W. M. Lindsay, Syntax of Plautus

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In regard to the Comparison of the Adjective (see W. Fraesdorff: de Comparativi Gradus usu Plautino. Halle, 1881), two Plautine peculiarities call for notice, the pleonastic use of magis with a Comparative (see Seyffert in Bursian's Jahresbericht, 1895, p. 296), e.g. Capt. 644 “quin nihil, inquam, invenies magis hoc certo certius” (cf. Trin. 1029), and the association of aeque (adaeque) with the same Degree, e.g. Merc. 335 “homo me miserior nullust aeque, opinor.”

The genesis of the phrase, common both in Plautine and classical Latin, certiorem facere ‘to inform,’ may be seen in lines like these:

Pseud. 18 “face me certum quid tibist” ‘inform me’ (cf. scientem facere, e.g. Asin. 48, Ter. Heaut. 872 “nam te scientem faciam quidquid egero”),
• Pseud. 1097 “epistula atque imago me certum facit” ‘makes me certain,’
• Pseud. 965 “sed eccum qui ex incerto faciet mihi quod quaero certius”,
• Amph. 347 “numquid nunc es certior?”

Similarly we find potior fieri, Cas. 112 “hercle me suspendio, quam tu eius potior fias, satiust mortuum.” On the Positive use of the Comparative ocius, see VI. 4

Some Participles receive Comparison like Adjectives, often with comical intention, e.g.

• Cas. 694 “occisissimus sum omnium qui vivunt”,
• Trin. 397 “factius nihilo facit”,
• Poen. 581 “quin edepol condoctior sum quam tragoedi aut comici”,
• Stich. 118 “utra siet condicio pensior, virginemne an viduam habere?”,

• “A. credo, exspectatus veniam familiaribus.
  B. nimio edepol ille potuit exspectatior
  venire qui te nuntiaret mortuum,
  

  ”

  Most. 441

• Ter. Heaut. 645 “ignoscentior”.

Other examples of comic Comparison are Poen. 991 “nullus me est hodie Poenus Poenior”, and the often quoted ipsissumus (cf. αὐτότατος), Trin. 989 “A. is ipsusne es? B. aio. A. ipsus es? B. ipsus, inquam, Charmides sum. A. ergo ipsusne es? B. ipsissumus.” Notice that the construction verior quam gratior, etc., is unknown to Plautus and Terence. There is an example in a speech of Cato (10, 2) “quantoque suam vitam superiorem atque ampliorem atque antiquiorem animum inducent esse quam innoxiorem.” On quam and atque after Comparatives, see VIII. 2

The Predicative use of the Adjective may be illustrated by these lines:

• Mil. 953 “immo omnes res posteriores pono atque operam do tibi”,
• Cist. 193 “nihil est perpetuum datum.”