- Publius Terentius Afer .

"I am a human, and nothing human is alien to me."

"While there's life, there's hope."

Publius Terentius Afer (190-158BC), who is modernly known in America as Terence, was an African who came to Rome to write comedies in the form of 'Fabula Palliata'. Initially coming to Rome as a slave for a Roman senetor, he was properly educated and then freed and given a variation of his patrons name, Terence, and Afer was originated from his place of birth. At the time of his life, Terence almost lived in the shadow of Plautus, being less popular because of his work being more refined and less farcical than that of Plautus. He was often accused of validity of his work being his own and people saw him as a contaminator of Greek materials, meaning he amalgamated all or parts of Greek writing into one larger Roman whole. It has been said that English writers such as Shakespeare and Chaucer show evidence of having been influenced by Terence, as well as Moliere, Wilde, Congreve, and others. The extant works of Terence include six plays: Andria, Hecyra, Heautontimoroumenos, Eunuchus, Phormio, and Adelphi (most well-known). He is known for consistency of plot and characterization. He left Rome in 158BC to Greece to study the comedies of Menander from which he never returned. It is said to be that he downed at sea, but it is also a possibility that he died while in Greece.
Menander is accepted as the best writer of the comedy of manners among the Greeks. He was considered an imitator of Euripides. The only surviving full example of "New Comedy" to exist in modern times is Dyskolos, a play Menander had written.
Fabula Palliata refers to a type of ancient Roman comedy that is greatly centered around the greeks. Dressed up in Greek garments, with social conversations portrayed in Greek, with storylines heavily influenced by "New Comedy", done by the Greeks. Terences involvement in the revival of Fabula Palliata triggered a supportive response, the fabula palliata gave way to fabula togata, where actors are dressed in roman garments.