Four Comedies : The Braggart Soldier, The Brothers Menaechmus, The Haunted House, The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Plautus (Author), Erich Segal (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 19, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0192838962 | ISBN-13: 978-0192838964

Plautus was the single greatest influence on Western comedy. In fact, Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors and Moliere's the Miser are two subsequent classics directly based on Plautine originals. Plautus himself borrowed from the Greeks, but his jokes, rapid dialogue, bawdy humor, and irreverent characterizations are the original work of an undisputed genius. The comedies printed here show him at his best, and Professor Segal's translations keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these the most readable and actable versions available. This volume includes, The Braggart Soldier, e Brothers Menaechmus, The Haunted House, and The Pot of Gold.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The translation is vivid and offers a sense of immediacy. Translations of this sort can bring classics to a much wider audience and show why classical literature is not only didactic but very enjoyable as well."--Ippokratis Kantzios, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Latin

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 19, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192838962
• ISBN-13: 978-0192838964
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #960,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 Comedies, June 12, 2011

By 

David T. Melnick "BoGator68" (Tallahassee, FL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Four Comedies: The Braggart Soldier; The Brothers Menaechmus; The Haunted House; The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

I didn't read all 4 comedies...yet...but nearing the 3rd. It is a good, safe bet that literal fundies will hate this. Politicians will learn a few things fr/ it too. This guy was far ahead of his time. Just like Thomas Paine eh. TV & movies virtually copy the story-lines fr/ it word by word. ;(. Goes to show that writers today don't have much imagination eh.

7 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting..., June 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Four Comedies : The Braggart Soldier, The Brothers Menaechmus, The Haunted House, The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

This book makes for a good read, though it is not all that funny in today's context. I would recommend this book if you are interested in gaining a deeper understanding the minds of ancient peoples.

4 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Four Comedies..., April 23, 2000

By 

colleen Armstrong (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Four Comedies : The Braggart Soldier, The Brothers Menaechmus, The Haunted House, The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

a worthwhile read for anyone. but look into it if your taking a college course on roman comedy especially though. it's not a quick read but a good one. the "brothers Menaechmus" stays the truest to roman comedy forn with the five staple characters all in there. not for those wiht short attention spans.