Four Comedies: "The Braggart Soldier", "The Brothers Menaechmus", "The Hauted House", "The Pot of Gold" (World's Classics) - Softcover

Plautus has been described as the single greatest influence on Western comedy. Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors" and Moliere's "The Miser" are two subsequent classics directly based on Plautine originals. The comedies printed here show him at this best, and Professor Segal's translations keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these very readable and actable versions. His introduction considers Plautus' place in ancient comedy, examines his continuing influence, and celebrates his power to entertain.

Erich Segal is Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. He was Professor Classics at Yale and is author of Roman Laughter, a study of Plautus. He also wrote Love Story.