Lesson plan
Babio
Babio in Latin is a 12th-century elegiac comedy consisting of 484 lines of elegiac distichs, the author and origin are unknown. It imitates Roman comedy and is indebted to Ovid, Plautus and Terence. It is preserved in five manuscripts, four of them in England and one in Berlin (Babio). It is written in dialogue form, suggesting that it may have been written as a drama. The main character, Babio, who is elderly and married, develops an unrequited passion for his step-daughter, Viola, who is already involved with a local lord, Croceus. Meanwhile, Babio's wife, Petula, is having a secret affair with a servant, Fodius. Much of the action is devoted to Babio's attempts to break up this affair (while still pursuing Viola) and the efforts of the pair to evade him.
Article summary
Babio in Latin is a 12th-century elegiac comedy consisting of 484 lines of elegiac distichs, the author and origin are unknown. It imitates Roman comedy and is indebted to Ovid, Plautus and Terence. It is preserved in five manuscripts, four of them in England and one in Berlin (Babio). It is written in dialogue form, suggesting that it may have been written as a drama. The main character, Babio, who is elderly and married, develops an unrequited passion for his step-daughter, Viola, who is already involved with a local lord, Croceus. Meanwhile, Babio's wife, Petula, is having a secret affair with a servant, Fodius. Much of the action is devoted to Babio's attempts to break up this affair (while still pursuing Viola) and the efforts of the pair to evade him.
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.