Miles Gloriosus

Plautus, Titus Maccius

Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.

  1. That you will not despise her who is sighing for you; who lives now but in your life: whether she is to exist or not, her hope is in you alone.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. What does she want then?
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. To talk with you, to embrace you, and to be intimate with you. For unless you bring her succour, she will soon be quite desponding in her mind. Come, my Achilles, let that be done which I entreat; save her, charmer, by your charming ways. Call forth your kind disposition, stormer of cities, slayer of kings.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. O! by my troth, ’tis a vexatious thing! To PALAESTRIO. How often, whip-scoundrel, have I forbidden you to make promises of my attention thus common.
PALAESTRIO
  1. Do you hear that, hussy? I have told you already, and I now tell you again, unless a fee is given to this boar- pig[*](Boar-pig: This passage is somewhat nodified in the translation.), he cannot possibly throw away his attentions in any quarter.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. A fee shall be given, as large as he shall demand.
PALAESTRIO
  1. He requires a talent of gold, in Philippean pieces. Less he will take from no one.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. O, by my troth, but that’s too little, surely.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. By nature there’s no avarice in me; I have riches enough. I’ faith! I’ve more than a thousand measures[*](A thousand measures: The modiuswas a Roman measure one-third of the amphora.It contained nearly two English gallons.) full of Philippean gold coins.
PALAESTRIO
  1. Besides your treasures. Then, of silver, he has mountains, not ingots; Aetna is not so high.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. aside. By the stars! O, what a lie!
PALAESTRIO
  1. to MILPHIDIPPA, aside. How rarely I am playing him off!
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. to PALAESTRIO, aside. And I; how do I do it? Ain’t I gulling him?
PALAESTRIO
  1. aside. Rarely.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. But, prithee, do let me go now.
PALAESTRIO
  1. to the CAPTAIN. But do you give her some answer, either that you will do it, or that you won’t do it. Why cause this poor lady so much anguish of mind, who has never deserved any ill of you?
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Bid her come to me herself. Tell her that I will do everything that she requires.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. You now act as it is proper for you to act. since you wish the same yourself that she is wishing.
PALAESTRIO
  1. to himself, aside. No poor faculty of invention has she.