and they are equally ready to keep the peace
with foreign States. And on account of this fondness of theirs
for peace, which is often out of season where their influence
prevails, they become by degrees unwarlike, and bring up their
young men to be like themselves; they are at the command
of others: and hence in a few years they and their children and
the whole city often pass imperceptibly from the condition of
freemen into that of slaves.
-
Young Socrates- That is a hard, cruel fate.
Stranger What now is the case with the more courageous
natures? Are they not always inciting their country to go to
war, owing to their excessive love of the military life? Their
enemies are many and mighty; and if they do not ruin their
cities, they enslave and subject them to their enemies.
Young Socrates-That, again, is true.
Stranger-Must we not admit, then, that these two classes
are always in the greatest antipathy and antagonism to one an-
other?
Young Socrates - We cannot deny that.
Stranger-I want to know whether any constructive art will
make any, even the smallest thing, out of bad and good mate-
rials indifferently, if this can be avoided? whether all art does
not rather reject the bad as far as possible, and accept the good
and fit materials, and out of these like and unlike elements
gathering all into one, work out some form or idea?
Young Socrates-To be sure.
Stranger-Then the true natural art of statesmanship will
never allow any State to be formed by a combination of good
and bad men, if this can be avoided; but will begin by testing
human natures in play, and after testing them, will intrust them
to proper teachers who are her ministers: she will herself give
orders and maintain authority, like weaving, which continually
gives orders and maintains authority over the carders and all the
others who prepare the material for the work; showing to the
subsidiary arts the works which she deems necessary for making
the web.
Young Socrates-Quite true.
-
## p. 11556 (#170) ##########################################
11556
PLATO
Stranger-In like manner, the royal science appears to me
to be the mistress of all careful educators and instructors; and
having this queenly power, will not allow any of them to train
characters unsuited to the political constitution which she desires
to create, but such as are suitable only. Other natures, which
have no part in manliness and temperance or any other virtuous
inclination, and from the necessity of an evil nature are violently
carried away to godlessness and injustice and violence, she ex-
terminates by death, and punishes them by exile and the greatest
of disgraces.
Young Socrates-That is commonly said.
Stranger-But those who are wallowing in ignorance and
baseness she bows under the yoke of slavery.
Young Socrates — Quite right.
Stranger-The rest of the citizens-of whom, if they have
education, something noble may be made, and who are capable
of social science- the kingly art blends and weaves together;
taking on the one hand those whose natures tend rather to cour-
age, which is the stronger element and may be regarded as the
warp, and on the other hand those which incline to order and
gentleness, and which are represented in the figure as spun
thick and soft after the manner of the woof,- these, which are
naturally opposed, she seeks to bind and weave together.
This, then, according to our view, is the perfection of the web of
political action. There is a direct intertexture of the brave and
temperate natures, when the kingly science has drawn the two
sorts of lives into communion by unanimity and kindness; and
having completed the noblest and best of all webs of which a
common life admits, and enveloping therein all other inhabitants
of cities, whether slaves or freemen, binds them in one fabric
and governs and presides over them, omitting no element of a
city's happiness.
—
Young Socrates- You have completed, Stranger, a very perfect
image of the King and of the Statesman.
[The preceding selections from the Dialogues are Professor Jowett's
translations. ]
## p. 11557 (#171) ##########################################
11557
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
(254-184 B. C. )
BY GONZALEZ LODGE
ITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS, Rome's greatest comic poet, died in
184 B. C. According to the very meagre tradition recorded
by Gellius, he was born at Sarsina in Umbria, but came as
a young man to Rome. There he worked in a subordinate capacity
with a theatrical troupe, and accumulated some money. He then
engaged in foreign trade, but was unsuccessful, and therefore returned
to Rome and worked in a mill. Here he produced three plays which
were accepted by the ædiles; and from this time on he devoted him-
self, with the greatest success, to writing.
The number of his plays has been a matter of discussion since
shortly after his death. His great popularity caused the work of
other writers to be ascribed to him. Hence in Cicero's time, the
great antiquarian Varro found it necessary to make a careful exam-
ination of the plays then circulating under the name of Plautus,—
one hundred and thirty in number, according to some authorities. He
found that twenty-one were acknowledged by all critics as genuine;
and he himself decided that nineteen others were probably so. At
the revival of learning, but eight comedies were known. Later how-
ever other manuscripts were discovered, giving twenty more or less
complete plays; finally, in 1815, an important palimpsest of the fourth
century A. D. was found, which showed fragments of still another.
Hence it has generally been assumed that we have the twenty-one
undisputed dramas referred to by Varro.
The most striking peculiarity of these plays is, that though writ-
ten for Romans and in Latin, the plot and character are generally
Attic, and the scene is usually Athens. This was due to the literary
conditions at Rome. Until after the first Punic War, the life of
Rome had been one long succession of wars for existence, during the
latter period of which the Romans came into contact with Greek
culture and civilization in Sicily and lower Italy. There had been no
opportunity for a native literature to develop. That there were at
hand the elements of one, which under normal circumstances might
soon have shown a sturdy growth, we have abundant evidence; but
when they found time to turn their attention to literature, it was
found to be much easier to transfer the finished products of Greek
## p. 11558 (#172) ##########################################
11558
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
culture to Rome, than to develop the native product to suit a taste
already grown critical from foreign contact.
The bloom of the New Comedy was just past in Greece, and the
stage in Greek lands was still held by the masters of this school,—
Menander, Philemon, and others. They portrayed with greater or
less accuracy the rather ignoble social life of the period, sometimes
descending to the coarseness of burlesque. Plautus had probably
become familiar with such plays during his wandering youth, and he
naturally turned to them for the inspiration of his maturer years.
Accordingly we cannot expect to find in Plautus's comedies a
representation of the Roman life of the time. Their originals were
Greek; and however much worked over, they remained Greek.
Roman allusions and jokes, and some purely Roman features, were
introduced, probably to lessen the jar on the Roman sensibility: but
these were of minor importance; for it must be remembered that any
criticism of the public life of Rome was vigorously repressed by a
strict police censorship, and that only such Roman allusions would
be tolerated as would cause laughter without ill-feeling. How far
the plays as thus recast were still untrue to Roman life, we cannot
decide; but they were probably much less realistic to the Romans
than are French plays to us.
The chief interest centres about the young men. There are two
principal types, which may be roughly called the good and the bad;
but there are numerous variations in the individual characters. The
minority are represented as brave, high-minded, and genial, cultured
in manners, prudent and economical in habits; the majority are
audacious or vacillating spendthrifts, moody and dissipated, living
from hand to mouth. Frequently the contrast between the two types
is made more striking by their juxtaposition in the same play.
Almost all are in love, but are hindered from gaining possession of
their loved ones by lack of money. Being still under the control of
their fathers, they are without resources; and their expedients to raise
money, and their success or misfortune in this pursuit of their loves,
form the subject of the play. They are themselves more or less
passive, the brunt of the work falling upon their slaves; but they are
keenly interested in the slave's efforts, and follow his actions with the
liveliest emotions. When the outlook is gloomy they threaten to leave
home forever, or to destroy themselves; supplicating the slaves most
abjectly, or threatening them with the direst punishments. When
success seems assured they break out into violent transports, calling
their slaves by the most endearing names, and often showing their
gratitude by manumitting them. At other times they testify to the
strength of their passion by lackadaisical soliloquies, and are in gen-
eral "very hard to endure. "
## p. 11559 (#173) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11559
Opposed to these young men, who are still under their father's
control, we have in several plays the braggart soldier. He is usually
the rival most feared by the young men, for he has the money of
which they are in such urgent need. He is usually portrayed with
the bearing of a lion but the courage of a hare, always boasting of
his prowess but ready to yield to the slightest display of force, the
type immortalized once for all in Falstaff. He is the victim of all
the intrigues, and is invariably cheated out of both his money and
his mistress.
-
The inamoratas of the young men are usually slave girls, who
were originally free-born, but were either exposed or stolen in
infancy, and have been brought up in low surroundings for immoral
purposes. There is usually a genuine attachment between them and
the young men; the desire of both is matrimony, which the young
men hope to accomplish by purchasing the girls and manumitting
them. Frequently their origin is discovered; they are acknowledged
by delighted parents, who hasten to betroth them to their happy
lovers. Sometimes however the women are much more debased, and
the plays too coarse to be at all enjoyable.
