This teacher’s guide for the Mostellaria: An Adapated Latin Play contains activities and supplementary readings, which are suitable for use in Latin III and Latin IV. This play is an adaptation of Plautus’ Mostellaria. Activities are based on the principle of comprehensible input and are primarily designed with the goal of using Latin actively in the classroom.

For more information about the play, click this link. To review the vocabulary used in the play, click this link. If you would like to read the first scene in the play, click here. Discounts on a classroom set are available, as well as a licensed PDF, are available in the store. Please feel free to email if you have a custom set you would like.

Please consider supporting my work on Bombax Press by purchasing the downloadable teacher’s guide for $10 at this link.

Preteaching the Mostellaria

If you are preparing to teach the Mostellaria, these activities can provide some useful background knowledge on who Plautus is as an author and features of Roman comedy.

Plautus’ Life and Corpus of Writing

Objectives:

1. Introduce students to Plautus’ life
2. Introduce students to Plautus’ plays
3. Introduce students to elements of Roman comedy

Materials:

• Lectiō:  Vīta Plautī
• Comprehension questions

Lesson Summary:      

Provide students with copies of the reading about Plautus’ life in Latin. Read aloud the reading first and have students follow along and ask questions about vocabulary or phrasing if they do not understand. Pass out the comprehension questions. Students complete the comprehension questions independently or in groups. Review the questions at the end of class to check for comprehension.  

Note: You may want to adjust reading’s glosses to match your own students’ vocabulary knowledge.

Optional Challenging Extensions:

• Students can read Aulus Gellius’ Attic Nights in English or in Latin. Students can read about contested authorship of Plautus’ plays and read how Romans discussed and debated these issues. This would be a challenging read in English and in Latin because Aulus Gellius makes several references to other playwrights and to Varro’s work.
  • Plautus Biography, focusing on authorship of plays, by Aulus Gellius in Attic Nights, 3.3 (Latin, English).
• Students could compare the epitaphs of three Romans, including Plautus, Naevius, and Pacuvius. Students could discuss what kind of person writes their own epitaph and what predictions they may make about Plautus and the content of the Mostellaria based on his epitaph.
  • Plautus’ Epitaph, by Aulus Gellius in Attic Nights, 1.24 (Latin, English).

Lectiō: Vīta Plautī

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read the reading outloud. Underline words and phrases you are unfamiliar with. Then reread the reading and answer the reading questions.

Vītae Plautī

Plautus annō 254 B.C.E. in Ītaliā nātus est. Nōmen eī erat Titus Maccius Plautus, sed nescīmus an nōmen vērum an falsum erat. Maccius significat stultus et vir cōmicus et scurra. Plautus significat pēs plānus. Quā dē causā, nōmen fortasse erat nōmen quō Plautus in scaenā ūtēbātur. Nescīmus!

Multa dē vītā Plautī nescīmus, sed scīmus Plautum multās fābulās scrīpsisse! Varrō, quī scrīpsit dē vītīs poētārum et scrīptōrum, dīxit Plautum histriōnem Rōmae esse. Plautus persōnam agēbat, sed Plautus quoque fābulās scrībere incēpit. Varrō quoque scrīpsit Plautum nōn habēre satis pecūniae. Quā dē causā, Plautus in pistrīnā[1] labōrābat (labor difficilis erat!).

In pistrīnā, Plautus iterum incēpit scrībere cōmoediās. Tandem, Plautus cōmoediās vēndidit, et in pistrīnā nōn iam labōrābat. Plautus tantum cōmoediās scrīpsit!

Cōmoediae Plautī

Quot fābulae ā Plautō scrīptae sunt? Nescīmus! Aliī Rōmānī dīxērunt Plautum scrībere 130 cōmoediās, sed aliī Rōmānī dīxērunt Plautum scrībere 21 cōmoediās, quās omnēs habēmus et legere possumus. Varrō dīxit Plautum scrībere 21 cōmoediās, et multī hominēs Varrōnī crēdidit.

Rōmānae cōmoediae Graecae erant! Auctōrēs Graecās cōmoediās Latīnē scrīpsit. Argūmentum[2] quoque Graecum erat. Nōmina personārum drāmatis Graecā erant! Sed histriōnēs Latīnē loquēbātur.

Omnēs histriōnēs in scaenā persōnam agēbant. In scaenā, duae aut trēs vīllae erant, sed spectātōrēs in vīllīs vidēre nōn poterant. Histriōnēs vīllās intrāvērunt, et spectātōrēs eōs nōn vīdērunt. Histriōnēs quoque ad dextrum aut sinistrum histriōnum exīvērunt. Histriōnēs in viā ante vīllās persōnam agēbant.

Argūmentum rīdiculum et absurdum semper erat! Fīnis fābulae semper laetum erat, et omnēs persōnae et spectātōrēs gaudēbant.

Drāmatis Persōnae

Personae semper rīdiculae erant, sed quoque erant persōnae similēs in omnibus fābulīs.

Hī erant persōnae similēs in omnibus fābulīs:

• Senex Īrātus:  Hic vir erat senex et putābat iuvenēs stultōs esse. Senex īrātus saepe rīdiculus et cōnfūsus et stultus erat. In fīne fābulae, veniam iuvenibus dedit.

• Adulēscēns amāns:     Hic iuvenis saepe erat fīlius Sēnīs Īrātī. Iuvenis fēminam quae nōn erat pār iuvenī amābat. Fēmina saepe erat meretrīx, sed virgō nōn numquam erat.

• Servus callidus:   Hic servus intellegentissimus erat. Cōnsilia semper cēpit, et auxilium adulēscentī amantī semper dedit.

• Servus stultus:   Hic servus nōn intellegēns erat, sed… stultus.

• Parasītus:  Hic vir (aut servus) pecūniam nōn habēbat. Cibum, cēnam, pecūniam, et vīnum semper habēre volēbat. Quā dē causā, amīcus virō dīvitī erat quia volēbat invītārī ā virō dīvite ad cēnam!

• Meretrīx:    Meretrīx in lupānāre[3] habitābat. Meretrīx adulēscentem amātōrem saepe amābat. Multī virī, autem, meretrīcem dēsīderābant.
• Virgō:   Virgō erat fēmina pulchra, et adulēscēns amātor saepe eam amābat.

• Lēnō:    Lēnō dux lupānāris erat. Lēnō nōlēbat adulēscentem amantem amāre meretrīcem. 

• Mīles Glōriōsus:   Vir quī putat sē esse optimum. Hic vir in bellō pugnābat. Mīles Glōriōsus meretrīcem aut virginem amābat.

Vōs comediam nōmine Mostellāriam lēgētis. In Mostellāriā, omnēs persōnae nōn sunt.

Personae drāmatis in Mostellāriā sunt:

• Buccō est adulēscēns amāns.
• Prīscus est senex īrātus.
• Āfer est servus callidus.
• Flōra est meretrīx et canēns servā erat.
• Caepiō est servus stultus.
• Macula est meretrīx et canēns servā.
• Rutilus est parasītus (plusmīnusve).

Aliae Persōnae:

• Simō est amīcus Prīscī.
• Lurcō est vir quī pecūniam in aliquem dat.
• Calidus est amīcus Buccōnis.
• Scapha est serva.
• Sphaeriō est servus.
• Dorsuō est servus.

Roganda Vīta Plautī

Directions: Answer the questions based on the reading about Plautus’ life and his corpus of writing. Write in complete sentences in Latin.

1. Quid nōmen Plautō significat?
2. Putāsne nōmen Plautō esse vērum an falsum?
3. Quis erat Varrō?
4. Dēscrībe vītam Plautī.
5. Quōmodo Graecae cōmoediae similēs Rōmānīs cōmoediīs sunt?
6. Dēscrībe scaenam in quā histriōnēs persōnam agunt.
7. Ēlige quattuor persōnās drāmatis et dēscrībe eās. Quōmodo sunt amīcī? Quōmodo sunt inimīcī? Quī sunt?
8. Quae persōnae in Mostellāriā nōn sunt?

Roman Theater Preteaching Videos

Before beginning to pre-teach vocabulary, consider introducing elements of Roman theater. These videos all offer information about Roman theater, including information about archaeology and playwrights. Comprehension questions are available for Magister Craft’s video.

Possible Videos:

Divus Magister Craft:  Roman Theater  (7:31 Minutes)

This video is in Latin and introduces students to archaeology of a Roman theater. It discusses wooden theaters. It further discusses stone theaters, including the Theater of Pompey (and the Temple of Venus) and where spectators would have sat depending on their social class.  Magister Craft describes the actors and masks before describing the Theater of Balbus, which had shades. The last theater is the Theater of Marcellus before a mini staged production occurs in the Theater of Pompey.

Satura Lanx:  Litterae Latinae Simplices 8 – Plautus (pars 1) (17:31 Minutes)

This video is in Latin, and it would be a more challenging listening activity for students. Irene describes Plautus’ life, discusses some of the controversy about how many plays he wrote, summarizes the plots of a few plays, including Pseudolus and the Menaechmi. If you don’t listen to this with your students, do at least listen to it for you own sake.

Satura Lanx:  Litterae Latinae Simplices 8 – Plautus (pars 2)  (26:07 Minutes)

This video is in Latin, and it would be more challenging for students than the previous episode. Irene describes Plautus’ plays the Amphitruo, Aularia, and Bacchides. She also discusses women in Plautus’ plays, gods, and the Greek influence on Roman comedy (and how Plautus deviated from these set standards with contamnatio). She also discusses meter and the epitaph attributed to him. If you don’t listen to this with your students, do at least listen to it for you own sake.

Crash Course Video:  Roman Theater with Plautus, Terence, and Seneca. (11:57 Minutes)

Crash Course introduces general comedy, including stock characters, and explains some the Greek origins of play. It also provides some biographical information about Plautus, Terence, and Seneca. Crash Course further discusses the plot of the Menaechmi and how this play influenced Shakespeare. It is an excellent, albeit quick-paced English introduction to Roman comedy in general. Preview, and if you do not want to include the Menaechmi and Seneca, stopping the video earlier.

Crash Course Video: Dances to Flute Music and Obscene Verse. It’s Roman Theater, Everybody!  (12:25 Minutes)

Crash Course discusses Greek comedy, including old, middle, and new comedy. It discusses the playwright Menander. It provides a significant background to the development of Roman Comedy, including Atellan Farce. I recommend previewing this video because it does reference some of the obscene elements of Atellan Farce. It could be skipped over or redacted. Fabulae Palliatae begins at 6:12 focusing on the influence of Menander on Roman theater. It also discusses the Ludi Romani and the development of theater. Preview and consider cutting sections if sharing with students depending on your school culture and student maturity levels.

The Great Courses:  A Roman Theater Frozen in Time  (4:59 minutes)

This video focuses on Greek theater and the theater at Epidaurus. It discusses some of the archaeology and contains unobjectionable content. It is in English.

Roganda:  Magister Craft’s Theātrum Rōmānum

Directions:     Watch Magister Craft’s video on Roman Theater two times. The first time, do your best to listen to the video and to listen for the answers to the questions. Do not write down the answers. The second time, you can write down the answers to the questions in Latin.

1. Quid Rōmānī in theātrō faciēbant?
2. Ubi erant prīma theātra? Quālia theātra erant?
3. Quis fēcit prīmum theātrum lapideum Rōmae?
4. Quōmodo erat Theātrum Pompēiī differēns aliīs theātrīs?
5. Quid erat cavea?
6. Ubi pauperī fābulam spectābant? Ubi dīvitēs fābulam spectābant?
7. Quid erat orchēstra?
8. Quī erant histriōnēs? Quid histriōnēs agēbant? Quid gerēbant?
9. Quod theātrum erat maior? Theātrum Balbī an Theātrum Pompēiī?
10. Quandō Rōmānī habēbant vēla? Quid vēla agēbant?
11. Quid significant pulpitum?

[1] Bakery

[2] The plot

[3] Brothel

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena I

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena I

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene deviates from Plautus’ because Afer and Caepio have a food fight rather than a fist fight. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:   This scene occurs inside Priscus’ house in the kitchen. If this play were acted on a stage, it could have a cut away section of the house. Otherwise, the action can occur on the street as typically happens in Roman comedies.

Actors in this Scene:

Āfer:  Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live an unhonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Caepiō:  Caepio is enslaved by Bucco and Priscus. Caepio is usually in the country but came to town to prepare food for Bucco’s party. Caepio means onion seller. Caepio’s name is gender neutral.

Preteaching Activities for Actus I, Scaena I

Vocabulary to Preteach for Scaena I

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabular in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Ad dextrum/sinistrum histriōnum                              
• Āra
• Rūs                                                                             
• Mastīgia
• Caepa                                                                         
• Olet
• Pol                                                                            
• Frutex
• Molestus                                                                     
• Hercle
• Dī tē ament

Discussion Questions

These questions can help prepare students to read the first scene. Choose a few to discuss in small groups and then whole groups prior to watching the movie talk.

• In familia tua, quis coquit?
• Coquerene te delectat? Cur?
• Quis est coquus an coqua optima in familia tua? Quis est coquus an coqua pessima? Cur?
• Quid est cena optima? Pessima?

Movie Talk:  Best/Worst Dinner

If you have never done a Movie Talk before, John Piazza has several resources that describe how to do a movie talk. The purpose of the movie talk is to help prepare students to read the first scene.

The movie: Omelette from Madeline Sharafian (2:29 Minutes)

Laura Berg created a preview activity to use before the Movie Talk with a script and images from the movie. That link is available here. Thank you for sharing!

In this movie, a man returns home bone-weary and fails to make dinner for himself. He has some much-needed help from his four-legged friend. Watch the video together once and narrate generally what happens in Latin using the script. Watch the video a second time, pausing to ask questions. You don not have to ask every question; these are some suggestions.

:02       Canis portam spectavit.

                        Quid canis spectavit? Cur?

:11       Nox erat, et pluebat. Canis tulit calceos viro. Canis virum curavit.

                        Quomodo canis virum curavit?

:14       Canis gaudebat, sed vir fessus erat.

                        Quomodo vir se habebat?

:22       Vir voluit edere optimam cenam.

                        Quid vir voluit agere?

:26       Vir ova cepit, et ova fregit.

                        Quid vir cepit?

:29       Vah! Vir fessus erat, et male ova fregit. Canis anxius erat.

                        Quomodo canis se habebat? Cur?

:33       Canis removit partes ovorum quia volebat virum edere optimam cenam.

                        Quid canis volebat virum agere?

:40       Vir voluit celeriter coquere optimam cenam. Qua de causa, ignis maximus erat!

                        Cur ignis maximus erat?

:43       Canis fecit ignem minorem quia volebat virum edere optimam cenam.

                        Cur ignis minor erat?

:47       Vir cultrum cepit, sed fessus erat. Aieee!

:55       Canis anxius erat et latravit. Bau bau!

                        Cur canis latravit?

1:00     Canis pepulit quisquilliam.

                        Cur canis quisquilliam pepulit?

1:06     Canis optimam cenam coquit. Cultro olera secavit. Olera cum ovis coquit.

                        Quis coquit? Cur?

1:14     Canis virum spectavit. Canis virum curavit et cenam viro coquit.

                        Cur canis virum spectavit?

1:22     Cena optime olebat!

                        Quomodo cena olebat?

1:46     Canis cenam suam edit. Cena viri cocta est. 

                        Cuius cena cocta est?

1:58     Canis gaudebat, et vir amabat canem.

                        Cur canis gaudebat?

2:05     Di immortales! Cibus canis in cena erat. Eratne cena optima an pessima?   

Caepae Olent

Objectives: 

1. Practice the vocabulary caepa and oleō, olēre

Materials:

• Writing tools

Lesson Steps:

• Write down caepae on the board and ask students quomodo caepae olent? (Solicit answers like: Male, pessime, bene, optime)
• Break students into four groups. Name the groups Male, Pessime, Bene, and Optime.
  • Consider assigning the groups based on whether students said onions smell bad, the worst, good, or the best.
• Students will come up with lists of things that smell male, pessime, bene, and optime.
  • Note: It never hurts to remind students that people are off limits.
• Groups earn points by coming up with unique answers that no other groups have.
  • The goal is to come up with creative answers that no other group would include in their list. One point per unique answer.
  • You can decide to have teams lose points if they both come up with the same answer.
• To keep things more entertaining, the teacher can also be the sole arbitrator on whether the student earns the point, agreeing or disagreeing with the group.
  • (Vah, fufae, canes pessime olent, non optime!).
• Determine an amount of time as a class for students to generate their lists, and set a timer.
• Read the lists as a class and track the number of points.
  • Students should begin each sentence with Caepe male/pessime/bene/optime olent, et [nouns] quoque olent!
  • If they don’t, you can dock a point.
• The group with the most points wins.

Quomodo Saccus Olet?

Objectives: 

• Practice the vocabulary caepa and oleō, olēre
• Practice that olēre takes the accusative (it smells like accusative object; olet caepam).

Materials:

• Various objects that may have a smell (avoid perfume for those who are sensitive to it) in paper bags. Use vocabulary known to your students. (Possible ideas: rose or flowers; grass; rock; earth; french fries, cut up apples; lemons; onions).
• Writing materials & whiteboard materials.

