Classical drama; The brothers, part 1

The following program was produced and recorded by the University of Michigan broadcasting service under a grant and aid from the National Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters. Classical drama a series of five Complete plays of antiquity in modern translation today. The brothers by times translation by Lionel Cason published by the Macmillan company and used by permission. Original music composed by Gerry Billick and conducted by Henri and Ali director for the University of Michigan series. Jerry Sandler. Now to introduce this production of the brothers. Here is the translator Lionel Kasem Professor of Classics at New York University. A long time ago about five hundred fifty B.C. to be exact. The Greeks invented comedy. They invented all forms of comedy farce burlesque satire political satire social satire but the sort of comedy they were in for first in the fifth century B.C. in the 4th century B.C.

was political and social satire. Then around 300 B.C. they developed still another form of comedy romantic comedy boy meets girl. However in the romantic comedy The boy and the girl for the most part was simply a framework on which to hang another story. The story of people's manners the story of the way people act. You see people in a given situation can act in fashions that are amusing silly even ridiculous and out of all that you can make a very good comedy. And this is what came forth among the Greeks around 300 B.C.. We tend to call it the comedy of manners. But understand that man as in this case means means people's manners the way people behave what they do. When a boy who may be this son meets a girl may be the daughter of somebody undesirable and so on. Of course the comedy of manners particularly the romantic comedy of manners boy meets girl is extremely familiar to us because

Generation after generation copied what the Greeks started. Among the greatest of the great writers who produced this sort of comedy was when he had a number of rivals the names are unimportant. It was my nana who was the star who came to the head of the stage as it were. Whose name was remembered by later critics. The comedies he wrote and is his rivals wrote quickly became popular they spread all over the the known world. They were played in the far reaches of Asia Minor as well as in Greece itself and they were played in North Africa where have you found Greeks these plays were played and they were also played in South Italy because South Italy had been settled by Greeks ages and ages before the road. From South Italy these plays came to the attention of Roman playwrights who were writing around Rome several hundred miles north of the Greek settlements in the Naples area for example. Well the Romans had their own native comedy to produce. This is pretty rough stuff. This was this

was farce this was him over the head with a baseball bat. Well not a baseball bat but the ancient equivalent of one let them slip on a banana peel that sort of thing. This new Greek comedy which is polished which had a finish and an edge to it which went in for a wit more than more than bold humor. This interested them and they turned to it and adopted it for their own purposes. They translated some of these great comedies directly. Others they adapted. Mixing in a little bit of Roman humor with the Greek wit. And still others went even further and just took a little bit of the of the Greek and mingled in a whole lot of Roman Terence was a Roman playwright who was born around 196 B.C.. Tradition says they wasn't even born a Roman that he was born in North Africa and that his first language wasn't even Latin. He would be then a sort of Joseph Conrad but whether the tradition is to be trusted or not we can't be sure. And the way as a young boy he saw these plays

that there is older contemporary comic writers were putting on these plays which were a mixture of Roman farce Roman humor and Greek wit. And he said to himself I too will be a comic playwright. But I will not write that sort of stuff. I will write plays in Latin but plays that express the spirit of the Greek plays that true romantic comedies. The way the Greeks wrote them full of the spirit of comedy pointing up the fall of mankind not producing belly laughs but producing on the part of the audience an amused smile and nothing more. And so in the brothers his last play because he died very early unfortunately and his best play. We have just that the skeleton boy meets girl is there but this skeleton is merely there on which to hang the story of how curiously amusing people can be. Do you miss can a student come home from his devoted listener.