The most important rôle is that of the slaves. These usually
stand shoulder to shoulder with their young masters, and give them
their loyal and constant support. Naturally they fall into two
classes, the honest and the dishonest. The former are few in num-
bers; and are either old slaves who have grown up in the family,
and perhaps served as tutors for the children, or stupid country
clowns, coarse in speech and habit, who serve mainly as foils to their
unscrupulous fellows. The dishonest slaves are the life of the play,
and ancient critics regarded their rôles as the most important.
Their
chief characteristics are an extraordinary boldness and skill in inven-
tion and trickery, with the most utter shamelessness in carrying out
their plans. They help their young masters out of their difficul-
ties, supply the necessary money, and at the same time furnish the
broad humor so essential to comedy. Running the risk of the most
condign punishment from the fathers, or others whom they have
deceived, they preserve a careless coolness in the most trying cir-
cumstances, and almost always manage to secure a full and com-
plete pardon, and often manumission at the end.
The lovers and their assisting slaves are often opposed by stern
fathers. These are sordid and miserly elders, who have either accu-
mulated a competence by severe toil or have married for money.
In their youth they were dissipated, but they have no sympathy
with their sons when they follow a similar course. They are there-
fore the objects of attack by the slaves, and are usually cheated out
of the money needed. Their feeling towards their wives is one of
1
8
## p. 11560 (#174) ##########################################
11560
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
aversion and contempt, and they take delight in deceiving them.
The wives in their turn are usually depicted as shrewish and un-
lovely, which may be for comic effect merely. The other class of
fathers is more attractive. These are genial and mild, prudent and
wise in council. They have frequently gained their wealth in for-
eign trade, and settled down to enjoy a quiet and dignified old age.
They are their sons' confidants instead of enemies, and look kindly
upon their youthful follies out of remembrance of their own youth.
Peculiar to Comedy are the Parasites. These are decayed gen-
tlemen who live by their wits. They often attach themselves to
some family, or young man, and assist the latter in his love intrigues.
They are perpetually hungry, and during the most serious discussions
their minds run continually upon the prospects of a dinner. They
endure the most scornful snubs if they can get but the lowest seats
at the feast. They are the perpetual objects of mockery, and their
exaltation or depression when they are invited to a dinner or cheated
of it furnish some of the liveliest scenes. The plots in which these
and minor characters appear are somewhat stereotyped, and the
motives are few and simple. But the most of the plays may be
grouped roughly in four classes: those in which some particular type
of character is portrayed; those which turn upon the recovery of
children lost or stolen in infancy; plays of simple intrigue; and those
which turn upon the impersonation of an individual or a pair of
individuals by another.
The best of the first class is the 'Aulularia,' which gives us the
fortunes and misfortunes of a miser who has discovered a pot of gold
in his house, and imagines that every one knows it and has designs
upon it. The 'Miles, Gloriosus' portrays the braggart soldier, who is
always boasting of his glorious deeds in war, and trying his fortune
with the ladies,- with indifferent success. The most interesting ex-
ample of the second class is the 'Rudens'; which, though faulty in
construction, shows Plautus at his best, and is really of a high order.
Of a lower order are the Curculio' and the Epidicus'; the latter of
which, as Plautus tells us in another comedy, was his favorite drama.
In these plays, opportunity is given for the liveliest play of feel-
ing, and some of the scenes where the child is recognized are very
pathetic. The most interesting example of the third class is the Tri-
nummus. An old man going abroad on a business venture has com-
initted to the care of a faithful friend a sum of money, which in
case of necessity shall be used to preserve his family, a son and
daughter, from the excesses of the profligate son. The play records
the devices of the friend to employ some of it as a dower for the
daughter, without allowing the son to know that he has it in his pos-
session. A parasite is accordingly hired for three nummi (shillings)
## p. 11561 (#175) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11561
to act as messenger from the absent father; and he gives his name to
the play. To the fourth class belong the three most important come-
dies: the Captives' and the 'Menæchmi,' abstracts of which follow;
and the Amphitruo,' a tragicomedy, which is interesting as showing
some tendency to burlesque the religious myths of the people. The
play gives the story of how Jupiter and Mercury personated Amphi-
truo and his slave Sosia, for the purpose of beguiling Amphitruo's
wife Alcmena.
Two of the best plays may be sketched in outline. We place
first the 'Captives,' though the plot hardly justifies Lessing's extrava-
gant praise of it as the best ever devised. At the outset we are
informed that Philopolemus, only son of a certain Hegio, was some
time previously captured in battle and made a slave in Elis; since
which time Hegio has been buying war captives, with the hope that
he might finally secure some Elean of quality with whom to effect an
exchange for his son. The stage represents Hegio's court-yard. He,
entering, informs us that he has recently made a purchase of import-
ant captives, two of whom he thinks may serve his purpose. After
he retires, the two captives, Philocrates and his slave Tyndarus, are
brought in, guarded, and lamenting their fate. They plan to person-
ate each other, with the hope that Philocrates, if looked upon as the
slave, may the easier escape. In the next scene Hegio learns from
them that his son is actually in bondage to Philocrates's father, and
the supposed Tyndarus (really the master, Philocrates) is sent away
to negotiate an exchange. Subsequently Hegio introduces another of
the captives, Aristophontes, who claims to have known Philocrates in
He being brought face to face with the supposed Philocrates,
immediately discloses the true state of affairs; and Hegio in a fury
orders the now discovered Tyndarus to punishment. Later, Philocra-
tes returns with Philopolemus; and in the ensuing explanation Tyn-
darus is discovered to be a long-lost son of Hegio, who was stolen
when he was but four years old.
In the Menæchmi,' the prologist states that an old Syracusan
merchant had two sons. Once on a business trip to Tarentum he
took one of the boys, who strayed away in the crowd and was stolen.
On his return the father was shipwrecked and drowned. The grand-
father bestowed the name of the lost boy, Menæchmus, upon the
surviving son at home. Long afterwards the son set out in search
of his brother; and in the course of his travels arrived at Epidamnus,
where the play opens. The first scene is an interview between a
parasite and Menæchmus I. (the lost one), who gleefully explains how
he has stolen his wife's cloak, and is going to bestow it upon Erotium,
a courtesan. On the appearance of Erotium he presents the cloak,
and bespeaks a dinner for himself and the parasite. In the next
scene Menæchmus II. and his servant Messenio appear. Then follow
## p. 11562 (#176) ##########################################
11562
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
two amusing scenes, first with the cook who is to prepare the dinner,
and later with Erotium; both think they are talking with Menæch-
mus I. finally Menæchmus II. goes in with Erotium to dinner. Later
the parasite appears, complaining that he has been detained and is
afraid he has lost his dinner. Menæchmus II. comes out of Erotium's
house with the cloak, which he is to take to a cleaner's to be cleaned.
The parasite, thinking that he is Menæchmus I. , attacks him for not
waiting for him, and finally, in high dudgeon departs to inform the
wife of her husband's doings. After Menæchmus II. leaves the stage,
Menæchmus I. appears and is met by his angry wife, whom he tries
to pacify by promising to return the cloak. After his departure
Menæchmus II. enters with the cloak. He has an amusing discus-
sion with the wife, and later with the wife's father, whom she has
summoned in desperation. He finally gets rid of them by feigning
madness; and the old man goes in search of a physician, while
Menæchmus II. hurries away. Then Menæchmus I. enters, and is
pounced upon by the physician and his attendants. He is rescued by
Messenio, who has just entered in search of his master, Menæchmus
II. In the final scene the two Menæchmi are brought face to face;
and the kinship of the long-separated brothers is explained by Mes-
senio, who is given his freedom for his services.
Certain of the plays were performed occasionally down to the
close of the Republic, or even later. Indeed, Plautus remained a
much read and appreciated author from the time of Varro and Cicero
until the dark ages. The Christian fathers, especially Jerome, were
very fond of him. At the Renaissance the newly discovered plays
were eagerly caught up in Italy, and later in France and Germany.
