1.00 CHAPTER ONE: From School Author to School Book: Terence in Manuscript and Print

This chapter describes the fate of one classroom standby, the plays of the Roman comedian Terence (2nd century B.C.E.), across the period from 1400 to 1650. A standard textbook for boys from ancient times forward, Terence achieved new popularity and new printed formats in the Renaissance, but eventually became the subject of debate among teachers because of its moral ambiguity. Printed Terences also offered many challenges to the designer, which are explored here.