It is the first and only use of the word tragicomedy in classical latin, and it is not just a pun as it first appears. Amphitryon or amphitruo is a latin play for the early roman theatre by playwright titus maccius. Amphitryon or amphitruo is a latin play for the early roman theatre by playwright titus maccius plautus. Plautus amphitryo is the natural point of departure. As with all focus translations, the emphasis is on an inexpensive, readable edition that is close to the original, with an extensive introduction, notes and. The subject creon, king of thebes, being at war with the teleboans or taphians, under the command of ptereias, sends an army against them. Plot, and charaterization in plautuss amphitruo angeline chiu university of vermont e f introduction in the amphitruo plautus stages an imaginary. Two slightly lesser roles, though of equal importance, are those of mercury and sosia.
This file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital. The play was first performed at the theatre du palaisroyal in paris on january 1668. The braggart soldier, by plautus page 2 his master back in athens was a fine young man, named pleusicles. Aug 20, 2005 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. In athens, pleusicles was crazy for a courtesan named philocomasium. His theatrical genius, vitality, farcical humor, and control of the latin language 1 rank him as romes greatest comic playwright. N otes 1 the doppelganger motif is given modern expression in c. The braggart soldier download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. An analysis of major characters in amphitryon by plautus kibin.
As with all focus translations, the emphasis is on an inexpensive, readable edition that is close to the original, with an extensive introduction, notes and appendices. The master was sent on a journey, a government quest. For plautus, such a presumption need not have entailed an actionable contractual obligation. Scenes from plautus amphitryo created by the north toronto c. The play pseudolus provides an introduction to the world of roman comedy from one of its best practitioners, plautus. Loosely adapted from lost greek plays, the works of plautus helped establish a truly roman drama in the latin language for the first time. Plautus amphitruo is the sole specimen of mythological burlesque in ancient comedy to come down to us in nearly complete form. This is commanded by amphitryon, who leaves his wife alcmena pregnant at his departure from thebes. Download book delphi complete works of plautus illustrated delphi ancient classics book 72 by author plautus in pdf epub. Table of contents01 about this book02 the captivi03 mostellaria. Amphitryon, the plays title character, is a leader in the theban army. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Amphitryon, in greek mythology, son of alcaeus, king of tiryns. This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library.
He wrote palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of latin literature, livius andronicus. This sex farce delighted roman audiences and readers for centuries and continues to inspire adaptations to this day. The theme of the anthropomorphism is manifest in the plot of plautus amphitruo and molieres adaptation. Amphitryon is a french language comedy in a prologue and 3 acts by moliere which is based on the story of the greek mythological character amphitryon as told by plautus in his play from ca. Amphitryon moliere on free shipping on qualifying offers. After the real amphitruo 6 and sosia have returned, they are both made fun of in a. Mercury takes on the form of his absent slave, sosia. Amphitryon was the title of a lost tragedy of sophocles, but most others who have used this story have rendered comic treatments instead. Plautus demonstrates a generalised awareness of obligations implicit in instruments like mandatum, and its connection with a presumption of shared liability among the partners of a societas. When the play begins, he has recently returned victorious from war and is looking forward to visiting his home and his wife. A story of roman gods playing at their wim with mortal humans written by a late renes. When he leaves for the wars, his wife alcmena, daughter of electryon, is pregnant. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise, act 1. Amphitryon article about amphitryon by the free dictionary.
More than laughter in plautuss amphitryon plautuss amphitryon is an anomaly among extant roman comedies, because it is the one surviving example of a play in which gods appear alongside mortal characters. Amphitryon, a theban, joins the army of thebes to fight against the teloboans. Amphitryon 339 writing burlesque, was the author of an amphitryon. Plautus, the roman comedian, used this tale to present amphitryon, a burlesque play. While amphitruo was waging war against the teloboians, jupiter assumed his appearance and took a loan of his wife, alcumena.
This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for. Dr christenson utilizes recent work in performance. The latin writer received the myth of amphitryon and the birth of hercules from greece. He was a general in thebes, who married alcmene, daughter of electryon, king of mycenae. Mar 20, 2020 download book delphi complete works of plautus illustrated delphi ancient classics book 72 by author plautus in pdf epub. Having accidentally killed his uncle electryon, king of mycenae, amphitryon fled with alcmene, electryons daughter, to thebes, where he was cleansed from the guilt by creon, his maternal uncle, king of thebes. Roches translations of amphitryon, miles gloriosus, and the prisoners clearly illustrate how plautus writing has withstood the test of time. After the reopening of the theatre, it was played half a dozen times more the same year, and continued to please. Pdf observing that alcmene, in plautusamphitrio, is a special wife.