Translations were made; and great authors wrote plays based upon
those of Plautus, of which a few may be mentioned: Molière's
'Amphitryon' was based upon the 'Amphitruo,' and the two together
inspired Dryden's 'Amphitryon. ' Molière's 'L'Avare' was an imita-
tion of the 'Aulularia,' and it in turn inspired Shadwell's 'Miser'
and Fielding's 'Miser. ' The Captivi' was the basis of Ariosto's
'Suppositi' and of Rotrou's 'Les Captifs. ' Ben Jonson's 'The Case
is Altered' has scenes from the 'Aulularia' and 'Captivi. ' To the
Menæchmi must be referred Cecchi's 'Le Moglie,' Goldoni's 'I due
Gemelli, Shakespeare's 'Comedy of Errors,' and many others. The
< Miles Gloriosus' formed a favorite type; and we find traces of it in
Dolce's 'Il Capitano,' Corneille's 'L'Illusion Comique,' Udall's 'Ralph
Roister Doister,' and others. A careful study of Plautus's influence on
modern literature may be found in Reinhardtstöttner's 'Spätere Be-
arbeitungen Plautinischer Lustspiele' (Leipzig, 1886).
(
By reason of the great difference between the archaic Latin of
Plautus and the later classical Latin, the manuscript tradition soon
became faulty and the text corrupt. During this century great
## p. 11563 (#177) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11563
progress has been made in the reconstruction of the text, through
the labors of many scholars, notably Ritschl and Studemund. Ritschl
began a critical edition of Plautus as early as 1849. This was com-
pleted after his death by three of his pupils,- Goetz, Schoell, and
Loewe, the last part appearing in 1894. This edition has a marvel-
ously complete apparatus criticus, but the text is marred by many
violent emendations and arbitrary changes. Two of the same editors,
Goetz and Schoell, have since published a complete text in the Teub-
ner series (Leipzig, 1893-95); but this edition is as conservative as
the larger one is radical, and the text has been left incomprehensi-
ble in many places through despair of certain emendation. The best
text for practical use is that of Leo (Berlin, 1895–96). No adequate
English translation of the whole of Plautus has appeared. That of
Thornton, published in the last century, in blank verse, follows a
poor text, and that by Riley in the Bohn collection has no merit but
that of literalness. In 1893 appeared the first volume of a new trans-
lation in the original metres by Sugden, comprising the Amphitruo,
Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, and Captivi. The editor has taken
surprising liberties, not merely expurgating his text, but actually
"correcting" the plots.
Gonzalez Lorly
>
[The citations from Plautus are translated for the Library by William C.
Lawton. ]
FROM MILES GLORIOSUS) (THE BRAGGART SOLDIER)
[The soldier himself opens the play, coming forth from his house, which,
with a neighbor's, forms the back of the scene. He is attended by his Fal-
staffian retinue, and also by his especial flatterer and shadow Artotrogus,—
"Breadeater. " The pompous veteran has the first word. ]
YRGOPOLINICES See to it that more splendid be my shield,
Than the sun's rays are when the day is bright;
So when there's need, in battle's close array
Its sheen may blind the eyes of enemies.
And this my cutlass I would comfort too,
That it be not downhearted, nor lament
That it is worn so long in idleness,
Though sadly bent on massacre of foes! -
But where is Artotrogus?
PYRO
Ρ
## p. 11564 (#178) ##########################################
11564
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
Artotrogus [promptly] —
Here, beside
The man so valiant, kingly, fortunate,
Mars might not such a warrior call himself,
Nor dare to match your valor with his own!
Pyrgopolinices—
That one I saved on the Curculionian plains,
When Búmbomáchides Clýtomestóridysárchides,
Grandson of Neptune, was commander-in-chief —
Artotrogus-
I remember. He, you mean, in arms of gold,
Whose legions with your breath you puffed away,
As wind doth leaves and rushes good for thatch.
Pyrgopolinices-
Why, that is nothing!
[And the complacent warrior goes striding, with nodding helmet-plumes
and waving locks, up and down the stage; so that the weary flatterer, begin-
ning his return compliment, presently has an instant to tell us of the audience
- behind his hand-something of his real opinions. ]
Artotrogus
So forsooth it is,
To deeds I'll tell-
[Aside] which you did never do!
If you can find a more mendacious man,
Or one more boastful than this fellow is,
Take me and hold me for your chattel, then!
Just one thing: olive salad he can bolt!
Pyrgopolinices [turning]—
Where are you?
[The parasite pretends he has been all the time cataloguing the hero's
exploits: -]
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices —
How with a fisticuff you broke his arm!
Here! Then, there's that elephant:
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices -
Artotrogus-
What's that? his arm?
I didn't try to strike.
His thigh I meant, of course.
No! If you had,
With effort, through the creature's hide and heart
And through his bones your arm had made its way.
Pyrgopolinices [modestly] —
That doesn't matter.
Artotrogus-
No, 'tis not worth while
For me to tell, who know your valorous deeds.
## p. 11565 (#179) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11565
[Aside] -
My belly makes this misery; and my ears
Must hearken, lest my teeth have naught to do.
To every lie he tells I must assent!
Pyrgopolinices-
What am I saying?
Artotrogus-
I remember, it happened.
Pyrgopolinices-
Artotrogus [rather wearily]-
Pyrgopolinices [more sharply]
You remember - ?
Artotrogus [rapidly]—
Pyrgopolinices —
Yes, a hundred in Cilicia,
And fifty, a hundred in Scytholatronia,
Thirty from Sardis, sixty Macedonians,-
All of them in a single day you slew.
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices [complacently]-
Artotrogus-
-
What is the grand sum total?
Artotrogus
Pyrgopolinices-
―
-
Your memory's good.
Artotrogus-
I know what you would say:
-
So many should it be. You reckon well.
Pyrgopolinices —
Artotrogus-
What?
I have no records,-I remember it so.
Pyrgopolinices—
Whatever it is.
Seven thousand!
Pyrgopolinices [eagerly]—
Artotrogus-
While you shall play your part as you do now,
Table companion will I hold you still.
The tidbits prompt me aright!
What! In Cappadocia, at a single blow
You had slain five hundred! But-your sword was dull.
Poor wretched infantry, I let them live.
Why say what all men know, that on the earth
You only, Pyrgopolinices, live
In valor, beauty, deeds, unconqueredest ?
All women love you,- and good reason too,
You are so handsome. Like those yesterday
That plucked my cloak.
What did they say to you?
They asked me: "Is this Achilles? " so said one.
## p. 11566 (#180) ##########################################
11566
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
"Yes, 'tis his brother," said I. Then the other:
"Well, he is handsome, surely," so she said,
"And noble. See how well his hair becomes him!
Happy the women are with whom he wives! "
Pyrgopolinices-
Did they say so?
Artotrogus-
Why, yes! Both made me swear
To-day I'd bring you in procession by.
Pyrgopolinices [pensively]-
To be too handsome is a piteous thing!
Artotrogus-
It bores me! For they pray and crowd and beg,
So that I cannot get your business done.
[A movement of the soldier at this word "business" gives the quick-witted
flatterer his cue. ]
Pyrgopolinices-
Have you
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices —
Artotrogus-
You give your mind to mine right wittily.
Pyrgopolinices-
You mean your tablets? Yes, and pen.
'Tis fit that I should know your nature well,
And try to scent out that which you desire.
Artotrogus-
'Tis time, methinks, to hasten to the Forum;
For there must I bestow their wage upon
The hirelings I enlisted yesterday.
For King Seleucus begged me earnestly,
To gather and enroll him mercenaries.
Why, then, let's go.
Pyrgopolinices—
Attendants, follow me!
[Exeunt omnes.
[The prologue, rather singularly, is now spoken, at the opening of the
second act. It may be interesting to cite a few lines, though its literary merit
is small. ]
Palæstrio [a slave, appearing from the soldier's house, as Prologue]-
This argument I'll tell you courteously,
If you to listen will be mannerly.
Who will not listen, let him up and go,
So making room for one disposed to hear.
This comedy we are about to play,
## p. 11567 (#181) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11567
For sake of which you sit so festive there,-
Its argument and name I'll tell to you.
'Alazon is the drama's name in Greek,
And Braggadocio is our word for it. .
