the story which were necessary in order to understand the plot. That of the modern stage is an address of the poet to the spectators, praying for indulgence, deprecating severe criticism, enlivened frequently by characteristic sketches and satirical observations on the manners and habits of the age. In these features it sometimes resembles the parabasis of the old Attic comedy. The prologues of Plautus united all these objects; and whilst they introduced the comedy, their amusing gayety was calculated to put the audience in good humor and secure their applause. The shrewd knowledge which the author displayed in them of the character of his fellow-countrymen claimed their sympathies, and called forth their prejudices in his favor; whilst their polish and finish must have been appreciated by an assembly whose attention had not begun to flag or to weary. Some are long pieces. That of the Amphitruo, which is the longest, extends to upwards of one hundred and fifty lines. That of the trinummus takes the unusual form of a brief allegorical dialogue between Luxury and her daughter Poverty. STATIUS COMPARED WITH MENANDER-CRITICISM OF CICERO-HYPOTHESES RESPECTING THE EARLY LIFE OF TERENCE-ANECDOTE RELATED BY DONATUS-STYLE AND MORALITY OF TERENCE-ANECDOTE OF HIM RELATED BY CORNELIUS NEPOS-HIS PECUNIARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND DEATH-PLOTS AND CRITICISM OF HIS COMEDIES-THE REMAINING COMIC POETS. CECILIUS STATIUS. Dird BC 167 BETWEEN Plautus and Terence flourished Cæcilius Statius, whom Volcatius, as well as Cicero,' places at the head of the list of Roman comic poets. He was an emancipated slave, and was born at Milan. The time of his birth is unknown, but he died. A. U. C. 586, and was, therefore, a contemporary of Ennius. He did not depart from the established custom of transferring the comedy of the Greek stage to that of Rome, and as far as a judgment can be formed from the titles of his forty-five comedies which are extant, they were all "Palliata." The collection of fragments remaining of his works is a large one, but they are not sufficiently long or connected to test the favorable opinion entertained by the critics of ancient times. Aulus Gellius enables us to estimate the powers of C. Statius as a translator by a comparison of two passages taken from his "Plocius" with the original of Menander. The result is, that the usual fault of translations is too plainly manifest, namely, the loss of the spirit and vigor. "Our comedies," he remarks, "are written in an elegant and graceful style, and may be read with pleasure; but if compared with the Greek originals, they fall so far short that the arms of Glaucus could not have been more inferior to those of Diomede: the Greek is full of emotion, wit, and liveliness; the Latin dull and uninteresting." Cicero, likewise, and Varro, have pronounced judgment upon his merits and demerits. The sum and substance of their criticisms appear to be that his excellencies consisted in the conduct of the plot, dignity, and in pathos,' whilst his fault was not sufficient care in preserving the purity of the Latin style. 'De Opt. Gen. Dic. i. 4 Horace. 2 Noct. Att. ii. 33. 3 Varro. Cicero,' though not without hesitation, assigns the palm to him amongst the writers of Latin comedy, as he awards that of epic poetry to Ennius, and that of tragedy to Pacuvius. He says, on the other hand, that the bad Latin of Cæcilius and Pacuvius formed exceptions to the usual style of their age, which was as commendable for its Latinity as for its innocence. And in a letter to Atticus3 he writes: "I said, not as Cæcilius, Mane ut ex portu in Piræum, but as Terence, whose plays, on account of their elegant Latinity, were thought to have been written by C. Lælius, Heri aliquot adolescentuli coimus in Piræum." Horace, without stating his own opinion, gives, as that commonly received in his day, that Cæcilius is superior in dignity (gravitate), Terence in skill (arte). The prologue of Terence's comedy of the Пecyra proves that the earlier plays of Cæcilius had a great struggle to achieve success. The actor who delivers it, an old favorite with the public, and probably the manager, apologizes for bringing forward a play which had been once rejected (exacta), on the ground that by perseverance in a similar course he had caused the reception and approval of not one but many of the comedies of Cæcilius which had been unsuccessful, and adds, that of those which did succeed, some had a narrow escape. P. TERENTIUS AFER. Born BC 193 6 P. Terentius Afer was a slave in the family of a Roman senator, P. Terentius Lucanus. His early history is involved in obscurity, but he is generally supposed to have been born A. U. C. 561.5 His cognomen, Afer, points to an African origin, for it was a common custom to distinguish slaves by an ethnical name. Whether there is any sufficient authority for the tradition that he was a native of Carthage, is uncertain. He could not, as was rightly observed by Fenestella, have been actually a prisoner of war, because he was both born and died in the interval between the first and second Punic Wars; nor, if he had been captured by the Numidians or Gætulians in any war which these tribes carried on with Carthage, could he have come into the possession of a Roman general by purchase, for there was no commercial intercourse between these nations and Rome until after the destruction of Carthage. Another hypothesis has been suggested, which is by no means 719 901 149-146 HIS STYLE AND MORALITY. 