SALINUS, Duke of Ephefus. Antipholis of Ephesus, Twin-Brothers, and Sons to Egeon and Emilia, but un Antipholis of Syracufe, known to each other. Dromio of Ephefus, Twin-Brothers, and Slaves to the Dromio of Syracuse,S Balthazar, a Merchant. Angelo, a Goldsmith. two Antipholis's. A Merchant, Friend to Antipholis of Syracufe. Emilia, Wife to Egeon, an Abbess at Ephefus.] Luce, Servant to Adriana. THE (1) COMEDY of ERRORS. ACT I. SCENE, the Duke's Palace. Enter the Duke of Ephefus, Ægeon, Jailor, and other Attendants. P EGE ON. Roceed, Salinus, to procure my Fall, Duke. Merchant of Syracufa, plead no more; I am not partial to infringe our laws: " Sprung (1) Comedy of ERRORS.] The Controverfy of our Author's Acquaintance with the Latine Tongue has been partly canvafs'd upon his having writ this Play. "It is in great Measure taken (fays Mr. Rowe) " from the Menæchmi of Plautus. How That happen'd, I cannot eafily "divine; fince I do not take him to have been Master of Latine enough to read it in the Original: and I know of no Tranflation of Plautus "fo old as his Time". Thus far, his Acquaintance with the Roman Language is rather difputed, than afcertain'd. Let us fee, What Mr. Gildon has obferv'd upon This. "I confefs, with Submiffion to the Writer “ of his Life, that I can find no fuch Need of Divination on this Head. "For as it is beyond Contradiction plain, that this Comedy is taken from "That of Plautus; fo I think it as obvious to conclude from That, that B 2 "Shake Sprung from the ranc'rous outrage of your Duke, Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies; To quit the penalty, and ranfom him. Egeon. A heavier task could not have been im- Than "Shakespeare did understand Latine enough to read him, and knew fo "much of him as to be able to form a Defign out of That of the "Roman Poet ".- We now find his Title to Learning a little better grounded. After these Gentlemen comes Mr. Pope, and diffidently corroborates Mr. Gildon's Opinion. "HE appears (Jays he) alfo to have "been converfant in Plautus, from whom he has taken the Plot of One "of his Plays". The Comedy of Errors is the Play meant here. But tho', perhaps, I may believe our Author better acquainted with the antient Languages, than these three Learned Men profefs to do; yet, with Deference to them, his Literature will not come into Difpute on this Account. For the Menæchmi of Plautus was tranflated into English, (which our Criticks might have known from Langbaine,) and printed in Quarto in the Year 1515, half a Century before our Author was born. (2) A heavier Task could not have been impos'd, Than I to speak my Grief unfpeakable.] The Poet feems to me here |