This's Ephesus. Yon soldier is my master,
Who went thence townward; boastful, insolent,
Filthy, and full of crapulence and lies.
He says the women chase him all unsought.
A laughing-stock he is, where he appears.
So, while with mocking lips they lead him on,
Most of the girls you'll see with mouths awry!
[The last line is perhaps a random jest aimed at the extravagant comic
masks. If so, it is an indication of post-Plautine date. One of the most
interesting prologues, that of the Casina,' was certainly composed for a late
revival of a remarkably coarse and brutal play. A few examples of these pro-
logues may be instructive. ]
PROLOGUE OF CASINA ›
THE
HE men who drink old wine I count as wise,
And those that gladly hear an ancient play.
Since antique words and phrases please you well,
An old-time drama should delight you more.
For the new comedies that now appear
Are even more debased than these new coins.
Now we have hearkened to the people's cry,
That you desire to hear the Plautine plays,
And so bring out this ancient comedy,
Which you approved; — that is, you elder men:
The younger sort, I am sure, have known it not;
But that you may, we earnestly shall strive.
All dramas it surpassed, when acted first.
The flower of poets still were living then,
Though now departed whither all must pass, -
In absence helpful still to those that are.
And with full earnestness we beg you all
Kindly to give attention to our troop.
-
Cast from your minds your cares and debts away.
Let no one stand in terror of his dun.
'Tis holiday.
from Asia came to Rhadamanthus, he places them near him and
inspects them quite impartially, not knowing whose the soul is:
perhaps he may lay hands on the soul of the great king, or of
some other king or potentate, who has no soundness in him;
but his soul is marked with the whip, and is full of the prints
and scars of perjuries, and of wrongs which have been plastered
into him by each action, and he is all crooked with falsehood and
imposture, and has no straightness, because he has lived without
## p. 11547 (#161) ##########################################
PLATO
11547
truth. Him Rhadamanthus beholds, full of deformity and dis-
proportion, which is caused by license and luxury and insolence
and incontinence, and dispatches him ignominiously to his prison,
and there he undergoes the punishment which he deserves.
Now the proper office of punishment is twofold: he who is
rightly punished ought either to become better and profit by it,
or he ought to be made an example to his fellows, that they
may see what he suffers, and fear and become better. Those
who are punished by gods and men, and improved, are those
whose sins are curable: still the way of improving them, as in
this world so also in another, is by pain and suffering; for there
is no other way in which they can be delivered from their evil.
But they who have been guilty of the worst crimes, and are in-
curable by reason of their crimes, are made examples; for, as
they are incurable, the time has passed at which they can receive
any benefit themselves. But others get good when they behold
them forever enduring the most terrible and painful and fearful
sufferings as the penalty of their sins; there they are, hanging
up as examples, in the prison-house of the world below,—a spec-
tacle and a warning to all unrighteous men who come thither.
And most of those fearful examples, as I believe, are taken from
the class of tyrants and kings and potentates and public men;
for they are the authors of the greatest and most impious crimes,
because they have the power. And Homer witnesses to the truth
of this; for those whom he has described as suffering everlast-
ing punishment in the world below are always kings and poten-
tates; there are Tantalus, and Sisyphus, and Tityus. But no
one ever described Thersites, or any private person who was a
villain, as suffering everlasting punishment because he was incur-
able. For to do as they did was, as I am inclined to think, not
in his power; and he was happier than those who had the power.
Yes, Callicles, the very bad men come from the class of those
who have power. And yet, in that very class there may arise
good men, and worthy of all admiration they are; for where
there is great power to do wrong, to live and die justly is a
hard thing, and greatly to be praised, and few there are who
attain this. Such good and true men, however, there have been,
and will be again, in this and other States, who have fulfilled
their trust righteously; and there is one who is quite famous all
over Hellas,— Aristides the son of Lysimachus. But in general,
great men are also bad, my friend.
-
## p. 11548 (#162) ##########################################
11548
PLATO
And as I was saying, Rhadamanthus, when he gets a soul of
this kind, knows nothing about him, neither who he is nor who
his parents are: he knows only that he has got hold of a villain;
and seeing this, he stamps him as curable or incurable, and sends
him away to Tartarus, whither he goes and receives his recom-
pense. Or again, he looks with admiration on the soul of some
just one who has lived in holiness and truth: he may have been
a private man or not; and I should say, Callicles, that he is most
likely to have been a philosopher who has done his own work,
and not troubled himself with the doings of other men in his
lifetime: him Rhadamanthus sends to the islands of the blest.
Eacus does the same; and they both have sceptres, and judge;
and Minos is seated, looking on, as Odysseus in Homer declares
that he saw him,-
"Holding a sceptre of gold, and giving laws to the dead. "
Now I, Callicles, am persuaded of the truth of these things; and
I consider how I shall present my soul whole and undefiled be-
fore the judge in that day. Renouncing the honors at which the
world aims, I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well
as I can; and when the time comes, to die. And to the utmost
of my power, I exhort all other men to do the same. And in
return for your exhortation of me, I exhort you also to take part
in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater
than every other earthly conflict. And I retort your reproach of
me, and say that you will not be able to help yourself when the
day of trial and judgment, of which I was speaking, comes upon
you: you will go before the judge, the son of Ægina, and when
you are in the hands of justice you will gape and your head will
swim round, just as mine would in the courts of this world; and
very likely some one will shamefully box you on the ears, and
put upon you every sort of insult.
Perhaps this may appear to you to be only an old wife's tale,
which you contemn. And there might be reason in your con-
temning such tales, if by searching we could find out anything
better or truer: but now you see that you and Polus and Gorgias,
who are the three wisest of the Greeks of our day, are not able
to show that we ought to live any life which does not profit in
another world as well as in this. And of all that has been said,
nothing remains unshaken but the saying, that to do injustice is
more to be avoided than to suffer injustice, and that the reality
## p. 11549 (#163) ##########################################
PLATO
11549
and not the appearance of virtue is to be followed above all
things, as well in public as in private life; and that when any
one has been wrong in anything, he is to be chastised; and that
the next best thing to a man being just is, that he should become
just, and be chastised and punished; also that he should avoid
all flattery of himself as well as of others, of the few as of the
many; and rhetoric and any other art should be used by him,
and all his actions should be done, always with a view to justice.
FROM THE REPUBLIC'
[The figure of the cave. ]
A
FTER this, I said, imagine the enlightenment or ignorance of
our nature in a figure: Behold! human beings living in a
sort of underground den, which has a mouth open towards
the light, and reaching all across the den; they have been here
from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so
that they cannot move, and can only see before them; for the
chains are arranged in such a manner as to prevent them from
turning their heads around. At a distance above and behind
them the light of a fire is blazing, and between the fire and the
prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a
low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette
players have before them, over which they show the puppets.
I see, he said.
And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carry-
ing vessels, which appear over the wall; also figures of men
and animals, made of wood and stone and various materials; and
some of the passengers, as you would expect, are talking, and
some of them are silent?
That is a strange image, he said, and they are strange pris-
oners.
Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shad-
ows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the
opposite wall of the cave?
True, he said: how could they see anything but the shadows
if they were never allowed to move their heads?
And of the objects which are being carried in like manner
they would only see the shadows?
Yes, he said.
## p. 11550 (#164) ##########################################
PLATO
11550
And if they were able to talk with one another, would they
not suppose that they were naming what was actually before
them?
Very true.
And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came
from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy that the
voice which they heard was that of a passing shadow?
No question, he replied.
There can be no question, I said, that the truth would be to
them just nothing but the shadows of the images.
That is certain.
And now look again, and see how they are released and cured
of their folly. At first, when any one of them is liberated and
compelled suddenly to go up and turn his neck round and walk
and look at the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will
distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which
in his former state he had seen the shadows: and then imagine
some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion,
but that now he is approaching real Being, and has a truer sight
and vision of more real things,- what will be his reply? And
you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the
objects as they pass and requiring him to name them,- will he
not be in difficulty? Will he not fancy that the shadows which
he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown
to him?
Far truer.
And if he is compelled to look at the light, will he not have
a pain in his eyes, which will make him turn away to take
refuge in the object of vision which he can see, and which he
will conceive to be clearer than the things which are now being
shown to him?
True, he said.
