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.