Miles Gloriosus
Plautus, Titus Maccius
Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.
- to PALAESTRIO. I see that I must prevent this woman’s death. Shall I accost her?
- By no means; for you will be making yourself cheap if you lavish yourself away of your own accord. Let her come spontaneously, seek you, court you, strive to win you. Unless you wish to lose that glory which you have, please have a care what you do. For I know that this was never the lot of any mortal, except two persons, yourself and Phaon of Lesbos[*](Phaon of Lesbos: Sappho, the poetess, was enamoured of Phaon the Lesbian. When he deserted her, she threw herself from the Leucadian promontory or Lover’s Leap, which was supposed to provide a cure for unrequited love. Her death was the consequence. See her Epistle to Phaon, the twenty-first of the Heroides of Ovid.), to be loved so desperately.
- aloud. I’ll go in-doors[*](I’ll go indoors: It must be remembered, that all this time they have pretended not to see Palaestrio or his master. Milphidippa cautioned her mistress only to take a side-glance at him (limis), after which they have, probably turned their backs.)—or, my dear Milphidippa, do you call him out of doors.
- aloud. Aye; let’s wait until some one comes out.
- aloud. I can’t restrain myself from going il to him.
- aloud. The door’s fastened.
- aloud. I’ll break it in then.
- aloud. You are not in your senses.
- aloud. If he has ever loved, or if he has wisdom equal to his beauty, whatever I may do through love, he will pardon me by reason of his compassionate feelings.
- to PYRGOPOLINICES. Prithee, do see, how distracted the poor thing is with love.
- to PALAESTRIO. ’Tis mutual in us.
- Hush! don’t you let her hear.
- aloud. Why do you stand stupefied? Why don’t you knock?
- aloud. Because he is not within whom I want.
- aloud. How do you know[*](How do you know: In Ritschel’s edition, these words are attributed to Palaestrio. This is clearly a mistake, for Palaestrio has not yet joined in their conversation. He and his master are listening to what they say.)?
- aloud. By my troth, I do know it easily; for my nose would scent him if he were within.
- to PALAESTRIO. She is a diviner. Because she is in love with me, Venus has made her prophesy.
- aloud. He is somewhere or other close at hand whom I do so long to behold. I’m sure I smell him.
- to PALAESTRIO. Troth, now, she really sees better with her nose than with her eyes.