The comic playscripts by Plautus—the earliest Latin texts we have—made it through the ancient world to reach ours because the moves and verbal jousting found in them have always made people laugh. Plautine comedies span a wide range of idioms, extending from saucy adventures in the sex trade with Father as the fall-guy who foots all bills, to the trouncing of bigmouth trooper by Ms. Hot Stuff; from the fairytale wishes come true of faraway foundlings fished up on a surprise romantic shore, to the caricature gospel that re-stages the myth of the birth of the hero, in true panto style, gods and all. Although there is no such creature as a typical Plautus play, this cannily chosen set of excerpts—ranging from the best- to least-known plays—gives a good sense of how a whole script runs, from opening hush, through brisk cameos and spectacular showstoppers, to final bow. John Henderson's energy, wit, and contagious affection for Plautus' snappy Latin (which he calls "Plautin") take the reader along on a whirlwind, laugh-out-loud tour. His combination of commentary, interpretive remarks, and attention to staging and metatheatrics make this edition a perfect introduction to Plautus, and an incentive for further reading. SPECIAL FEATURES * Introduction that is as lively as it is informative * 616 lines of unadapted Latin text from eleven Plautus plays: _Asinaria_ 746–809, _Amphitruo_ 361–462, _Captiui_ 1029–36, _Casina_ 780–854 and 1012–18, _Cistellaria_ 203–29, _Curculio_ 462–86, _Menaechmi_ 77–109 and 351–69, _Poenulus_ 1–45 and 541–66, _Pseudolus_ 1–2 and 394–414, _Rudens_ 938–1044, and _Truculentus_ 482–548 * Notes at the back * Map and five photos * Bibliography and further reading for each play * Appendix on meter * Guide to pronunciation of proper names * Online Latin text, marked for reading aloud (download pdf) [/Assets/Bolchazy/extras/plautusreaderweb.pdf] * Complete vocabulary