THE DRAMATIC VALUES IN PLAUTUS

"JUP. I am the renowned Amphitruo, whose slave is S::>sia ;
you know, the fellow that turns into Mercury at will. I dwell in
my sky-parlor and become Jupiter the while, ad libitum. "49
Even in olden times Euanthius censured this practice (de Com.
III. 6)50 : nihil ad populum facit actorem velut extra
comoediam loqui, quod vitium Plauti frequentissimum.
Naturally we shall hardly consider under this head the speech of
the whole grex, or the "Nunc plaudite" of an actor that closes a
number of the plays. It is no more than the bowing or curtain­
calls of today,51 unless it was an emphatic announcement to the
ce that the play was over.
B. Inconsistencies and carelessness of composition.
e have referred above to the voluminous mass of inconsisten­
cies, contradictions and psychological improbabilities collected by
Langen in his Plautinische Studien. He really succeeds in finding
the crux of the situation in recognizing that these features are
inherent in Plautus' style and are frequently employed solely for
comic effect, though he is often overcome by a natural Teutonic
stolidity. He aptly points out that Plautus in his selection of
originals has in the main chosen plots with more vigorous action
than Terence. We shall have occasion to quote him at intervals,
bUOire
to develop this topic quite independently.
I. Pointless badinage and padded scenes.
ong evidence of loose c0nstruction and lack of a technical
dramatic ideal is contained in the large number of scenes padded
out with pointless badinage, often tiresome, often wholly episodical
in nature, as the monodies, and putting for a time a complete check
on the plot. The most striking of these is Au!' 63 1 ff., when
Euclio, suspecting Strobilus of the theft of his gold, pounces upon
him and belabors him :
"STR. (Howling and dancing and making violent efforts to free
himself.) What the plague has got hold of you ? What have you
to do with me, you dotard ? Why pick on me ? Why are you
grabbing me ? Don't beat me ! (Succeeds in breaking loose.)
49Cf. further Amph. 463, 998, Bae. 1072, Cap. 69 ff., Cas. 879, Cis. 146, 678,
Men. 880, Mer. 313, Mil. 862, Most. 280, 354, 708 ff., Poen. 921 f., Ps. 124,
St. 224, 446, 674 ff., True. 109 ff., 463 ff. , 965 ff. Cf. infra II. B. 5·
50In Donat. ed. Wessner.
51V. As., Bae., Cap., Cis., Cur., Ep., Men., Mer., Most., Per., Rud., St.
Cf. Cas. 1013 ff., Poen. 1370 f.