Lesson Steps:

1. You can choose do this activity with stations and place objects in bags around the room.
2. Number the bags and have students rotate through the bags in small groups.
3. Students have to smell (but not look in!) the bag and generate an agreement on what is in the bag. (Quomodo primus saccus olet? Primus saccus olet caepas).
4. After all the groups have cycled through all the bags, return everyone to their seats.
5. Generate a list as a class of what their predictions are for each bag.
6. Then, do the grand reveal and show them what is in the bag.

Laying Out the Stage

Roman stages had two or three houses on them, and the play’s action all took place on the street in front of the houses. There was often an altar included.

Reading a play can be challenging for students because it can be harder to visualize the actions on stage because there is little exposition, only dialogue. Encouraging students to visualize the layout of the play through drawing can help students better visualize the stage layout.

Objectives:

• Increase student familiarity with the stage layout
• Preread part of Scaena I by focusing on the stage vocabulary
• Create a temporary or permanent stage for students while reading the play

Materials:

• Notebook paper, writing tools, the stage directions for the play, the picture of the stage’s layout.
• For the stage:  As much or as little as you want and can accomplish. At a minimum, some painter’s tape may help students when they are acting.

Lesson description:

1. Project the stage directions that describe the scene. Do not yet project the image of the stage. Review vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to students, such as rus and ara.
   1. Ask students to draw a picture of the stage directions to help them visualize what they are reading. They should also include the characters Caepio and Afer. Walk around the room to check for understanding.
2. Project the picture of the stage, and ask comprehension questions. (E.g., ubi Caepio habitat? Quid est ara? Quid ruri videre potestis?).
3. If you are recreating a stage, co-create a stage in your classroom or elsewhere in your school.
   1. Get lots of student input and buy-in for what should represent different places.
   1. For example, you could use giant post its or paper to draw and hang a house for Priscus and Simo. A decorated cardboard box could become the altar. You can use painter’s tape to outline the stage on the floor so when students act out the play, they know where to stand.
   1. Be creative, and have fun.
4. Read the reading aloud to your students, modeling inflections, preferably with a pretend onion prop or five, and use the stage while you read. Have students follow along with their reading.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Scaena I

Directions:  Read Actus I, Scaena I and then answer these  comprehension questions in Latin.

1. Ubi Caepiō habitābat?
2. Cūr Caepiō et Āfer nōn erant amīcī?
3. Cuius cēna erat?
4. Quid Āfer putāvit cēna esse?
5. Quid significant pol?
6. Quō Āfer volēbat Caepiōnem īre?
7. Quōmodo Āfer et Caepiō pugnābant?
8. Dēscrībe vītam Āfrī.
9. Quis Buccō erat? Dēscrībe Buccōnem.
10. Ubi Prīscus erat? Quis Prīscus erat?
11. Quis dominus vīllae erat?
12. Cūr Prīscus mox revēnīre dēbuit?
13. Quid significat ad sinistrum histriōnem? Quō Caepiō īvit?
14. Scrībe summam scaenae. Scrībe saltem quīnque sententiās.
15. Quomodo Caepiō et Āfer similēs sunt? Quomodo differentēs sunt? Scrībe saltem quīnque sententiās.
16. Quid cogitas de Āfrō et Caepiōne? Suntne bonī? Malī? Pessimi? Descrībe hominēs. Quālēs hominēs sunt?

Postreading Activities for Scaena I

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

• Reread the scene together with the scene projected and ask more thorough comprehension questions to allow checks for understanding. You can also ask students to choose which sections they want to read more thoroughly.

• Divide students into pairs and have students act out the scene together. Focus on reading with feeling—they are in the middle of a fight! Natural expression when reading is important. Have competition to see who can read with the most natural expression.
  • Consider doing this activity outside (with props as onions) so students can yell.

• Compare and contrast Caepio and Afer as a class using a t-chart on the whiteboard. Have students generate descriptions of the character in small groups before returning to whole groups.

• Have students generate predictions about what will happen next in the play. Have students vote on a single prediction of what will happen next. Then have students generate ideas about how each character would respond to that prediction. This can be done in Latin or in English.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena II

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena II

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene deviates from Plautus’ by simplifying the extended, elaborate metaphor that people are like houses. In addition, Bucco pretends to be his father and has a pretend fight with him to solidify the conflict. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene occurs in the street, and Bucco is pacing back and forth. Bucco could face one direction when he is speaking as himself and another when he’s speaking as his father Priscus.

It is important to note that Bucco must enter the street between the two houses and be out of sight from the main street for the next scene to make sense. When reading this scene, make sure students understand why Bucco has entered the side street.

Actors in this Scene:

Buccō:   Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

In this scene, Bucco also discusses Lurco, who is the moneylender who lent Bucco the money to purchase Flora, his girlfriend, out of slavery. He also pretends to be his father and discusses his relationship with Flora.

Preteaching Activities for Scaena II

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena II

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Vae mihi
• Ponere pecuniam in aliquem
• Minae
• Cum (when)
• Quam + adjective

The Quam + Adjective Student(s)

• Explain that quam + an adjective  means how + the adjective.
  • Have students generate examples like like bonus, malus, stultus, ridiculus, pulcher, etc. Put them on the board.
• Explain that you will need a student (or two) to think of occasions throughout class to randomly yell out quam + whatever adjective describes something that was just said or done.
  • When a student shouts this phrase, the other students are supposed to say it afterwards.
  • I would recommend having a couple call-and-response practice sessions choosing a couple of different students to shout quam + an adjective at random. 
• Choose a gregarious yet trusthworthy student to be the quam + adjective student. (Think of a student who knows how to toe the line on being a class clown; we all have them).
  • A reminder never hurts that any comments should be positive about our peers but fictional characters are fair game.
• For the rest of the class (or a designated set time or for however long the student can handle the responsibility), this student can shout out quam + an adjective whenever the student feels it is appropriate, and the rest of the class has to repeat it.
• Try to aim for 10-15 uses in a class period. If your student isn’t shouting enough, lament and choose another student. Use your discretion.

Discussion Questions

These questions can help prepare students to read the second scene. Ask students the first question and allow them to discuss it in small groups before discussing it as a class. Then move onto the next question for small and then whole group discussion. Finish with reviewing what students know about Bucco, which is important for the next activity.

1. Quid emere iam vultis? Sī tū nōn habētis satis pecūniae, quis pōneret pecūniam in vōs? Cūr rogārētis hunc hominem?

• Buccō in hāc scaenā dīcet hominēs esse similēs vīllīs. Quid putātis? Quōmodo vīllae similēs hominibus sunt? Quōmodo vīllae differentēs hominibus sunt?
• Quid Āfer et Caepiō dē Buccōne in scaenā prīmā dīxērunt? Quid dē Buccōne iam scīmus?

Quis est Bucco?

Objectives:

1. To have students reflect on what they know about Bucco from the previous scene and make predictions about what he would say in his monologue based on this information

Materials:

• Have something to capture the predictions your students make about what will happen in the next scene.
  • You can type on a computer with a document projected or write down answers on the white board and take a picture.
  • This activity will be revisited as a postreading activity, so capturing predictions is important.

Lesson Description:

• After reviewing what we have learned about Bucco from Caepio and Afer, explain that Bucco is the only one speaking in the next scene. Ask students to make predictions about who he is, what he cares about, and what he will say in the next scene.
• Possible questions may include: 
  • Quid Buccō dīcet in hāc scaenā?
  • Quem an quid Buccō cūrat?
  • Amatne patrem Prīscum?
  • Amatne amīcam Flōram?
  • Descrībite Bucconem. Quālis iuvenis est?  
  • Vultisne esse amīcus an amīca Buccōnis? Cūr?
• Give students some time to discuss these predictions in small groups before returning to whole group discussion.
• In the whole group discussion, come to a group consensus about what students think. Tell students that they will review their class predictions after reading the scene.

Reading Comprehension Questions for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena II

Directions: Listen to your teacher read Scaena II aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Quid erat difficultās Buccōnis?
2. Quid posuit pecūniam in Buccōnem? Cūr?
3. Quōmodo vīllae similēs hominibus sunt?
4. Quid putās? Suntne vīllae similēs hominibus? Cūr?
5. Quōmodo vīlla similis Buccōnī est?
6. Prīscusne dīcet haec Buccōnī? Quid putās? Cūr?
7. Quid Buccō aget? Putāsne cōnsilium bonum esse?
8. Cūr Buccō intrat viam inter vīllās?
9. Quid iam putās? Dēscrībe Buccōnem. Quālis iuvenis est?

Postreading Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena II

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Review Predictions:

• Project the predictions the class had made about Bucco’s character before reading the scene. Ask students to identify what they were right about and what they were wrong about. (Star correct predictions; cross-out incorrect predictions; write question marks next to things that the class will think happens later in the play). Discuss what students learned about Bucco in this scene and add to the list.
  • In particular, discuss Bucco’s attitude toward Flora and what he shows about his character. He makes a grand gesture by going into debt for her, but he also shows that he doesn’t trust her (he hides so he can hear what she says about him) and is both jealous (he doesn’t like that she sings for others) and incredibly insecure (because he needs to hear what she’s saying).

Bombax Reread:

• Partner the students in class at random. Explain that they are going to do a Bombax Reread of the play.
  • The student with the longest hair (or some other such category) will begin by reading three sentences in Latin; the next student will say the sentences in English. That same student will then read the next few sentences in Latin, and the first student will say the sentences in English.
    • Students swap reading Latin and English and work together to ensure understanding.
  • Students will progress through the reading until a timer sounds (at random after a few minutes) or you decide to make an obnoxious noise.
    • (I particularly like making weird noises, like whistling or gasping or just being ridiculously obnoxious).
  • The student should shout BOMBAX, and the first student who shouts this does not have to summarize what has happened in the reading up to that point.
    • At this level, students should be able to summarize in Latin.
    • After students have summarized the reading to that point, they should continue reading the play again, taking turns in English and Latin, until the next timer or obnoxious sound is made.
    • Continue the activity until everyone has finished rereading the scene in the play.

Bucco’s Acting Contest:

• This scene can be difficult to act out because Bucco is pretending to be himself as well as his very angry father. Give students some time to reread the play in small groups focusing on reading aloud with fluency and feeling. Have volunteers to try to act out the scene and have a competition for the most dramtic reading.
  • If you did not model this when reading the scene aloud to your students before they read independently, it would be a good idea to do this now.

Writing a Dialogue Between Bucco and Priscus:

• Bucco has very specific ideas about what his father would say to him. Have students write their own scene between Priscus and Bucco. What would Priscus say? What would Bucco say? Give students ten to twenty minutes (depends on your class) to write their own discussion between the two characters. Then have students partner up and share their ideas and writing with a partner in class.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena III

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena III

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene deviates from Plautus’ by focusing on Scapha’s concern for Flora’s financial well-being and independence. The women do not enter from Priscus’ house, and Scapha does not dress Flora on the street. The sexist tropes and jokes that occur during process are not included here. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene takes place on the street. It is very important to remind students that Bucco is in the side street between the two houses and that Flora and Scapha cannot see him. Otherwise, this scene will be quite confusing as Bucco comments on and responds to what Flora and Scapha are saying. At the end of the scene, chairs and a table are brought out of Priscus’ house t prepare for an elaborate banquet.

Actors in this Scene:

Flōra:   Flora was a music girl and a slave until Bucco purchased and freed her. She is Bucco’s girlfriend. Her name means blooming.

Scapha:  Scapha is an older female slave who attends Flora. She is cynical and jaded. Her name means boat.

Buccō:  Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

Preteaching Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena III

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena III

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Quaesō                       
• Ēcastor
• Ocellus
• Mel
• Manus

Quaesō, Do Me a Favor

• Explain that quaesō is one way to say please.
• Group students in small groups of two to five students, depending on the size of your class.
• Ask them to generate a list of commands or phrases that they might use quaesō with.
  • Start very generically with any-kind-of-situation commands that might be accompanied with quaesō.
  • Have students share some examples before restricting the activity further. Ask students to come up with commands that are used in more specialized locations, e.g., a restaurant, a theater, or a classroom.
    • Choose a location that you think your class will particularly like. If they’re obsessed collectively with a local haunt of some kind, set it there. Give students time to come up with examples, and then share them. If you want to make it a competition and award points, students usually seem to enjoy that! Encourage silliness.
• From there, ask students to reflect on what they know about different characters. Have them generate phrases that Āfer, Caepiō, and Buccō might say that use quaesō.
  • You can expand the list to Prīscus, Flōra, and Lurcō if students are enjoying themselves and staying on task after sharing some phrases that these characters might say (Quaesō, dā mihi vīnum!).

A Rose By Any Other Name… Would Not Smell as Sweet

• Students will read the terms of endearment mel and ocellus in this scene. Before introducing these terms of endearment to the students, explain that Bucco and Flora will finally be on stage together. What might be something they call each other to show their affection?
• Ask students in small groups to come up with creative ways using the vocabulary they already know that they might use to express love and affection. Have the class vote on which terms of endearment are the most ridiculous and/or affectionate and award accolades in class to the group that wins a particular category. (Feel free to come up with more categories).
• After the activity, share the two words that will appear in the scene and ask them to make connections to modern terms of endearment. Mel, for example, is still used today, but it may be harder for students to connect with ocellus. (The apple of my eye is a good comparison, but students may need support to come up with that).

Dictatio

• If you have never done a dictatio before, Keith Toda has a great explanation of a dictatio on his website. Click here to see his explanation.
  • Note: I usually do not do a choral reading but ask questions in Latin to establish meaning and then after we’ve gone through all the who, what, where, when, why, how questions with a sentence, I ask a volunteer to translate.

• This dictatio summarizes Flora’s problem and the choice that she makes in the play. It relies on vocabulary from the play, but it does include some words outside of the scene. Adjust the vocabulary where necessary to reflect what your students know. If there are words that are unfamiliar to your students, you can also add a slide before the sentences to introduce the word.

• Dictātiō:

1. Omnēs iuvenēs Flōram amant quia optimē canit.
2. Buccō Flōram ēmit quia eam amat.
3. Flōra nōn iam serva est, sed lībera.
4. Sed estne Flōra vērē lībera?
5. Flōra lībera esse voluit, sed vīta difficilis quoque est.
6. Quōmodo Flōra pecūniam habēbit?
7. Quid Flōra aget sī Buccō eam in futūrō nōn amābit?
8. Licetne Flōrae nōn amāre et nōn cūrāre Buccōnem?
9. Flōra nescit an possit crēdere Buccōnī.
10. Flōra Buccōnem amat, sed Buccō stultus est.

• Here is a link to a slide that is already set-up for you. Make a copy of it and adjust as needed for your classroom.

Lectiō: Nūptiae Rōmānae

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read the reading outloud. Underline words and phrases you are unfamiliar with. Then reread the reading and answer the reading questions.

Nūptiae magnī mōmentī erant. Quā dē causā, multae lēgēs nūptiās rēxērunt. Nōn licuit hominibus sine cōnūbiō^[1] habēre coniungēs. In familiīs dīvitibus, amor in nūptiīs saepe nōn erat quia nūptiae dē pecūniā et dē potestāte agēbantur.

Caerimōnia Nūptiālis

Nōn necesse erat habēre caerimōniam, sed caerimōniae solitae erant. Fēmina tunicam rēctam, nōdum Herculeum, et calceōs et flammeum colōre flammārum gessit. Coma fēminae erat ēlabōrāta: senī crīnēs^[2] habuit. 

Caerimōnia fīnīta, omnēs cēnam maximam ēdērunt, et, cēna ēsa, marītus per viās uxōrem dūxit omnibus clāmantibus et canentibus ad domum. Apud domum, marītus uxōrem trāns līmina tulit. In domō, marītus dedit flammam et aquam. Hī symbolī domī erant. Uxor dīxit, “Ubī tū Gāius es, ego sum Gāiā.”

Haec caerimōniae erant maximē solitiōrēs in familiīs dīvitibus.

Lēgēs Augustī

Imperātor Augustus multās lēgēs dē nūptiīs tulit. Augustus volēbat uxōrēs habēre multōs līberōs, et iussit omnēs adultōs nūbere. Nōlēbat senātōrēs habēre uxōrēs quae fuerant servae. Augustus quoque nōlēbat fēminās adulterāre. 

Necesse erat viduīs nūbere inter duōs annōs. Vidua erat fēmina cuius coniūnx mortuus erat. Nōn licuit esse viduam diūtius quam duōs annōs. Nōn licuit virīs et fēminīs quī nōn nūptī sunt possidēre pecūniam aut vīllam hominis quī mortuus erat.

Augustus praesertim volēbat fēminās habēre plūs līberōrum. Quā dē causā, lēgem dē līberīs tulit. Haec lēx dedit iūra uxōribus quae trēs līberōs habuit et libertīnīs quae quattuor līberōs habuit. Fēminae ā tutulīs^[3] nōn iam cūstōdiēbantur.

Lēgēs dē adulteriō fēminās praesertim rēxērunt. Sī pater invēnit fīliam cum amātōre, licuit patrī interficere fīliam et amātōrem quia adulterāvērunt. Sī uxor adulterāvit, lēx rēxit marītum et uxōrem nōn iam nūptōs esse posse. 

