[10.] From Syria, her native country.
[11.] Menander)—According to some, this Play was borrowed from the Greek of Apollodorus, a Comic Poet and contemporary of Menander, who wrote forty-seven Plays.
[12.] Being Consuls)—Cneius Octavius Nepos and T. Manlius Torquatus were Consuls in the year from the building of the City 587, and B.C. 166.
[13.] It was then approved of)—“Placuit.” This is placed at the end, in consequence of the inauspicious reception which had been given to it on the two first representations. See the account given in the [Prologues].
[14.] Hecyra)—Ver. 1. The Greek word Ἕκυρα, a “step-mother,” or “mother-in-law,” Latinized.
[15.] And calamity)—Ver. 3. “Calamitas.” This word is used in the same sense in the first line of the Eunuch. This is evidently the Prologue spoken on the second attempt to bring forward the piece. On the first occasion it probably had none. “Vitium” was a word used by the Augurs, with whom it implied an unfavorable omen, and thence came to be used for any misfortune or disaster. He seems to mean the depraved taste of the public, that preferred exhibitions of rope-dancers and pugilists to witnessing his Plays.
[16.] Again to sell it)—Ver. 7. See the [last Note] to the Second Prologue.
[17.] Other Plays of his)—Ver. 8. Madame Dacier informs us that Vossius was of opinion that the second representation of this Play did not take place till after that of the Adelphi. In that case, they had already seen the rest of his Plays.
[18.] Second Prologue)—Eugraphius informs us that this Prologue was spoken by Ambivius Turpio, the head of the company of Actors.
[19.] Cæcilius)—Ver. 14. Colman has the following Note: “A famous Comic Poet among the Romans. His chief excellences are said to have been, the gravity of his style and the choice of his subjects. The first quality was attributed to him by Horace, Tully, etc., and the last by Varro. ‘In argumentis Cæcilius poscit palmam, in ethesi Terentius.’ ‘In the choice of subjects, Cæcilius demands the preference; in the manners, Terence.’” Madame Dacier, indeed, renders “in argumentis,” “in the disposition of his subjects.” But the words will not bear that construction. “Argumentum,” I believe, is uniformly used for the argument itself, and never implies the conduct of it; as in the Prologue to the Andrian, “non tam dissimili argumento.” Besides, the disposition of the subject was the very art attributed by the critics of those days to Terence, and which Horace mentions in the very same line with the gravity of Cæcilius, distinguishing them as the several characteristics of each writer, “Vincere Cæcilius gravitate, Terentius arte.”