If Greek New Comedy never presented more than three
concurrent speakers, then any scene in the Palliata with four or more
concurrent speakers contains renovations. Plautus uses ensemble scenes
to underscore lively or dramatically significant symposia, eavesdropping,
or family reunions and be-trothals, especially at the finale. Terence uses
ensemble scenes more pervasively for shorter, calmer, and less significant
episodes. The authorship of the Greek original may influence the extent of
ensemble scenes. Plautus probably created ensemble scenes by rearranging
entrances and exits and by endowing mute characters with speech, often
transforming silent women into important speaking characters.