Sed quid dē virīs et dē adulteriō? Licuit virīs vīsitāre meretrīcēs et aliās fēminās sī hae fēminae nōn erant uxōrēs aut viduae. Adulterium nōn erat! Lēgēs nūptiālēs fēminās maximē affēcērunt. Augustus ipse fīliam suam Iūliam in īnsulam dēportāvit quia Iūlia adulterāvit.

Manus

Manus pars corporis est, sed manus etiam erat genus nūptiārum. Cum fēmina virum in manū nūpsit, ē potestāte patris venit in potestātem coniugis. Fēmina nōn numquam venit in potestātem coniugis patris quia coniūnx ipse adhūc in potestāte patris erat! 

Omnia quae fēmina habēbat, autem, nōn iam erat eius. Cum fēmina nūpsit, coniūnx fēminae iam omnia habuit. Uxor erat similis fīliae quia, coniuge mortuō, uxor vīllās, pecūniam, et aliās rēs coniugis possidēre poterat. 

In fīne Reī Pūblicae, multī hominēs nōn iam nūptiās in manū habuērunt. Nūptiae sine manū erant. Dīvortia solita et facilia erant.

Concubīnae

Sine conūbiō, virī uxōrēs nōn dūxērunt. Multōs annōs nōn licuērunt mīlitibus dūcere uxōrēs quia bellum gerēbant, sed imperātor Septimius Sevērus lēgem in quō licuit mīlitibus uxōrēs dūcere tulit. 

Necesse erat senātōribus dūcere uxōrēs quae in familiīs senātōrum quoque erat. Tempore Augustī nōn licuit senātōribus dūcere uxōrēs quae fuerant meretrīcēs aut servae. Multōs et multōs annōs, nōn licuit hominī quī fuerat servus aut servā nūbere cīvem. Nōn licuit virīs quī fuerant servī dūcere patrōnam aut fīliam patrōnī uxōrem.

Quā dē causā, multī virī uxōrēs nōn dūxērunt quia amābant fēminās quās nōn licuit dūcere. Hae fēminae concubīnae erant. Rōmānī nōn putāvērunt concubīnās fēminās malās esse, et meretrīcēs nōn erant. Multī virī amābant concubīnās, sed concubīnae iūra similia uxōribus nōn habuērunt. Līberī concubīnārum nōn lēgitimī erant. 

Fēminae in Cōmoediīs

Fēminae in cōmoediīs Rōmānīs meretrīcēs saepe erant. Fēminae nōn numquam concubīnae erant, et uxōrēs in cōmoediīs saepe ā virīs nōn amābantur quia virī meretrīcēs aut concubīnās amābant. 

Difficultās virī in cōmoediā saepe erat hoc: Amābat fēminam quam nōn licuit dūcere uxōrem. Nōn licuit nōbilī virō dūcere fēminam quae fuerat serva aut meretrīx. In multīs cōmoediīs, vir didicit fēminam nōn vērē esse servam sed quoque nātam esse in familiā nōbile. Quā dē causā, licuit eīs nūbere.

In fābulā Mostellāriā quam legimus, Flōra serva fuerat. Quā dē causā, nōn licet Flōram esse uxōrem Buccōnis, sed licuit concubīnam esse. Macula serva adhūc est. Quoque nōn licet esse uxōrem Calidī, sed licet esse concubīnam Calidī.

Roganda:  Nūptiae Rōmanae

Directions: Answer the questions based on the reading about Roman marriage customs. Write in complete sentences in Latin.

1. Dē quō nūptiae in familiīs dīvitibus agēbantur? Cūr hoc erat?
2. Scrībe summam dē caerimōniā nūptiāle.
3. Quomōdō caerimōnia Rōmana similis caerimōniae Americānae est?
4. Cūr imperātor Augustus lēgēs dē nūptiīs tulit?
5. Cūr nōn licuit esse viduam diūtius quam duōs annōs?
6. Descrībe lēgēs dē adulteriō. Quomōdō lēgēs differentēs virīs et fēminīs erant?
7. Scrībe summam dē manū.
8. Quās fēminās nōn licuit senātōribus nubere? Cūr?
9. Cūr putās nōn licuit mīlitibus ducere uxōrēs?
10. Quid interest inter uxor et concubīna?
11. Quae fēminae in Rōmānīs comoediīs sunt?
12. Quid difficultās in comoediīs saepe est?
13. Cūr putās difficultātem saepe esse?
14. Quid difficultās in Mostellāriā est?

Reading Comprehension Questions for Scaena III

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena III aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Ubi Buccō in prīmā parte scaena est? Cūr?
2. Fēminaene Buccōnem audiunt? Cūr?
3. Cūr Flōra Scapham dē stolā rogat?
4. Quōmodo Scapha Flōrae respondet?
5. Cūr Scapha dīcit Flōram esse stultam?
6. Quid cōnsilium Scaphae est?
7. Dēscrībe vītam Scaphae.
8. Quid difficultās Flōrae est?
9. Amābitne Buccō semper Flōram?
10. Cum Buccō fēminās audit, quōmodo Buccō respondet?
11. Dēscrībe fīnem scaenae.
12. Quis rēctē dīxit? Flōra aut Scapha? Cūr hoc putās?

Postreading Activities

Write a Letter:

• Scapha offers specific advice to Flora based on her own life experiences, but her advice is rejected for several reasons, including Flora’s hopes for the future and their disparate status now as slave and freedwoman.
• Have students write letters in Latin to Flora—as if they were friends—offering their own advice on what Flora should do at this point in her life.
  • They can write about their own life, but they should reflect an understanding at this point about the problems that Flora faces and the life she can and cannot have with Bucco.
  • They should also make sure to reflect an understanding of Bucco’s character.

Six-Panel Comic:

This scene can be a little challenging to spatially understand since the characters do not hear Bucco speaking in it. Have students condense the scene into a six-panel comic strip in Latin. Students will have to determine the core events to include and include Latin captions or dialogue.

Acting the Scene Out:

• Assign students into groups of three to let them reread and practice acting out the scene.
• Encourage reading with feeling, particularly Bucco’s exaggerated responses to what he hears and Flora’s increasing coldness to Scapha’s advice, culminating in her threat to hit Scapha.
  • I would recommend previewing these changing emotions to emphasize their importance in rereading in small groups.
• Have volunteer groups stage the skit on the marked out stage for the class, making sure that Bucco is where he belongs.
• Have fun!

Do Bucco and Flora Really Love Each Other?

Flora and Bucco say that they love each other, but do they? Some evidence suggests that they do love each other, but some evidence also supports the argument that they don’t really love each other. This is a longer-term project, so students will return to this question later in the play after they have read more of it.

• Begin with the discussion question:  Amatne vērē Buccō Flōram? Cūr? Quomodō dēmōnstrat amāre eam?
• It is likely students will follow up with statements like:  Eam ēmit.
  • Because of the power differential and how uncomfortable of a statement that it is to have bought someone, ask them why he bought her.
    • Don’t accept the answer only that he loves her (He loves her so he bought her because he loves her!).
    • Ask students to go deeper. There is evidence he bought her because other young men loved her and he is jealous and insecure.
• Then ask students:  Amatne Flōra vērē Buccōnem? Cūr? Quomodō dēmōnstrat amāre eum?
  • This is a similarly complex question because Flora does feel some obligation, which is admittedly stronger in Plautus’ scene, because he has bought and freed her.
• What does it mean to truly love someone and is this relationship love?
  • This is a complex conversation, so it may be necessary to have this initial conversation in English, but this conversation about their power differential and their relationship is an important one to have.
• After some conversation, divide the class into four groups.
  • Label the groups: 
    • Flōra Buccōnem amat;
    • Flōra Buccōnem nōn amat;
    • Buccō Flōram amat; and
    • Buccō Flōram nōn amat.
  • Students will protest about their assigned groups because they have other opinions. Tell them it does not matter what their own opinions are about the claim; they can find textual evidence to support their assigned claim.
    • This is an incredibly important skill in writing arguments: the ability to find and address evidence against a claim that they already have.
• Give groups time to review the scenes that they have read so far and to write down details that support their assigned claim.
• Divide the whiteboard into four sections and have students write their supporting details underneath each claim.
• Discuss the evidence so far for each claim.
  • If you want, you can have students vote on which claim is stronger for each character.
  • At this point, students can also argue against their assigned claim.
• Encourage students to speak Latin and to use Latin as their evidence.
• This is, again, though, a harder and more complex conversation to have and may be above your students’ speaking level.
• Make the call on whether this is a conversation your students can have in Latin.
• At the same time, addressing the power dynamics and the motivations in Bucco and Flora’s relationship is important enough to merit a conversation in English if it is necessary.
• After students discuss the evidence for the claim, ask students whether Bucco and Flora are equal partners in their relationship and whether they could ever have an equal relationship.
• Inform students that this topic will be revisited again near the end of the play, so they should keep thinking about it as they read.

[1] The right to marry

[2] This hairstyle was worn by both brides and Vestal Virgins. If you are interested in what this might look like, there is an excellent experimental archaeology video on recreating this hairstyle. Here is the link.

[3] Male guardianship. Essentially this law provided more independence and legal rights to a woman.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus I, Scaena IV

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena IV

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene deviates from Plautus’ because the drunkness is tamed down. In addition, I added conflict between Calidus and Macula because she is his girlfriend and as she is also a slave, she envies Flora and resents Calidus’ indifference to her enslaved status. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene occurs on the street as Macula and Calidus make their way to Bucco’s house. Rutilus briefly accompanies Calidus until he orders him to go home and return later to collect him. Flora and Bucco are eating and drinking at their party. Calidus is a little inebriated and gets his directions confused. They arrive at Bucco’s house at the end of the scene for the party.

Actors in this Scene:

Buccō:  Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

Calidus:   Calidus is a wealthy young noble and Bucco’s friend. His girlfriend Macula is a music girl and a slave. His name means hot-headed or brash.

Flōra:  Flora was a music girl and a slave until Bucco purchased and freed her. She is Bucco’s girlfriend. Her name means blooming.

Macula:   Macula is a music girl and Calidus’ girlfriend. She is a slave. Her name means a spot or blemish.

Rutilus:  Rutilus is enslaved by Calidus. He tries to humor him to prevent being beaten. Rutilus means reddish gold hair.

Prereading Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena IV

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena III

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Periī
• Eāmus

Periī Genre-Writing Activity

Objective:  Preteach the use of the word periī.

Students say I’m dead, and so did Plautus’ characters. Sometimes it’s said after a funny joke or a funny moment, and the my-parents-are-going-to-kill-me-for-this teenaged hypberole is universal. We can all relate to that I’m toast feeling. Explain to your students that periī means I’m dead or I’m destroyed and ask them to share in Latin some ideas of when someone might say that phrase.

Allow students to work in groups of two or independently. Ask students to come up with a scene that uses this phrase. It can be funny or hyperbolic or tragic. Allow the student to choose. They can choose whatever genre they want too: it can be a story, nonfiction, a scene in a play, a poem, a comic strip, a collection of memes, a twitter war, whatever they want. The critical element is that the content has to build to the use of periī. They should also use the elements specific to the genre they chose to write in.

Ask students to come together into bigger groups of around four students and share what they’ve written. After allowing some time for sharing, share scenes with the whole group. If someone did an artistic approach, being able to share with a document camera would be fantastic!

OWATS: One Word at a Time Story

One Word at a Time Stories are fun ways to introduce new vocabulary or allow for repetitions of older words or words with less exposure. Keith Toda has a write-up on his blog explaining how he runs OWATS in his classrooms. That link is here.

I have run OWATS in different ways, including as group or individual work. I have cut up little slips of papers for groups for students to draw from cups, and I have also projected the same words for all students to write their stories with all the words in the same order. I always explain that they can write the weirdest story that they want to write but that they must use these words. For an advanced class, you can also request that the students use the same forms of the words.

Here are the words from Actus I, Scaena IV. If you would like to use this as an individual writing activity, you can download and modify this slideshow to fit your needs. Here’s the link. Collect the stories, choose a few compelling ones, and type them up to share with the class over the next few days.

1. Reveniam
2. Olēbat
3. Ocelle
4. Eāmus
5. Quidem
6. Ēcastor
7. Stultus
8. Periī
9. Dormiat
10. Canam

Prereading Extension Activity for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena IV

Although food is not the main purpose of this scene, this scene would allow for an extension activity of recreating a Roman banquent. Students could read some authentic recipes from Apicius’ cookbook in Latin (but careful attention would need to be paid in selecting recipes to ensure students comprehend the vocabulary). Students could also bring some of the cooked dishes to school for the banquent. It could be a fun day setting up a class banquet! Setting up couches could also help students learn how to stage the scene.

For some useful visuals that could make for excellent picture talks, check out “Reclining and Dining (and Drinking) in Ancient Rome.” As part of this discussion, you could ask students how they would arrange the guests for Bucco’s dinner party based on what they learn.

Resources for this Extension Activity:

• Apicius on the Latin Library
• English translation of Apicius with some modern notes
• Eight Sample Recipes from the book Around the Roman Table
• Additional Modernized Recipes
• A Taste of Ancient Rome
• The Roman Cookery Book

Reading Comprehension Questions for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena IV

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena IV aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Quis est Rutilus? Quō Rutilus it?
2. Cūr Calidus īrātus est?
3. Quō Macula et Calidus eunt? Cūr?
4. Quid Macula vult Calidum dīcere?
5. Ubi Calidus dormīre vult? Cūr?
6. Quid Calidus putat Buccōnem esse? Cūr?
7. Cūr Macula īrāta est?
8. Cūr Calidus dīcit, “periī”?
9. Quid histriōnēs in fīne scaenā agunt? Scrībe summam saltem quīnque sententiīs.
10. Estne Calidus amīcus bonus? Quid putās? Scrībe paragraphum.
11. Estne Macula similis Flōrae? Quōmodo? Scrībe paragraphum.
12. Quis est melior:  Buccō an Calidus? Cūr?

Postreading Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus I, Scaena IV

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Choral Reading:

Choral Readings allow for students to establish meaning, and it is also useful for you as a teacher to see where suddenly the whole room goes quiet because they aren’t quite sure about a sentence’s meaning. If you’ve never done a choral reading, Keith Toda has an excellent write-up about how Choral Readings work. That link is here. I have to admit, though, I share his reservations, but I’ve used it effectively in the classroom. A little choral reading goes a long way and adds some variety to how readings are reviewed.

Comparing and Contrasting Characters:

• Several of the discussion questions for Actus I, Scaena IV, prepare students to compare and contrast characters.
• In small groups, have the students compare and contrast Bucco and Calidus.
  • Quomodo Buccō et Calidus similis et disimilis sunt?
  • Quis est melior amīcus Calidus an Buccō?
  • Vīsne habēre Bucconem an Calidum amicum?
• Come together as a group to then discuss Bucco and Calidus as characters.
  • Ask them in particular whether he is a good or a bad friend. This can be done in Latin.
• After the whole-group discussion, return to small groups to compare Flora and Macula.
  • Quomodo Flōra et Macula similis et dissimilis sunt?
  • Quis est melior amīca Flōra an Macula?
  • Vīsne habēre Maculam an Floam amīcam?
• After the whole-group discussion, return to small groups to compare Bucco and Flora’s relationship with Calidus and Macula’s. Which is better? Why?
  • Cuius amor melior est? Cūr?
  • Depending on your students’ proficency levels, this is a harder conversation to have. It may be useful to have a short whole-group discussion in English on their relationships, again, due to issues of equity and power in the relationships.

Acting Out the Scene:

• Assign students into groups of five.
  • Each student should take one of the roles: Rutilus, Macula, Calidus, Bucco, and Flora.
  • If there aren’t enough students, Rutilus, Bucco, and Flora can be shared roles.
• First have students block the scene and figure out where characters should move at which point in the scene.
  • Students can also discuss how Flora and Bucco will be on stage but not central to the action until the end of the scene.
• Once students have blocked the scene, have them read aloud the script with feeling.
• Have some groups volunteer to read in front of the whole class.

Dear Diary:

• Calidus and Macula have a little bit of a fight in this scene, which Calidus tries to avoid having.
• Choose either Calidus or Macula, and write a diary entry describing what happened, why it happened, and the thoughts and feelings you have as that character about it.
  • Ask students to come up with how a diary entry differs in a genre from a story to help them think about specific genre writing.
• Remind students that Romans wrote letters that were often essentially diary entries or written to imaginary friends. Literally.
  • Students can choose to omit the Dear Diary phrase, or students can an include a salutation like Rachel amico/amicae S.P.D. If students want, they can name the friend.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus II, Scaena I

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria Actus II, Scaena I

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is similar to Plautus’ original scene. Afer sees Priscus at the port and returns home with the news. Bucco understandably begins worrying about what his father will say about all his carousing. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene occurs on the street Afer interrupts Bucco’s party with the bad news. By the end of the scene, Afer, Flora, Callidus, and Macula are all inside, and all evidence of the party has vanished. Sphaerio will bring a large Laconian key to Afer so he can lock the door. Afer waits on the street to accost Priscus and keep him from approaching the house.

Actors in this Scene:

Āfer:  Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live an dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Buccō:  Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

Calidus:   Calidus is a wealthy young noble and Bucco’s friend. His girlfriend Macula is a music girl and a slave. His name means hot-headed or brash.

