I was coming to you.
Why, what's the matter?
Why isn't the bride sent for?
Why isn't the bride sent for?
: Among the Greeks the bride was conducted by the bridegroom at nightfall from her father's house, in a chariot drawn by a pair of mules or oxen, and escorted by persons carrying the nuptial torches. Among the Romans, she proceeded in the evening to the bridegroom's house; preceded by a boy carrying a torch of white thorn, or, according to some, of pine-wood. To this custom reference is indirectly made in the present passage.
Do you hear me? I've been for some time not a little apprehensive of you, Davus, lest you should do that which the common class of servants is in the habit of doing, namely, impose upon me by your artifices; because my son is engaged in an amour.
What, I do that?
I fancied so; and therefore, fearing that, I concealed from you what I shall now mention.
What?
You shall know; for now I almost feel confidence in you.
Have you found out at last what sort of a person I am?
The marriage was not to have taken place.
How? Not to have taken place?
But I was making pretense, that I might test you all.
Such is the fact.
Only see! I was not able to discover that. Dear me! what a cunning contrivance!
Listen to this. Just as I ordered you to go from here into the house, he
I told him what you just now told me.
I begged him to give his daughter, and with difficulty I prevailed upon him.
Extremely well done, I say.
There's no delay on his part now.
I'll go home at once; I'll tell her to make due preparation, and bring back word here.
Now I do entreat you, Davus, since you by yourself have brought about this marriage for me—
I myself, indeed!
I myself, indeed!
: No doubt Davus says these words in sorrow and regret; Simo, however, supposes them to be uttered in exultation at the apparent success of his plans. Consequently "vero"
is intended by Davus to have the sense here of "too truly."
Do your best still to reform my son.
Troth, I'll do it with all due care.
Do it now, while his mind is agitated.
You may be at ease.
Come then; where is he just now?
A wonder if he isn't at home.
I'll go to him; and what I've been telling you, I'll tell him as well.
Where is he? The villain, who this day—I'm ruined; and I confess that this has justly befallen me, for being such a dolt, so devoid of sense; that I should have in-trusted my fortunes to a frivolous slave!
To a frivolous slave
: "Servo futili."
According to the Scholiast on the
But what now am I to say to my father? Am I to deny that I am ready, who have just promised to marry? With what effrontery could I presume to do that? I know not what to do with myself.
Still, I'll soon extricate you.
You, extricate me?
Assuredly, Pamphilus.
As you have just done, I suppose.
Why no, better, I trust.
What, am I to believe you, you scoundrel?
You scoundrel
: "Furcifer;"
literally, wearer of the
You did say so.
What do you deserve?
What do you deserve?
: Madame Dacier remarks that this question is taken from the custom of the Athenians, who never condemned a criminal without first asking him what punishment he thought he deserved; and according to the nature of his answer they mitigated or increased his punishment. The Commentators quote a similar passage from the Frogs of Aristophanes.
The cross.
The cross
: The "cross,"
Ah me! not to have the leisure to inflict punishment upon you as I desire ! for the present conjuncture warns me to take precautions for myself, not to be taking vengeance on you.
The circumstances
: "Res."
According, however, to Donatus, this word has the meaning here of "malice" or "spitefulness."Concerned in my own interests
: Equivalent to our sayings, "Charity begins at home;" "Take care of number one."They are not ashamed
: Terence has probably borrowed this remark from the Epidicus of Plautus, 1. 165-6: "Generally all men are ashamed when it is of no use; when they ought to be ashamed, then does shame forsake them, when occasion is for them to be ashamed."
Charinus, unintentionally I have ruined both myself and you, unless the Gods in some way befriend us.
Unintentionally, is it! An excuse has been discovered at last. You have broken your word.
How so, pray?
Do you expect to deceive me a second time by these speeches?
What does this mean?
Since I told you that I loved her, she has become quite pleasing to you. Ah wretched me! to have judged of your disposition from my own.
You are mistaken.
Did this pleasure appear to you not to be quite complete, unless you tantalized me in my passion, and lured me on by groundless hopes?—You may take her.
I, take her? Alas! you know not in what perplexities, to my sorrow, I am involved, and what vast anxieties this executioner of mine
What is it so wonderful, if he takes example from yourself?
You would not say that if you understood either myself or my affection.
I'm quite aware
No, not at all,—as you are not acquainted with my sorrows, these nuptials were not in preparation for me; and no one was thinking at present of giving me a wife.
I am aware; you have been influenced by your own inclination.
Hold; you do not yet know all.
For my part, I certainly do know that you are about to marry her.
Why are you torturing me to death? Listen to this. He
Who was this person?
Davus.
Davus! For what reason?
I don't know; except that I must have been under the displeasure of the Gods, for me to have listened to him.
Is this the fact, Davus?
It is the fact.
I have been deceived, but I don't despair.
This way it has not succeeded; we'll try another. Unless, perhaps, you think that because it failed at first, this misfortune can not now possibly be changed for better luck.
Certainly not; for I quite believe that if you set about it, you will be making two marriages for me out of one.
I owe you this, Pamphilus, in respect of my servitude, to strive with hands and feet, night and day; to submit to hazard of my life, to serve you. It is your part, if any thing has fallen out contrary to expectation, to forgive me. What I was contriving has not succeeded; still, I am using all endeavors; or, do you yourself devise something better, and dismiss me.
I wish to; restore me to the position in which you found me.
I'll do so.
But it must be done directly.
But the door of Glycerium's house here makes a noise.
Makes a noise
: The doors with the Romans opened in-wardly, while those of the Greeks opened on the outside. It was therefore usual with them, when coming out, to strike the door on the inside with a stick or with the knuckles, that those outside might be warned to get out of the way. Patrick, however, observes with some justice, that the word "concrepuit"
may here allude to the creaking of the hinges. See the Curculio of Plautus, l. 160, where the Procuress pours water on the hinges, in order that Cappadox may not hear the opening of the door.
That's nothing to you.
Presently I'll give you what I've hit upon.