Q&A With Plautus
Before we speak with Plautus, I am going to give you a brief history of him to introduce him. His full name is Titus Maccius Plautus. He was born in Sarsina, a small town in central Italy in 254 B.C. In his early years, he worked as a scene shifter. While there, he made enough money to go into nautical business. Now, in his free time he writes plays. As you know, he is so popular today, that even his name means success. In fact Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors is based on Plautus' Menaechmi. That shows you how popular he becomes, even after death.
Ladies and gentlemen, I now turn the time over to Plautus to answer your questions. Please give him a round of applause.
Ladies and gentlemen, I now turn the time over to Plautus to answer your questions. Please give him a round of applause.
Plautus: Hello. I am very pleased to be with you today. It is flattering that so many people recognize my work. I write in my free time because I enjoy it. It is an honor to know that my work is so widely accepted. Please, allow me to answer any questions that you may have for me.
Question: What types of plays did you write?
Answer: I write new comedy. It is a transformation of the Greek's Old Comedy. My comedies are more subtle. They are more a comedy of manners. And they don't have the chorus like the Greek's did.
Question: Why did you write New Comedy?
Answer: It is more realistic and more down to earth than old comedy. I have been told that you just arrived here from ancient Greece. Do you remember the myths and the fantasies needed in order to use comedy? My plays are more simple.
Question: How many plays have you written?
Answer: 45... so far. I may write more after you go back to the future.
Question: When were you born? It seems like you have a lot of knowledge about Greek theater as well.
Answer: I was born 254 B.C. So yes, I know a little about Greek theater. I have been helping Roman theater in its infancy.
Question: How does it make you feel to know that you are the most popular of all Roman comic writers?
Answer: It is humbling. I just do what I love, which is to write and entertain.
Question: Is your favorite type of entertainment theater?
Answer: Yes, but more specifically the mime.
Question: How did you get into the play writing business?
Answer: Well, I traveled to Rome from Umbria at an early age to become an actor. Because of these experiences on the stage I was able to begin writing my own plays. I didn't think they would be any good, I just wrote because I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed putting romance into my plays. This is also different from the Greek plays I had performed.
Question: What would you say if I told you that some of your plays are copied in the future?
Answer: It would flatter me to know that my work lived on after this time period. But it would be a little frustrating that they couldn't come up with their own artistic masterpieces.
Question: Out of the plays you have written, what is your favorite?
Answer: The Menaechmi.
Question: What types of plays did you write?
Answer: I write new comedy. It is a transformation of the Greek's Old Comedy. My comedies are more subtle. They are more a comedy of manners. And they don't have the chorus like the Greek's did.
Question: Why did you write New Comedy?
Answer: It is more realistic and more down to earth than old comedy. I have been told that you just arrived here from ancient Greece. Do you remember the myths and the fantasies needed in order to use comedy? My plays are more simple.
Question: How many plays have you written?
Answer: 45... so far. I may write more after you go back to the future.
Question: When were you born? It seems like you have a lot of knowledge about Greek theater as well.
Answer: I was born 254 B.C. So yes, I know a little about Greek theater. I have been helping Roman theater in its infancy.
Question: How does it make you feel to know that you are the most popular of all Roman comic writers?
Answer: It is humbling. I just do what I love, which is to write and entertain.
Question: Is your favorite type of entertainment theater?
Answer: Yes, but more specifically the mime.
Question: How did you get into the play writing business?
Answer: Well, I traveled to Rome from Umbria at an early age to become an actor. Because of these experiences on the stage I was able to begin writing my own plays. I didn't think they would be any good, I just wrote because I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed putting romance into my plays. This is also different from the Greek plays I had performed.
Question: What would you say if I told you that some of your plays are copied in the future?
Answer: It would flatter me to know that my work lived on after this time period. But it would be a little frustrating that they couldn't come up with their own artistic masterpieces.
Question: Out of the plays you have written, what is your favorite?
Answer: The Menaechmi.
