The industrious R. and T. have now reached Poenulus in their alphabetical series of papers delivered at the annual symposium dedicated to Plautus at Sarsina. This volume contains five essays on the play and its Nachleben. The most important is G. Garbini's piece, ‘Il Poenulus letto da un semitista’. Rebutting the communis opinio, Garbini makes a persuasive case that the first version of Hanno's Punic monologue (930–9) was written in refined Carthaginian language by a Punic-speaking collaborator of Plautus, who also knew Greek and Latin well. The second version (940–9) is later and is influenced by colloquial spoken Punic and the Latin translation of the first version that appears in the text after the Punic passages (950–60). Poenulus, Garbini proposes, reflects renewed friendship between Rome and Carthage after the end of the Hannibalic War. In ‘Poenulus: Il ritratto dello straniero’, R. López Gregoris makes the important observation that the title Poenulus is pejorative rather than diminutive. Characters employ a combination of stock comic characteristics and Punic stereotypes in describing Hanno as pius, callidus and a senex amator. This piece could be strengthened with a greater awareness that characters express their own views and not necessarily those of Plautus or his audience. C. Bungard, ‘L'ingannatore ingannato: I due aspetti di Milfione nel Poenulus’, observes how throughout Poenulus Milphio's status as a slave is never far from the surface. Bungard proposes that midway through the play Milphio loses his role as servus callidus and with it his control over the plot. The play, Bungard concludes, offers the audience insights into the importance of roles in life as well as in theatre. F. Bertini, ‘Il Penolo volgarizzato di anonimo stampato a Venezia nel 1526’, quotes two scenes added to a sixteenth-century Italian translation of Poenulus, which include a parasite character not present in the original. R., ‘I responsi di Venere’, notes the thematic significance of the temple and festival of Venus, who refuses Lycus’ request for good fortune but gives a propitious response to Adelphasium and Anterastilis.