Publii Terentii Afri Comoediae Sex
Publii Terentii Afri Comoediae Sex: Ex Editione Westerhoviana Recensita Ad Fidem Duodecim Amplius Msstorum Codicum & Pluscularum Optimae Notae Editionum
by Terence
| Publii Terentii Afri Comoediae Sex | |
 Title page from Publii Terentii Afri Comoediae Sex, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary. | |
| Author | Terence |
| Published | Glasguae: Cura & impensis Roberti Foulis, typis Roberti Urie & soc. |
| Date | 1742 |
| Language | Latin |
Publius Terentius Afer, “Terence,” was a Roman comedic writer. The limited information known about his life comes from a biography by Suetonius and commentary by Donatus, however neither source can be confirmed as entirely accurate.[1] Terence was born in Carthage and went to Rome as a slave in a senator’s household, but was soon freed and patronized by prominent Romans.[2] Terence himself speaks in his works with pride about his support by Cornelius Scipio Africanus, the great Roman general from the Second Punic War.[3] Sources differ about the age of Terence upon his death, supposedly at sea returning to Rome from Greece, but he was either 24 or 34 when he passed in 159BCE. Similarly to Plautus, Terence used original Greek comedy as inspiration for his own works, though he followed them more closely, and kept the settings and specific topics Greek rather than changing them to fit a Roman theme. Terence attempted to create more natural and realistic Latin plays with more dialogue and no prologues (instead putting key background information into the actions and dialogue itself).[4] He consequently was a key developer of literary Latin with a more every-day, conversational tone.[5] Though Terence was not widely appreciated by the Roman public, his works were admired by critics such as Cicero and Horace.[6] All six of the plays that Terence wrote are extant: Andria (‘Girl from Andros’), Hecyra (‘Mother-in-law’), Heauton timorumenos (‘Self-tormentor’), Eunuchus (‘Eunuch’), Phormio, and Adelphoe (‘Brothers’). [Ibid.][7]
This work contains all six of Terence’s plays. It was published by two well-known and regarded Scottish publishers, Robert and Andrew Foulis.
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Rebound in modern half gray morocco and marbled papercovered boards with black leather spine label gilt. Purchased from Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc.
References
- ↑ "Terence” in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature, ed. by M.C. Howatson (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).
- ↑ "Terence” in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, ed. by John Roberts (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).
- ↑ "Terence” in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ "Terence” in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World.
- ↑ "Terence” in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature.
- ↑ Ibid.
