Chapter 3

But our Nation by long Custom, and the Success of Irregular Pieces, seems naturally averse to all Rules; and take it very ill to have their Thoughts confin'd and shackled, and tied to the Observance of such Niceties: Therefore in the first place they tell us, That Poets of all Men in the World are perfectly freely, and by no means ought to confine their Noble Fancies to dull pedantick Rules; +For this+ (say they) +is like taking of Bees, cutting off their Wings, and laying such Flowers before 'em to make Honey as they please+. A +Poet+ indeed shou'd be free, and unconfin'd as Air, as to his Though, Fancy and Contrivance, but then his +Poetica Licentia+ shou'dn't transport him to Madness and Extravagancy, making him phrensically transgress the Rules of +Reason+ and +Nature+, as well as +Poetry+. These that we mention are not any Man's Arbitrary +Rules+, but pure Nature only Methodiz'd: They never hamper a +Poet+'s Fancy or clip his Wings, but adorn their Thoughts, and regulate their Flights so as to give 'em a clearer insight into +Nature+, +Probability+ and +Decency+, without something of which it is impossible to please. And these are no more a +Confinement+ to a +Poet+'s Fancy, than the true Proportion of Pillars, the Regularity and Uniformity of Windows are to an Architect; or the exact Imitation of Nature to a Painter: As if there could be half so much Beauty in Grotesque and irregular Whims, as in the due Observation of the Rules of Prospect, Shadows and Proportion.

Another Objection is, +That our Nation will never bear Rules, but are much better pleas'd with the ways now in practice.+ 'Tis true, several of our most irregular Plays have come off with a great deal of Applause, but certainly never the more for their Irregularity; but because most of the Audience knew no better, being often dazzled by the Greatness of the Author's Genius, and the Actor's Performances; and those that did, were willing to pardon the Faults for the sake of some choice +Master-stroaks+ they had; and upon the same account a couple of good +Scenes+ have many times carry'd off a very indifferent Play: 'Tis plain that want of Use and Knowledge have been the only Cause of these ways seeming so unpracticable; and if the middle sort of Persons were once truly brought to a Sight of the Excellencies of this, and the Deformities of the other way (as the well reading of these Plays wou'd in a great measure do, being chiefly design'd for them) they wou'd esteem of it far more than now; and certainly they cou'd never pardon those many +Indecencies+, +Improbabilities+, +Absurdities+ that are so frequent in our Plays. 'Tis true, there has been a considerable Regulation among many of 'em since the Days of +Shakespear+, but not to bring things half to perfection. And thus Regulation has made hope for a further, as the Age will be brought to bear it.

The last Objection is more particular: They say, +That the Unities of Action, Time and Place must needs take off from the great Variety of the Plot, and a fine Story by this means will be quite murder'd.+ 'Tis true, all +Stories+ whatsoever are not fit for a +Dramatick Poem+; yet there may be an excellent +Plot+ without crowding together Intrigues (little depending upon one another) of half a dozen couple, suppose, in one Play; without hurrying over the Business of three Months in three Hours time, or perhaps without skipping from Gardens to Mountains, from thence to Groves, and then to Town in an Act or two: But our prying, curious Sparks can't rest here, but must be for peeping into Chambers, Closets, and Withdrawing-Rooms, ay, and into Beds too (sometimes with the Ladies in 'em) and have all things brought openly upon the Stage, tho' never so improper, and indecent. But this Objection may yet be better answer'd by Instances; and first for the +Unity of Time+, we may mention the Play call'd, +The Adventures of Five Hours+, the whole +Action+ lasting no longer (much less a day, the extent allow'd for a +Dramatick Poem+) yet this is one of the pleasantest +Stories+ that ever appear'd upon our Stage, and has as much Variety of +Plots+ and +Intrigues+, without any thing being precipitated, improbable or unnatural as to the main +Action+; so by this it appears that this Rule is no Spoiler or Murderer of a finer +Story+. Then for the +Unity of Time+ and Action too, +Ben. Johnson's Silent Woman+ is a remarkable Instance; an excellent +Comedy+ indeed, where the +Action+ is perfectly single, and the utmost extent of the +Time+ exceeds not three Hours and a half (the shortest we ever find) yet still the +Plot+, +Intrigues+, and above all the +Incidents+ are very fine, and no ways unnatural. Lastly, For all three +Unities+, Mr. +Dryden's All for Love+ (tho' a +Tragedy+, and somewhat foreign to our business) is worthy to be taken notice of, that being perfectly +Regular+ according to the Rules of the Stage, the Scenes unbroken, the +Incidents+ exactly and duly prepar'd, and all things noble and beautiful, just and proportionable. This we reckon one of the best +Tragedies+ of our Nation. Now can any Man justly think that these Plays we now mention'd were ever the worse for that +Regularity+ they had; or indeed have we many better in the Nation for +Plot+; or many that have better pleas'd the generality of Persons than these; If so this sufficiently shows the Truth of what we offered; and withal commends our Master's great Judgment in this Point: Who, in our Opinion (besides the Excellency of his +Characters+) plainly deserves a greater Name for his +Plots+, than he does for his +Language+.

