This volume of sparkling translations - "The Woman From Andros", Machiavelli"s version of Terence"s classic comedy; "The Mandrake", the earliest and perhaps greatest Italian theatrical classic of all; and "Clizia", a work inspired by Plautus" "Casin" - brings to life in English plays whose racy vernacular language, subtle characterisation, and innovative dramatic construction preceded Shakespeare"s establishment of English-speaking theatrical comedy by more than a half century.