Neither did any of the servants are going to get you. People say that if you stay out or I don't come home late if you do it would in a good way from bad use the word for it it's absolutely true. If you stay out late your wife imagine giraffe to some is up to you or that you're drinking and doing everything you wouldn't have a good good time. Well she's alone and miserable with the thoughts that have been going through by the bullies I've had because my son. Maybe he could sit with a broken leg to think that anyone would plant it is hard to let go there is something dearer to him. That is not even my own child he's my brother. There's my brother D. Ways of living have been different ever since we were boys. I took up this easy girlie relation in life in the city and some

people regard this as a piece of luck to him and never get married. He's just my opposite and everything has his home in the country you got married had to Sutton's I dumped the older I've raised him from an infant as me to my own and loved him as my own. He's the apple of my eye. There's nothing like it here for me and I do everything I can to make him feel the same toward me. I leave mute and indulgent. I don't need shifts but he has to do everything my way. And on top of it all while other boys hide their Mr from their fathers I've trained my son to be open with me. And why. Because the boys who were there to deceive or lied to a parent will certainly do the same to others. I'm convinced that a sense of shame and decency were too low to keep children in line than fear. My brother doesn't agree. He doesn't like my mate. He's always coming to me to complain if he she is a way for us to look at the

way he runs after women. You look at the way he drinks and you give him money for such things. Right you let him spend so much on clothes. The trouble with you is your juice soughed. No but the trouble with him is he's too strict. He goes beyond what's fair or good and I believe he's all wrong in thinking that authority will last longer and work better based on force rather than a fiction. His help. I'm convinced I'm. A man who does what he should because he's afraid of being punished will behave only when he's watched as soon as he thinks he can get away with something but he reverts to character. But if you attach someone to yourself through kindness and understanding where he checks from that he's anxious to reciprocate. Whether you're standing over him or knocks while father's job should be to train his boy to behave of his own free will and not because he's afraid of what someone new to to him says the difference between handling

such as him slaves and if you can't do it with him that you don't know how to handle. This. I'm talking about. Probably good to get by. Glad to see a man I want to see. I've been looking for you once a month someone in the family to have to ask what's on my mind. This would happen. What's he done once you've gotten the boy who's not ashamed of anything he's not afraid of anybody and thinks he's above the law. Who will forget what he's done before all this time he's gone too far. What in the world did he do. You smashed in the front door and broke into somebody's house. He practically beat the owner and everyone in the household today and he carried off a good. He's having an affair really did it. But he says it was an absolute outrage. I can't tell you Michel how many people

stop me on my way here to tell me about it. Who's talking you'll say all right all right if we must make comparisons. Why doesn't he take after his brother who is someone who keeps his mind on his business the hard working serious country. He's never done anything like that and I want you to hear about your other one who's letting him be ruined it comes to being unfair you can't beat a provincial look to me. You're convinced you're the only one who's ever done anything right there. And just what do you mean by that says He that your judgement in these matters is poor. Believe me it's no cry him for a young fellow to chase after we've been drugged. I tell you it isn't. Not even smashing in front doors. The only reason you and I didn't carry on like that was because we would do poorly but don't take credit now for what you didn't do then. Only because you didn't have the money is a myth that if we had had the same opportunities we'd have done the same exact status and if you were a human you'd let that boy of yours have his fling right now while he's the age for

it your way. He'll have it at a time of life when he shouldn't after he's waited for you to die off and he hustled you into your grave. God almighty you and your being human will drive me mad. What do you mean it's not a crime for a youngster to carry are not anti-media listen to me once and for all so that you'll stop beating my brains out about it. You gave me your son to adopt. He's mine no. Whatever mistakes he makes to me or my responsibility I'm the one who's most involved. He gives parties he gets drunk he dresses like a fuck all right I pay for it. He keeps a mistress. I'll give him the moneys alone as it suits me when it doesn't. Well she'll probably kick him out anyway. He smashed in somebody's front door I'll have it repaired or somebody is close I'll have the mended I've got the wherewithal thank God and so far it hasn't been a drain. But here's my last word Damia. Either shut up or pick any judge you like so that I can prove that your

mortgage folk are not rubbish rubbish why don't you learn to act like a father from people who really know how to be an actual father what's spiritual and just what have you done following spiritually when you go on like that I'm reading. That's no attitude today. How many times must I listen to the same old story I care about the bathrooms. DiMEO let's divide up this scare business. You care for your boy and I'll care for mine. Because if you're going to do the caring for both. That just about amounts to asking for the day. Looks to me. All right all right if that's the way you want it he can go to the dogs and it won't make a damn bit of difference to me. Oh no you don't believe me. I'm not asking for him back but he is on my mind after all I'm not a stranger. If I stand.

