Plautus

Titus Maccius Plautus:

(c. 254 BC – 184 BC) One of the most important Roman comedy poets, and by far the most influential playwright of early Latin literature. Here is an overview of what we know about him: Relatively little is certain about his life. According to ancient sources — especially Cicero and Gellius — he was born in Sarsina, a small town in Umbria (central Italy). His name is interesting in itself: Maccius was a clown figure from the popular Fabulae Atellanae, and Plautus means something like “flatfoot” or “floppy ear” — likely nicknames he received in the theater profession.

There is a story that he first found work in the theater world (as a stagehand or theater assistant), then lost money in trade, and subsequently had to work as a slave or laborer in a mill — where he is said to have written his first plays. Historians doubt the details, but the story does provide a picture of his non-aristocratic background.

Of the more than 130 plays attributed to him in antiquity, the scholar Varro recognized 21 as authentic. Those 21 have been preserved almost entirely — an exceptionally large corpus for an ancient author. Well-known plays include:

Menaechmi – about two swapped twins; the direct inspiration for Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors
Miles Gloriosus – the boastful soldier, an eternally beloved character
Pseudolus – the clever slave who helps his master; later the basis for the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Aulularia – the miser with a pot of gold; inspiration for Molière’s L’Avare
Amphitryon – Jupiter disguised as a mortal man; adapted by countless later writers

Plautus based his work on Greek New Comedy (especially Menander), but adapted it heavily for the Roman audience. He added much more:

Music and song (his plays were partly musical, almost operetta)

High-level puns and slapstick

Vulnerable, living Latin language — his work is therefore also an important source for the spoken Latin of his time
Typical characters: the servus callidus (the clever slave), the senex (the old fool), the miles gloriosus (the show-off soldier), the meretrix (the courtesan). Plautus was immensely popular in his own time and remained so throughout the centuries. His influence extends deep into modern literature and theater: Shakespeare, Molière, Lope de Vega, and many others draw directly from his work. Even in the 20th century, he lives on in musicals and films. His Latin is lively, funny, and accessible, which makes him a beloved author in classical studies even today.

Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend.

Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin.