Captive Greece took captive her fierce conqueror, and introduced her arts into rude Latium.  Thus flowed off the rough Saturnian numbers, and delicacy expelled the rank venom:  but for a long time there remained, and at this day remain traces of rusticity.  For late [the Roman writer] applied his genius to the Grecian pages; and enjoying rest after the Punic wars, began to search what useful matter Sophocles, and Thespis, and Aeschylus afforded:  he tried, too, if he could with dignity translate their works; and succeeded in pleasing himself, being by nature [of a genius] sublime and strong; for he breathes a spirit tragic enough, and dares successfully; but fears a blot, and thinks it disgraceful in his writings.

Comedy is believed to require the least pains, because it fetches its subjects from common life; but the less indulgence It meets with, the more labor it requires.  See how Plautus supports the character of a lover under age, how that of a covetous father, how those of a cheating pimp:  how Dossennus exceeds all measure in his voracious parasites; with how loose a sock he runs over the stage:  for he is glad to put the money in his pocket, after this regardless whether his play stand or fall.

Him, whom glory in her airy car has brought upon the stage, the careless spectator dispirits, the attentive renders more diligent:  so slight, so small a matter it is, which overturns or raises a mind covetous of praise!  Adieu the ludicrous business [of dramatic writing], if applause denied brings me back meagre, bestowed [makes me] full of flesh and spirits.

This too frequently drives away and deters even an adventurous poet? that they who are in number more, in worth and rank inferior, unlearned and foolish, and (if the equestrian order dissents) ready to fall to blows, in the midst of the play, call for either a bear or boxers; for in these the mob delight.  Nay, even all the pleasures of our knights is now transferred from the ear to the uncertain eye, and their vain amusements.  The curtains are kept down for four hours or more, while troops of horse and companies of foot flee over the stage:  next is dragged forward the fortune of kings, with their hands bound behind them; chariots, litters, carriages, ships hurry on; captive ivory, captive Corinth, is borne along.  Democritus, if he were on earth, would laugh; whether a panther a different genus confused with the camel, or a white elephant attracted the eye of the crowd.  He would view the people more attentively than the sports themselves, as affording him more strange sights than the actor:  and for the writers, he would think they told their story to a deaf ass.  For what voices are able to overbear the din with which our theatres resound?  You would think the groves of Garganus, or the Tuscan Sea, was roaring; with so great noise are viewed the shows and contrivances, and foreign riches:  with which the actor being daubed over, as soon as he appears upon the stage, each right hand encounters with the left.  Has he said any thing yet?  Nothing at all.  What then pleases?  The cloth imitating [the color of] violets, with the dye of Tarentum.