Sainte—BeuveconjuresuptheghostofMenander，saying:FortheloveofmeloveTerence。ItisthroughloveofTerencethatmodernsareabletoloveMenander;andwhatispreservedofTerencehasnotapparentlygivenusthebestofthefriendofEpicurus。[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]thelovertakeninhorror，and[Greektext]thedamselshornofherlocks，haveapromisingsoundforscenesofjealousyandatoomasterfuldisplayoflordlyauthority，leadingtoregrets，ofthekindknowntointemperatemenwhoimaginedtheywerefightingwiththeweaker，asthefragmentsindicate。
OfthesixcomediesofTerence，fourarederivedfromMenander;two，theHecyraandthePhormio，fromApollodorus。ThesetwoareinferiorincomicactionandthepeculiarsweetnessofMenandertotheAndria，theAdelphi，theHeautontimorumenus，andtheEunuchus:
butPhormioisamoredashingandamusingconvivialparasitethantheGnathoofthelast—namedcomedy。Therewerenumerousrivalsofwhomweknownexttonothing——exceptbythequotationsofAthenaeusandPlutarch，andtheGreekgrammarianswhocitedthemtosupportadictum——inthisasintheprecedingperiodsofcomedyinAthens，forMenander\'splaysarecountedbymanyscores，andtheywerecrownedbytheprizeonlyeighttimes。Thefavouritepoetwithcritics，inGreeceasinRome，wasMenander;andifsomeofhisrivalshereandtheresurpassedhimincomicforce，andout—strippedhimincompetitionbyanappositenesstotheoccasionthathadpreviouslyinthesamewaydeprivedthegeniusofAristophanesofitsduerewardinCloudsandBirds，hispositionaschiefofthecomicpoetsofhisagewasunchallenged。PlutarchveryunnecessarilydragsAristophanesintoacomparisonwithhim，totheconfusionoftheolderpoet。Theiraims，themattertheydealtin，andthetimes，werequitedissimilar。ButitisnowonderthatPlutarch，writingwhenAthenianbeautyofstylewasthedelightofhispatrons，shouldrankMenanderatthehighest。InwhatdegreeoffaithfulnessTerencecopiedMenander，whether，ashestatesofthepassageintheAdelphitakenfromDiphilus，verbumdeverbointhelovelierscenes—
—thedescriptionofthelastwordsofthedyingAndrian，andofherfuneral，forinstance——remainsconjectural。ForusTerenceshareswithhismasterthepraiseofanamenitythatislikeElysianspeech，equableandevergracious;likethefaceoftheAndrian\'syoungsister:
\'Adeomodesto，adeovenusto，utnihilsupra。\'