109 improbable. During the interval which elapsed between the first and second Punic Wars, the Carthaginians were involved in wars with their own mercenaries, the Numidians, and the southern Iberians. Some embassies from Rome also visited Carthage. Terence, therefore, may possibly have been taken prisoner in one of these wars, have been purchased by a Roman in the Carthaginian slavemarket, and so have been carried to Rome. What his condition was in the house of Lucanus is not known; but it is clear that he had opportunities of cultivating his natural talents, and acquiring that refined and masterly acquaintance with all the niceties and elegancies of the Latin language which his comedies exhibited, and it is probable, also, that very early in life he obtained his freedom. His first essay as a dramatic author was the "Andrian," perhaps the most interesting, certainly the most affecting, of all his comedies. Terence, an unknown and obscure young man, offered his play to the Curule Ediles. They, accordingly, we are told, referred the new candidate to the experienced judgment of Cæcilius Statius, then at the height of his popularity. Terence, in humble garb, was introduced to the poet whilst he was at supper, and seated on a low stool near the couch on which Cæcilius was reclining, he commenced reading. He had finished but a few lines when Cæcilius invited him to sit by him and sup with him. He rapidly ran through the rest of his play, and gained the unqualified admiration of his hearer. This story is related by Donatus, but whether there is any truth in it is very doubtful. It is, at any rate, certain that "The Andrian" was not brought forward. immediately after obtaining this decision in its favor, for the date of its first representation is two years subsequent to the death of Cæcilius. Talents of so popular a kind as those of Terence, and a genius presenting the rare combination of all the fine and delicate touches which characterize true Attic sentiment, without corrupting the native ingenuous purity of the Latin language, could not long remain in obscurity. He was soon eagerly sought for as a guest and a companion by those who could appreciate his powers. The great Roman nobility, such as the Scipiones, the Lælii, the Scavolæ, and the Metelli, had a taste for literature. Like the Tyranni in Sicily and Greece, and like some of the Italian princes in the middle ages, they assembled around them circles of literary men, of whom the polite and hospitable host himself formed the nucleus and centre. The purity and gracefulness of the style of Terence, "per 1 See Smith's Dict. of Ant. s. v. 2 B. C. 166; A. v. c. 588. quam dulces Latini leporis facetic nituerunt," show that the conversation of his accomplished friends was not lost upon his correct ear and quick intuition. To these habits of good society may also be attributed the leading moral characteristics of his comedies. He invariably exhibits the humanity and benevolence of a cultivated mind. He cannot bear loathsome and disgusting vice: he deters the young from the unlawful indulgence of their passions by painting such indulgence as inconsistent with the refined habits and tastes of a gentleman. His truthfulness compels him to depict habits and practices which were recognized and allowed, as well by the manners of the Athenians, from whom his comedies were taken, as by the lax morality of Roman fashionable society. Nor can we expect from a heathen writer of comedy so high a tone of morality as to lash vice with the severe censure which the Christian feels it deserves, however venial society may pronounce it to be. It is as much as can be hoped for, if we find the principles of good taste brought forward on the stage to influence public morals. Even the code of Christian society too often contents itself with rebuking such vice as interferes with its own comfort or safety, and stigmatizes conduct, not for its immorality, but for its being unbecoming a gentleman. It is a standard which has its use, but it is not higher than the Terentian. And if the plays of Terence are compared with those of authors professing to be Christians, which form part of the classical literature of the English nation, and were unblushingly witnessed.on their representation by some of both sexes, who, nevertheless, professed a regard for character, how immeasurably superior are the comedies of the heathen poet! Point out to the young the greater light and knowledge which the Christian enjoys, and the plays of Terence may be read without moral danger. No amount of coloring and caution would be sufficient to shield the mind of an ingenuous youth from the imminent peril of being corrupted by those of Wycherly and Congreve. Pictures of Roman manners must represent them as corrupt, or they would not be truthful; but often a good lesson is elicited from them. When the deceived wife reproachfully asks her offending husband with what face he can rebuke his son because he has a mistress when he himself has two wives, one is far more struck with the honor which the strictness of Roman virtue paid to the nuptial tie, than offended at the lenient view which is taken of the young man's fault. The knaveries and tricks of Davus3 meet with sufficient 1 Valerius Paterc. 2 Phorm. v. viii. 3 Andr. v. ii. |