Auricula Meretricula: A Free Translation

The original edition of Auricula Meretricula, a brief comedy play, featured an attempted offstage rape, which was foiled by the soldier's impotence rather than any human intervention. Over time, changing sensibilities have led to several changes in the plot and staging. The new edition of this play has introduced significant innovations, including a clever slave named Pseudolus who is aided by his slave girlfriend Dolia.

The addition of two new characters, Auricula and Marcus, adds depth to the plot. Auricula, a little courtesan, falls in love with Marcus, a penniless poet. The play follows the standard romance and resistance vehicle, but with a unique twist. While some early vocabulary lists may appear heavier due to their attempt to suit other texts, students should still be able to read these scenes with ease.

The new edition of Auricula Meretricula trims a little of the vocabulary to make it more accessible to beginners. The play consists of ten scenes, each accompanied by a facing vocabulary list. This format makes it suitable for use either as a sight-reading exercise or as a prepared text. The authors drew inspiration from Roman comedy and elegy to create this playlet in the style of Roman comedy.

Auricula Meretricula was written by Mary Whitlock Blundell and Ann Cumming, who were inspired to create something to enliven their teaching of Wheelock's Latin Grammar at Berkeley in the early 1980s. This revised edition is a brief but snappy comedy that can be easily performed in under half an hour.

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