Flōra:   Flora was a music girl and a slave until Bucco purchased and freed her. She is Bucco’s girlfriend. Her name means blooming.

Macula:   Macula is a music girl and Calidus’ girlfriend. She is a slave. Her name means a spot or blemish.

Sphaeriō:   Sphaerio is a slave who has a minor role in the play. Sphaerio means circle.

Preteaching Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus II, Scaena I

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Clavis
• Noli
• Dolus

Vae nōbīs! Prīscus revēnit! Quid Dolus Optimus Est? Jigsaw Activity

Objective:       Allow students to practice the word dolus and to make predictions about what will happen in the next scene based on what they know about the different characters.

• Explain to students that Priscus will suddenly and unexpectedly return home from Greece in the next scene.
  • Ask students to recall what they know about Priscus.
  • Tell them that they will assume the roles of Bucco, Flora, Afer, or Callidus, and their goal is to keep the party going.
  • Explain to them that Priscus’ name means he’s very old, so they can probably trick him with an optimus dolus! …but qualis dolus optimus erit?
• Divide your class into four groups for a Jigsaw Activity
  • Assign each group to a particular character:  Bucco, Flora, Afer, or Callidus.
  • Ask students in small groups to review what they know about their character.
  • Give students a few minutes to discuss their character.  
    • Ideally, students are speaking in Latin to come up with a trick, but this activity can also be done in English if this activity isn’t at your students speaking levels.
• Now tell students it’s time to come up with a dolus that their character might have come up with.
  • Remind them that the goal of this dolus optimus is for Priscus to never learn about what has happened and for the party to keep going.
  • Give groups several minutes to try to come up with an idea for a trick.
  • Encourage students to add details to their trick if they come up with one quickly.
• After several minutes, redivide the group into groups with four students.
  • Each group would have a Bucco, Flora, Afer, and a Callidus.
  • If one group is missing a character, that’s fine!
  • Try to divide it so that there isn’t a group of two students though. A group of three would be preferable.
• Each group member must report what their character’s group decided the best trick would be.
  • So, Bucco explains the Bucco group’s dolus while Flora explains the Flora group’s dolus.
  • They should explain details and what their plan would be.
  • Again, preferably, this report happens in Latin if it’s at the students’ levels.
• After each group member shares their ideas, it’s time to decide in the new groups which trick they think is the best.
  • They should discuss their options and decide which dolus really is the optimus.
  • Explain they will have to share their opinion with the group.
• After each group has decided, come back together as a whole group. Each of the smaller groups should explain which trick they chose and why they chose it.
  • You can keep a running tally of which groups chose which dolus for fun.

Regula Domi Prisci:  Noli agere omnia!

The objective of this activity is two-fold: 

1. to allow students to practice noli + the infinitive, and
2. to think about Bucco and Priscus’ relationship.

Explain to students that their job is to come up with a list of regula, or rules, for Priscus’ house. These should be rules that Priscus would have had in place before he left for Egypt. What kind of dad would Priscus have been three years ago? What kind of son would Bucco have then been?

As an example, a house rule likely was not noli vinum bibere! because Bucco was not then living a disreputable lifestyle. Instead, Caepio had said Bucco was a good son. You can come up with a few more examples, like noli amicam emere et noli optimam cenam cotidie edere. They would be applicable now, but not three years ago.

Allow students several minutas to generate their own list of house rules. Then, students can share their list with another student and talk about what ideas they came up with. They can have a couple more minutes to see if together they can come up with other rules.

Come back together and have students share their rules for Priscus’ house. After compiling between 15 and 20 rules, have students vote on the top ten rules for Priscus’ house that Bucco would have had to obey when he was younger.

Quid Est Hoc?  Clavis Laconica est!

The goal of this presentation is to introduce students to archaeology evidence for keys and for students to have several repetitions for the word key. A Laconian key is a critical plot element, so it is also beneficial to help provide background knowledge on how this key may have worked.

This presentation, available at this link, introduces students to images of ancient keys. The presentation contains speaker’s notes for teachers and links and bibliographic information for the images.

There are opportunities for students to make guesses about what these artifacts are and how they might be used. Students eventually learn that they are keys and are encouraged to figure out how they might be used. Both Homeric and Laconian keys are shown.

Enrichment Activity:  Read a Scholarly Article about Ancient Keys and Locks

If you or your students are particularly interested in additional information about ancient keys and locks, consider reading a scholarly article (or part of one). This article is fairly accessible and has several supplemental images that aid in comprehension. It discusses Homeric, Laconian, and Roman keys and locks. It is available for download on Academia.edu at this link.

Haddad, Naif A. “Critical Review, Assessment, and Investigation of Ancient Technology Evolution of Door Locking Mechanisms in S.E. Meditteranean.” Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 16, No 1, (2016), pp. 53-74.

Reading Comprehension Questions for the Mostellaria, Actus II, Scaena I

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena I aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Āfer in initiō scaenae permōtus est?
2. Cūr Āfer offert dare pecūniam alicui?
3. Quōmodo Buccō respondit cum audit nūntium Āfrī?
4. Buccō dīcit, “Periī! Quid agō, Āfer?” Cūr respōnsum Āfrī cōmicum est? (Difficile est! Licet tibi respondēre Anglicē. Sī nescīs, bonum est! Ut dīxī, difficile est!)
5. Āfer dīcit servīs, “Ferte mēnsam et lectōs in domum.” Cūr hoc dīcit?
6. Quōmodo Calidus prīmum respondit cum nūntium Buccōnis audit? Cūr putās Calidum dīxisse hoc?
7. Quōmodo Calidus respondit cum iterum nūntium Buccōnis audit? Cūr putās Calidum clāmāvisse hoc?
8. Quī hominēs prīmum vīllam intrant?
9. Quid cōnsilium Āfrī est?
10. Cōnsiliumne Āfrī Buccōnem dēlectat? Cūr?
11. Quid Āfer vult ferrī ad eum?
12. Cūr necesse est Āfrō habēre dolum optimum?
13. Cūr Āfer clāmat “Vah! Quid dīxī, nōn agunt! Periī!” cum Sphaeriōnem videt?
14. Cūr Āfer ad dextrum histriōnum ambulat et ad sinistrum nōn spectat?

Postreading Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus II, Scaena I

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

The Golden Laconian Key Award

Have a class competition for the best Laconian key! You need a prop for your reenacted play, so why not make it a class competition? Encourage students to be creative and bring their best Laconian key to class. The best one will be chosen to be the class prop. That should be reward enough, but if not, you can come up with your own extra reward. Students can search for examples of Laconian keys online and think about how they might create one using objects and materials around the house.

If you’d like to make it more academic, you could have students find an image of a Laconian key online. Students would need to write a short description about the object, including its history, where it was located, and what it’s made out of. Students should be able to locate this information about any artifact on a reputable website, like a museum website. From there, students can then describe how they recreated a Laconian key with material around their house and why they chose that material. 

Who Can be the Most Bucco Bucco?

Bucco is a bit of a fool, as we all know by now. He refuses to believe Afer’s announcement at first, and then he completely panics. He only relaxes when Afer insists that the party will go on. Encourage your students to reread the play in groups focusing on rereading Bucco’s lines with feeling.

Although there are several characters in this play, put students in groups of two. One student will read all the other voices (and do encourage voices) while the other character tries to out-Bucco Bucco himself in his reactions. After students have read through the play once, have them reread the play with the other person as the actor.

The Lost Letter

Your students should pretend that they are Priscus. They need to write a letter home to their son, Bucco, explaining that they would be returning home soon. This letter was, obviously, lost because Priscus returned home before his letter did. But what might Priscus say in anticipation of seeing his son after three years away? What, exactly, has Priscus himself been doing for three years anyway? Have fun, be creative, and write the lost letter that would have alerted everyone that Priscus was finally returning home.

Character Drawing & Plot Reflections 

• The objective of this assignment is to connect a character’s actions with plot development.

Allow your students to choose Afer, Flora, Bucco, Callidus, or Macula and draw that character’s role in this scene. Students can choose to draw one moment of the scene or a series of images from the scene. Students should have time to add details to their drawings and can refer back to the reading when doing so. In fact, encourage them to spend time really thinking about what these characters look like to them.

Students should also write a few sentences from their chosen characters’ perspective describing how they contributed to this scene. What did they do? How did they participate in driving the plot? How did the respond to the events as they unfolded? Did that response affect anyone else? These are some suggested questions to help them reflect on how a character participates in moving the plot forward.

When students turn in their drawings, share some with the class. Choose, for example, two drawings that characterize two of the same characters the same way. Did someone choose to draw Bucco looking baby-faced to suggest some of his naivety or more like a modern frat boy to suggest his party-boy lifestyle? This is a great opportunity to compare and contrast and talk about the details different students chose to include.

Enrichment Activity:  Read a Scholarly Article about Plautus’ Mostellaria

If you are looking for an enrichment activity for your students or are yourself further interested about the key Afer uses in the play, you can read an article discussing some textual issues related to the key in Plautus’ Mostellaria as well as referencing other literary descriptions of Laconian keys. Create a free JSTOR account to read the article online.

This Character Cheat Sheet might come in handy:

Barton, I. M. “Tranio’s Laconian Key.” Greece & Rome, vol. 19, no. 1, 1972, pp. 25–31. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/642519. Accessed 26 Sept. 2020.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus II, Scaena II

Teacher’s Notes for the Mostellaria Actus II, Scaena II

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is similar to Plautus’ original scene. After a quick thankful prayer to Neptune, Priscus returns home and sees Afer. and Afer unveils his plan to keep Priscus from entering the home:  the house is haunted. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene occurs on the street. Priscus enters and prays briefly at the altar before approaching his door and trying (and failing) to enter his house. He is accompanied by some slaves, and Afer then calls out to him and they talk as Afer tries to encourage him from being too near the house. Afer commands the others to touch the earth, and touching the earth is an indication that Afer’s concern about the house relates to the dead. Bucco briefly knocks on the door from the interior of the house, but he is never on stage.

Actors in this Scene:

Buccō:  Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

Priscus:  Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Āfer:  Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Preteaching Activities for the Mostellaria, Actus II, Scaena II

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena II

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Tangō, tangere, tetigī

Vae Tibi—Quid Tetigisti?  

• The purpose of this activity is to help reinforce the perfect form of the verb tangere—particularly the 2nd person singular and the 1st person singular.

1. Ask for a volunteer/victim who wants to pretend to be an inspector on a quest to find an object. Send the volunteer outside of the classroom.
2. Explain to the rest that the student will choose which object to investigate. Have the class choose several objects for the student to choose from.
   1. Identify the “triggering” object. When the student touches that object, they all need to react with extreme panic. Shouting of vae tibi. Flailing arms. Hiding. Whatever.
   2. Tell them to start thinking of why they might have panicked when the student touched the triggering object.
3. Place all the objects at the front of the room for the student to choose from. (Perhaps choose about four to six objects).
4. Ask the volunteer to come back in. Remind them that they are an investigator investigating an unusual circumstance, and their job is to evaluate the objects and decide which they want to touch and why. Explain that when the student touches the right object, it will be clear.
5. Ask the student what the student wants to touch and why the student wants to touch that object in Latin. Do not let the student touch the object until explaining why the student is suspicious of that object.
6. a. After the student touches the object, ask quid tu tetigisti? The student can respond with tetigi + the object. You can also ask the class quid investigator tetigit?
   1. It may be useful to write the phrases volo tangere, tetigi, and tetigit on the board for reference.
   2. Repeat until the student touches the triggering object and the class responds with panic.
7. From there, ask the student with panic yourself: Quid tu tetigisti! Ask other questions, like cur tetigisti and quomodo tetigisti and ubi tetigisti.
   1. Make sure to bring in the class to help them keep up their panic and include them in describing what happened.
   2. Start building a story as a class about why the students are scared. Did someone kill someone with the object? Does a ghost live in the object? Co-create a story as a class for why they all fear the object. Ask students want happens to the volunteer who touched the object. Has anyone else touched the triggering object in the past? Did they live? Did they die? Were they turned into a pumpkin? Be creative with your questioning, and let your kids bet creative too.
8. If you can recall the story after the excitement ends, you can type up the story and read it with your class another day. You can also ask for a volunteer to capture what happens in the story, so you have notes to return to later.

Prereading Discussion Questions

• The objective of these discussion questions is to prime the pump for reading this next scene. Ideally these discussions would occur in Latin.

1. Discussions are grouped into sections. Students can be regrouped after the sections to discuss as a whole group the questions.
   1. Alternatively, students could rotate through different stations to discuss these questions. For accountability, you could turn the questions into a worksheet where they have to write down their answers after discussing them.
2. Divide your students into small groups, perhaps three to five students in a group. Ask them to discuss these related grouped questions.
   1. De ianuis et itineribus:
      1. Itinere longo facto, quid vultis agere primum cum revenitis domum?
      2. You can offer some examples (Greet my cat! Unpack! Nap!) or rephrase to use words familiar to your students.
      3. Quid vos agetis si domom intrare non poteritis quia clavem non habebitis?
      4. Vosne umquam non poteratis intrare domum quia non habuistis clavem? Quid vos egistis?
   2. De deis antiquiis:
      1. Quis esset deus optimus personarum in fabula? E.g., quis esset deus optimus Bucconis? Cur?
      2. Quis esset deus optimus tibi si tu esses homo qui Romae antiquae habitabant? Cur?
   3. De umbris:
      1. Vosne putatis umbras versari in orbe terrarum? Cur?
      2. Timetisne umbras? Cur?

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus II, Scaena II

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena II aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Prīscus ad āram it?
2. Cūr Āfer dixit, “Neptūnus, error tuus erat magnus?” Quid Āfer voluit Neptūnum ēgisse?
3. Lege hās sententiās:

ĀFER: It ad PRĪSCUM, clāmāns, Quis es tū?!
PRĪSCUS: Ecce, servus meus es, Āfer.
ĀFER: Āh, salvē, domine, tū revēnistī ex Aegyptō. Quōmodo tē habēs?

Quōmodo Āfer mūtāvit locūtiōnem? Cūr?

4. Āfer rogāvit, “Quōmodo tē habēs?” et Prīscus respondit, “ut vidēs.” Āfer respondet: “Bene videō!” Cur hoc dīxit?
5. Cūr Āfer subitō clāmāvit? Quōmodo Prīscus respondit Āfrō clāmantī?
6. Quōmodo emōtiōnēs Prīscī per hanc scaenam mutāntur?
7. Quid est cōnsilium et fabula Āfrī? Cūr nōn licet Prīscō intrāre domum? Scrībe parāgrāphum saltem vigintī vocābulīs.
8. Quis ianuam pepulit? Cur putas hunc hominem ianuam pepuisse?
9. Cūr Āfer nōn timet umbram?
10. Quid sibi vult Di me curent Anglīcē?

Postreading Activities for Mostellaria Actus II, Scaena II

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Six-Panel Comic of the Scene

• The objective of this activity is for students to reread the scene and condense it down into a bite-sized summary.

1. Ask students to reread the scene and turn it into a six-panel comic strip.
   1. Remind students that they will need to identify the most critical plot and character elements to include, and they must do so within six panels.
2. Each panel must have at least one sentence in it.
3. This drawing is mostly for fun. Kids like to draw. Drawings, though, are always a great opportunity to share and discuss topics further.
   1. For example, as an extension, you can collect the comics and redistribute them to other students to read.
   2. You can also choose a few of the better comics and turn them into picture talks to talk about what the students see in the different pictures.

Postreading Discussion Questions

1. Divide students into groups of about three or four students. Ask students to discuss these questions, preferably in Latin:
   1. Cūr Prīscus credēbat Āfrō? Quālis vir Prīscus est?
   2. Quōmodo Prīscus discet dē dolō Āfrī?
   3. Quid Prīscus aget Āfrō ubi discet dē dolō Āfrī?

2. Ask the questions one at a time to help students stay focused on each question. Allow some time for students to discuss these questions in their small groups, preferably in Latin if possible, before coming back together as a group to discuss them.
3. The first question encourages students to think about Priscus’ character and how he may also be foolish—but you may need to also remind the students that Priscus’ other slaves also fled.
   1. Note: They all touched the earth before they fled off stage, and touching the earth was a sign that a ghost might be involved.
4. The second question encourages students to think of the ways Afer’s story may fall apart.
5. The third question encourages students to connect back to earlier and future plot points: Afer’s physical well-being is on the line.
   1. After students discuss ideas for what may happen to Afer when Priscus learns about the trick, remind students for question three during the whole group discussion that Afer said at the beginning of the last scene that he would be beaten for letting Bucco lead the lifestyle he has led.

Thinking on the Fly

• The objective of this activity is for students to block some of the actions and to develop a deeper understanding of Afer’s ability to spin tales and improvise.

1. Remind students that Afer did not really have a plan at the end of the previous scene or he would have told it to Bucco to ease his fears. Afer, then, invents his outlandish the-house-is-haunted plan on the fly.
2. Divide students into groups of two and have them reread and act out the scene together. One student reads the part of Afer, and the second student reads the part of Priscus.
3. Their goal is to focus on developing Afer’s character and showing how he wildly improves this scene. How can they convey to an audience that Afer is improvising and making up the plan as he goes?
4. When students are done rereading the scene, the second student should read the part of Afer so both students have the opportunity to develop Afer’s character and show him thinking on the fly.
5. Come back together as a group and ask for volunteers who want to play the different parts.

