Terence
Terence, a Roman playwright of North African descent, was a significant figure in the development of Roman comedy during the 2nd century BCE. Born in Carthage, he was brought to Rome as a slave and eventually gained his freedom, which allowed him to pursue a career in theater. His works are characterized by their elegant language, intricate plots, and exploration of social themes, often drawing on Greek New Comedy for inspiration. Notable plays such as 'Andria', 'Hecyra', and 'Phormio' showcase his skill in character development and dialogue, reflecting the complexities of human relationships and moral dilemmas. Terence's influence on later literature is profound; his emphasis on character and realism paved the way for future playwrights, including Shakespeare and Molière. His ability to blend humor with serious themes made his comedies both entertaining and thought-provoking. Despite facing criticism from contemporaries who accused him of being overly refined and lacking in the robust humor typical of Roman comedy, Terence's legacy endures, as his works continue to be studied and performed, highlighting the enduring nature of his insights into human behavior and society.
Famous Quotes
View all 20 quotes“We have to create culture, don't watch TV, don't read magazines, don't even listen to NPR. Create your own roadshow. The nexus of space and time where you are now is the most immediate sector of your universe, and if you're worrying about Michael Jackson or Bill Clinton or somebody else, then you are disempowered, you're giving it all away to icons, icons which are maintained by an electronic media so that you want to dress like X or have lips like Y. This is shit-brained, this kind of thinking. That is all cultural diversion, and what is real is you and your friends and your associations, your highs, your orgasms, your hopes, your plans, your fears. And we are told 'no', we're unimportant, we're peripheral. 'Get a degree, get a job, get a this, get a that.' And then you're a player, you don't want to even play in that game. You want to reclaim your mind and get it out of the hands of the cultural engineers who want to turn you into a half-baked moron consuming all this trash that's being manufactured out of the bones of a dying world.””
“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it's a feather bed.””
“Chaos is what we've lost touch with. This is why it is given a bad name. It is feared by the dominant archetype of our world, which is Ego, which clenches because its existence is defined in terms of control.””
Books from the author
