Please read Plautus' The Swaggering Soldier (Miles Gloriosus) . Cite a line from this play that shows something about Roman society or Roman history one might not learn from a more conventional historical source, e.g., something about day-to-day life in Rome, something about Roman values, or something about the Roman sense of humor. Explain why you chose this particular line.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Swaggering Soldier (Plautus)
Please read Plautus' The Swaggering Soldier (Miles Gloriosus) . Cite a line from this play that shows something about Roman society or Roman history one might not learn from a more conventional historical source, e.g., something about day-to-day life in Rome, something about Roman values, or something about the Roman sense of humor. Explain why you chose this particular line.
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The line I decided to use was from page 158 and was said by, Periplectomenus. “ Mind what I say now. Next time you see an intruder climbing about on the roof break his legs; unless you want me to whip you backs into ribbons. My neighbors seem to think they have a right to come spying on me from the tiles.”
ReplyDeleteThis is an example of patient/client relationship. Most of the men that Periplectomenus had around him were those he had served with in times of battle. I thought that this showed roman values of following an old tradition. And remaining loyal to those who have been loyal to you.
I must say that I found this play very amusing. As satire goes, it is one of the better ones.
ReplyDelete"Upon my word, the man has less brains than a dead pig..." Hilarious! I'm not certain that the line itself says anything about the Roman sense of humor, but it is funny.
I did find Periplectomenus's speech about good manners interesting. I think the way he describes what good manners are is something that would not be found in most history books about Roman society.
"You've got a good manner of describing bad manners, sir." Cleverly written and hilarious.
This play is full of one liners that show the sense of humor in Romans. One of my favorites is one that Palaestrio says on page 165 "And that you're dumb-witted as well as cross-eyed?" I think its funny because throughout the play they are always insulting each other and that makes the play humorous and shows us a little bit of Roman sense of humor and it is not that different from our own culture.
ReplyDeleteThe conversation between Palaestrio and Sceledrus on page 165 is an example of Roman humor. When Sceledrus doesn’t believe Palaestrio when he says that Philocomasium is at home by saying that he is pulling his leg Palaestrio responds with “I wouldn’t soil my hands” and then adds “touching such dirty objects”. In response, Sceledrus says “go and hang yourself.” This is funny because it shows how sometimes people make fun of each other by insulting each other. This is also true in our society as well. It is always easy to get a laugh by making fun of someone else. The play is full of these humorous insults and it is these funny situations that make the play humorous.
ReplyDeleteI liked Periplectomenus' commentary on page 179 on his preference for the joys of bachelorhood over the expenses of keeping a wife. He mentions daily expenses like paying for wool to make clothing or jam and the laundry girl's wages, as well as the expense of holidays like Mother's Day and Minerva's Day. These are all minor things that usually aren't mentioned in textbooks.
ReplyDeleteIt also shows humor at the expense of the Roman society, where women held a stronger role in the household.
"She's got a tongue, hasn't she, and eyes, and cheek, and naughtiness and nerve and bluff and blarney and guile? She can swear any accuser into silence. She can speak lies, act lies, swear lies, as if she was born to it; she's got craft, cunning, and deceit at her fingers' ends. Don't they say an artful woman doesn't need to go to the market- she grows her own spice and stuffing for cooking up any dish of mischief?"
ReplyDeleteI think this tells us a little bit about Roman values. Obviously this woman can lie quite well and they believe that she should. However, its one thing to lie but its another to be this good at it. Maybe this tells us Roman woman couldn't be trusted or maybe Roman woman used their looks and charm to get things that they want. Or maybe it was that men were lustful so they were easily tricked? I just know for sure that isn't a way people of high values would be described.