Like Father, Like Son

• The objective of this activity is to better understand Priscus’ and Bucco’s characters.

1. Provide the handout on Priscus’ and Bucco’s characters and ask students to complete it.
   1. Alternatively, you can create a giant chart together as a class or allow class time for both individual and whole-group work on completing the table.
   2. You may need to encourage students to think more deeply about the characters.
2. Come back together as a class to discuss the final question on the worksheet: Who is more foolish: Bucco or Priscus?

Directions: Use the chart below to compare and contrast Priscus’ and Bucco’s characters. How are they similar? How are they different? For example, you might describe the different activities or people they care about. You might discuss their attitudes toward other characters in the play or toward gods. Please write in Latin to communicate your ideas. After comparing and contrasting the two characters, answer the question.

Quis est stultior: Buccō an Prīscus? Cūr? Scrībe parāgrāphum bonam saltem trīginta vocabulīs.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus III, Scaena I

Teacher’s Notes for Actus III, Scaena I

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is similar to Plautus’ original scene. The language, though, regarding Bucco’s debt to Lurco is much simplified. Instead of demands for interest or offers to pay only the principal, which occurs in the original, money is discussed only generally (pecūnia) to simplify the language. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  This scene occurs on the street. Lucro enters from stage left, and then Bucco enters from stage right. Bucco ends up sandwiched between Lurco and Priscus, both of whom he wants to avoid. He tries, unsucessfully, to keep them from interracting. Afer and Priscus end the act by going to Simo’s house.

Actors in this Scene:

Priscus:  Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Āfer:  Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Lurcō:  Lurco is a moneylender who lent Bucco the money to buy Flora. Lurco’s name means greedy. Lurco’s name is gender neutral.

Preteaching Activities for the Mostellaria Actus III, Scaena I

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide for the Mostellaria, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

Sttt, Sēcrētum Est!

• The objective of this assignment is to review who knows which pieces of information about which characters.

1. In a whole-group discussion, ask students to discuss what Priscus knows about what Bucco and Afer have been up to.
   1. In other words, what secrets does Priscus not know that Bucco is desperate to keep?
   2. Make sure that your students hit upon these topics: 
      1. Bucco drinks and eats extravagantly,
      2. has no money,
      3. took out a large loan to purchase his girlfriend Flora,
      4. freed her, and
      5. his girlfriend Flora is a former enslaved music girl.
2. Reintroduce students to the character of Lurco, who was mentioned in Act 1.
   1. Ask students to recall who Lurco is and why the character is important to the story.
   2. Ask students what Lurco knows that Priscus does not.
      1. Lurco knows about the loan and Bucco essentially being broke.
3. Ask students to turn to a peer and make predictions about what might happen if Priscus, Afer, and Lurco end up having a conversation together. Give students a few minutes to discuss this as a small group.
4. Use this activity to tie into the One-Word Picture.

One-Word Picture:  Lurco

• The objective of this activity is to help students make predictions about what will happen next, recycle vocabulary, and encourage students to make connections to the character.

1. If you have never done a One-Word Picture Before, Keith Toda has an excellent write-up on his website.  Click here to review his explanation.
2. The gist is that you draw a picture of what you think Lurco might look like and then start asking questions of your students, adding drawings and details.
3. I would begin this particular activity by drawing a skilled stick figure and labeling the stick figure Lurco.
4. Ask students then where Lurco is, what Lurco is doing, what Lurco wants, whom Lurco sees, etc., developing a story with lots of repetitions as you go.
5. After you have added sufficient details, retell the story from start to finish pointing at different pictures as you go. From there, ask for student volunteers who want to retell the story.
6. Students should be particularly primed for this activity after finishing the previous Sst, Secretum Est activity.

Dictatio

• If you have never done a Dictatio before, Keith Toda has a great explanation of a dictatio on his website. Click here to see his explanation.
  • Note: I usually do not do a choral reading but ask questions in Latin to establish meaning and then after we’ve gone through all the who, what, where, when, why, how questions with a sentence, I ask a volunteer to translate.
• This dictatio summarizes the beginning of the scene but does not reveal Afer’s next plan. It relies on vocabulary from the play, but it does include some words outside of the scene. Adjust the vocabulary where necessary to reflect what your students know. If there are words that are unfamiliar to your students, you can also add a slide before the sentences to introduce the word.
• Dictātiō:

1. Lurcō posuit pecūniam in Buccōnem.
2. Buccō, autem, nōn habuit pēcuniam dare Lurcōnī.
3. Lurcō Āfrum vīdit et voluit pēcuniam.
4. Prīscus īvit ad virum cuius vīllam ēmerat.
5. Prīscus vīdit Āfrum et Lurcō vīdit Āfrum!
6. Lurcō clāmāvit dē Buccōne et pecūniā.
7. Prīscus audīvit Lurcōnem clāmantem.
8. Lurcō dīxit sē posuisse pecūniam in Buccōnem.
9. Vae Afrō! Quid Āfer aget?

• Here is a link to a slide that is already set-up for you. Make a copy of it and adjust as needed for your classroom.

Reading Comprehension Questions for the Mostellaria Actus III, Scaena I

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena I aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr hominēs Lurcōnem vidēre nōlunt?
2. Quid difficultās Āfrī in hāc scaenā est?
3. Quid vir cuius vīlla Prīscus ēmerat dīxit?
4. Cūr vīlla nōn est vīlla Prīscī?
5. Cūr Āfer dīxit Lurcōnem esse molestum fruticem?
6. Quis pecūnia Lurcōnis habet?
7. Cūr Āfer rogāvit ut Lurcō nōn clamāret?
8. Quantam pecūniam Lurcō posuit? Estne multa pecūnia?
9. Sī tū habērēs quadrīgintā minās, quid tū emerēs?
10. Quid secundus dolus Āfrī est?
11. Cūr Buccō vīllam ēmit?
12. Cuius villam Buccō ēmit?
13. Ubi Āfer et Prīscus in fīne scaenae sunt?

Postreading Activities for the Mostellaria Actus III, Scaena I

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Draw 1-2-3

• The objective of this assignment is to encourage students to reread the scene while thinking critically about it in order to summarize it.

If you have never done a Draw 1-2-3, Bob Patrick has an excellent write-up of the activity on his website. Click here for the link.

• Ask students to reread the scene and draw one picture that represents the scene. Their picture should have two thought or speech bubbles, and they should write a three-sentence summary of their picture. (Thus the 1-2-3 in the activity’s name).
• You can do several extension opportunities, as Bob Patrick suggests, or also collect these individually.
• If you have a doc camera, this is a great opportunity for more picture talks and review of what happened in the scene.
  • You can also have students partner with a neighbor to share their pictures.

Quālem Domum Prīscus Emere Velit?

• The objective of this assignment is for students to make connections to Priscus’ character, particularly his wealth, and Roman houses. Students will also practice writing persuasively in a particular genre (housing advertisements).

1. Begin this activity by doing a picture walk of various Roman houses.
   1. Review vocabulary related to houses, including parts of a house, what someone might see in a wealthy Roman’s house, and how Romans decorated houses.
   2. You could choose a thorough picture walk of a Roman house by focusing on the layout and using pictures of various rooms. Click here for the link to VRoma’s house information.
   3. You could watch Magister Craft’s walkthroughs of a Roman Domus and a Roman Insula.
   4. You could use the pictures from the Met’s essay on Roman houses. Click here for the link.
   5. If you would like to further connect this activity, you could do a picture walk through a modern house for sale in your neighborhood and ask students to make comparisons to Roman houses.
2. After priming the vocabulary pump, inform students that they need to write and illustrate an advertisement of a house for sale that would appeal to Priscus’ identity and his sense of self-worth.
   1. It may be worthwhile to ask them, English is fine, what kind of language they would need to use to sell a house. Reminding them of the genre they’re writing in is always helpful.
3. Give students plenty of time to work on this assignment in class before they turn in their advertisement.
   1. You can extend the activity by collecting all the house assignments and creating a pretend real estate page for students to read.
   2. Students could select houses that they would want to show Priscus (or themselves) if they were realtors and explain why they chose them.
   3. You can also pull out examples of houses that students have written about and illustrated and project them and talk through them together as a class.
4. If students enjoy the activity, you can also have them pretend to be Priscus and write an ad where he is trying to sell his own house.
   1. How does one advertise a haunted house anyway? Do they aim for deceit and minimizing the problem or do they talk about how great it is to live with a ghost?

Asking for Money:  How Does Bucco Get the Loan Anyway?

• The objective of this assignment is for students to make connections to characters, to collaborate, and to express themselves in genre-specific writing. They will also practice reading with feeling when they present their scene to the class.

In Actus III, Scaena I, Lurco asks to be repaid his money that he lent, but how does Bucco convince him to loan him the money anyway? Bucco has already spent a vast fortune on wine, food, and entertainment. Why does Lurco lend him the money?

1. Put students in small groups of three to four students and ask students to brainstorm in groups how Bucco convinced Lurco to lend him the money.
   1. Tell them that they can use any characters from the play they want to, but they need to write a script for a scene in which Lurco decides to lend him money.
   2. If students strongly prefer to work alone (and some do), let them. They might have to be particularly creative in how they’d act out the script though.
2. Give students sufficient time to brainstorm what this scene might look like as well as time in class to write their scene together. Students can communicate in English to brainstorm their ideas, but they should write in Latin.
3. Allow time for rewriting and editing; groups, for example, could do peer editing and swap scripts with another group to help edit or to ask clarifying questions.
4. After students have edited their scripts (and perhaps turned them in for a grade and additional edits), students can act out their scene to the class. Give them some time to practice together before the scripts are presented.
   1. The class can vote on the best script.

Vicini Nostri:  Our Neighbors

• The objective of this assignment is to help students reflect on modern cultural norms and how they may differ from ancient ones and to make predictions about what will happen in the next scene.
  • N.B. Students may need to be introduced to the words vīcus and vīcīnus for these discussion questions.

1. Ask students to turn to someone in class and describe their neighbor, any neighbor.
2. What do they know about their neighbors?
   1. Quid scīs dē vīcīnō an vīcīnā tuā? Quālēs hominēs sunt?
   2. Students likely won’t have much to say—which is partially the point. We don’t know much about our neighbors today.
      1. For example, would students notice if a neighbor went on a trip for three years?
   3. Prīscus in Aegyptiā trēs annōs erat! Sī vīcīnus tuus ad Aegyptiam trēs annōs erat, sciēsne?
3. With the same neighbor, in small groups, or in a whole-class discussion, ask students about their neighbors and they would do at a neighbor’s house if they went there.
   1. Cūr tū īrēs ad domum vicinī? Quid tū agerēs in domō vicīnī?
4. Ask students how a Roman neighborhood might be different than a modern one.
   1. Quomodō vīcus Rōmānus dissimilis vīcō modernō est?
5. Ask students to make predictions in small groups about what Simo’s reaction will be to Afer and Priscus showing up at his home. What will Afer say? What will Simo say? Will they get to look inside Simo’s house?
   1. Quid Āfer dīcet? Quid Simō dīcet? Ibuntne in domum Sīmōnis? Cūr hoc putās?

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria Actus III, Scaena II

Teacher’s Notes for Actus III, Scaena II

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene contains the barebones plot of Plautus’ original scene. However, some of the sexist language and jokes about old women and wives with dowries have been removed. In addition, the complicated, extended joke about comparing an imagined painting to Simo and Priscus has also been removed. The house language has been further simplified to help reduce the vocabulary burden, so they are not looking at women’s apartments, but baths and porticos. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:            In the beginning, Priscus stands farther from Simo’s house and does not hear the conversation between Simo and Afer. Eventually, Priscus joins them. They enter the house and inspect columns, still visible to the audience, and then disappear offstage farther into the house to inspect the baths.

Actors in this Scene:

Priscus:   Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Āfer:   Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Simō:   Simo is the owner of a large home next door to Bucco and Priscus’ house. His name means flat-nosed.  

Preteaching Activities for Scaena II

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena II

These words or phrases appear in this scene, and they may be unfamiliar to your students. Some teaching activities incorporate these words, but you may also want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Balneum, balneī, n.
• Porticus, porticūs, f.

Vocabulary Discussion:  Balnea

• The objective of this activity is to practice the vocabulary balneum and for students to make cultural connections, both ancient and modern.

This is a whole-group discussion activity in Latin, but it can be modified for use in small groups.

• As a starting point, these websites may provide some useful numbers for you if you are not familiar with this topic:
  • “Shocking Number of Amercians Don’t Have a Toilet.”
  • “America is Overrun with Bathrooms.”
  • “1 in 3 People Worldwide Don’t Have Proper Toilets, Report Says.”
  • “7 Fast Facts About Toilets.”

• Facts that you may wish to use as part of this discussion from these articles:
  • A third of all schools in the world do not have adequate toilets, and nearly a quarter have no toilets.
  • Over 2 billion people do not have access to toilets.
  • In 1990, over a million Americans did not have a toilet.
  • In 1940, half of Americans had a three-fixture bathroom (bathtub, toilet, sink).
  • Modern Amercican houses have one bathroom per person.

• Discussion questions:
  • Quales domus balnea habent?
  • Quid in balneo est? Quid in balneo non est?
  • Quomodo balnea in domis vestris habere vis?
  • Quid tu ageretis si balnea in domis vestris non haberetis?
  • Ubi moderni homines balnea non habent?
  • Hominesne antiqui balnea habebant?
  • Quales balnea homines antiqui habebant?

• Possible Extension Activity:

• Ask your students to draw their dream bathroom on individual whiteboards (or using a document camera).
  • Encourage them to be creative. Does their dream bathroom have a dragon guarding it? Does it have a secret door to another place.
• After giving students time to draw their bathrooms, pick some of the pictures to describe to the class (or have the students volunteer to describe the bathrooms themselves).

Picture Talk:  Roman Mosaics

• The objective of this assignment is to foreshadow what may otherwise be a confusing joke that Afer pulls in this scene. It also allows students to practice the word for baths and house-related vocabulary.

1. Project this picture so that students can see it and begin by asking questions about it.
   1. You can encourage vocabulary you would like to review, for example, body parts.
   2. Make sure you ask students whether it is a real dog, perhaps by asking how the picture was made.
   3. Establish meaning for the phrase cave canem.
   4. Have students make modern connections to the sign cave canem.

1. Next, show this image of a house to your students.
   1. Ask students to describe the rooms of the house, using whatever vocabulary you want to review with them.
   2. Ask students to determine where a cave canem mosaic might go and why. You can have a whole-group discussion or have them turn to partners to share their ideas.
   3. Ensure that students ultimately arrive at the mosaic appearing in the entrance way to the house, but encourage other creative responses too.
      1. If you wish for an extension, there are other similar mosaics in Pompeii.

1. If students are enjoying the activity, you can also share this image found in a bath.
   1. Students may need assistance to identify the meaning of the writing in the mosaic and to describe what they see.
   2. Ask students in what kind of building this mosaic might have been found.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus III, Scaena II

Directions:  Listen to your teacher read Scaena I aloud and follow along in your reading. Reread the scene independently and then answer the questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Simō ē vīllā īvit?
2. Cūr Simō rogāvit, “Nōnne omnia vōs habētis?”
3. Quid Āfer rogāvit Simōnem ut Prīsco de omnibus dīceret?
4. Cūr Simō cōnfūsus erat?
5. Āfer dīxit Prīscum spectāre vīllam Simōnis velle. Quid est causa falsa? Quid est causa vēra?
6. Quid Āfer rogāvit Prīscum ut Prīscus ageret? Quis est causa falsa? Quid est causa vēra?
7. Cūr Āfer Prīscum subitō cēpit et clāmāvit, “Estne canis?” Dēscrībe dolum Āfrī.
8. Cūr Simō rīsit?
9. Quālēs columnae in porticū erant? Descrībe columnās.
10. Quō Simō īvit?
11. Quō Āfer et Prīscus īvit?    

Postreading Activities for Actus III, Scaena II

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Discussion:  How Will this Trick Fall Apart? Make a prediction.

• The objective of this activity is for students to review Afer’s latest trick and imagine how it may fall apart.

1. Begin by reviewing Afer’s tricks so far in the play and where they have led the plot of the play.
   1. This can be done individually, with students writing down what they can recall, or a group discussion with lines between the trick and the resulting new problem.
2. Review what Afer says to both Priscus and Simo for Priscus to enter the house to look around.
3. Give students a few minutes to brainstorm with a partner how the trick might fall apart.
4. Ask for volunteers to share their predictions for what is likely to happen next.
5. As an alternative to discussion, students could also individually draw a picture (or a comic) showing how this trick falls apart and write a short summary in Latin describing how it happens.

Speed Reading

• The objective of this assignment is for students to reread the scene from the play, reviewing and reestablishing meaning, in pairs.

There is an excellent write-up on how to do this activity if you have never done it before on Keith Toda’s blog. Here is the link. There, it is called Read Dating, but I have generally called it speed reading.

