Roman cursive (or
Latin cursive) is a form of
handwriting (or a
script) used in
ancient Rome and to some extent into the
Middle Ages. It is customarily divided into old (or ancient) cursive, and new cursive.
Old Roman cursive, also called majuscule cursive and capitalis cursive, was the everyday form of handwriting used for writing letters, by merchants writing business accounts, by schoolchildren learning the Roman alphabet, and even emperors issuing commands. A more formal style of writing was based on Roman square capitals, but cursive was used for quicker, informal writing. It was most commonly used from about the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD, but it probably existed earlier than that. In the early 2nd century BC, the comedian Plautus, in Pseudolus, makes reference to the illegibility of cursive letters
Calidorus Cape has tabellas, tute hinc narrato tibi quae me miseria et cura contabefacit.
Pseudolus Mos tibi geretur. Sed quid hoc, quaeso?
Calidorus Quid est?
Pseudolus Ut opinor, quaerunt litterae hae sibi liberos alia aliam scandit.
Calidorus Ludis iam ludo tuo?
Pseudolus Has quidem pol credo nisi Sibylla legerit, interpretari alium posse neminem.
Calidorus Cur inclementer dicis lepidis litteris lepidis tabellis lepida conscriptis manu?
Pseudolus An, opsecro hercle, habent quas gallinae manus? Nam has quidem gallina scripsit.
Calidorus Take this letter, then tell yourself what misery and concern are wasting me away.
Pseudolus I will do this for you. But what is this, I ask?
Calidorus What's wrong?
Pseudolus In my opinion, these letters are seeking children for themselves one mounts the other.
Calidorus Are you mocking me with your teasing?
Pseudolus Indeed, by Pollux I believe that unless the Sibyl can read these letters, nobody else can understand them.
Calidorus Why do you speak harshly about these charming letters and charming tablets, written by a charming hand?
Pseudolus By Hercules I beg you, do even hens have hands like these? For indeed a hen wrote these letters.
