distinguished by the grotesquerie of its characters, incidents and
dialogue, and is indulgently permitted to stray far from the paths of
realism. Even in Shakespearian farce, note the exaggerated antics of the
two Dromios in "The Comedy of Errors." It is significant then that farce
is a staple of our plays.

The farcical element is strikingly exemplified in _Amph._ 365-462, where
Mercury persuades Sosia that he is not himself. Impersonation and
assumption of a role is another noteworthy and frequent medium of plot
motivation. In _As._ 407 ff. Leonida tries to palm himself off as the
_atriensis_. Note the violent efforts of the two slaves to wheedle the
cunning ass-dealer (449 ff.). In _Cas._ 815 ff. Chalinus enters disguised
as the blushing bride. In _Men._ 828 ff. Menaechmus Sosicles pretends
madness in a clever scene of uproarious humor. In the _Mil._ (411 ff.)
Philocomasium needs only to change clothing to appear in the role of her
own hypothetical twin sister, and in 874 ff. and 1216 ff. the _meretrix_
plays _matrona_. Sagaristio and the daughter of the _leno_ impersonate
Persians (_Per._ 549 ff.), Collabiscus becomes a Spartan (_Poen._ 578
ff.), Simia as Harpax gets Ballio's money (_Ps._ 905 ff.), the sycophant
is garbed as messenger (_Trin._ 843 ff.), Phronesium elaborately pretends
to be a mother (_Truc._ 499 ff.). A swindle is almost invariably the
object in view. But we have said enough on this score: no one who knows
the plays at all can fail to recognize the predominance of farce. Compare
on the modern stage the sudden appearance of "the long-lost cousin from
Chicago."


c. Extravagances obviously unnatural and merely for the sake of fun.

This group of course often contains marked features of burlesque and