Pseudolus

In Pseudolus, characters’ language is crude, biting, and universal, limited by neither social status nor ability. When Calidorus tells Pseudolus that he wants a rope with which to hang himself, Pseudolus snidely asks, “Then how would I get my drachma back?” (91). When Calidorus continues to complain about losing Phoenicium, Pseudolus states, “Stop crying, you fool. You’ll live” (96).Just as Pseudolus insults his intellectual inferior, Simo insults Pseudolus, his social inferior, calling him, among other things, “the worst human being alive” (1285). Ballio issues a long host of insults at his slaves and prostitutes, calling them “slackers” (132) and “asses” (136), claiming their “shameless skulls are so thick” (149) they won’t work unless whipped, and criticizing them for doing nothing “except make trouble and guzzle wine” (183). He also insults the cook he has hired for his birthday party, telling him he should “just go to hell” (846), that he “could not possibly find a poorer / Specimen of a cook than the one I’ve brought here” (793), and that “anyone who values his goods won’t hire you” (850).

Interestingly, characters do not appear offended by the insults. They do not protest, and in fact sometimes they agree.