Menander: Samia

With the discovery in Egypt of papyrus books we now know much more about Greek ‘New Comedy’ and the plays of its greatest exponent, Menander, but his second best preserved play, Samia, is not yet generally known. In this new edition the text takes account of all recent scholarly work, with the facing translation as an aid to interpretation. The commentary elucidates the text, explaining the themes and conventions of New Comedy, and emphasizing the text’s dramatic nature. The Samia is among the ancestors of modern comedy, whose traditions are derived from Menander and the Greek plays adapted by Plautus and Terence for Roman audiences.