Right what do you want me to take care of just thank God he's a boy. My own hot. Yeah. I don't want to be too he. Something to think about this business bothers me. I didn't want to she. Never let me tell you the sort of person he was. Even when I try to keep him talking about something. With the temper of his. If I were to encourage him or even just go along with it. There's Majesty is no question about it. Confidentially. There's skinners hasn't done us any good in all the snow but I could name a good into out he hasn't changed staff to spend money

on it but just the other day I suppose he was tired of the Lord. Told me to get married and I was so glad to hear it I was hoping he would settle it down. Who now though and who does educate with it whatever it is. Going to see him and didn't find out about it. I'd see if you stepped out. All right ideas just stand right here and take it. Why do you keep looking back. Oh no no don't worry is not going to touch you alive or I'm going to help you just try and stop you know I think that even a group like San Diego isn't going to risk another day don't you agree my dear. Well you know listen here you're not going to get away with saying you didn't know the kind of man I was. I'm a dealer in line as respectable a businessman as you'll find anywhere. I know what you're going to do afterwards to get out of this.

Your going to say you're sorry you didn't mean to do manage well that doesn't cut any ice with me for a hand and I'm going to court and get my rights and I mean it you're not going to pay it with a couple of words for all the harm you've done me I'm wise to your kind. You're all so so tentatively sadit take my owes you absolutely didn't deserve such treatment or I didn't deserve it but I got an idea run ahead and open the door. Yeah that's a smog. Did you hear what I said inside with you know if I got help but yeah I got. Oh Harmon Oh come over here. Here no no no we are too far away. Oh right alongside Zanny. That's the spot now. Keep your eyes on mine and don't take them off I don't want even a split second loss between the time I give you the signal signal and you connect with the point of his jaw. Just let him try. Oh no. Will you let go of me you're going to get a second dose if you don't watch out. You

know I didn't give this but that's alright if you must make mistakes inside my idea. What's going on here. What is it you are king or something. If I were I'd decorate you with the way you'd want to get against me anyway. Nothing. Now see here you go do you know who I am. I don't want to know. What did I ever take of your nothing. If you had you'd have been sorry for it. Just what do you figure gives you the right to take my property. Something I paid good you know I want to have an argument out here in public. So if you're going to keep on being a nuisance I'll have you hauled inside and beaten within an inch of your life. Oh that. Oh you know I wonder you also heard me when they call this a free country. Listen. PM Do you want to go on with this raving nonsense or are you ready to listen to me raving you know

they want us right now. Cut that out and let's get down to business business business. What business. Yeah I've got something to tell you. Do you want to hear it said. But it's got to be fair and square. Has to be treated fair and square. All right so I'm a pimp and a liar and a plague on the community and a prime cause of juvenile delinquency. But I never did you any doesn't mean you would. Let's get down to what you were going to tell me you paid $10000 for. That's right damn your high pay you want she cautioned. Suppose I don't want to sell. Are you going to make known nothing was further from my mind. Oh I was afraid you were you see in my opinion a free woman can be bought or so and I'm ready to go to court to prove she's a free woman. Free up to you either take the money or hire yourself a lawyer.