The quote that stood out for me was the following by Periplectomenus on P. 180:
ReplyDelete“What do I want with children? I have plenty of relatives. I’m quite happy as I am, I’ve got all I want, I live as I please, I do as I like…”
I chose it because so often when you read or hear about people (either historically or in the news) it’s usually about families – rarely about single people…especially Periplectomenus’ age. Soccer moms…hockey moms…pigs with lipstick…single moms…deadbeat dads…nuclear families…traditional family values…dysfunctional families…families throwing sweet potatoes at each other at Thanksgiving…and on and on. It’s nice to hear from somebody on the other side who lives and does as they please. Ahhhh…
I also liked what Palaestrio said on P. 159: “Don’t they say that an artful woman doesn’t need to go to market – she grows her own spice and stuffing for cooking up any dish of mischief?” I have to remember that the next time I see my sisters…
"Well, no sir; now that I see how things really are, I realize I acted foolishly. I meant no harm."
ReplyDelete"You acted very presumptuously. a slave ought to keep his eyes, hands, and tongue under control."
From this quote I feel that one may be able to see the every day distinction between classes in Roman society. It is obvious from these lines that a slave has his place and he shall remain in that place and obey the guidelines given to him.
Ruth Wilson
ReplyDeleteI always get these plays online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/ because it is SO much cheeper- as in free. That means that I have no page numbers for my fellow students to use as references. I also have some resources/foot notes that y'all don't have access to. One of them describes the relationship between the servant w/ the stupid long name and the master with the stupid long name. The servant is a "'Parasite'[which] properly denotes 'one person who dines with another.' The name was originally given to persons who were assistants to the priests and high magistrates, and, consequently, had a respectable signification." to quote Henry Thomas Riely, who translated my version. He continues to relate how these parasites were like the court jesters of later times, getting a meal or a lively hood in return for being the butt of jokes or ridiculus amounts of flattery, such as this dude is doing. That's not generally something a teacher or a textbook author would put in as important. It gets glossed over and yet is facinating, in my opinion.
during the opening scene you see the presence of a patron-client relationship in the way that Artotrogus seem to brown nose up to Pyrgopolynices. This shows a very deep respect that people in Ancient Rome showed to benefactors this seems to be an important thing to do throughout history because we all need a little help here and there. I believe Dante summed this topic up when he said that the lowest relm of hell is reserved for persons that betray a benefactor so that goes to show you how the Romans were right when it came to certain value systems.
ReplyDelete"It's only a fool and an ignoramus who would arraign the gods and find fault with designs."
ReplyDeleteThis line shows that Romans love and took pride in their gods and that no man should not complain on what the gods have place each man in this world for.
As I read this play I noticed that the Roman style of humor included a lot of teasing and jabbing others. For instance, when Sceledrus is telling Palaestrio about what he saw while chasing the monkey Palaestrio says "Useless man chases mischievous monkey." This line did not get a very welcome response from Sceledrus, but Palaestrio just waves it aside and has him continue. You can also see this throughout other parts of the play, like the very beginning when Palaestrio is constantly bad mouthing Pyrgopolynices to the side and then, when spoken to, completely changes his words and praises him, even if it is a bit sarcastic. I was pleasantly surprised by this humor. It is very similar to some humor of today, which I was not expecting.
ReplyDeleteJohn Rawerts
"We'd better go and speak to her...What are you doing here Philocomasium? What right or business have you in this house?" (169)
ReplyDeleteI think this line shows that how the Romans are not afraid to ask people questions about what they are doing. They are holding each other to a high standard of not doing things that that should not be doing. Like the mistress here. They are trying to see what she is doing here and being nosy.
The line I choose to be most intruging to me is Palaestrio "Now, Friends, if you will kindly pay attention, I will kindly explain the plot of this invention....If you don't want to listen, you'd better get up and go,
ReplyDeleteThat to me show how important it was for Roman's to have a speech in front of people to get into the Great Game. This is one way how to become a leader for the Romans.
page 160-
ReplyDelete"I seem to have heard that there's a writer is some foreign country with his head supported by stone block and two warders holding him down day and night...Just what a slave is supposed to look like."
This shows the kind of attitude people had towards slaves, which probably wasn't discussed in the kind of records we'd find from that time.