Come we next then to our own Vindication, in which we shall briefly shew the +Reasons+ why we did it, and likewise what our Performances have been in this Version.

The main +Reasons+ why we undertook it were these. First, For the Excellency and Usefulness of this Author in general: And consequently for the benefit (as we shall shew by and by) of most sorts of People, but especially for the Service it may do our +Dramatick Poets+. Next, for the Honour of our own +Language+, into which all good Books ought to be Translated, since +'tis now become so Elegant, Sweet and Copious+: And indeed nothing refines, or gives Foreigners a greater Opinion of any Language than its number of good Translations; of which the +French+ is a great Instance. Thirdly, Because most of our Neighbours have got it in their +Language+, particularly the +French+, who have done it with good Success; and we have no reason for our being out-done by any of our Neighbours, since we have a +Language+ we dare set against any in the World. Lastly, Since the Author is so excellent, we undertook it because no other Persons wou'd. 'Tis strange that none of our great Wits wou'd undertake it before, but let us Persons of Obscurity, take their Works out of their Hands; when we can perceive by our little Performances that our +Language+ will do it to a very high degree, undoubtedly better than the +French+.

The most considerable Objections that have been made against our Translation are these. First, +What real Use or Advantage can this Translation be to the Publick? As for school-Boys and Learners, _Bernard_'s and _Hool_'s Translations, the great number of Notes, a School-Master, or their own Industry will well enough teach 'em to construe it. Men of Sense and Learning, they read it wholly for the Latin sake; therefore a Translation is of no use to them.+ Lastly, +They won't fit our Stage; and consequently they are impertinent at best.+ To these we answer; First, As to +School-Boys+ and +Learners+; +Bernard+'s and +Hool+'s Translations are very often false, mostly so obsolete, flat and unpleasant, that a Man can scarce read half a Page without sleeping; the latter is full of +Latinisms+, and both are often more obscure than the Original. The +Notes+ sometimes don't express the Author's Sense; and often very obscurely: In some things they are too short, in others too long and tedious: And most of them have the slight of running very nimbly over those Places which they are afraid they shou'd stick in. +School-Masters+ often want time, and now and then Judgment and Learning to explain things as they ought; then to leave Boys by themselves to pick out the Sense of such a difficult Author as this, is very inconvenient; which besides the Discouragement sometimes of not being able to do it, will often lead 'em into such Errors and Mistakes, as perhaps they'll ne're get clear of. So that this will be of great use even to +School-Boys+ and +Learners+: Beside the great Advantage of teaching 'em, perhaps not the worst +English+; and something of the Idiom of our Tongue.