1. Divide your students into two groups and arrange them in a circle.
   1. If you do not have enough space, I have also used two lines of students successfully before.
   2. I have sometimes jumped in when there is an odd number of students, but students can also read quietly.
2. Students will reread the scene together, taking turns.
   1. The first student reads in Latin, and the second student translates it into English before reading the next line in Latin. The first student then translates… and so on.
3. Students are allowed to help each other out or ask you for help if they are both stuck.
4. You can use a timer or vary the time each group spends working on the reading. This can make it fun too because students never know how much time they will have in their group.
5. Each group has to start at the point in the story that one person had just gotten too.
   1. This means that students often reread chunks of the story.  
6. The activity ends after all students have read the scene at least once, usually more than that.

Act Out the Scene

• The objective of this assignment is for students to develop reading fluency and to better visualize how this scene may occur.

1. Divide students into groups of three, with each group assigning roles for Simo, Afer, and Priscus.
   1. In a group of two, students can divide themselves between reading Afer and Simo/Priscus.
2. Ask students to go through the scene to identify places in their small groups where movement and action will be important.
3. Tell students to come up with ideas for how they will move onstage before they act the play out together.
4. Give students time to reread the scene together, trying to implement their actions.
5. Set back up the stage—or use the permanent one if available—and ask for volunteers to act out the scene together for the class. Aim to have two to three groups act out the scene.   

Draw a Mosaic

• The objective of this activity is for students to make cultural connections between mosaics, houses, and themselves.

1. Begin by reminding or redisplaying the cave canem mosaic.
2. Ask students what it suggests about Simo’s character that he would have this type of mosaic in the entryway to his house that the very first thing he would want people to see as a decoration is cave canem in his house. Allow time for discussion.
3. Ask students to then draw a mosaic-styled image with phrase underneath it that they would like to have at the entrance of their house.
   1. Tell them they can be silly or serious and share some possible examples, (Salvete, amici; ave fortunam!).
   2. Under their mosaic, have them write a few sentences Latine about why this mosaic would represent them.
4. Ask for some volunteers to share their mosaics.

Teacher’s Guide for the Mostellaria, Actus IV, Scaena I

Teacher’s Notes for Actus IV, Scaena I

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene combines Plautus’ Act IV, Scene 1 with Act IV, Scene 2. Rutilus’ opening speech in this scene was all that contituted Act IV, Scene 1 in Plautus’ Mostellaria. Beyond combining the scenes and simplifying the language, they are very similar. (English for Scene 1, English for Scene 2, Latin for Scene 1, Latin for Scene 2).

Staging Notes:   Rutilus enters the stage from the right, and Dorsuo follows as if he has been chasing Rutilus so that they could continue an argument. They end the scene by knocking on the door of Priscus’ house to collect Calidus. They feel uneasy when no one answers, so they step a little farther away from the house.

Actors in this Scene:

Rutilus:  Rutilus is enslaved by Calidus. He tries to humor him to prevent being beaten. Rutilus means reddish gold hair.

Dorsuō:  Dorsuo is enslaved by Calidus. Dorsuo is sarcastic and dislikes Rutilus. Dorsuo means large back and is gender neutral.

Preteaching Activities for Scaena I

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena I

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known, but several activities are based on the word parasitus, which is glossed. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Parasītus, parasītī, m.

Quis Rutilus Erat?

• The objective of this assignment is to reintroduce the character Rutilus to students and to encourage them to make predictions about his role in the upcoming scenes.

Quis Rutilus Erat?

• The objective of this assignment is to reintroduce the character Rutilus to students and to encourage them to make predictions about his role in the upcoming scenes.

1. Project the beginning of Actus I, Scaena IV where Rutilus comes on stage briefly only to be told to go home and return later to collect Calidus.
2. Ask students what we know about this character.
   1. Ensure that students know that he is a slave.
   2. Ask them what his one line of speech here suggests about him and why he was introduced this way.
   3. Ask them to make predictions about his role in the upcoming scene. Why is he there? What is he supposed to do?
      1. This can help students make connections with the plot.
3. This can be a brief whole-class discussion, or you can have students discuss with a partner before having a whole-class discussion.

Parasītī, Poētae, et Cēnae

• The objective of this grouping of readings is for students to learn about the concept of the parasite in comedy and in poetry.

1. Begin by reading the short reading that introduces the concept of the parasite called “Parasiti, Poetae, et Cenae.”
   1. Students can answer the provided comprehension questions.
2. Next, read the first tier of the poems you have chosen to teach from among Catullus 13, Martial, Epigrams 2.37, 9.14, 9.19, and 11.77.
   1. Note:  11.77 does contain rude language. It is also a really fun and memorable poem.
3. Approach these readings however you would like.
   1. For example, students could read the first tier independently, read the second tier in pairs, and read the last tier together as a choral reading in class.
4. Choose two of the poems and compare and contrast them. What point are they making about Roman dinners or invitations to dinners or parasites? What do we learn about Romans (and ourselves) by comparing these two poems?
   1. For example, students could compare and contrast Catullus 13 with Epigram 2.37 or 9.14. Students could also compare Epigrams 9.19 with 11.77.
5. As a post-reading exercise, students can write letter inviting someone to dinner or writing about a dinner party. (See activity described there).

Parasītī, Poētae, et Cēnae

In cōmoediīs Rōmānīs, parasītī cēnāre semper volēbant et invītārī ad optimam et magnam cēnam spērābant. Patrōnī aut dominī parasītōs invītābant ut cum eīs cēnārent. Dīvitēs, hominēs quī multam pecūniae habēbant, cēnās ēlegantēs habēbant. Dīvitēs patrōnī hominibus invītātīs cibum rārum et pecūniōsum offerre poterant.

In cōmoediīs Rōmānīs, parasītī saepe erant servī aut hominēs quī nūllam pecūniam habēbant. In Mostellāriā, multī persōnae pecūniam nōn habent—etiam fīlius nōbilis pecūniam nōn habuit! Pecūniam, autem, nōn habuit quia cēnam optimam et ēlegantem cum cibō pecūniōsō cotīdiē ēderat. In hāc fābulā, ūnus servōrum alium servum parasītum vocāvit quia prīmus servus cibum et vīnum bonum cum dominō apud cēnam semper ēdit et bibit. Servī dē hōc clāmāvērunt et pugnāvērunt.

Sī quis tē parasītum Rōmae vocāvisset, tū quidem īrātus fuissēs! Nēmō vocārī parasītum voluit, sed multī hominēs cotīdiē invītārī ad cēnandum apud domum alicuius dīvitis volēbant! Poētae ipsī dē hīs cēnīs et dē hominēs quī invītārī ad cēnam quoque scrīpsērunt.

Catullus poēta Rōmānus erat quī dē invītātiōne et cēnam in Carmen XIII scrīpsit. In hōc carmine, Catullus amīcum, nōmine Fabullum, ad cēnandum apud domum Catullī invītāvit. Carmen rīdiculum est quia Catullus rogāvit ut Fabullus ipse, nōn Catullus, cēnam tōtam ad domum Catullī parāret et portāret. Catullus pecūniam nōn habuit ut cēnam Fabullō (aut fortasse sibi) daret.

Mārtiālis poēta Rōmānus erat quī dē cēnīs et invītātiōnibus saepe scrīpsit. Mārtiālis epigrammata scrīpsit, et hī epigrammata rīdicula et cōmica erant. Irrīdēre hominēs Mārtiālem dēlectāvit, itaque versus dē hominibus stultīs saepe scrīpsit. Hī hominēs stultī, sīcut parasītī, cēnam optimam edere volēbant et invītārī ad cēnās optimās volēbant. Ūnus hōrum virōrum in lātrīnīs tōtum diem cōnsūmēbat ut aliquis eum ad cēnandum invītāret!

Sī tū ad domum dīvitis Rōmae invītārī voluissēs, quid tū ēgissēs? Tōtum diem in lātrīnā fuissēs? Omnem cēnam cēpissēs? Versus scrīpsissēs? Alium virum cēnam ferentem ad domum tuam invītāvissēs? Falsus amīcus fuissēs? Rōmānī ut ad cēnam invītārent multa agēbant!

Reading Compresion Questions for “Parasītī, Poētae, et Cēnae.”

Directions: Read the reading and answer the questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Quis parasītus habēre volēbat?
2. Quī dīvitēs erant?
3. Quid dīvitēs offerre poterant?
4. In Mostellāriā, quis pecūniam nōn habuit?
5. Cūr in Mostellāriā servī clāmābant?
6. Quis ad cēnāndum invītārī volēbat?
7. Dē quō Catullus in Carmine XIII scrīpsit?
8. Dēscrībe versūs Martiālis.
9. Sī tū ad domum dīvitis Rōmae invītārī voluissēs, quid tū ēgissēs?

Tiered Reading: Catullus 13

Tier 1:

Si dei te amant, mi Fabulle, tu cenabis bene domi meae paucis diebus, si portaveris bonam et magnam cenam tecum, non sine pulchra puella, et vino, et sale (salt) et omnibus cachinnis (laughter). Si tu portaveris omnia haec, dico, mi optime amice, tu cenabis bene; saccus tui amici Catulli est plenus aranearum (cobwebs). Sed contra omnia haec tu accipies amores veros, aut aliquid dulcius aut elegantius est:  odorem dabo, quem Veneres et Cupidines dederunt meae puellae. Cum tu olfacies (smell) odorem, tu rogabis deos ut faciant te totum nasum (nose).

Tier 2:

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me (domi meae) paucis diebus, si di (dei) favent (amant) tibi, si attuleris (portaveris) tecum bonam atque (et) magnam cenam, non sine candida (pulchra) puella et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. Omnia haec si, inquam (dico), optime amice noster, cenabis bene; nam (for) sacculus tui Catulli plenus est aranearum. Sed contra accipies amores meros (veros), seu (aut) aliquid suavius (dulcius) elegantiusve:  nam (for) unguentum (odorem) dabo, quod Veneres Cupidinesque donarunt (dederunt) meae puellae; quod cum tu olfacies, deos rogabis totum ut te faciant te, Fabulle, nasum.

Tier 3:

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
 paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,
 si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
 cenam, non sine candida puella
 et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis.
 Haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
 cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
 plenus sacculus est aranearum.
 Sed contra accipies meros amores,
 seu quid suavius elegantiusve est:
 nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
 donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque;
 quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis
 totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

Martial, Epigrams, 2.37

Tier 1

Tu removes sinistrosum et dextrosum quidquid in mensa ponitur: Duas partes porci, communem avem duobus hominibus, primam partem piscis et totum secundum piscem, et partem muraenae (eel) et fermur gallinae, et alia avis fundentem ius suum. Cum omnia haec in mappa sordida tua posita sunt, dantur puero portanda domum tuam:  nos omnes reclinamus. Si pudor (shame) est tibi, repone cenam:  Ego non invitavi cras te, Caeciliane.

Tier 2

Quidquid ponitur hinc et inde (sinistrorsum et dextrorsum) tu verris (sweep away), mammas suminis (porcae) et imbricem (partem) porci, et dimidium (primam e duobus partibus) mullum (piscem) et lupum (piscem secundam) totum, et latus muraenae et femur pulli (gallinae), et palumbum (aliam avem) stillantem alica sua (iure suo). Haec cum condita sunt (posita sunt) mappa madente (sordida et fluente) traduntur (dantur) domum ferenda (portanda):  Si ullus (any) pudor est, repone cenam:  cras te, Caeciliane, non vocavi (invitavi).

Tier 3

 
 
 
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 Quidquid ponitur hinc et inde verris,
 Mammas suminis imbricemque porci
 Communemque duobus attagenam,
 Mullum dimidium lupumque totum
 Muraenaeque latus femurque pulli
 Stillantemque alica sua palumbum.
 Haec cum condita sunt madente mappa,
 Traduntur puero domum ferenda:
 Nos accumbimus otiosa turba.
 Ullus si pudor est, repone cenam:
 Cras te, Caeciliane, non vocavi. 

Martial, Epigrams, 9.14

Tier 1:

Putasne hunc virum esse exemplum verae amicitiae? Mensa et cena tua paravit hunc virum amicum tibi. Vir amat aprum (boar) et mullos (pisces) et sumen (porcam) et ostrea (oysters), non te. Si ego cenabo bene cum hoc viro, amicus meus erit!

Tier 2:

Hunc virum, quem mensa et cena paravit amicum tibi, putas esse pectus (exemplum) fidae (verae) amicitiae? Aprum amat et mullos et sumen et ostreae, non te. Tam bene si cenem, noster (meus) amicus erit!

Tier 3:

 
 
 
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 Hunc, quem mensa tibi, quem cena paravit amicum,
 Esse putas fidae pectus amicitiae?
 Aprum amat et mullos et sumen et ostrea, non te.
 Tam bene si cenem, noster amicus erit. 

Martial, Epigrams, 9.19

Tier 1:

Sabelle, tu laudas balnea Pontici, qui bene cenat, scribendo trecentis (CCC) versus. Tu vis cenare, Sabelle, non ad balneas ire.

Tier 2:

Laudas balnea Pontici cenantis bene versibus trecentis (CCC), Sabelle. Vis cenare, Sabelle, non lavari (quid homines in balneiis agunt).

Tier 3:

Laudas balnea versibus trecentis
 Cenantis bene Pontici, Sabelle.
 Vis cenare, Sabelle, non lavari.

Martial, Epigrams, 11.77

Tier 1:

Vacerra consumit horas in omnibus latrinis et sedet diem totum quod Vacerra cenare vult, non cacare (aliquid homines in latrinis agunt) vult.

Tier 2:

In omnibus conclavibus (latrinis) Vacerra consumit horas et die toto sedet, quod cenaturit (cenare vult) Vacerra, non cacaturit (cacare vult).

Tier 3:

In omnibus Vacerra quod conclavibus
 Consumit horas et die toto sedet,
 Cenaturit Vacerra, non cacaturit.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus VI, Scaena I

Directions: Read Actus IV, Scaena I, and then answer these questions. Use complete sentences in Latin.

1. Dē quō Rutilus in initiō scaenae loquēbātur?
2. Cūr Rutilus Calidum cūrāvit?
3. Quid aliī servī Calidī agēbant?
4. Cūr Dorsuō clāmābat?
5. Cuius servus Dorsuō erat?
6. Quid Dorsuō volēbat?
7. Quem Dorsuō putāvit esse stultum et vērum molestum?
8. Cūr Dorsuō et Rutilus ā portā Prīscī ambulāvērunt?
9. Quem tū putās parasītum esse? Cūr? Scrībe paragrāphum bonum saltem quinque sententiīs.

Postreading Activities for Actus IV, Scaena I

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Discussion Questions

• Objective: Encourage students to make cultural connections between the text and the characters.

1. You can arrange students in small groups first or begin as a whole-group discussion.
2. Servī ad hās fābulās cum dominīs suīs Rōmae īvērunt. Putāsne Rutilum an Dorsuōnem servōs Rōmānās dēlectāvit? Cūr?
3. Quae persōna Āfrō similior est? Rutilus an Dorsuō? Cūr?
4. Quis parasītus in hāc scaenā est? Rutilus an Dorsuo? Cūr?
5. Quis parasītus in hāc fābulā est? Cūr?
   1. In particular ask about these characters:
      1. Estne Afer parasitus?
      2. Estne Bucco parasitus?
      3. Estne Calidus parasitus?

Invitation to Dinner!

• Objective:   Connect knowledge about parasites and dinner invitations from poetry to the characters in the Mostellaria.

1. Ask students to write a letter from the perspective of one of the characters in the play.
2. They can choose whichever character they would like.
3. Students will write a letter in Latin from that character’s point of view.
4. From that character’s point of view, students will invite another character from the play to dinner, imitating Martial’s or Catullus’ poems.
5. Students could also choose to write about another character’s behavior at a recent dinner that the chosen character had hosted.
6. Encourage students to think about the poetry they read while writing their letters—and to be creative and have fun!
7. After students write their letters, you could choose several to read together as a class by projecting them to read.
8. You could also have students switch their letter with a peer and have them write responses to the letter in Latin from that character’s point of view.

Actus IV, Scaena II

Teacher’s Notes for Actus IV, Scaena II

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is the equivalent of Plautus’ Act IV, Scene III. The scene is similar to Plautus’ scene, but I reintroduced the element of the key at this point in the narrative plot. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:   Afer and Priscus enter the stage from Simo’s house, discussing the purchase of his house. Dorsuo and Rutilus remain near Priscus’ house. Afer exits at the end of the scene.

Actors in this Scene:

Āfer:   Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Priscus:  Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Rutilus:   Rutilus is enslaved by Calidus. He tries to humor him to prevent being beaten. Rutilus means reddish gold hair.

Dorsuō:   Dorsuo is enslaved by Calidus. Dorsuo is sarcastic and dislikes Rutilus. Dorsuo means large back and is gender neutral.

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena II

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

Preteaching Activities for Actus IV, Scaena II

Quis Hoc Diceret?

• Objective:   To preview the scene by having students make predictions about which character would say a sentence.

