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Latin Alive Playlets
We have reintroduced Latin playlets written by Dr. Albert Warsley’s contemporary, Dr. Lillian Lawler. Well versed in Roman studies, Dr. Lawler received her bachelor’s degree in 1919 from the University of Pittsburgh. She obtained her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Iowa in 1921 and 1925, and then instructed classes in classics and art history there from 1923 to 1925. After a year of further study at the American Academy in Rome, she was an assistant professor of classics at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, from 1926 to 1929. Between the years 1928 to 1935, she was also an Archeological Institute of America travelling lecturer. The largest portion of Dr. Lawler’s career took place in New York at Hunter College. She began instructing there in 1929 and given the rank of full professor in 1955, followed by professor emeritus status in 1959.
We are offering her playlets for purchase on six different CD’s. Each CD contains 4 playlets for the price of $5 a CD. Our hope is to not only help bring Latin Alive again to the classroom, but to do so in a fun and educational way. To help with the student’s understanding of the playlets, we are including two copies of each play, one with footnotes and one without.
Please mark which CD’s you wish to buy below and include your order on the attached Order Form. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have enjoyed bringing them to you!
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Playlet Summaries
Aeger Marcus et Piratae (Sick Marcus and The Pirates): Marcus suffers from sea-sickness on his way to Greece to study philosophy. A battle with pirates improves his spirits and alters his ambitions.
Annus (The Year): Bill, an American boy, gets a lesson in the Roman calendar from the goddess Aurora and the days of the month.
Astrum (The Star): The appearance of a magnificent star signals welcome changes for two unhappy servants.
Casus Felicissimus (The Lucky Accident): A boy happens upon an extraordinary find – perhaps the earliest Latin inscription ever discovered.
Cliens Diligens (The Diligent Client): Two clients find themselves in trouble when they devise a plan to impress their patron.
Cloelia Natat (Cloelia Swims): A Roman girl leads a daring escape from the Etruscan camp and wins freedom for her fellow prisoners from an impressed Etruscan lord.
Coniuratio (Conspiracy): When Primilla’s beloved Livius becomes engaged to another woman, her friends conspire to overturn the engagement.
Fabae (Beans): A boy’s craving for beans puts him into a difficult – and humorous – situation.
Felix Postumius (Lucky Postumius): Postumius thinks he is lucky because of a charm he has found. What happens when he loses it?
Gladius Damoclis (The Sword of Damocles): Damocles learns an important lesson about happiness.
Larva (The Ghost): Caecilia and her friends take advantage of a Roman household tradition to punish her mean brother.
Magica Vestis (The Magical Cloak): Rufio uses his magical cloak to get what he wants, but it doesn’t happen the way he expected.
Magicae Herbae (The Remarkable Herbs): Philocrates fears the worst when his father discovers he has spent the family money to buy and marry a servant girl. An unexpected turn of events leaves everyone happy.
Margaritae (The Pearls): The scheme of Allia and Rhode to make some quick money turns sour when their mistress announces that she will give them a generous gift.
Nigrum Fit Album (Black Becomes White): A son’s unexpected audience with the ruler reverses his father’s unhappy fate.
Officium Stellae (A 12th Century Liturgical Playlet for Christmas): The three wise men seek the newborn king of kings.
Parva Vestalis (The Little Vestal Virgin): A young vestal virgin struggles to adjust to her new life away from her family and receives a boost of confidence from the goddess herself.
Pharmacueutria (She Who Uses Charms): Pharmaceutria uses her charms in hopes of drawing her beloved back to her.
Pietas (Dutifulness): The truth is revealed about a son’s father and adoptive father.
Piratae (The Pirates): Captive of pirates find welcome help from another captive.
Piscis (Fish): Persecuted Christians find sympathy from an unexpected source.
Prodigium (The Omen): Omens reveal the fate of the future emperor Augustus.
Thesaurus (The Treasure): A missing boy finds a lost treasure and brings relief to his poor mother.
Tuba (The Trumpet): A boy’s action is rewarded with a delightful gift.
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