Plautus Pseudolus Translation Average ratng: 3,6/5 9603 reviews
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Preview — Pseudolus by Plautus

The play 'Pseudolus' provides an introduction to the world of Roman comedy from one of its best practitioners, Plautus. 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.
Published January 17th 2013 by Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Company (first published -191)
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Rating details

Nov 07, 2014David Sarkies rated it liked it · review of another edition
Recommends it for: A theatre company to produce it
Shelves: comedy
The folly of boyhood love
10 November 2014
It was interesting to note that in the introduction they mentioned that the plot of this play was one of those really hackneyed plots in the Roman times. That may be the case, but the fact that it has survived suggests that Plautus' take on the subject was a superior version of this well worn plot, or it simply could be the first. It is sort of like Die Hard – an original idea that ended up spawning a bunch of copies that tried, and failed, to live up to...more
May 21, 2018Mike rated it liked it · review of another edition
3.5 stars. For a play with rather clichéd elements (the wily slave, the sleazy pimp, the well-worn plot of stealing back the maiden from sexual slavery), this is an entertaining read. It feels more fleshed out that Plautus’s early work, with a tighter plot (despite its longer length), fewer unnecessary scenes and characters we actually grow to care about by the end of the play. I wouldn't have minded reading more plays with the return of these characters, like watching a movie that will inevitab...more
Jun 14, 2017Tati rated it liked it · review of another edition
CALIDORO: Cuánto Ardo de rabia por las palabras de éste. ¿Qué la juventud ateniense tolere que este individuo habite aquí? ¿Dónde están, dónde se esconden los jóvenes llenos de vida que por amores acuden al rufián? (...)
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MICO: ¿Podrías callarte? Al memorioso lo hace desmemoriada el que le recuerda lo que el memorioso memora.
Feb 17, 2014Lauren rated it really liked it · review of another edition
As my first roman play, it was pretty damn good. Pseudolus had very sneaky and cunning qualities, and I do love the cunning slave and dumb master storyline in ancient plays, it was very like the Frogs. Pseudolus also reminded me of Odysseus because he always knew the best ways to get himself out of trouble.
Mar 08, 2015Emma (muggleglamour) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Being a theatre major, I have learned about Greek and Roman theatre only about 500 times and Romans are notorious for their pretty crappy plays. However, this one was very witty, fast-paced, and enjoyable!
Jan 08, 2017Giovanna rated it liked it · review of another edition
Le letture (e traduzioni) obbligatorie sfiancano. Specie se sei alla boh, terza rilettura?
End of the story.
Nov 01, 2017Andrew rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Tremendously clever and enjoyable, 'Pseudolus' follows the titular slave as he attempts to help his master's son, the lovelorn Calidorus, raise enough money to purchase Calidorus' lady love, the prostitute Phoenicium, from her pimp, the greedy Ballio. Along the way, Pseudolus makes a wager with his master (also Calidorus' father), the miserly Simo. Through trickery and wordplay, Pseudolus proves that even the poorest and most looked-down upon members of society can triumph in the end, and they c...more
Mar 21, 2018Megan Willoughby rated it liked it · review of another edition
Love how this play subverts social norms - the final scene shows the master kneeling to the slave in awe of his cunning. Full of sass and smutty wit. Offers an interesting peek into Roman values.
Nov 15, 2018AB rated it liked it · review of another edition
Solid example of the Roman tricky slave trope.
Nov 22, 2018Camilla Sandland rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Sep 08, 2015Aimee rated it it was ok · review of another edition
I find Roman plays lack some of the depth and substance of Greek plays as they always feel like the cheaper copy, which essentially they are I suppose as the Roman playwrights typically imitate the older Greek originals making a handful of changes and then spin them to the Roman audience. Pseudolus is no exception but is in the higher echelon of Roman plays I've read as the characters are more likeable and the plot isn't as convoluted. It was witty and fast paced but ultimately for me a lil forg...more
Mar 13, 2012Phillip rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I really liked the metadramatic elements of this play. The stock comic characters--the miser, the clever servant, the swaggering pimp--make the basic action of the play easy to follow. But what really stood out for me and made this particularly interesting was the metadramatic references to being in a play and to what the audience knows as opposed to what other characters know. Unlike classic tragedies, comedies have the freedom to play with surfaces and to disrupt or disregard the willing suspe...more
Jul 11, 2013B. P. Rinehart rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This was a nice short cleaver Roman play. I'm not to familiar with ancient comedies but I was amused by how the 4th wall was broken by the main character at times.
Read as a part of The Norton Anthology of Western Literature, Volume 1.
Feb 09, 2016JJ Bellassai rated it really liked it · review of another edition
'Calidorus: How did you do that?
Pseudolus: Well, look, this play is being acted for the benefit of the audience; they know what happened because they saw it happen. I'll tell you about it some other time' (p.245)
Lol
Sep 16, 2015Francine Maessen rated it liked it · review of another edition
This was the fourth play I read by Plautus and I start to feel like some are kind of repetitive. I think I need to see one on stage, because I think I'm skimming the text to much and I'm missing some dimension. So if someone can recommend me a live play by Plautus, I would love to hear about it!
Dec 29, 2016Megan rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Shelves: 2-star, bored, classics, historical-fiction, never-again, plays, read-in-2016, uni, ancient-history, romans
I read this as part of my assigned reading for my uni class on Ancient Greece and Rome. I can't really say much about it other than I was a little bored with everything going on and must somehow be missing the sense of humour that the Romans had in order to find the play appealing.
Nov 12, 2014Eduardo Fernández ortuño rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Es increíble que algo que fue esccrito más de 2000 años atrás nos siga haciendo tanta gracia!
Mar 03, 2014Emerald rated it liked it · review of another edition
Nov 30, 2015Nicoletta rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Oct 29, 2010Leyla rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Okay, this was hilarious. Short, simple, funny.
Gee, I really liked this commedia. I guess it's the only book I had to read for homework I didn't hate. Hey, it's a first :)
Feb 26, 2015Tacye H rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Oct 19, 2008Pam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
An excellent book, a great translation. This book shows that certain things are always funny. I really enjoyed it!!!
Derek Kaellner rated it really liked it
Mar 02, 2012
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Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254 – 184 BC), commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest works in Latin literature to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of Latin literature, Livius Andronicus. The word Plautine refers to both Plautus's own works and works similar to or influenced b...more

