Titus Maccius Plautus, Asinaria

John Porter (University of Saskatchewan)

Ed. by William John Dominik, University of Otago
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: Anca Dan (École Practique de Hautes Études PSL), Martine Diepenbroek (University of Johannesburg), William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Victoria Fendel (University of Oxford), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Guendalina Daniela Maria Taietti (University of Liverpool), Jula Wildberger (American University of Paris)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. -212 - c. -205

Places

Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire) (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Comedy
Play

Resources

Save to Bookshelf

The

Asinaria

(

Comedy of the Asses

) deserves to be better known than it is. While it cannot claim to be Plautus’ greatest work, it displays a number of interesting features, particularly in its treatment of stock scenes and characters (Slater), and offers some truly hilarious moments. It is, in effect, boiled-down Plautus.

Plot

The plot follows a familiar arc, but introduces a number of surprising twists along the way. A young Athenian of respectable family but limited financial resources (Argyrippus) has fallen in love with a youthful prostitute next door named Philaenium, who loves him in return but lives under the control of a ruthless lena (procuress) named Cleareta. The latter leases out her “daughter’s” company according to a first-to-pay, first-served principle — a

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3018 words

Citation: Porter, John. "Asinaria". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 09 June 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34718, accessed 22 November 2024.]