As for the second part of the Objection, +That Men of Sense and Learning read it only for the Latin sake+; This is or ought to be look'd upon as a great Mistake: Since +Terence+ has other and greater Excellencies than his Style, as we have before shewn. But however ingenious Persons must needs receive some pleasure in seeing such excellent Latin now speak tolerable good +English+; and likewise in seeing somewhat of the Conversation, Humour and Customs of the old +Greeks+ and +Romans+ put into a modern Dress; and perhaps not quite out of the Fashion. Besides, since many of these do sometimes upon an occasion make use of +Notes+, 'twill be of equal use (in that respect) to them as to all +Learners+. And that they have often need of such, will appear from the several difficult places (especially as to the Plot) and some obscure dubious Passages in this Author, which the utmost Skill in the +Latin+ Tongue will not teach to explain; since there is as great a necessity for the understanding of the +Roman+ Customs and Theatres in this Case, and of the Art of the Stage, as of the +Latin+ Tongue. How extraordinary useful a Translation can be in perfectly +clearing an Author+, +Roscommon+'s Translation of +Horace+'s +Art of Poetry+ is an apparent Instance; which shews the Sense, Meaning, Design, &c. of +Horace+ better and easier than all the +Paraphrases+ and +Notes+ in the World.

Thirdly, Tho' our +Translation+ will never fit our Stage, yet it may be of considerable use to some of the +Dramatick Poets+; which we had some respect to, when we did it; they will serve 'em (as was said before) for +Models+; and tho' many of our Poets do very well understand the Original, yet 'tis plain that some of 'em do not understand it over much. But however, it may not be wholly useless to those that do, and more proper for their business, being ready explain'd to their hands: And upon some accounts to be read with less trouble than the Original: For that is in many places very obscure by reason of corrupted Copies, wrong Points, false Division of whole +Acts+ as well as +Scenes+ and the like: Further, if these Plays come to be frequently read by the more ordinary sort of People, they will by little and little grow more in love with, and more clearly see the true Excellencies of these Rules, and these lively +Imitations of Nature+, which will be the greatest Encouragement our Poets can have to follow 'em. And besides, the common People by these +Plays+ may plainly perceive that +Obscenities+ and +Debaucheries+ are no ways necessary to make a good +Comedy+; and the Poets themselves will be the more ready to blush when they see +Heathens+ so plainly out-do us +Christians+ in their +Morals+; for their principal Vices in their Plays, were chiefly from the Ignorance of the Times, but we have no such pretence. This alone might ha' been a sufficient reason for our undertaking this Design.

But to come now to what we have done; 'tis not to be expected we shou'd wholly reach the Air of the Original; that being so peculiar, and the Language so different; We have imitated our Author as well and as nigh as the +English+ Tongue and our small Abilities wou'd permit; each of us joyning and consulting about every Line, not only for the doing of it better, but also for the making of it all of a piece. We follow'd no one +Latin+ Copy by it self, because of the great Disagreements among 'em, but have taken any that seem'd truest. We look'd over all the +Notes+, sometimes they would help us a little, and often not; some hints we had from the +French+, but not very many; besides we had considerable helps from other Persons far above our selves, for whose Care and Pains we shall ever acknowledge our Gratitude. A meer +Verbal Translation+ is not to be expected, that wou'd sound so horribly, and be more obscure than the Original; but we have been faithful Observers of his Sence, and even of his Words too, not slipping any of consequence without something to answer it; nay farther, where two Words seem to be much the same, and perhaps not intended to be very different by the Author, we were commonly so nice as to do them too; such as +Segnitia+ and +Socordia+, +Scire+ and +Noscere+, and the like, which is more exact than most, if not all, our modern Versions. We cou'dn't have kept closer (especially in this Author, which several ingenious Persons told us, +Is the hardest in the World to translate+;) without too much treading upon the Author's Heels, and destroying our Design of giving it an easie, +Comick Style+, most agreeable to our present Times. If we have been guilty of any Fault of this nature, it seems to be that of keeping too close.

