Plauto e la commedia nuova greca, tra imitazione e parodia

The book "Plautus and the New Greek Comedy, Between Imitation and Parody" by Massimiliano Lepera offers an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the Roman playwright Plautus and his Greek predecessors, particularly the representatives of the New Comedy such as Diphilos and Philemon. The author examines how Plautus integrates elements of parody and tragic allusions into his works, highlighting the differences from Menander's approach. By exploring these relationships, a comprehensive overview of the development of comedy from ancient to new phases is provided, also establishing connections to Greek tragedy, especially to Euripides. Lepera investigates the extent to which continuity exists between these different forms of performing arts and the challenges posed by the sparse transmission of Greek comedy. The analysis is supported by the consideration of fragments collected by Kassel-Austin in the "Poetae Comici Graeci.".