Plautus was the single greatest influence on Western comedy. In fact, Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors
and Moliere's the Miser are two subsequent classics directly based on Plautine originals. Plautus himself
borrowed from the Greeks, but his jokes, rapid dialogue, bawdy humor, and irreverent characterizations are the
original work of an undisputed genius. The comedies printed here show him at his best, and Professor Segal's translations
keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these the most readable and actable versions available.