CHAPTER IV.

[1] See Livy, vii. 2.

[2] The most celebrated was that erected by Scaurus in his aedileship 58 B.C., an almost incredible description of which is given by Pliny, N.H. xxxvi. 12. See Dict. Ant. _Theatrum_, whence this is taken.

[3] A temporary stone theatre was probably erected for the Apollinarian Games, 179 B.C. If so, it was soon pulled down; a remarkable instance of the determination of the Senate not to encourage dramatic performances.

[4] Done by Curio, 50 B.C.

[5] _Primus subselliorum ordo._

[6] Otho's Law, 68 B.C.

[7] See Mommsen, Bk. iii. ch. xv.

[8] See prol. to Andria.

[9] Quint. x. 1, _Comoedia maxime claudicamus_.

[10] Hor. Ep. ii. 1, 170.

"At vestri proavi Plautinos et numeros et Laudavere sales: nimium patienter utrumque Ne dicam _stulte_ mirati."

[11] De Off. i. 29, 104.

[12] iii. 3, 14.

[13] This process is called contamination. It was necessitated by the fondness of a Roman audience for plenty of action, and their indifference to mere dialogue.

[14] Cic. de Sen. 50.

[15] ii. 2, 35.

[16] Poen. v. 1.

[17] Plautus himself calls it Tragico-comoedia.

[18] We find in Donatus the term _crepidata_, which seems equivalent to _palliata_, though it probably was extended to tragedy, which _palliata_ apparently was not. _Trabeata_, a term mentioned by Suet. in his _Treatise de Grammat._, seems = _praetextata_, at all events it refers to a play with national characters of an exalted rank.

[19] _E.g._ trahax, perenniservus, contortiplicati, parcipromus, prognariter, and a hundred others. In Pseud. i. 5; ii. 4, 22, we have _charin touto poio, nal nam, kai touto dae_, and other Greek modes of transition. Cf. Pers. ii. 1, 79.

[20] One needs but to mention forms like _danunt_, _ministreis_, _hibus_, _sacres_, _postidea dehibere_, &c. and constructions like _quicquam uti_, _istanc tactio_, _quid tute tecum_? _Nihil enim_, and countless others, to understand the primary importance of Plautus's works for a historical study of the development of the Latin language.

[21] De Opt. Gen. Or. 1; cf. Att. vii. 3, 10.

[22] "in eis quas primum Caecili didici novas Partim sum earum exactus, partim vix steti. * * * * * Perfeci ut spectarentur: ubi sunt cognitae Placitae sunt" --_Prol_. 2, 14.

[23] 2 Hor. Ep, li. 1, 59. _Vincere Caecilius gravitate_.

[24] Adelph. prol.:

"Nam quod isti dicunt malevoli, homines nobiles Hunc adiutare, assidueque una scribere; Quod illi maledictmn vehemens existimant, Eam laudem hic ducit maximam: cum illis placet, Qui vobis universis et populo placent: Quorum opera in bello, in otio, in negotio Suo quisque tempore usus est sine superbia."

[25] See prol. to Andria.

[26] Suet. Vit. Ter.

[27] Tu quoque tu in summis, o dimidiate Menander, poneris, &c.--_Ib._

[28] Possibly the following may be exceptions:--Andr. 218; Haut. 218, 356; Hec. 543. See Teuffel.

[29] See the first scene of the _Adelphoe_.

[30] _Metriotaes_, the quality so much admired by the Greek critics, in which Horace may be compared with Terence. Cf. _Aul. Gell._ vi. (or vii.) 14, 6.

[31] 1. 37, _sqq._

[32] Suet. Vit. Ter.

[33] Sat. 1, 4, 53, referring to the scene in the _Adelphoe_.

[34] Except in the prologues to the _Eun._ and _Hecyra_.

[35] 805, "_ut quimus_" _aiunt_, "_quando ut volumus non licet_." The line of Caecilius is "_Vivas ut possis quando non quis ut velis._"

[36] Georg. iii. 9.

"Tentanda via est qua me quoque possim Toll ere humo _victorque virum volitare per ora_."

He expresses his aspiration after immortality in the same terms that Ennius had employed.

[37] Eun. v. iv.

[38] Or "Lanuvinus." Those who wish to know the inartistic expedients to which he resorted to gain applause should read the prologues of Terence, which are most valuable materials for literary criticism.

[39] Att. xiv. 20, 3.

[40] Teuffel 103.

[41] Sometimes called _Tabernaria_, Diomed iii. p. 488, though, strictly speaking, this denoted a lower and more provincial type.

[42] x. 1, 100.