Enter MYSIS from the house of GLYCERIUM.MYSIScalling at the door to GLYCERIUM within. Now, wherever he is, I'll take care that your own Pamphilus shall be found for you, and brought to you by me; do you only, my life, cease to vex yourself.
PAMPHILUS Mysis.
MYSISturning round. Who is it? Why, Pamphilus, you do present yourself opportunely to me. My mistress charged me to beg of you, if you love her, to come to her directly; she says she wishes to see you.
PAMPHILUSaside. Alas! I am undone; this dilemma grows apace! To DAVUS. For me and her, unfortunate persons, now to be tortured this way through your means; for I am sent for, because she has discovered that my marriage is in preparation.
CHARINUS From which, indeed, how easily a respite could have been obtained, if he pointing to DAVUS had kept himself quiet.
DAVUSironically to CHARINUS. Do proceed; if he isn't sufficiently angry of his own accord, do you irritate him.
MYSISto PAMPHILUS., Aye faith, that is the case; and for that reason, poor thing, she is now in distress.
PAMPHILUS Mysis, I swear by all the Gods that I will never forsake her; not if I were to know that all men would be my enemies in consequence. Her have I chosen for mine; she has fallen to my lot; our feelings are congenial; farewell they, who wish for a separation between us; nothing but Death separates her from me.
MYSIS I begin to revive.
PAMPHILUS Not the responses of Apollo are more true than this. If it can possibly be contrived that my father may not believe that this marriage has been broken off through me, I could wish it. But if that can not be, I will do that which is easily effected, for him to believe that through me it has been caused. What do you think of me?
CHARINUS That you are as unhappy as myself.
DAVUSplacing his finger on his forehead. I'm contriving an expedient.
CHARINUS You are a clever hand; if you do set about any thing.
DAVUS Assuredly, I'll manage this for you.
PAMPHILUS There's need of it now.
DAVUS But I've got it now.
CHARINUS What is it?
DAVUS For him (pointing to PAMPHILUS) I've got it, not for you, don't mistake.
CHARINUS I'm quite satisfied.
PAMPHILUS What will you do? Tell me.
DAVUS I'm afraid that this day won't be long enough for me to execute it, so don't suppose that I've now got leisure for relating it; do you betake yourself off at once, for you are a hinderance to me.
PAMPHILUS I'll go and see her. Goes into the house of GLYCERIUM.
DAVUSto CHARINUS. What are you going to do? Whither are you going from here?
CHARINUS Do you wish me to tell you the truth?
DAVUS No, not at all; aside he's making the beginning of a long story for me.
CHARINUS What will become of me?
DAVUS Come now, you unreasonable person, are you not satisfied that I give you a little respite, by putting off his marriage?
CHARINUS But yet, Davus—
DAVUS What then?
CHARINUS That I may marry her—
DAVUS Absurd.
CHARINUS Be sure to come hither pointing in the direction of his house to my house, if you can effect any thing.
DAVUS Why should I come? I can do nothing for you.
CHARINUS But still, if any thing—
DAVUS Well, well, I'll come.
CHARINUS If you can; I shall be at home. (Exit.)
DAVUS Do you, Mysis, remain here a little while, until I come out.
MYSIS For what reason?
DAVUS There's a necessity for so doing.
MYSIS Make haste.
DAVUS I'll be here this moment, I tell you. He goes into the house of GLYCERIUM.
MYSISto herself. That nothing can be secure to any one! Ye Gods, by our trust in you ! I used to make sure that this Pamphilus was a supreme blessing for my mistress; a friend, a protector, a husband secured under every circumstance; yet what anguish is she, poor thing, now suffering through him? Clearly there's more trouble for her now than there was happiness formerly. But Davus is coming out.
Enter DAVUS from the house of GLYCERIUM with the child.
MYSIS My good sir, prithee, what is that? Whither are you carrying the child?
DAVUS Mysis, I now stand in need of your cunning being brought into play in this matter, and of your address.
MYSIS Why, what are you going to do?
DAVUSholding out the child. Take it from me directly, and lay it down before our door.
MYSIS Prithee, on the ground?
DAVUSpointing. Take some sacred herbs
Take some sacred herbs
: "Verbena"
appears to have been a general term applied to any kind of herb used in honor of the Deities, or to the boughs and leaves of any tree gathered from a pure or sacred place. Fresh "verbenae" were placed upon the altars every day. See the Mercator of Plautus, 1. 672. from the altar here,
From the altar here
: It was usual to have altars on the stage; when Comedy was performed, one on the left hand in honor of Apollo, and on the representation of Tragedy, one on the right in honor of Bacchus. It has been suggested that Terence here alludes to the former of these. As, however, at Athens almost every house had its own altar in honor of Apollo Prostaterius just outside of the street door, it is most probable that to one of these altars reference is here made. They are frequently alluded to in the Plays of Plautus. and strew them under it.
MYSIS Why don't you do it yourself?
DAVUS That if perchance I should have to swear to my master that I did not place it there, I may be enabled to do so with a clear conscience.
