Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi Amphitryon, The Comedy of Asses, The Pot of Gold, The Two Bacchises, The Captives

"Amphitryon, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi" by Titus Maccius Plautus is a collection of comedies written in the late 3rd century BC. This compilation features notable plays, with the first being "Amphitryon," which draws on mythological themes and involves comical deceptions by the gods Jupiter and Mercury. The characters are steeped in classic Roman humor, highlighting the absurdity of mistaken identities and romantic entanglements. At the start of "Amphitryon," we learn of the god Jupiter's deceitful encounter with Alcmena, the wife of the warrior Amphitryon, during his absence in battle. Disguising himself as Amphitryon, Jupiter seeks romantic fulfillment, while the genuine Amphitryon is away fighting the Teloboians. The prologue introduces Mercury, who sets the stage for this tale of confusion and mischief, as he also assumes the form of Sosia, Amphitryon’s servant. The opening unfolds with Sosia's return, where he humorously grapples with the strange happenings at home, not grasping that both he and Amphitryon are pawns in a divine game. The stage is set for humorous interactions and misunderstandings that characterize Plautus's work. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Titus Maccius Plautus was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest Latin literary works to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by Livius Andronicus, the innovator of Latin literature. The word Plautine refers to both Plautus's own works and works similar to or influenced by his.