Think it over until I get back. Cut that out. No wonder people had one of like. To give a present of it to him. After all he's done for. The money. But I don't have to be a fortune to. Tell him you can have a witness on the spot to testify I was ready to sell an egg. And expect money out of him. But I'd still put up with it if I could get my money back. Let's face

it. In my line he's got to put up with being kicked around by these kids. Keep your mouth shut. To me leave you to your trusted him. I hear about you having a fight over something or other. He did just one sided in my life. We were both practically exhausted from handing it out. I just about put my you know what I think that sometimes take money is the best way to make you scared of that if you gave in even to the boy. You would make any money

out of anything. I don't spot cash promise you'll never make any real money saying look you don't even know how to bait the hook or a customer made it your way is better but I was never that smart. I've always preferred to take whatever profits I could when I call or look I know the kind of fellow you are. As if you'd lead ten thousand dollars keep you from doing the good work. Incidentally they tell me that you're leaving for Cyprus. And that you've bought a load of the merchandise to ship there and that you've already. Oh I understand. And this is why it's so hard for you to make up your mind what to do. I just hope you finish up this business when you get back from that and I'm not budging an inch from the spot. That's what they had in mind when they started all this together no skin.

Of all the dirty tricks he's got. I'm here I've got a cargo of gos bought and paid for other goods to take to Cyprus and unless I can get there in time for the fair I stand to lose a fortune if I drop this business now and take it up when I get back. I don't stand a chance. The things. In true history. That I can hear the judge not. To put up with this time. Sooner than hang around here or try to collect in court after. I come back I'll. Hold you figured out how much you stand to make Cyprus's Cyrus tell me the truth. Is this the way for a gentleman like asking us to behave. What a thing to do. Drying to take a girl away from me by brute force. I've got him on the run. Now here's the only thing I can offer. If you like rather than trying to get all your money and run the risk of losing it it cut the

price and he can scrape of five thousand someone. Not even got to worry about getting back. But if you've got any feelings every tooth in my mouth lose me until my head is small and the size of a pumpkin on top of it all he wants to me. I'm not budging from you. Well if that's the way you want it. Well I'm going now anything more I can do for you. This looks do me one favor any time. Let bygones be bygones. Rather than go to court just let him pay me what you cost me Cyrus. I know you haven't had any dealings with me before but believe me I won't forget it and you won't regret it. Here my friend as a small token. My confidence is

I'll do my best to help him. Look who's coming it's tests if he has hears a lot about his new ministry how much weight on the player we need if a very it's nice to get it no matter who does it for you. What a pleasure it is when the one who does it is just the person it should be. Skin is my brother. Oh I can sing his praises loud enough. One thing I know for sure though no matter what superlatives I try to use they still won't be enough to describe him. I'm convinced I've got one advantage over everybody else nobody else has a brother who when it comes to the things I give a man Class is in a class by him. Oh sorry sir. Raise your skin your society is waiting for you little boy. You have to ask Cyrus there's life in my veins today and it's all his doing. What a guy. Well he could do for me he put first everything else came second. The

curse is that the bad name the blame it should have been mine but he took it all on himself. Oh you couldn't have done more to Sacto stay where you are just coming on sheep croc. Not just the man I was looking for. I watch my everything's fine come on cheer up. I gather I really should cheer up with a breath. Tell your brother here I'm afraid to go and praising you to your face. You think I'm doing it to flatter you instead to show you how grateful I am how come on enough of this nonsense. If you want I don't know each other. I'm only sorry I heard about it so late and things almost got to the point where nobody could have helped even if they wanted to tell you the truth I was ashamed. You mean almost ready to skip for practically no reason at all as a matter of fact I want even discussed. God forbid you should do anything like that. I made a mistake while Cyrus friend

got to say to us he softened up. I'm going downtown to pay off this PM. Oh you're going inside. She's waving. You think they should. CYRUS. Come on now. This fellow's in a hurry to get to Cyprus or soon as you'd like and I've got time. I'm staying around a while you stop worrying you'll get your money. I don't love you no yeah so all of you. Hey Cyrus like Blackwater but for God's sake do me a favor it is slimy creature on the suicide can if you get any more riled up this whole business may get back to my father somehow and I'm song of back up it won't now you go in and enjoy yourself with your girlfriend while we are away. Now as soon as we finish our transaction downtown I'll do some marketing and come on home here and since everything's going off so well. Now what do you say we have an all day party ha.

That's what you really are.