St. Olaf Latin Play MMI

Click here to download a slideshow from the 2001 production of Plautus’ Pseudolus.

Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254-184 B.C.) composed over 100 comedies in Latin, adapting them from Greek originals. His source for Pseudolus is unknown. We do know that the play was first performed in Rome in April, 191 B.C. during the Megalesian festival. Cicero tells us that the play was still popular in his day (1st century B.C.) with the famous actor Roscius in the role of Ballio.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the hit Broadway musical, borrows much of its plot and even the name of its leading slave, Pseudolus (“Deceitful Dude”), from Plautus’ comedy.

Although all the characters in Pseudolus speak Latin, they are meant to be Greeks, with Greek names, clothing, and customs. The action takes place on a residential street in Athens, outside the houses of Ballio, Simo, and Charinus.

Scenes 1-2: Young Calidorus explains to Pseudolus, his family’s slave, that his girlfriend Phoenicium has been sold to a Macedonian soldier by Ballio, the double-crossing leno (“pimp”) who owns her and had earlier promised to sell her to no one but Calidorus. Pseudolus reads Phoenicium’s wretched love-letter to Calidorus in Song #1. Although he has no idea how he will do it, Pseudolus promises to obtain Phoenicium for Calidorus before the day is over. Ballio suddenly emerges from his house, being even more obnoxious than usual because it is his birthday. Phoenicium and three other lovely flute-girls sing a tune (Song #2) for Ballio and help him plan his party.

Scenes 3-4: Pseudolus and Calidorus alternately beg and abuse Ballio to make him agree to hand over Phoenicium. Ballio is willing to break his agreement with the soldier if Calidorus can come up with the money (20 minae or 2000 drachmas) before the messenger from the soldier arrives to pick up the girl. As Ballio heads to the marketplace (forum) to hire some cooks for his birthday celebration, Pseudolus asks Calidorus to go look for someone who can help them. As Pseudolus ponders what to do next, Simo and his neighbor Callipho enter; Simo is grumbling about his son’s lovesick behavior. Pseudolus approaches them and warns Simo that he plans to get 20 minae from him by the end of the day. Then he tops that boast by claiming that he will also outwit Ballio and acquire Phoenicium for Calidorus. Simo unwisely bets him 20 minae that he can’t do this. Simo and Callipho leave to attend to business in the forum.

Scenes 5-6: In Song #3 Pseudolus confidently predicts the success of his plan–even though he has not yet thought it up! The soldier’s slave Harpax then appears, sent by his master to pick up the girl Phoenicium, whom the soldier has already paid for. Harpax carries a letter from the soldier, sealed with a wax likeness of the soldier, whose name is Polymachaeroplagides. Pseudolus pretends to be Ballio’s assistant and manages to steal the letter from Harpax without his noticing; he then sends him away to take a nap in an inn, promising to fetch him as soon as Ballio comes home. While Pseudolus is rejoicing on stage, Calidorus returns with two helpers: his friend Charinus and Charinus’ slave Simia. They decide that, instead of trying to find 20 minae to buy Phoenicium, Simia should dress up like Harpax and use the stolen letter to fool Ballio into giving Phoenicium away to the wrong messenger. They all go inside Charinus’ house to fashion a costume for Simia.

Scenes 7-8: Ballio returns from the forum (where he has run into Simo and Callipho and been warned about Pseudolus) with four arrogant cooks (Song #4). As they and Ballio disappear into his house, Simia, now disguised as Harpax, emerges from Charinus’ house, with Pseudolus and Charinus still offering advice. As they watch from afar, Simia accosts Ballio and is so convincing as Harpax that Ballio hands over Phoenicium gladly, thinking that he has thwarted Pseudolus. Simia takes Phoenicium to Charinus’ house; Pseudolus and Charinus join them there to celebrate.

Scenes 9-10: As Ballio is gloating, Simo and Callipho arrive. Then the real Harpax shows up, singing about his dutifulness (Song #5). Believing him to be an impostor sent by Pseudolus, the old men and Ballio make fun of him until they realize that it is they who have been fooled. Harpax then forces Ballio to return the soldier’s money, and Simo agrees to pay Pseudolus the 20 minae he had wagered.