And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a
steep and rugged ascent, and held fast and forced into the pres-
ence of the sun himself, do you not think that he will be pained
and irritated, and when he approaches the light he will have his
eyes dazzled, and will not be able to see any of the realities
which are now affirmed to be the truth?
Not all in a moment, he said.
He will require to get accustomed to the sight of the upper
world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflec-
tions of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects
## p. 11551 (#165) ##########################################
PLATO
11551
themselves; next he will gaze upon the light of the moon and
the stars; and he will see the sky and the stars by night, better
than the sun, or the light of the sun, by day?
Certainly.
And at last he will be able to see the sun, and not mere
reflections of him in the water, but he will see him as he is in
his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contem-
plate his nature?
Certainly.
And after this he will reason that the sun is he who gives
the seasons and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in
the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things
which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?
Clearly, he said, he would come to the other first and to this
afterwards.
And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom
of the den and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he
would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?
Certainly he would.
And if they were in the habit of conferring honors on those
who were quickest to observe and remember and foretell which
of the shadows went before, and which followed after, and which
were together, do you think that he would care for such honors
and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say
with Homer,-
"Better be a poor man, and have a poor master,"
and endure anything, rather than to think and live after their
manner?
Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything
than live after their manner.
Imagine once more, I said, that such a one, coming suddenly
out of the sun, were to be replaced in his old situation: is he
not certain to have his eyes full of darkness?
Very true, he said.
And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in
measuring the shadows with the prisoners who have never moved
out of the den, during the time that his sight is weak, and be-
fore his eyes are steady (and the time which would be needed
to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable),
would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he
## p. 11552 (#166) ##########################################
11552
PLATO
went and down he comes without his eyes; and that there was
no use in even thinking of ascending: and if any one tried to
loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch
the offender in the act, and they would put him to death.
No question, he said.
This allegory, I said, you may now append to the previous
argument: the prison is the world of sight, the light of the fire
is the sun, the ascent and vision of the things above you may
truly regard as the upward progress of the soul into the intel-
lectual world; that is my poor belief, to which, at your desire, I
have given expression. Whether I am right or not, God only
knows: but whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world
of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen
only with an effort; and when seen, is also inferred to be the
universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light
and the lord of light in this world, and the source of truth and
reason in the other: this is the first great cause, which he who
would act rationally either in public or private life must behold.
I agree, he said, as far as I am able to understand you.
I should like to have your agreement in another matter, I
said. For I would not have you marvel that those who attain to
this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs; but
their souls are ever hastening into the upper world in which they
desire to dwell: and this is very natural, if our allegory may be
trusted.
Certainly, that is quite natural.
And is there anything surprising in one who passes from
divine contemplations to human things, misbelieving himself in a
ridiculous manner; if while his eyes are blinking and before he
has become accustomed to the darkness visible, he is compelled
to fight in courts of law, or in other places, about the images or
shadows of images of justice, and is endeavoring to meet the
conceptions of those who have never yet seen the absolute
justice?
There is nothing surprising in that, he replied.
Any one who has common-sense will remember that the be-
wilderments of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise from two
causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into
the light; which is true of the mind's eye quite as much as of
the bodily eye: and he who remembers this when he sees the
soul of any one whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be
―
## p. 11553 (#167) ##########################################
PLATO
11553
too ready to laugh; he will first ask whether that soul has come
out of the brighter life, and is unable to see because unaccustomed
to the dark, or having turned from darkness to the day is dazzled.
by excess of light. And then he will count the one happy in his
condition and state of being, and he will pity the other; or if he
have a mind to laugh at the soul which comes from below into
the light, there will be more reason in this than in the laugh
which greets the other from the den.
That, he said, is a very just remark.
But if this is true, then certain professors of education must
be mistaken in saying that they can put a knowledge into the
soul which was not there before, like giving eyes to the blind.
Yes, that is what they say, he replied.
Whereas, I said, our argument shows that the power is already
in the soul; and that as the eye cannot turn from darkness to
light without the whole body, so too, when the eye of the soul
is turned round, the whole soul must be turned from the world
of generation into that of Being, and become able to endure the
sight of Being and of the brightest and best of Being,- that is
to say, of the good.
Very true.
And this is conversion: and the art will be how to accomplish
this as easily and completely as possible; not implanting eyes,
for they exist already, but giving them a right direction, which
they have not.
Yes, he said, that may be assumed.
And hence while the other qualities seem to be akin to the
body, being infused by habit and exercise and not originally in-
nate, the virtue of wisdom is part of a divine essence, and has a
power which is everlasting; and by this conversion is rendered.
useful and profitable, and is also capable of becoming hurtful and
useless.
FROM THE STATESMAN›
TRANGER
STR
When we praise quickness and energy and acute-
ness, whether of mind or body or speech, we express our
praise of the quality which we admire, by one word; and
that one word is manliness or courage.
Young Socrates - How is that?
―
XX-723
## p. 11554 (#168) ##########################################
PLATO
11554
•Stranger-We speak of an action as energetic and manly,
quick and manly, or vigorous and manly; this is the common
epithet which we apply to all persons of this class.
Young Socrates - True.
Stranger - And do we not often praise the quiet strain of
action also?
Young Socrates-To be sure.
Stranger - And do we not then say the opposite of what we
Isaid of the other?
Young Socrates - How do you mean?
Stranger-In speaking of the mind, we say, How calm!
How temperate! These are the terms in which we describe the
working of the intellect; and again we speak of actions as delib-
erate and gentle, and of the voice as smooth and deep, and of all
rhythmical movement and of music in general as having a proper
solemnity. To all these we attribute not courage, but a name
indicative of order.
Young Socrates -Very true.
Stranger-But when, on the other hand, either of these is
out of place, the names of either are changed into terms of
censure.
Young Socrates-How is that?
Stranger Too great sharpness or quickness or hardness is
termed violence or madness; too great slowness or gentleness
is called cowardice or sluggishness: and we may observe that
these qualities, and in general the temperance of one class of
characters and the manliness of another, are arrayed as enemies
on opposite sides, and do not mingle with one another in their
respective actions; and if we pursue the inquiry, we shall find
that the men who have these qualities are at variance with one
another.
-
Young Socrates- How do you mean?
Stranger
In the instance which I mentioned, and very likely
in many others, there are some things which they praise as being
like themselves, and other things which they blame as belonging
to the opposite characters; and out of this, many quarrels and
occasions of quarrels arise among them.
Young Socrates - True.
Stranger-The difference between the two classes is amusing
enough at times; but when affecting really important matters,
becomes a most utterly hateful disorder in the State.
## p. 11555 (#169) ##########################################
PLATO
11555
Young Socrates - What part of the State is thus affected? .
Stranger - The whole course of life suffers from the disorder.
For the orderly class are always ready to lead a peaceful life,
and do their own business; this is their way of living with all
men at home, and they are equally ready to keep the peace
with foreign States. And on account of this fondness of theirs
for peace, which is often out of season where their influence
prevails, they become by degrees unwarlike, and bring up their
young men to be like themselves; they are at the command
of others: and hence in a few years they and their children and
the whole city often pass imperceptibly from the condition of
freemen into that of slaves.
-
Young Socrates- That is a hard, cruel fate.
Stranger What now is the case with the more courageous
natures? Are they not always inciting their country to go to
war, owing to their excessive love of the military life? Their
enemies are many and mighty; and if they do not ruin their
cities, they enslave and subject them to their enemies.
Young Socrates-That, again, is true.
Stranger-Must we not admit, then, that these two classes
are always in the greatest antipathy and antagonism to one an-
other?
Young Socrates - We cannot deny that.
Stranger-I want to know whether any constructive art will
make any, even the smallest thing, out of bad and good mate-
rials indifferently, if this can be avoided? whether all art does
not rather reject the bad as far as possible, and accept the good
and fit materials, and out of these like and unlike elements
gathering all into one, work out some form or idea?
Young Socrates-To be sure.
Stranger-Then the true natural art of statesmanship will
never allow any State to be formed by a combination of good
and bad men, if this can be avoided; but will begin by testing
human natures in play, and after testing them, will intrust them
to proper teachers who are her ministers: she will herself give
orders and maintain authority, like weaving, which continually
gives orders and maintains authority over the carders and all the
others who prepare the material for the work; showing to the
subsidiary arts the works which she deems necessary for making
the web.