Amphitryon comedy in a prologue and 3 acts by moliere which is based on the. That night she conceived children by both zeus and amphitryon. Twenty complete plays by plautus survive along with around 100 lines of vidularia the suitcase and fragments from several others. This ebook presents the captivi and the mostellaria. Little is known of the life of titus maccius plautus. The captivi and the mostellaria plautus, roman playwright of the old latin period 254184b. The play amphitryon, by plautus, revolves around a small circle of characters. Pdf the use of colloquial language in the portrayal of gods in. Hercules was the son of zeus, iphicles the son of amphitryon. Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi by titus. Jupiter takes the human form of amphitryon to enjoy. This amphitryon did, but on the night of his return zeus took amphitryon s form and came into alcmenes bed.
His comedies are the earliest works in latin literature to have survived in their entirety. Jupiter is in the guise of amphitryon so that alcmena is unaware that he is not her. This body of work was first attributed to plautus by the 1st century bce roman scholar varro and the titles are. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. And i too, as well, who am the son of jupiter, through. Bringing the gods onstage anthropomorphic deities in plautus. Born of a mortal mother, a mortal sire, it is not reasonable to be surprised if he has apprehensions for himself.
Delphis ancient classics series provides ereaders with the wisdom of the classical world, with both english translations and the original latin texts. Amphitryon moliere pdf amphitryon by jean baptiste poquelin moliere. Alcmene and amphitryon fled to thebes, but she demanded that he defeat pterelaos, her fathers enemy. The dispute is referred to blepharo, the pilot of amphitryon, who. The play is mostly extant, but includes several large missing sections in its latter portion. He accidentally killed electryon, and was exiled by electryons brother, sthenelus, along with his wife.
Plautus titus maccius, born about 254 bce at sarsina in umbria, went to rome, engaged in work connected with the stage, lost his money in commerce, then turned to writing comedies. I have chosen the amphitryon for this paper because this play provides a unique opportunity to observe the difference in plautus portrayal of gods and mortals. It is perhaps hardly necessary to refer the reader to amphitryon, by plautus, the comedy upon which molieres charming play was, in the main, based. This amphitryon did, but on the night of his return zeus took amphitryons form and came into alcmenes bed. The works of plautus, writes palmer bovie, mark the real beginning of roman literature. The major roles in the play are those of amphitryon, jove, and alcamena.
Amphitryo, asinaria, aulularia, bacchides, captivi amphitryon, the comedy of asses, the pot of gold, the two bacchises, the captives author. In these lively new translations, which effectively communicate the vitality and verve of the originals, the plays of plautus are accessible to a new generation. While pleusicles was away, the soldier came to athens, and made advances to philocomasium. If the address matches an existing account you will receive an email with instructions to retrieve your username. Pdf epub delphi complete works of plautus illustrated. The basis of all is a free translation from comedies by such writers as menander, diphilus, and. The dramatic treatment by plautus has enjoyed a sustaining presence on the stage since its premiere. In the fifth act, at the moment in which alcmena is delivered of hercules and iphiclus, a violent.
Twentyone plays by plautus have survived one is incomplete. Plautus really does blur the two genres together in this text, and we have tragic figures and scenarios arising amidst an awfully farcical tragedy. Includes an analysis of plautus approach to comedy and background on the social and political customs of his times. Amphitryon was the son of alcaeus in greek mythology, king of tiryns.
In amphitryon the term tragicomoedia tragicomedy appears for the first time in latin literature to describe this. Jan 18, 2019 amphitryon moliere pdf amphitryon by jean baptiste poquelin moliere. Almost nothing is known of these plays, it is usually assumed that the immediate original of the latin play was a comedy of the middle or new period. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise, act 1, scene. Nov 22, 20 scenes from plautus amphitryo created by the north toronto c.
During his absence from home, jupiter, assuming his form, and mercury that of his servant sosia, present themselves to alcmena, as though just returned from. But the amphitryon, though in some ways typical of new comedy. A dynamic table of contents enables to jump directly to the chapter selected. Maccius plautus, amphitryon, or jupiter in disguise. Mercury as, in purchasing and selling your merchandize 1, you are desirous to render me propitious to your bargains, and that i should assist you in all things.
437 313 125 582 648 254 575 246 94 1426 468 656 29 996 737 1407 471 710 906 78 1242 659 1045 911 595 785 975 679 668 456 867 1478 512 594 144 1272 295