1. Students will have whiteboards and markers.
2. Students will see sentences one at a time taken from the upcoming scene that they will read.
3. These are sentences that I chose for this activity:
   1. Quid dē vīllā iam putās?
   2. Emisne vīllam multā pecūniāe?
   3. Simō stultus est quia multam pecūniam eī nōn dabō!
   4. Quam magna et optima porticus est!
   5. Nōn necesse erit mihi īre ad balneās pūblicās!
   6. Vīlla tua balneās—et umbram—nōn habet!
   7. Sed sī tū nōn vīs dare pecūniam, potes mihi pecūniam dare.
   8. Estne dolus?
   9. Sed nōlō dare pecūniam tibi sī dolus est.
   10. Fīlium tuum cūrābam! Vīllam tuam cūrābam!
   11. Buccōnem vidēre volō.
   12. Ubi clāvem posuī
4. Students will read the sentence and write whether Afer or Priscus would say a particular sentence.
5. Some sentences will be clear, but some sentences won’t be. Pause frequently to ask students why they decided a particular character would say a sentence.
6. Premade slides that you can download and use are available at this link.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus IV, Scaena II

Directions: Read the scene and then answer the questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Prīscus dīxit, “Dī Buccōnem ament.”
2. Prīscus dīxit, “Nōn necesse erit mihi īre ad balneās pūblicās!” Āfer, autem, rīsit. Cūr haec sententia ridicula est?
3. Cūr Prīscus rogāvit, “Estne dolus?”
4. Cūr Prīscus Āfrō pecūniam nōn dedit?
5. Cūr Āfer rūrem nōn īvit ut Prīscus rogāvit?
6. Cūr Āfer clāvem voluit?

Postreading Activities for Actus IV, Scaena II

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Read, Write, Draw, Pass

• Objective:  Reread the short scene to encourage reading comprehension

Keith Toda has an excellent write-up for this activity at this link, which he learned elsewhere. (All good teachers learn, pilfer, and share!)

1. Divide students into groups ranging from four to seven students. Students will sit in a circle.
2. Ask students to copy a sentence in Latin at the top of their paper from the scene.
3. When told to, students pass the sentence and the piece of paper to the person on the left.
4. That student must draw a picture that represents that sentence.
   1. That student will then fold the sentence behind the main piece of paper so that only the picture is visible.
5. Students then pass the paper to the left again.
6. Students then need to reread the scene to find the sentence that matches the picture. Students write the sentence below the picture.
7. When students pass next, students will fold the above picture behind so that only the sentence is visible.
8. Repeat this three more times (six passes total).
9. Have fun!

Actus IV, Scaena III

Teacher’s Notes for Actus IV, Scaena III

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is the equivalent of Plautus’ Act IV, Scene IV. The scene is similar to Plautus’ scene and is only simplified. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:   Priscus notices Rutilus and Dorsuo near his house and goes to accost them. Through the course of the conversation, he is ridiculed and learns that Afer has tricked him. Rutilus and Dorsuo depart at the end of the scene.

Actors in this Scene:

Priscus:   Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Rutilus:    Rutilus is enslaved by Calidus. He tries to humor him to prevent being beaten. Rutilus means reddish gold hair.

Dorsuō:    Dorsuo is enslaved by Calidus. Dorsuo is sarcastic and dislikes Rutilus. Dorsuo means large back and is gender neutral.

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena III

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

Preteaching Activity

Team Predictions: The Trick Unravels

• Objective:       To foreshadow the events in the scene and allow for students to make predictions about what will happen and how characters will respond to events.

1. Begin with whole-group instruction by asking students what Priscus does not know about his son and what tricks and lies Afer has told.
   1. List them on the board or project them for students to see.
2. Ask students what information Rutilus and Dorsuo know that Priscus does not.
   1. List these on the board in a separate column or project them.
3. Briefly review the character traits of the three characters.
4. Next, divide students into small groups, between three and four students.
5. Ask students to make a prediction on how Priscus learns what Rutilus and Dorsuo know.
   1. Encourage them to be specific and come up with a prediction for each piece of information.
   2. Share predictions with the whole class.
6. Next ask students to make predictions about how Priscus will react to learning this information. Also ask how Rutilus and Dorsuo will interact with Priscus based on their characters and how the behaved in the previous scene..
   1. Share predictions with the whole class.
7. Possible extension:  Consider allowing time for students to write this scene in small groups based on their favorite predictions. Students can share their scenes and act them out for the class.

Reading Comprehension Questions

Directions; Read the scene and answer the reading comprehension questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Rutilus cōnfūsus erat?
2. Cūr Prīscus ad Rutilum et Dorsuōnem īvit?
3. Dorsuō dīxit, “Quālīs umbra in vīllā habitat? Hahahae!” Cūr Dorsuō putat rīdiculum esse?
4. Cūr Dorsuō vellet Calidum esse umbram?
5. Ubi Calidus erat?
6. Cūr Prīscus cōnfūsus erat?
7. Prīscus dīxit, “Mihi molestus nē sīs.” Cui Prīscus hoc dīxit? Prīscus quoque dīxit, “Ut dīxī, hominēs in vīllā nōn habitant.” Cui hoc dīxit? Cūr Prīscus haec hominibus dīxit?
8. Prīscus rogāvit, “Quī Buccō?” Cūr putās Prīscum hoc rogāvisse?
9. Prīscus dīxit, “Nōnne tū es stultus? Nōnne tū in multīs villīs vīnum bibistī? Et iam ad vīllam rēctam īre nōn potes?” Cūr putās hoc dīxit?
10. Quōmodo Rutilus sē habuit cum Prīscus hoc dīxit?
11. Quantī Buccō Flōram emit? Sed Buccō quantī vīllam emit?
12. Rutilusne scīvit Prīscum esse patrem Buccōnis? Quōmodo tū hoc scīs?
13. Cūr Rutilus et Dorsuō ā vīllā Prīscī īvērunt?
14. Cūr putās Prīscum iterum iterumque dē vīllā et umbrā rogāvit?

Postreading Activities for Actus IV, Scaena III

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Review Predictions

• Objective:  To review and check on student predictions to increase reading comprehension and connect more deeply to the text.

1. If you participated in the team predictions activity, ask students to get back in their original groups to discuss how and why the predictions changed.
   1. Questions they should consider in their small groups:
      1. How much of the scene they correctly guessed
      2. Where some of their guesses were less correct and why they might have been less correct
      3. Which character they were closest on and why
2. Discuss as a group some of their predictions and how close they were to what happened in the play.
   1. Encourage students to think deeply about why they made the predictions they did and how they were similar or different from the play. This promotes critical thinking and better connections to characters and events.

Desistite! How Many Times Are You Going to Ask?

• Objective:    To encourage students to read with feeling and to connect character behavior to character speech.

1. Divide students into groups of four.
   1. Let them determine which of the three characters they would like to play in the scene:  Priscus, Rutilus, or Dorsuo. The fourth person will be the director.
   2. If students need to be reminded of character traits and how the characters differ, do this as a whole-group discussion before you divide them into groups.
2. First, students will reread the scene in small groups, determining how and when to do certain actions.
   1. The director is important in this role because the director should guide the actors on their behavior and what the director wants to see in this role.
3. Next, students will practice acting out the scene for the director.
   1. Whenever the director thinks the actors should be doing more or reacting in a different fashion, the director yells: DESISTITE!
   2. The director then offers suggestions on how to read with more feeling or behave more in character.
4. Allow students enough time to act out the scene between one and two times.
5. Then ask for volunteers to act out the scene.
   1. The director can still call Desistite! to offer advice mid-skit.
6. Try to have a few groups volunteer, which allows for rereading and seeing different interpretations of the scene.

Prose Perspective Rewrite

• Objective:   To encourage students to reflect on character perspective and write a summary from a particular point of view.

1. Students will choose one of the three characters in the scene and write a summary of the events in the scene from that character’s perspective.
   1. Students can think of it as if one of the characters is explaining what happened to someone who was not in the scene, such as Flora or Macula or Calidus, so they do not know what happened.
   2. They should paraphrase rather than quote from the play, but they can reread it as they are writing their summaries.
2. Collect the papers and choose one for each character to reread together as a class.
   1. You may want to type them up and edit them before projecting them and reading them together. A choral reading would work well here.

Priscus Confussissimus

• Objective:   To review the play and Priscus’ reaction to the news that his son is, well, a bum, and that he has been tricked and to delve deeper into the underlying power dynamics in this scene.

1. These questions can be in English or Latin, but pausing to delve deeper into the relationships here can help students make cultural connections about the underlying power dynamics in this scene. After all, Priscus is a confused old man, but he’s also one in a position of power.
   1. This activity can be a mix of whole-group and small-group discussion.
2. Project the text to where Priscus first has his belief that a ghost lives in his house challenged.
   1. Nōnne Buccō in hāc vīllā nōn iam habitat quia umbra in vīllā habitat?
   2. Ask the question:  Why does Priscus not believe Rutilus and Dorsuo at first?
3. Project the text where Priscus asks about Calidus’ whereabouts.
   1. Dēmōnstrāns vīllam, cōnfūsus, In hāc vīllā bibit?
   2. What does it suggest about Priscus that he repeats his question about Calidus’ whereabouts?
4. Project the text where Priscus asks who was drinking and eating in his house.
   1. Quis hoc faciēbat? And Quī Buccō?
   2. What does Priscus hope to learn when he asks quī Buccō? What does he learn instead?
5. Project where Priscus’ response is to still disbelieve Rutilus and to continue to question him.
   1. Āversus, Vae mihi! Periī sī hic servus vērum dīcit!
   2. What does this suggest about Priscus as a character? What does it suggest about the relationship between enslaved people and the nobles who enslave them?  
6. Project when Priscus accosts Rutilus and accuses him of being a lost drunk.
   1. Nōnne tū es stultus? Nōnne tū in multīs vīllīs vīnum bibistī? Et iam ad vīllam rectam īre nōn potes?
   1. It is worth repeating here the same questions as last time: What does this suggest about Priscus as a character? What does it suggest about the relationship between enslaved people and the nobles who enslave them?
7. Scroll through the next several questions that Priscus asks Rutilus, pointing them out.
   1. Why does Priscus have the right to interrogate Rutilus? Does Rutilus feel sorry for Priscus? How does Dorsuo feel about Priscus?

Actus IV, Scaena IV

Teacher’s Notes for Actus IV, Scaena IV

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is the equivalent of Plautus’ Act IV, Scene V. The scene is similar to Plautus’ scene and is only simplified. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:   Priscus has a brief monologue while looking at Simo’s house before Simo enters. He is still not certain whether Rutilus spoke the truth, and so he asks Simo for the truth of the matter. At the end of the scene, they enter Simo’s house in preparation of beating Afer for his tricks and lies.

Actors in this Scene:

Priscus:   Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Simō:  Simo is the owner of a large home next door to Bucco and Priscus’ house. His name means flat-nosed.  

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena IV

Some teaching activities introduce a word that may not be familiar—or recalled—by your students. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Verber, verberis, n.

Preteaching Activity

Dictatio for Scaena IV

• Objective:       To review the word verbera and foreshadow the scene.

1. Have students get out a piece of paper to record their dictatio. If you have done the other dictatio activities, your students will be familiar with the activity by now.
2. These are the sentences that I chose for the activity, but you can choose others. Some are slightly altered or shortened. You can make your own slides or use the ones I have already prepared at this link.
   1. Buccō est stultus sī servus rēctē dīxit.
   2. Nōnne Buccō pecūniam tibi dedit?
   3. Āferne tibi pecūniam dedit?!
   4. Āfer vīnum, cēnam optimam, et amīcam Buccōnis pecūniā ēmit.
   5. Nōn est umbra, Prīsce!
   6. Buccō in vīllā tuā habitat, nōn umbra.
   7. Fīlius meus est stultus sīcut pater! Cūr domum revēnī?
   8. Hahahae! Putāvistī umbram habitāre in vīllā tuā!
   9. Quaesō, dā mihi verbera et magnōs servōs.
3. In addition to reviewing the meaning of the sentence, ask which character would say the sentence, Priscus or Simo.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus IV, Scaena IV

Read the scene from the play and answer the questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Quid Prīscus putāvit dē omnibus quae Rutilus dīxerat?
2. Quid Prīscus nescīvit?
3. Quid Prīscus voluit?
4. Simō dīxit, “Sī necesse est Buccōnī dare mihi pecūniam, ego pol quadrāgintā minās habēre volō!” Cūr?
5. Quid Āfer pecūniā Prīscī ēgit?
6. Cūr Simō Prīscum cēpit?
7. Quālis amīcus Simō erat? Cūr hoc putās?
8. Quis servōs magnōs et verbera habuit?
9. Cūr Prīscus verbera habēre voluit?

Postreading Activities

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Comic Strip It

• Objective:        Students will reread the scene and be able to summarize and distill its parts into a six-panel comic strip.

1. Ask students to reread the scene. Priscus asks many of the same questions that have already been asked and answered.
2. Have students condense the scene and Priscus’ acceptance that his son is less than honorable into a six-panel comic strip.
3. Each comic strip should have text in it, either as captions or a speech bubbles.
4. Collect some of the comic strips and project them if you have a document camera. Read the comics together.
   1. You can also have students change comics with other students to read theirs.

Qualis Amicus Est Simo?

• Objective:       For students to review Simo’s behavior with Afer and Priscus and decide what kind of friend he is.

1. Divide students into four groups of students.
   1. In groups A and B, students will reread Actus III, Scaena II. In Groups C and D, students will reread Actus IV, Scaena IV.
   2. Tell students they have to find information in their scene that explains what kind of friend Simo is. Is he a good friend or a bad friend? Who is he a friend to in their scene?
2. Students can work together in their groups to find information.
3. After giving student sufficient time to work on finding their evidence, redivide the groups. Half of the students in group A and B should switch places with half of the students in Groups C and D. This is essentially a jigsaw activity.
   1. Ask students to discuss these questions Latine in their groups:
      1. Is Simo a friend to Afer or Priscus?
      2. Is Simo a good friend or a bad friend? Why?
      3. Would you want to be friends with Simo? Why or why not?
4. Bring students back to a whole-group discussion.
   1. Ask students to share evidence that Simo is Afer’s friend.
   2. Ask students to share evidence that Simo is Priscus’ friend.
   3. Ask students to share evidence for their opinions on whether he is a good or bad friend.
5. Possible extension on the activity:  Consider putting Simo on trial. If you want, you can have your students interrogate you while you pretend to be Simo.

Actus V, Scaena I

Teacher’s Notes for Actus V, Scaena I

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene does not exist in Plautus’ play. Instead, it is loosely extrapolated from the opening monologue in Plautus’ Actus V, Scaena I. I believed that a modern audience would want to hear from these characters again, so I gave them the chance to speak with this scene. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:   Afer enters, carrying the key, and unlocks the house. He calls in to have the other characters exit, first Bucco, then Flora, and then Calidus and Macula together. The group argues about what to do, and Macula exits by herself while Calidus is torn about being a better friend or a better boyfriend. Bucco decides to try to apologize to his father, via Calidus, leaving Afer panicked about what he will do. He enters the road between the two houses when he thinks Priscus is exiting Simo’s house.

Actors in this Scene:

Buccō:  Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

Āfer:   Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Calidus:   Calidus is a wealthy young noble and Bucco’s friend. His girlfriend Macula is a music girl and a slave. His name means hot-headed or brash.

Flōra:  Flora was a music girl and a slave until Bucco purchased and freed her. She is Bucco’s girlfriend. Her name means blooming.

Macula:  Macula is a music girl and Calidus’ girlfriend. She is a slave. Her name means a spot or blemish.

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena I

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

Preteaching Activities

Putting Characters Into a Box:  Character Review

• Objective:  Students will review the characters who have been off stage partying in Priscus’ house:  Bucco, Flora, Calidus, and Macula.

1. Tell students to divide a piece of paper into four squares.
   1. They can fold the paper in half and in half again or draw a line.
2. Ask students to label each box with the names Bucco, Flora, Calidus, and Macula.
   1. In each box, students should write words and phrases that describe the character and explain how they are related to the other characters.
   2. For example, Bucco may be filius Prisci or Floram amat or vinum bibit or stultus.
3. In each box, the student also should draw a picture of the character.
4. Students can work on these independently or with a peer.
5. After you give students time to write and draw, students can share with another peer or you can project drawings to the class and show the different ways the characters are described.

What Have They Been Doing Anyway?

• Objective:       To communicate in Latin and to demonstrate knowledge of character.

1. Ask students to brainstorm what Bucco, Flora, Calidus, and Macula have been doing in the house while Afer has spun tale after tale to keep the party going.
   1. Jot down ideas on the whiteboard or project them as students share some possible scenarios.
   2. Encourage students to be specific. Examples could be drinking really good wine, eating food (encourage students to use the vocabulary they know in your class—what kind of food is good food?), singing songs, etc.
2. After students have some general ideas, start asking questions to help them further their ideas.
   1. E.g., what would happen if Calidus started singing? Is he a good singer? Would they characters ever have a food fight? Do they also dance? Why or why not?
3. After brainstorming ideas as a class, ask students to write the “missing” scene since the party happened offstage.
4. Students can either use this as an opportunity to free write or do a timed write in prose.
   1. This writing activity could also become the rough draft for a formal writing assignment where students must write in the form of a play and include stage directions if you wanted to extend the activity.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus V, Scaena I

Read the scene from the play and answer the questions.