Young Socrates-Quite true.
-
## p. 11556 (#170) ##########################################
11556
PLATO
Stranger-In like manner, the royal science appears to me
to be the mistress of all careful educators and instructors; and
having this queenly power, will not allow any of them to train
characters unsuited to the political constitution which she desires
to create, but such as are suitable only. Other natures, which
have no part in manliness and temperance or any other virtuous
inclination, and from the necessity of an evil nature are violently
carried away to godlessness and injustice and violence, she ex-
terminates by death, and punishes them by exile and the greatest
of disgraces.
Young Socrates-That is commonly said.
Stranger-But those who are wallowing in ignorance and
baseness she bows under the yoke of slavery.
Young Socrates — Quite right.
Stranger-The rest of the citizens-of whom, if they have
education, something noble may be made, and who are capable
of social science- the kingly art blends and weaves together;
taking on the one hand those whose natures tend rather to cour-
age, which is the stronger element and may be regarded as the
warp, and on the other hand those which incline to order and
gentleness, and which are represented in the figure as spun
thick and soft after the manner of the woof,- these, which are
naturally opposed, she seeks to bind and weave together.
This, then, according to our view, is the perfection of the web of
political action. There is a direct intertexture of the brave and
temperate natures, when the kingly science has drawn the two
sorts of lives into communion by unanimity and kindness; and
having completed the noblest and best of all webs of which a
common life admits, and enveloping therein all other inhabitants
of cities, whether slaves or freemen, binds them in one fabric
and governs and presides over them, omitting no element of a
city's happiness.
—
Young Socrates- You have completed, Stranger, a very perfect
image of the King and of the Statesman.
[The preceding selections from the Dialogues are Professor Jowett's
translations. ]
## p. 11557 (#171) ##########################################
11557
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
(254-184 B. C. )
BY GONZALEZ LODGE
ITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS, Rome's greatest comic poet, died in
184 B. C. According to the very meagre tradition recorded
by Gellius, he was born at Sarsina in Umbria, but came as
a young man to Rome. There he worked in a subordinate capacity
with a theatrical troupe, and accumulated some money. He then
engaged in foreign trade, but was unsuccessful, and therefore returned
to Rome and worked in a mill. Here he produced three plays which
were accepted by the ædiles; and from this time on he devoted him-
self, with the greatest success, to writing.
The number of his plays has been a matter of discussion since
shortly after his death. His great popularity caused the work of
other writers to be ascribed to him. Hence in Cicero's time, the
great antiquarian Varro found it necessary to make a careful exam-
ination of the plays then circulating under the name of Plautus,—
one hundred and thirty in number, according to some authorities. He
found that twenty-one were acknowledged by all critics as genuine;
and he himself decided that nineteen others were probably so. At
the revival of learning, but eight comedies were known. Later how-
ever other manuscripts were discovered, giving twenty more or less
complete plays; finally, in 1815, an important palimpsest of the fourth
century A. D. was found, which showed fragments of still another.
Hence it has generally been assumed that we have the twenty-one
undisputed dramas referred to by Varro.
The most striking peculiarity of these plays is, that though writ-
ten for Romans and in Latin, the plot and character are generally
Attic, and the scene is usually Athens. This was due to the literary
conditions at Rome. Until after the first Punic War, the life of
Rome had been one long succession of wars for existence, during the
latter period of which the Romans came into contact with Greek
culture and civilization in Sicily and lower Italy. There had been no
opportunity for a native literature to develop. That there were at
hand the elements of one, which under normal circumstances might
soon have shown a sturdy growth, we have abundant evidence; but
when they found time to turn their attention to literature, it was
found to be much easier to transfer the finished products of Greek
## p. 11558 (#172) ##########################################
11558
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
culture to Rome, than to develop the native product to suit a taste
already grown critical from foreign contact.
The bloom of the New Comedy was just past in Greece, and the
stage in Greek lands was still held by the masters of this school,—
Menander, Philemon, and others. They portrayed with greater or
less accuracy the rather ignoble social life of the period, sometimes
descending to the coarseness of burlesque. Plautus had probably
become familiar with such plays during his wandering youth, and he
naturally turned to them for the inspiration of his maturer years.
Accordingly we cannot expect to find in Plautus's comedies a
representation of the Roman life of the time. Their originals were
Greek; and however much worked over, they remained Greek.
Roman allusions and jokes, and some purely Roman features, were
introduced, probably to lessen the jar on the Roman sensibility: but
these were of minor importance; for it must be remembered that any
criticism of the public life of Rome was vigorously repressed by a
strict police censorship, and that only such Roman allusions would
be tolerated as would cause laughter without ill-feeling. How far
the plays as thus recast were still untrue to Roman life, we cannot
decide; but they were probably much less realistic to the Romans
than are French plays to us.
The chief interest centres about the young men. There are two
principal types, which may be roughly called the good and the bad;
but there are numerous variations in the individual characters. The
minority are represented as brave, high-minded, and genial, cultured
in manners, prudent and economical in habits; the majority are
audacious or vacillating spendthrifts, moody and dissipated, living
from hand to mouth. Frequently the contrast between the two types
is made more striking by their juxtaposition in the same play.
Almost all are in love, but are hindered from gaining possession of
their loved ones by lack of money. Being still under the control of
their fathers, they are without resources; and their expedients to raise
money, and their success or misfortune in this pursuit of their loves,
form the subject of the play. They are themselves more or less
passive, the brunt of the work falling upon their slaves; but they are
keenly interested in the slave's efforts, and follow his actions with the
liveliest emotions. When the outlook is gloomy they threaten to leave
home forever, or to destroy themselves; supplicating the slaves most
abjectly, or threatening them with the direst punishments. When
success seems assured they break out into violent transports, calling
their slaves by the most endearing names, and often showing their
gratitude by manumitting them. At other times they testify to the
strength of their passion by lackadaisical soliloquies, and are in gen-
eral "very hard to endure. "
## p. 11559 (#173) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11559
Opposed to these young men, who are still under their father's
control, we have in several plays the braggart soldier. He is usually
the rival most feared by the young men, for he has the money of
which they are in such urgent need. He is usually portrayed with
the bearing of a lion but the courage of a hare, always boasting of
his prowess but ready to yield to the slightest display of force, the
type immortalized once for all in Falstaff. He is the victim of all
the intrigues, and is invariably cheated out of both his money and
his mistress.
-
The inamoratas of the young men are usually slave girls, who
were originally free-born, but were either exposed or stolen in
infancy, and have been brought up in low surroundings for immoral
purposes. There is usually a genuine attachment between them and
the young men; the desire of both is matrimony, which the young
men hope to accomplish by purchasing the girls and manumitting
them. Frequently their origin is discovered; they are acknowledged
by delighted parents, who hasten to betroth them to their happy
lovers. Sometimes however the women are much more debased, and
the plays too coarse to be at all enjoyable.
The most important rôle is that of the slaves. These usually
stand shoulder to shoulder with their young masters, and give them
their loyal and constant support. Naturally they fall into two
classes, the honest and the dishonest. The former are few in num-
bers; and are either old slaves who have grown up in the family,
and perhaps served as tutors for the children, or stupid country
clowns, coarse in speech and habit, who serve mainly as foils to their
unscrupulous fellows. The dishonest slaves are the life of the play,
and ancient critics regarded their rôles as the most important.
Their
chief characteristics are an extraordinary boldness and skill in inven-
tion and trickery, with the most utter shamelessness in carrying out
their plans. They help their young masters out of their difficul-
ties, supply the necessary money, and at the same time furnish the
broad humor so essential to comedy. Running the risk of the most
condign punishment from the fathers, or others whom they have
deceived, they preserve a careless coolness in the most trying cir-
cumstances, and almost always manage to secure a full and com-
plete pardon, and often manumission at the end.
The lovers and their assisting slaves are often opposed by stern
fathers. These are sordid and miserly elders, who have either accu-
mulated a competence by severe toil or have married for money.
