Will the clever slave Dexter (Palaestrio) succeed in outsmarting the self-absorbed, narcissistic, self-proclaimed war hero Major Blowhard (Pyrgopolynices), so that the mostly incompetent, lovable, lovelorn young man Nauticles (Pleusicles) can rescue the young girl he loves, Convivia (Philocomasium), from the Major's lecherous clutches in time, and spirit her back to Athens with possessions secured? Or, will it all fall apart due to a mere meddling monkey (Monkey) running along a rooftop, who gets spotted by dunderbrain Haplus (Sceledrus)? As the guys wrap up their first foray into Plautine comedy, tune in and find out. And, be sure to listen for the secret code word so you can win a free copy of the of the Berg & Parker translation of Plautus and Terence: Five Comedies, courtesy of Hackett, and thus grow your libaby. There's something for everyone!

This week the guys make their first foray into Roman Comedy, specifically Plautus and one of his best-known plays, Miles Gloriosus (“Major Blowhard”). After a brief digression on Doestoevsky (не спрашивай), Dave and Jeff dig into the particulars of Greek New Comedy, its influence on Roman comic poets like Plautus and Terence, as well as the challenges faced and license needed to translate such works accurately, but also make them hit for modern audiences. And then, into the play—it’s got everything: narcissistic jackanapes, sponging schnorrers, longing lovers, secret tunnels, meddling gods, and even some pirates thrown in for good measure. If you like bombast, verbal fireworks, and insouciant inanity, this ones for you. Don't forget to tune in to win a free copy of the Berg & Parker translation of Plautus and Terence: Five Comedies. Listen for the secret code word.

This one's for all you autodidacts: if you have questions about any aspect of Greco-Roman antiquity, have trouble distinguishing between Phylas and Phrynichus, and are not sure where to turn when you are tearing through an ancient text and get stumped by some unfamiliar term, we've got you covered. This week Jeff and Dave walk us through the fascinating landscape of the most famous classical encyclopedias: Pauly Wissowa, Der Kleine Pauly, Der Neue Pauly, the CHCL (and how it differs from the CAH), and of course, the master map of classical scholarship, L'Année philologique. And in the second half, we explore the history and usefulness of that great granddaddy of them all, the Oxford Classical Dictionary, starting with the 1st ed. and extending to the 4th, digital form it now inhabits. So from Abacus to Zosimus, from Nichomachus to ancient gesturing, the Nerd is strong in this one. And, don't miss FlexCalls.com.