Le portrait d’un Carthaginois
The portray of a Carthaginian

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Summary/Abstract: Hanno, the protagonist of Plautus’ play Poenulus, is a Chartaginian. Hannoembodies the historic enemy of Rome. He is a comic, complex, and unusualcharacter, due to both his physical and to his behavioural peculiarities,these last ones considered as emerging from his racial dowry. Some of hisethnic peculiarities, normally disregarded, could serve to theaccomplishment of a right cause. This is the case of his linguistic andjudicial abilities of which he makes use in his endeavour to rebuild his lostfamily. The success of the Carthaginian is not obtained through “national”canning; it is obtained through a quality which the Romans consider typicalfor themselves, i. e. devinely rewarded piety. Plautus is far from constructingan attitude which expresses national resentments against the enemies.Instead of this, the writer exploits the humorous and expressive potential ofa character towards whom he has sympathetic and quite admiring feelings.

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