In their youth they were dissipated, but they have no sympathy
with their sons when they follow a similar course. They are there-
fore the objects of attack by the slaves, and are usually cheated out
of the money needed. Their feeling towards their wives is one of
1
8
## p. 11560 (#174) ##########################################
11560
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
aversion and contempt, and they take delight in deceiving them.
The wives in their turn are usually depicted as shrewish and un-
lovely, which may be for comic effect merely. The other class of
fathers is more attractive. These are genial and mild, prudent and
wise in council. They have frequently gained their wealth in for-
eign trade, and settled down to enjoy a quiet and dignified old age.
They are their sons' confidants instead of enemies, and look kindly
upon their youthful follies out of remembrance of their own youth.
Peculiar to Comedy are the Parasites. These are decayed gen-
tlemen who live by their wits. They often attach themselves to
some family, or young man, and assist the latter in his love intrigues.
They are perpetually hungry, and during the most serious discussions
their minds run continually upon the prospects of a dinner. They
endure the most scornful snubs if they can get but the lowest seats
at the feast. They are the perpetual objects of mockery, and their
exaltation or depression when they are invited to a dinner or cheated
of it furnish some of the liveliest scenes. The plots in which these
and minor characters appear are somewhat stereotyped, and the
motives are few and simple. But the most of the plays may be
grouped roughly in four classes: those in which some particular type
of character is portrayed; those which turn upon the recovery of
children lost or stolen in infancy; plays of simple intrigue; and those
which turn upon the impersonation of an individual or a pair of
individuals by another.
The best of the first class is the 'Aulularia,' which gives us the
fortunes and misfortunes of a miser who has discovered a pot of gold
in his house, and imagines that every one knows it and has designs
upon it. The 'Miles, Gloriosus' portrays the braggart soldier, who is
always boasting of his glorious deeds in war, and trying his fortune
with the ladies,- with indifferent success. The most interesting ex-
ample of the second class is the 'Rudens'; which, though faulty in
construction, shows Plautus at his best, and is really of a high order.
Of a lower order are the Curculio' and the Epidicus'; the latter of
which, as Plautus tells us in another comedy, was his favorite drama.
In these plays, opportunity is given for the liveliest play of feel-
ing, and some of the scenes where the child is recognized are very
pathetic. The most interesting example of the third class is the Tri-
nummus. An old man going abroad on a business venture has com-
initted to the care of a faithful friend a sum of money, which in
case of necessity shall be used to preserve his family, a son and
daughter, from the excesses of the profligate son. The play records
the devices of the friend to employ some of it as a dower for the
daughter, without allowing the son to know that he has it in his pos-
session. A parasite is accordingly hired for three nummi (shillings)
## p. 11561 (#175) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11561
to act as messenger from the absent father; and he gives his name to
the play. To the fourth class belong the three most important come-
dies: the Captives' and the 'Menæchmi,' abstracts of which follow;
and the Amphitruo,' a tragicomedy, which is interesting as showing
some tendency to burlesque the religious myths of the people. The
play gives the story of how Jupiter and Mercury personated Amphi-
truo and his slave Sosia, for the purpose of beguiling Amphitruo's
wife Alcmena.
Two of the best plays may be sketched in outline. We place
first the 'Captives,' though the plot hardly justifies Lessing's extrava-
gant praise of it as the best ever devised. At the outset we are
informed that Philopolemus, only son of a certain Hegio, was some
time previously captured in battle and made a slave in Elis; since
which time Hegio has been buying war captives, with the hope that
he might finally secure some Elean of quality with whom to effect an
exchange for his son. The stage represents Hegio's court-yard. He,
entering, informs us that he has recently made a purchase of import-
ant captives, two of whom he thinks may serve his purpose. After
he retires, the two captives, Philocrates and his slave Tyndarus, are
brought in, guarded, and lamenting their fate. They plan to person-
ate each other, with the hope that Philocrates, if looked upon as the
slave, may the easier escape. In the next scene Hegio learns from
them that his son is actually in bondage to Philocrates's father, and
the supposed Tyndarus (really the master, Philocrates) is sent away
to negotiate an exchange. Subsequently Hegio introduces another of
the captives, Aristophontes, who claims to have known Philocrates in
He being brought face to face with the supposed Philocrates,
immediately discloses the true state of affairs; and Hegio in a fury
orders the now discovered Tyndarus to punishment. Later, Philocra-
tes returns with Philopolemus; and in the ensuing explanation Tyn-
darus is discovered to be a long-lost son of Hegio, who was stolen
when he was but four years old.
In the Menæchmi,' the prologist states that an old Syracusan
merchant had two sons. Once on a business trip to Tarentum he
took one of the boys, who strayed away in the crowd and was stolen.
On his return the father was shipwrecked and drowned. The grand-
father bestowed the name of the lost boy, Menæchmus, upon the
surviving son at home. Long afterwards the son set out in search
of his brother; and in the course of his travels arrived at Epidamnus,
where the play opens. The first scene is an interview between a
parasite and Menæchmus I. (the lost one), who gleefully explains how
he has stolen his wife's cloak, and is going to bestow it upon Erotium,
a courtesan. On the appearance of Erotium he presents the cloak,
and bespeaks a dinner for himself and the parasite. In the next
scene Menæchmus II. and his servant Messenio appear. Then follow
## p. 11562 (#176) ##########################################
11562
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
two amusing scenes, first with the cook who is to prepare the dinner,
and later with Erotium; both think they are talking with Menæch-
mus I. finally Menæchmus II. goes in with Erotium to dinner. Later
the parasite appears, complaining that he has been detained and is
afraid he has lost his dinner. Menæchmus II. comes out of Erotium's
house with the cloak, which he is to take to a cleaner's to be cleaned.
The parasite, thinking that he is Menæchmus I. , attacks him for not
waiting for him, and finally, in high dudgeon departs to inform the
wife of her husband's doings. After Menæchmus II. leaves the stage,
Menæchmus I. appears and is met by his angry wife, whom he tries
to pacify by promising to return the cloak. After his departure
Menæchmus II. enters with the cloak. He has an amusing discus-
sion with the wife, and later with the wife's father, whom she has
summoned in desperation. He finally gets rid of them by feigning
madness; and the old man goes in search of a physician, while
Menæchmus II. hurries away. Then Menæchmus I. enters, and is
pounced upon by the physician and his attendants. He is rescued by
Messenio, who has just entered in search of his master, Menæchmus
II. In the final scene the two Menæchmi are brought face to face;
and the kinship of the long-separated brothers is explained by Mes-
senio, who is given his freedom for his services.
Certain of the plays were performed occasionally down to the
close of the Republic, or even later. Indeed, Plautus remained a
much read and appreciated author from the time of Varro and Cicero
until the dark ages. The Christian fathers, especially Jerome, were
very fond of him. At the Renaissance the newly discovered plays
were eagerly caught up in Italy, and later in France and Germany.
Translations were made; and great authors wrote plays based upon
those of Plautus, of which a few may be mentioned: Molière's
'Amphitryon' was based upon the 'Amphitruo,' and the two together
inspired Dryden's 'Amphitryon. ' Molière's 'L'Avare' was an imita-
tion of the 'Aulularia,' and it in turn inspired Shadwell's 'Miser'
and Fielding's 'Miser. ' The Captivi' was the basis of Ariosto's
'Suppositi' and of Rotrou's 'Les Captifs. ' Ben Jonson's 'The Case
is Altered' has scenes from the 'Aulularia' and 'Captivi. ' To the
Menæchmi must be referred Cecchi's 'Le Moglie,' Goldoni's 'I due
Gemelli, Shakespeare's 'Comedy of Errors,' and many others. The
< Miles Gloriosus' formed a favorite type; and we find traces of it in
Dolce's 'Il Capitano,' Corneille's 'L'Illusion Comique,' Udall's 'Ralph
Roister Doister,' and others. A careful study of Plautus's influence on
modern literature may be found in Reinhardtstöttner's 'Spätere Be-
arbeitungen Plautinischer Lustspiele' (Leipzig, 1886).
