Miles Gloriosus
Plautus, Titus Maccius
Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.
- I see him.
- Palaestrio, do you hear?
- What is your pleasure?
- Aren’t you ordering those presents to be brought out which I gave her?
- Health to you, Philocomasium.
- And health to you.
- Your mother and sister bade me give their love to you.
- Heaven prosper them.
- They beg you to set out, so that, while the wind is fair, they may set sail. But if your mother’s eyes had been well, she would have come[*](She would have come: Thornton justly observes that this excuse for the pretended mother not making her appearance is fair enough, but there is no reason alleged why the sister should not come, except that we may suppose that she stays to nurse and comfort her sick parent.) together with me.
- I’ll go; although I do it with regret-duty compels me.
- You act wisely.
- If she had not been passing her life with myself, this day she would have been a blockhead.
- I am distracted at this, that I am estranged from such a man. For you are able to make any woman what-ever abound in wit; and because I was living with you, for that reason I was of a very lofty spirit. I see that I must lose that loftiness of mind. Pretends to cry.
- Don’t weep.
- I can’t help it when I look upon you.
- Be of good courage.
- I know what pain it is to me.
- I really don’t wonder now, Philocomasium, if you were here with happiness to yourself, when I, a servant—as I look at him, weep because we are parting pretends to cry, so much have his beauty, his manners, his valour, captivated your feelings.
- Prithee, do let me embrace you before I depart?