Major Blowhard

Yeah, that was the biggest picture I could find. My return to the comedies of the ancients couldn't have gotten off to a better start. I took on one of the longest plays I had, Miles Gloriosus (Major Blowhard) by Plautus, and it was a terrific and fast read. Blowhard tells the tale of a conceited war hero who steals both a teenager's girlfriend and slave, and then the slave's intricate plan to set everything right again. Deena Berg did a great job in translating the work- all of the character's personalities really shine through and the jokes worked well. Insults flew fast and furious, and in the end the good guys prevailed. You could argue that the slave's plan was completely overwrought and unnecessary, but that's what makes this a comedy. So does the line "I've known pork chops more quick on the up take." Good times. This gives me high hopes for the rest of the Plautus and Terence collection, which I'm sure I'll get back to soon enough.