The Comedies of Terence

audiobook

The Comedies of Terence

by Terence

EN·~7 hours·34 chapters

Chapters

34 total
1

This translation of Terence was published by Harper & Brothers as the second part of an omnibus volume also containing the 1853 Riley translation (prose, with notes and commentary). The Riley portion has been released as a separate e-text.

1:22
2

THE - COMEDIES - OF - TERENCE.

0:02
3

LITERALLY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE, WITH NOTES.

0:07
4

By HENRY THOMAS RILEY, B.A., - LATE SCHOLAR OF CLARE HALL, CAMBRIDGE.

2:54
5

ACT THE FIRST. - SCENE I.

17:56
6

ACT THE SECOND. - SCENE I.

12:26
7

ACT THE THIRD. - SCENE I.

12:44
8

ACT THE FOURTH. - SCENE I.

14:15
9

ACT THE FIFTH. - SCENE I.

16:17
10

ACT THE FIRST. - SCENE I.

9:15

Description

This volume presents the surviving comedies of the Roman playwright Terence in a clear, literal English prose translation. The editor has aligned the text with the 1768 Colman edition, marking any discrepancies between the two sources so listeners can follow where the older reading differs. Helpful side‑by‑side notes explain cultural references, linguistic quirks, and stage directions that survive from the ancient performances.

In addition to the prose version, the book includes George Colman’s familiar blank‑verse rendition, allowing a taste of how the plays sounded in performance. The margins show original page numbers from both the 1896 Harper printing and the 1768 edition, and illustrative plates from the older text enhance the listening experience. Whether you’re a newcomer to Roman comedy or revisiting a favorite, the dual translations and scholarly commentary make the ancient humor accessible and engaging.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~7 hours (429K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Release date

2007-09-21

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Terence

Terence

A master of Roman comedy, this playwright helped shape the tradition of character-driven stage humor with six surviving plays adapted from Greek originals. His writing stayed influential for centuries, admired for its clarity, wit, and sharp sense of human behavior.

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