Original: His acting talent was eventually discovered ; and he adopted the names '' Maccius '' ( a clownish stock-character in popular farces ) and '' Plautus '' ( a term meaning either '' flat-footed '' or '' flat-eared , '' like the ears of a hound ) .
Simplified: He called himself '' Macchius '' ( a clownish character in popular farces ) , and '' Plautus '' ( a term meaning '' flat-footed '' ) .