(
By reason of the great difference between the archaic Latin of
Plautus and the later classical Latin, the manuscript tradition soon
became faulty and the text corrupt. During this century great
## p. 11563 (#177) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11563
progress has been made in the reconstruction of the text, through
the labors of many scholars, notably Ritschl and Studemund. Ritschl
began a critical edition of Plautus as early as 1849. This was com-
pleted after his death by three of his pupils,- Goetz, Schoell, and
Loewe, the last part appearing in 1894. This edition has a marvel-
ously complete apparatus criticus, but the text is marred by many
violent emendations and arbitrary changes. Two of the same editors,
Goetz and Schoell, have since published a complete text in the Teub-
ner series (Leipzig, 1893-95); but this edition is as conservative as
the larger one is radical, and the text has been left incomprehensi-
ble in many places through despair of certain emendation. The best
text for practical use is that of Leo (Berlin, 1895–96). No adequate
English translation of the whole of Plautus has appeared. That of
Thornton, published in the last century, in blank verse, follows a
poor text, and that by Riley in the Bohn collection has no merit but
that of literalness. In 1893 appeared the first volume of a new trans-
lation in the original metres by Sugden, comprising the Amphitruo,
Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, and Captivi. The editor has taken
surprising liberties, not merely expurgating his text, but actually
"correcting" the plots.
Gonzalez Lorly
>
[The citations from Plautus are translated for the Library by William C.
Lawton. ]
FROM MILES GLORIOSUS) (THE BRAGGART SOLDIER)
[The soldier himself opens the play, coming forth from his house, which,
with a neighbor's, forms the back of the scene. He is attended by his Fal-
staffian retinue, and also by his especial flatterer and shadow Artotrogus,—
"Breadeater. " The pompous veteran has the first word. ]
YRGOPOLINICES See to it that more splendid be my shield,
Than the sun's rays are when the day is bright;
So when there's need, in battle's close array
Its sheen may blind the eyes of enemies.
And this my cutlass I would comfort too,
That it be not downhearted, nor lament
That it is worn so long in idleness,
Though sadly bent on massacre of foes! -
But where is Artotrogus?
PYRO
Ρ
## p. 11564 (#178) ##########################################
11564
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
Artotrogus [promptly] —
Here, beside
The man so valiant, kingly, fortunate,
Mars might not such a warrior call himself,
Nor dare to match your valor with his own!
Pyrgopolinices—
That one I saved on the Curculionian plains,
When Búmbomáchides Clýtomestóridysárchides,
Grandson of Neptune, was commander-in-chief —
Artotrogus-
I remember. He, you mean, in arms of gold,
Whose legions with your breath you puffed away,
As wind doth leaves and rushes good for thatch.
Pyrgopolinices-
Why, that is nothing!
[And the complacent warrior goes striding, with nodding helmet-plumes
and waving locks, up and down the stage; so that the weary flatterer, begin-
ning his return compliment, presently has an instant to tell us of the audience
- behind his hand-something of his real opinions. ]
Artotrogus
So forsooth it is,
To deeds I'll tell-
[Aside] which you did never do!
If you can find a more mendacious man,
Or one more boastful than this fellow is,
Take me and hold me for your chattel, then!
Just one thing: olive salad he can bolt!
Pyrgopolinices [turning]—
Where are you?
[The parasite pretends he has been all the time cataloguing the hero's
exploits: -]
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices —
How with a fisticuff you broke his arm!
Here! Then, there's that elephant:
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices -
Artotrogus-
What's that? his arm?
I didn't try to strike.
His thigh I meant, of course.
No! If you had,
With effort, through the creature's hide and heart
And through his bones your arm had made its way.
Pyrgopolinices [modestly] —
That doesn't matter.
Artotrogus-
No, 'tis not worth while
For me to tell, who know your valorous deeds.
## p. 11565 (#179) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11565
[Aside] -
My belly makes this misery; and my ears
Must hearken, lest my teeth have naught to do.
To every lie he tells I must assent!
Pyrgopolinices-
What am I saying?
Artotrogus-
I remember, it happened.
Pyrgopolinices-
Artotrogus [rather wearily]-
Pyrgopolinices [more sharply]
You remember - ?
Artotrogus [rapidly]—
Pyrgopolinices —
Yes, a hundred in Cilicia,
And fifty, a hundred in Scytholatronia,
Thirty from Sardis, sixty Macedonians,-
All of them in a single day you slew.
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices [complacently]-
Artotrogus-
-
What is the grand sum total?
Artotrogus
Pyrgopolinices-
―
-
Your memory's good.
Artotrogus-
I know what you would say:
-
So many should it be. You reckon well.
Pyrgopolinices —
Artotrogus-
What?
I have no records,-I remember it so.
Pyrgopolinices—
Whatever it is.
Seven thousand!
Pyrgopolinices [eagerly]—
Artotrogus-
While you shall play your part as you do now,
Table companion will I hold you still.
The tidbits prompt me aright!
What! In Cappadocia, at a single blow
You had slain five hundred! But-your sword was dull.
Poor wretched infantry, I let them live.
Why say what all men know, that on the earth
You only, Pyrgopolinices, live
In valor, beauty, deeds, unconqueredest ?
All women love you,- and good reason too,
You are so handsome. Like those yesterday
That plucked my cloak.
What did they say to you?
They asked me: "Is this Achilles? " so said one.
## p. 11566 (#180) ##########################################
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TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
"Yes, 'tis his brother," said I. Then the other:
"Well, he is handsome, surely," so she said,
"And noble. See how well his hair becomes him!
Happy the women are with whom he wives! "
Pyrgopolinices-
Did they say so?
Artotrogus-
Why, yes! Both made me swear
To-day I'd bring you in procession by.
Pyrgopolinices [pensively]-
To be too handsome is a piteous thing!
Artotrogus-
It bores me! For they pray and crowd and beg,
So that I cannot get your business done.
[A movement of the soldier at this word "business" gives the quick-witted
flatterer his cue. ]
Pyrgopolinices-
Have you
Artotrogus-
Pyrgopolinices —
Artotrogus-
You give your mind to mine right wittily.
Pyrgopolinices-
You mean your tablets? Yes, and pen.
'Tis fit that I should know your nature well,
And try to scent out that which you desire.
Artotrogus-
'Tis time, methinks, to hasten to the Forum;
For there must I bestow their wage upon
The hirelings I enlisted yesterday.
For King Seleucus begged me earnestly,
To gather and enroll him mercenaries.
Why, then, let's go.
Pyrgopolinices—
Attendants, follow me!
[Exeunt omnes.
[The prologue, rather singularly, is now spoken, at the opening of the
second act. It may be interesting to cite a few lines, though its literary merit
is small. ]
Palæstrio [a slave, appearing from the soldier's house, as Prologue]-
This argument I'll tell you courteously,
If you to listen will be mannerly.
Who will not listen, let him up and go,
So making room for one disposed to hear.
This comedy we are about to play,
## p. 11567 (#181) ##########################################
TITUS MACCIUS PLAUTUS
11567
For sake of which you sit so festive there,-
Its argument and name I'll tell to you.
'Alazon is the drama's name in Greek,
And Braggadocio is our word for it. .
This's Ephesus. Yon soldier is my master,
Who went thence townward; boastful, insolent,
Filthy, and full of crapulence and lies.
He says the women chase him all unsought.
A laughing-stock he is, where he appears.
So, while with mocking lips they lead him on,
Most of the girls you'll see with mouths awry!
[The last line is perhaps a random jest aimed at the extravagant comic
masks. If so, it is an indication of post-Plautine date. One of the most
interesting prologues, that of the Casina,' was certainly composed for a late
revival of a remarkably coarse and brutal play. A few examples of these pro-
logues may be instructive. ]
PROLOGUE OF CASINA ›
THE
HE men who drink old wine I count as wise,
And those that gladly hear an ancient play.
Since antique words and phrases please you well,
An old-time drama should delight you more.
For the new comedies that now appear
Are even more debased than these new coins.
Now we have hearkened to the people's cry,
That you desire to hear the Plautine plays,
And so bring out this ancient comedy,
Which you approved; — that is, you elder men:
The younger sort, I am sure, have known it not;
But that you may, we earnestly shall strive.
All dramas it surpassed, when acted first.
The flower of poets still were living then,
Though now departed whither all must pass, -
In absence helpful still to those that are.
And with full earnestness we beg you all
Kindly to give attention to our troop.
-
Cast from your minds your cares and debts away.
Let no one stand in terror of his dun.
'Tis holiday.
