Commentary

Summary

Didascalia

On the Production Notices (didascaliae) of Terence's plays see Intro, sect, 1

acta: sc. acta est haec fabula. ludis Megalensibus: so the Galliopian MSS (∑); the Bembinus (A) preserves an alternative tradition that Eun. was performed at the Ludi Romani. On the festivals see Intro, sect. 2 aedilibus curulibus: the curule aedileship was a relatively junior office of the Roman state but an important rung on the political ladder. The aediles were responsible for most of the public games (Intro, sect. 2), and it is generally supposed that they would aim to gain political support for the future by lavish expenditure on them (for a sceptical view on this see Gruen 188–93). Not much is known of L. Postumius Albinus (who became consul in 154 BC) and L. Cornelius Merula, who are named here by ∑. A gives two different names, M. Iunius and L. Iulius, which may relate to a revival performance, though the date of their aedileship is quite uncertain (Broughton 1 466).

egere: not merely ‘acted’ but ‘produced’. On Ambivius Turpio see Intro, sect. 2. Atilius of Praeneste (a small town some twenty miles east of Rome) is named as co-producer of four of T.'s plays; he should probably be regarded as the second actor of Ambivius' troupe, rather than as the producer of later revivals.