10.3 Terence's adaptation of Greek New Comedy

Terence, a Roman playwright, drew heavily from Greek New Comedy for his works. He adapted plays by Menander and others, focusing on domestic themes and stock characters while incorporating complex plots and moral lessons.

Terence's adaptations weren't mere translations. He combined elements from multiple Greek plays, Romanized cultural references, and adjusted the language to suit Roman audiences. This approach created unique works that blended Greek storytelling with Roman sensibilities.

Terence's Adaptation of Greek New Comedy

Greek New Comedy's influence on Terence

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• Greek New Comedy, popularized by Menander, significantly influenced Terence's works
  • Focused on domestic themes (family relationships, love, social issues)
  • Featured stock characters (young lovers, cunning slaves, stern fathers, courtesans)
  • Employed complex plot structures with misunderstandings, coincidences, and recognition scenes
• Terence drew inspiration from Menander's plays for his own comedies
  • Adapted works like "The Brothers" (Adelphoe) and "The Eunuch" (Eunuchus)
  • Incorporated Menandrian elements such as intricate plots, character types, and themes
• Terence's plays reflect the style and tone of Greek New Comedy
  • Emphasize character development, realistic dialogue, and moral lessons
  • Use prologue to address the audience and defend artistic choices

Terence's adaptation of Greek sources

• Terence employed various techniques to adapt Greek plays for Roman audiences
  • Contaminatio: combined elements from multiple Greek plays into a single Latin work
    • Allowed for more complex plots and diverse characters
    • "The Eunuch" combines scenes from Menander's "The Eunuch" and "The Flatterer"
  • Romanization: adjusted Greek cultural references and settings to suit Roman context
    • Changed Greek names to Roman ones
    • Adapted Greek customs and institutions to Roman equivalents
  • Linguistic modifications: translated Greek dialogue into idiomatic Latin
    • Captured the essence of the original while making it accessible to Roman viewers
    • Employed Roman colloquialisms and wordplay
• Terence tailored his adaptations to appeal to Roman tastes and sensibilities
  • Emphasized themes relevant to Roman society (family dynamics, social hierarchy)
  • Incorporated Roman values and moral lessons into the plays' messages

Terence's plays vs Greek originals

• Similarities between Terence's adaptations and Greek source material:
  • Overall plot structure and narrative arcs often remained consistent
  • Stock characters and their roles in the story were largely maintained
  • Central themes (love, family, social commentary) were preserved
• Differences between Terence's adaptations and Greek originals:
  • Terence's use of contaminatio introduced new plot elements and characters
    • Added complexity and depth to the original storylines
    • Created more opportunities for humor and dramatic tension
  • Romanization of cultural references and settings
    • Greek gods and religious practices replaced with Roman equivalents
    • Greek place names and landmarks substituted with Roman ones
  • Expansion or reduction of certain scenes and character roles
    • Terence occasionally developed minor characters or subplots to enhance the narrative
    • Some scenes or characters from the Greek original might be omitted for brevity or relevance
  • Linguistic and stylistic differences due to the translation from Greek to Latin
    • Terence's language and wordplay were tailored to Roman audiences
    • Some nuances or puns from the Greek original might be lost or altered in translation