But still to be more particular; we did all we cou'd to prevent any of the Meaning and Grace of the best +Words+ to be lost; so that we were often forc'd to search and study some time for those most proper, and oftentimes to express 'em by two, and sometimes by a +Circumlocution+: Which Madam +Dacier+ her self, as accurate as she is accompted, has often neglected: And thereby has wholly lost the Force and Beauty of many Emphatical Words. +Terence+ had some Words taken in a great many several Sences, such as +Contumelia+ and +Injuria+, +Odiosus+, +Tristis+, &c. these we have been very careful about; but where he plays upon Words (tho' never so prettily) he ought not in some places to be imitated at all, because the Fineness is more lost that way, than the other; yet we try'd at several when they were Natural and tolerable in +English+. As for his +Allusions+ and the like, many of them perhaps are quite lost to us. However they are commonly lost in our Language. On such places (as well as some others) we made +Remarks+ or +Notes+ at the latter end; some of which we are oblig'd to the +French+ Lady for; these serving to shew our Author's fine Stroaks, as well as to vindicate our Translation. For his +Sense+ and +Meaning+, we have taken more than ordinary care about, and weigh'd all Circumstances before we fix'd. Several of the Passages are done contrary to the general Opinion, and some few differently from all, both as to the +Person that speaks+ as well as the +Meaning+, but not without good Grounds; and if any be so nice in censuring, we desire that Person to shew us three +Terences+ that exactly agree with one another, either in Points or Words, for two Acts together. Of those Passages that were absolutely doubtful, we always took the best, and that, which seem'd to us, the most probable Way and Meaning; and all such as were difficult, knotty or obscure in the Original, we made as plain and clear as we cou'd; and we presume to phansie there are very few Passages in ours, unintelligible to the meanest Capacity. In his +Jests+ and +Repartees+ (except they were +Allusions+ or the like) we hope that the force of 'em is seldom lost. For making every Person speak so exactly like themselves (a thing that our Author was so famous for) is much more difficult in +English+ by reason of its greater variety of +Idioms+ and +Phrases+ than in the +Latin+; and to suit these always right, requires a greater +Genius+ than we can pretend to. +Terence+, tho' reckon'd very genteel in his Days, seems in some place to have a sort of familiarity and bluntness in his Discourse, not so agreeable with the Manners and Gallantry of our Times; which we have mollify'd as well as we cou'd, still making the +Servants+ sawcy enough upon occasion. In some places we have had somewhat more of +Humour+ than the Original, to make it still more agreeable to our Age; but all the while have kept so nigh our Author's +Sence+ and +Design+, that we hope it can never be justly call'd a Fault. We can't certainly tell whither +William+ the Conqueror, the +Grand Seignior+ (and the like) may pass with some: They may possibly take 'em for Blunders in time: which are now become Proverbial Expressions; the first signifying only a great while ago, and t'other a great Man.

As for the Division of the +Acts+ and +Scenes+, all the common +Terences+ are most notoriously false: The +Acts+ are often wrong, but the +Scenes+ oftener; and these have bred some obscurity in our Author's +Rules+. Madam +Dacier+ has been more exact in this than all others before her; yet, still she's once mistaken in her +Acts+, and very often in her +Scenes+. We have follow'd her as to her +Acts+, except one in the +Phormio+; but we have not divided the +Scenes+ at all by Figures, because they are of no such use; only the Reader may take notice that whenever any particular +Actor+ enters upon the Stage, or goes off, that makes a different +Scene+; for the +Ancients+ never had any other that we know of. The +Prologues+, by the Advice of several Judicious Persons, are left out, as being the Meanest, the fullest of Quibbles, and the least Intelligible of any thing he wrote: They relating chiefly to private Squabbles between our +Author+ and the +Poets+ of his time: The Particulars of which 'tis impossible for us to understand now, and we need not be much concern'd that we don't. Besides, in the main, they are so much beneath the +Author+, that 'tis much question'd whether they are his or no, especially the Third. The +Arguments+ are certainly none of his, and so far from being useful, that they only serve to forestall the +Plots+, and take away the Pleasure of surprizing.

Lastly, That there might be nothing wanting that might make this Translation as intire and clear as possible; we've all the way intermix'd +Notes of Explanation+, such as, +Enter+, +Exit+, +Asides+, and all other things of +Action+, necessary to be known, and constantly practis'd among our Modern +Dramatick Poets+. These serve extreamly to the clearing of the +Plots+ which wou'd be obscure without 'em; especially since their Theatres were so different from ours. And as this sort of +Notes+ are the +shortest+, that are generally us'd, so they are most +compleat+, +useful+ and +clear+, by the help of which any Child almost may apprehend every thing. Perhaps we might have omitted some of 'em, but we have better offend this way than the other.

Thus have we said as much as we thought requisite in Vindication of our Master's Honour, and of our own Undertaking. And if we had said ten times as much; and ne're so much to the purpose, People will still think, and talk what they please, and we can't help it.

PLAUTUS's

COMEDIES,

_AMPHITRYON_, _EPIDICUS_, and _RUDENS_,

Made English:

With

+Critical Remarks+

Upon Each PLAY.

---- _Non ego paucis_ _Offendar maculis: quas aut incuria fudit_ _Aut humana parum cavit natura:_ ----

Horat. Art. Poet.

_LONDON:_

Printed for _Abel Swalle_ and _T. Child_ at the _Unicorn_ at the West-End of _S. Paul's_ Churchyard, 1694.

THE

PREFACE.

This Nations Excellencies in +Dramatick Poetry+ have been so extraordinary, and our Performance both in +Tragedy+ and +Comedy+ have discover'd such strange +Genius+'s, that we have some reason to believe, that we have not only surpass'd our Neighbours the Moderns, but likewise have excell'd our Masters the Ancients. But the want of Knowledge of the Ancients has been one great Reason for our setting our selves so very much above 'em; for tho' we have many Beauties which they wanted, yet it must be own'd, that they have more which we have not, except that it may be some very few of our Pieces. But then their Excellencies are far less known to us than ours; for the Common People are unacquainted with their Languages, and the more Learned sort, for want of due Observance and Penetration, have been ignorant enough of their essential Beauties; they, for the most part, contenting themselves with considering the +superficial+ ones, such as the +Stile+, +Language+, +Expression+, and the like, without taking much notice of the Contrivance and Management, of the +Plots+, +Characters+, &c.

But a considerable Discovery of these Excellencies has been made by means of a late Version of +Terence+, especially by the help of the +Preface+ and +Remarks+: And this has made me hope, that two or three Plays of +Plautus+'s cou'd not be very unacceptable after them; and since the principal Fault of the +Remarks+ in that Version was their being too short, I have made these somewhat longer and clearer, hoping they will prove the principal means of recommending this Book to the World, even tho' the Translation had been brought to the utmost Perfection it was capable of: a Thing which I dare never pretend to. I made Choice of the same three which Madam +Dacier+ had done before me; those being, in many respects, fitter for my purpose. But before I come to Particulars in those Things, I shall give some Character and Account of my Author.

+Plautus+, if consider'd as a +Dramatick Poet+, may justly enough be stil'd the Prince of the +Latin Comedians+, for tho' most of 'em are lost, and consequently little capable of being judg'd of, yet, from all Circumstances, we have good reason to presume that they never came up to +Plautus+; so that there is no one to stand in competition with him but +Terence+: But if +Comedy+ consists more in +Action+ than +Discourse+, then +Terence+ himself must be oblig'd to give place to our Author; and as +Terence+ ought to be esteem'd as a Man who spoke admirably, +Plautus+ is to be admir'd as a +Comick-Poet+. The principal Differences of these two Poets have been touch'd upon in the Preface to the English +Terence+; and from thence it will appear, that +Plautus+ had the vaster +Genius+, and +Terence+ the more exquisite Judgment; and, considering what Persons they copied, as the later was call'd the +Half Menander+, so the former may be stil'd the +Half Aristophanes+.