1. Buccō dīxit, “Quid est hoc? Tū dīxistī patrem nescīre dē vīnō, dē cēnā, et dē amīcā!” Cur?
2. Cūr Buccō subitō timet?
3. Cūr Buccō dīxit sē esse vīllam pessimam?
4. Cūr Flōra putāvit Prīscum amātūrum esse Buccōnem?
5. Cūr Macula in vīllā esse voluit?
6. Quō Āfer cum omnibus persōnīs īre voluit? Cūr?
7. Quis Caepiō erat?
8. Quis noluit īre rūs?
9. Cūr Calidus cum Maculā non īvit?
10. In fīne scaenae, dēscrībe emōtiōnēs Āfrī et Buccōnis. Quomodo sē habuērunt? Cūr?
11. Quis cum Priscō dīcet? Cūr?
12. Quid Āfer cum clāve in fīne scaenae ēgit?

Postreading Activities

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Draw 1-2-3

• Objective:  For students to reread the scene and demonstrate understanding of a character within it.

1. Ask students to reread the scene and choose one character in the scene they would like to focus on.
   1. They can choose between Afer, Bucco, Flora, Calidus, or Macula.
2. Students should draw one picture, write two speech or thought bubbles, and write a three-sentence summary of their picture.
   1. In particular, ask students to focus on how the character is feeling and/or what they are thinking in this scene.
   2. Students may already be familiar with a Draw 1-2-3 if they have completed earlier activities.
3. After giving students time to complete the activity, share some examples with the class.
   1. It would be ideal if you can review an example for each of the five characters in the class.
   2. If you do not have a document camera, you can shuffle the papers and have students read several of their peers’ drawings.

Who Loves Whom?

• Objective:  For students to discuss the romantic relationships and compare and contrast characters.

It may first be helpful to review the Do Bucco and Flora Really Love Each Other from Actus I, Scaena III.

1. Divide students into four groups.
   1. In group one, students will look for evidence that Calidus loves Macula.
   2. In group two, students will look for evidence that Calidus does not love Macula.
   3. In group three, students will look for evidence that Bucco love Flora.
   4. In group four, students will look for evidence that Bucco does not love Flora.
2. Give students time to find evidence to support each of these statements. They should use evidence from this scene.
3. After giving students time in their group, have each group report the evidence they found for each statement. Write quick summaries from each group’s report on the board.
4. Now, switch the statements.
   1. In group one, students will look for evidence that Macula loves Calidus.
   2. In group two, students will look for evidence that Macula does not love Calidus.
   3. In group three, students will look for evidence that Flora loves Bucco.
   4. In group four, students will look for evidence that Flora does not love Bucco.
5. After giving students time in their groups, have each group report the evidence they found for each statement. Write quick summaries from each group’s report on the board.
6. Use this as a launching point for comparing the two relationships. This can be done in English or in Latin.
   1. Reminding students of the power dynamics in these relationships is also important.
   2. It might also be useful to describe who is more independent, Flora or Macula, and why that might be true. Macula seems freer to speak her mind although she is still a slave.

Postreading Discussion Questions

• Objective:  For students to discuss character and anticipate what will happen in the next chapter.

1. Review with students what Priscus knows and why he went into Simo’s house.
2. Review with students what happens at the end of the scene, essentially that Afer is afraid and hiding.
3. Possible Discussion Questions in English or Latin:
   1. Habetne Afer dolum quo verbera fugere potest?  (Can Afer still get out of this?)
   2. Ut spectatores, putamusne Priscum Afrum verberibus pulsaturum esse? Cur? (As spectators, do we think that Priscus will beat Afer with whips? Cur?)
   3. Ut spectatores, quae persona nos delectat? Afer? Priscus? Qui debet esse victor? Cur? (As spectators, which character delights us? Afer? Priscus? Who should be the victor?)

Actus V, Scaena II

Teacher’s Notes for Actus V, Scaena II

Plautus’ Mostellaria:  This scene is based on Plautus’ Actus V, Scaena I. In it, Priscus and Afer accost each other and try to outtrick the other into doing what he wants, each knowing that the other knows all. (English, Latin).

Staging Notes:  Priscus enters the stage from Simo’s house and several slaves bearing whips follow him. They remain silent on stage but are occasionally referenced by Afer or Priscus. Afer takes refuge at the altar because a slave cannot be punished at an altar, nor forcibly removed. It seems, though, that a slave can be smoked out from the altar through building fires around it. At the end of the scene, Calidus comes to smooth things over between the father and the son.

Actors in this Scene:

Priscus:  Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

Afer: Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena II

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

• Āra, ārae, f.

Preteaching Activity

Quid Tu Sacrifabis ad Aram?

• Objective:  Students will become familiar with the word altar and use it when speaking.

1. If you do not have a permanent altar for the play, set a box/desk at the front of the room and introduce it as the altar.
   1. Ask students, Quid tu sacrificabis ad aram nostram?
   2. You can model the first sacrifice by sacrificing a stuffed animal at the altar. Ego sacrifacbo agnum ad aram quia volo scholares discere hoc vocabulum!
   3. My classroom has a mountain of stuffed animals, but encourage your students to use any prop you have in your classroom.
   4. Note:  Do not force participation in this activity. If you know that you have students who would find participating in this activity challenging for religious or personal reasons because it involves a sacrifice at an altar, do not force participation. They may wish to have an alternate activity or a pass to the library.
2. Cycle through several examples of students sacrificing various objects at the altar.
3. End the activity by asking whether Romans sacrificed people at the altar.
   1. From there, ask students why people might go to an altar beyond sacrificing an animal to a Roman god or goddess.
   2. This will anticipate why Afer seeks refuge at one.
   3. From there, you can ask students whether you can pull someone away from an altar who has sought refuge there (the answer is no).
   4. Ask them to brainstorm creative ways to get someone away from an altar who has sought refuge there.
   5. If you can get them to setting a fire near the altar, mad props to you, but it will also help them understand what happens when they read the play.

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus V, Scaena II

Directions:  Read the scene and answer the questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr servī Simōnis verbera ferēbant?
2. Cūr Prīscus ad Āfrum īvit sīcut vir quī īrātus nōn erat?
3. Dē quō Āfer voluit rogāre Simōnem? Cūr?
4. Quis poterat emere vīnum quadrāgintā minīs? Cūr Prīscus putāvit rīdiculum esse?
5. Cūr Āfer ad āram īvit?
6. Quis erat amīca Āfrī? Cūr amīca Āfrī erat?
7. Quōmodo Āfer nōlēbat coquī? Cūr?
8. Āfer dīxit, “Manūs habēbat… et quoque manūs iam habet.” Quam persōnam dēscrīpsit? Cūr?
9. Quis in fīne scaenae vēnit? Cūr?

Postreading Activities

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions.

Ara Amica Est!

• Objective:  For students to have fun acting out this scene with the altar—and, of course, practice reading with feeling and proper pronunciation.

1. Divide students into groups of two.
2. Have each group choose a random prop or object to be designated as the altar.
3. Ask students to act out the scene, paying particular attention to Afer’s interaction with the altar.
4. Allow students time to act through the scene twice so each student can be Afer once.
5. Ask for volunteers to act out the scene in front of the class, and try to have at least two pairs of students act out the scene for the class.

Micrologue

• Objective:       Create extra repetitions of vocabulary and to retell the story in an engaging way.

If you have never done a micrologue, Keith Toda has an excellent write-up on micrologues on his website. Click here.

1. These are the sentences I would target for the scene, but you can choose others.
   1. Servī Simōnis verbera ferēbant.
   2. Prīscus et Āfer dē pecūniā clāmābant.
   3. Āfer ad āram cucurrit.
   4. Āfer rīdēns āram manū tangēbat.
   5. Prīscus īrātus āram ārdēre voluit!
   6. Prīscus clāmāvit, “Tē interficiam!”
   7. Subitō, Prīscus Calidum vīdit.
2. Draw a picture for each sentence on the board or on a computer to be projected.
   1. Write the end of the last sentence on the board to help your student.
3. Create a separate document for the story sentences to be projected to students later.
4. Have a volunteer come up to the front of the class.
5. Tell the rest of the class that their job is to listen. Tell the same thing to the student at the front of the room.
6. Slowly, using the pictures, tell the story directly to the student at the front of the room.
7. Next, tell the class that they have to write the story down. Explain to the student in front that they need to listen to the story because they will retell it.
8. Retell the story two or three more times, again, slowly, and again using the pictures.
9. Repeat the story again, but this time using nonne questions. (Nonne servi Simonis verbera ferebant?).
   1. The student in the front of the room will repeat the sentence back:  Ita, servi Simonis verbera ferebant!)
10. Next, project the story to the class, and the student will read it to the class at least twice. At this point, students can correct any mistakes in their story.
11. Lastly, the story is no longer projected, and the student at the front of the room will use the pictures to retell the story.

Teacher’s Guide for Actus V, Scaena III

Teacher’s Notes for Actus V, Scaena III

Plautus’ Mostellaria: This scene is based on Plautus’ Actus V, Scaena II, but there are some key differences. I believed that a modern audience would want the father and son to also reunite on stage, which does not happen in Plautus’ play, so Bucco enters and listens as Calidus makes the case for forgiveness. I also ended with the play with the key again playing a role as Afer secures the last laugh. (English, Latin)..

Staging Notes: Calidus enters while Priscus is yelling at Afer, who is mockingly clinging to his altar. They argue over each other while Calidus tries to secure forgiveness for Bucco. Bucco enters and listens until he hears he is forgiven. Bucco and Priscus reunite while Afer complains about himself. Calidus and Bucco secure a promise that Afer will not be beaten, and then Afer runs off stage—leaving the family locked out of their house.

Actors in this Scene:

PRISCUS: Priscus is a wealthy merchant who has spent the last three years in Egypt, trusting that his son is living righteously. His name means very ancient.

ĀFER: Afer is enslaved by Priscus and Bucco. He encourages Bucco to live a dishonorable lifestyle. He is very clever and always has a new trick up his sleeve. Or tunic. His name means African.

BUCCŌ: Bucco is a wealthy noble and Priscus’ son. He has recently purchased his girlfriend Flora, who was a slave, on borrowed money and freed her. His name means fool.

CALIDUS: Calidus is a wealthy young noble and Bucco’s friend. His girlfriend Macula is a music girl and a slave. His name means hot-headed or brash.

Vocabulary and Phrases to Preteach for Scaena III

Beyond words already introduced in this teacher’s guide, there are no new words that are not assumed to be generally known. You may want to supplement instructional activities to add additional vocabulary practice to review and strengthen your students’ knowledge. You may also want to review the other vocabulary in this scene to ensure your students are adequately familiar with it.

Preteaching Activity

Comic Preview

• Objective:       To preview the final scene and for students to write appropriate captions for a picture.

1. Draw a comic that represents these six moments from the final scene.
   1. You will provide your comic to the class, so you can decide whether to draw it on the whiteboard, digitally, or to create a comic you will photocopy.
   2. It is best if you do this yourself. Your students know your drawing ability and will prefer your drawings to mine. Promise.
   3. Make sure to caption which characters are in your drawings.
2. Here are six suggested moments to draw:  
   1. Calidus approaching Priscus and Afer (who are yelling).
   2. Calidus getting between Priscus and Afer (who are still yelling and angry).
   3. Bucco sneaking into the picture to listen to Calidus try to smoothe things over with Priscus.
   4. Priscus forgives Bucco, and they hug.
   5. Afer asks to be forgiven too.
   6. Afer runs off stage.
3. Have students individually or in small groups write dialogue and captions for your pictures.
4. If you have a document camera, you can compare captions for the comic. Students can also share aloud what they wrote for each of the moments. This is a fun way to both predict and preview what happens next.

Story Listening

• Objective:       To preview the reading with pictures and a shorter summary of the scene.

Keith Toda has a great write-up on story listening at this link. This activity can be an extension of the previous one as it is another way to preview the story using pictures and oral input, but this time the input is a direct preview of the scene’s contents.

1. Read (or tell) the story to your students as you draw it on your whiteboard.
2. Feel free to label characters and repeat the story as you tell it.
3. Feel free to write dialogue or label drawings (e.g., verbera) as you tell the story
4. This story summarizes the scene that students will read shortly.

Calidus venit et dixit, “ede cenam mecum!” Priscus et Afer cenam voluerunt, et Afer clamavit, “Servi mihi cenam ferent!” Priscus clamavit, “Verbera tibi ferent!”

Calidus clamavit, “Audite me!” sed Afer et Priscus clamabant. Priscus iratus erat quia Afer male Bucconem curabat. Calidus dixit, “omnes nobiles cenam optimam et vinum optimum et amicam amat!”

Bucco venit et omnia audivit. Priscus dixit, “Filium meum amo. Non iam iratus sum!” Bucco venit, et Priscus videt Bucconem. Amplexi sunt et dicerunt, “Te amo!” Afer clamavit, “nonne me quoque amatis?”  Priscus iratus erat et clamavit, “Servi te pellent!” Bucco, Calidus, et Afer omnes nolebant servos pellere Afrum! Priscus dixit, “Vah!” et Afer non pulsus est, sed fugit!  

Reading Comprehension Questions for Actus V, Scaena III

Directions:  Read the scene and then answer the questions using complete sentences in Latin.

1. Cūr Calidus ad Prīscum īvit?
2. Quis invītāvit quam persōnam ad cēnam edendam? Quis cēnam quoque voluit?
3. Cūr Prīscus īrātus dē cēnā erat?
4. Calidus dīxit, “Ego quidem sciō omnia… sed prīscus vir semper omnia dīcere vult.” Cūr hoc dīxit? Putāsne Calidum rēctē dīxisse? Cūr?
5. In sententiā Calidī, cūr Buccō pecūniam nōn iam habuit?
6. Cūr Prīscus Āfrum timēret?
7. Buccō scaenam intrāvit, sed nihil dīxit. Cūr?
8. Quid Calidus dīxit sē et Buccōnem datūrōs esse Prīscō? Habēbantne hoc?
9. Cūr Prīscus īrātus nōn iam erat?
10. Āfer rogāvit, “Nōnne hic dolus mē quoque pudet?!” Cūr putās Āfrum hoc rogāvisse?
11. Āfer dīxit, “Sī sum pessimus, nōnne secundum dolum crās habēbō? Tū crās poteris pellere mē verberibus!” Cūr hoc dīxit?
12. Dēscrībe fīnem scaenae. Scrībe parāgrāphum saltem quīnque sententiīs.  

Postreading Activities

These are suggestions for postreading activities beyond reviewing the answers to the questions. Most of the suggested activities here are extension or celebratory activities. Student should assuredly celebrate having finished the play!

Duh – Act It Out!

• Objective:  Practice reading with feeling and proper pronunciation—and have fun!

1. Divide students into groups of four, and let them self-select whether they would prefer to be Bucco, Calidus, Priscus, or Afer.
   1. If you have an uneven number of students, you can create groups of five where one person can be the director.
2. Give students time to read through the play together and practice acting it out.
3. Call on volunteer groups to perform for the class. Emphasize that this is the last time that students can do so since they have finished the play.

Audition for Roles: Interpersonal Presentation

• Objective:  For students to prepare an interpersonal presentation in Latin.

1. Ask students to determine which character they would want to audition for if the school were to stage a dramatic showing of the Mostellaria.
2. Students will prepare a short presentation in Latin on why they would want to audition for that particular role.
   1. Students can take this seriously—or be as silly as they want.
   2. Brainstorming Questions they may want to address in their presentation: 
      1. What do they think about the character?
      2. Why does the role appeal to them?
      3. How are they similar or dissimilar to the chosen character?
      4. Why are they the best choice for the role?
3. In preparing for the presentation, students will also choose a selection from the play as their audition piece.
   1. A friend can read the corresponding lines if a character chooses a selection of dialogue to audition with. You can also determine whether students can audition in pairs or individually, in which case a joint presentation would be suggested.
   2. If you occasionally have students memorize material to recite for class, this could be an opportunity for students to memorize a selection of the play. Alternatively, students could be given time to become very familiar with their selection but otherwise read their selection aloud.
   3. Suggest time limits for the selection that work for your class, both a selection that’s the bare minimum and a maximum.
4. I do not have a rubric for this activity, so if you do complete this activity as a formal speaking presentation, provide a rubric to your students.

Celebrate with a Staging of the Play for Latin Club

Staging part (or the whole) play for Latin club can be a lot of fun! It can be a class project if you have the right group of students. Students will take roles and practice reading with feeling and staging the play. Students do not need to memorize lines but can use books or writer their lines on various props to be used throughout the play. You could consider hosting a bake sale at the same time to raise funds for your Latin club.

Confession:  I may have once hosted a play with my advanced classes doing just such a thing. Everyone dressed up with silly props, wrote lines down on shields and cups and garlands of flowers, and had a good time. Students who were shy had peripheral or supporting roles, and students who loved to ham it up did. I may have also offered extra credit for other levels of Latin students to come—if they brought someone with them. Parents came. Siblings came. It was a fun, nice evening, and I overheard lower levels of students say they understood more than they had expected to.

Celebrate with A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum: Possible Extension

Notes:  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is an oldie (but goldie) iconic mash-up of Roman comedies. You can purchase it on Amazon either as a physical DVD or a digital copy at this link. Make sure to preview the film; there is one scene that you may want to consider skipping: the brothel dancing scene.