The word “zany” comes from Zanni, notorious tricksters introduced in 16th-century commedia del’arte. Among the Zanni family is Scapin, a playful servant who lives up to his name by escaping from the ...

Scapino, Scappino, or Scapin, is a zanni character from the commedia dell'arte. His name is related to the English word "escape" in reference to his tendency to flee from fights, even those he himself ...