MYSIS I understand; have these new scruples only just now occurred to you, pray?
DAVUS Bestir yourself quickly, that you may learn what I'm going to do next. MYSIS lays the child at SIMO'S door. Oh Jupiter!
MYSISstarting up. What's the matter?
DAVUS The father of the intended bride is coming in the middle of it all. The plan which I had first purposed I now give up.
Which I had first purposed, I now give up
: His first intention no doubt was to go and inform Simo of the child being laid at the door.
MYSIS I don't understand what you are talking about.
DAVUS I'll pretend too that I've come in this direction from the right. Do you take care to help out the conversation by your words, whenever there's necessity.
Whenever there's necessity
: He retires without fully explaining his intention to Mysis; consequently, in the next Scene she gives an answer to Chremes which Davus does not intend.
MYSIS I don't at all comprehend what you are about; but if there's any thing in which you have need of my assistance, as you understand the best, I'll stay, that I mayn't in any way impede your success. DAVUS retires out of sight.
Enter CHREMES on the other side of the stage, going toward the house of SIMO.CHREMESto himself After having provided the things necessary for my daughter's nuptials, I'm returning, that I may request her to be sent for. Seeing the child. But what's this? I'faith, it's a child. Addressing MYSIS. Woman, have you laid that here pointing to the child?
MYSISaside, looking out for DAVUS. Where is he?
CHREMES Don't you answer me?
MYSISlooking about, to herself. He isn't any where to be seen. Woe to wretched me! the fellow has left me and is off.
DAVUScoming forward and pretending not to see them. Ye Gods, by our trust in you ! what a crowd there is in the Forum! What a lot of people are squabbling there! Aloud. Then provisions are so dear. Aside. What to say besides, I don't know. CHREMES passes by MYSIS, and goes to a distance at the back of the stage.
MYSIS Pray, why did you leave me here alone?
DAVUSpretending to start on seeing the child. Ha! what story is this? How now, Mysis, whence comes this child? Who has brought it here?
MYSIS Are you quite right in your senses, to be asking me that?
DAVUS Whom, then, ought I to ask, as I don't see any one else here?
CHREMESapart to himself. I wonder whence it has come.
DAVUS Are you going to tell me what I ask?
MYSIS Pshaw !
DAVUSin a whisper. Step aside to the right. They retire on one side.
MYSIS You are out of your senses; didn't you your own self?
DAY.in a low voice. Take you care not to utter a single word beyond what I ask you. Why don't you say aloud whence it comes?
MYSISin a loud voice. From our house.
DAVUSaffecting indignation. Heyday, indeed! it really is a wonder if a woman, who is a courtesan, acts impudently.
CHREMESapart. So far as I can learn, this woman belongs to the Andrian.
DAVUS Do we seem to you such very suitable persons for you to be playing tricks with us in this way?
CHREMESapart. I came just in time.
DAVUS Make haste then, and take the child away from the door here: in a low voice stay there; take care you don't stir from that spot.
MYSISaside. May the Gods confound you! you do so terrify poor me.
DAVUSin a loud voice. Is it to you I speak or not?
MYSIS What is it you want?
DAVUSaloud. What—do you ask me again? Tell me, whose child have you been laying here? Let me know.
MYSIS Don't you know?
DAVUSin a low voice. Have done with what I know; tell me what I ask.
MYSISaloud. It belongs to your people.
DAVUSaloud. Which of our people?
MYSISaloud. To Pamphilus.
DAVUSaffecting surprise in a loud tone. How? What—to Pamphilus?
MYSISaloud. How now—is it not so?
CHREMESapart. With good reason have I always been averse to this match, it's clear.
DAVUScalling aloud. O abominable piece of effrontery!
MYSIS Why are you bawling out so?
DAVUSaloud. What, the very one I saw being carried to your house yesterday evening?
MYSIS O you impudent fellow!
DAVUSaloud. It's the truth. I saw Canthara stuffed out beneath her clothes.
Stuffed out beneath her clothes
: "Suffarcinatam."
He alludes to the trick already referred to as common among the Greeks, of the nurses and midwives secretly introducing supposititious children; see 1. 515 and the Note.
MYSIS I'faith, I thank the Gods that several free women were present
Several free women were present
: She speaks of "liberae,"
"free women," because in Greece as well as Italy slaves were not permitted to give evidence. See the Curculio of Plautus, 1. 621, and the Note to the passage in Bohn's Translation. See also the remark of Geta in the Phormio, 1. 293. at the delivery.
DAVUSaloud. Assuredly she doesn't know him, on whose account she resorts to these schemes. Chremes, she fancies, if he sees the child laid before the door, will not give his daughter; i'faith, he'll give her all the sooner.
CHREMESapart. I'faith, he'll not do so.
DAVUSaloud. Now therefore, that you may be quite aware, if you don't take up the child, I'll roll it forthwith into the middle of the road; and yourself in the same place I'll roll over into the mud.
MYSIS Upon my word, man, you are not sober.
DAVUSaloud. One scheme brings on another. I now hear it whispered about that she is a citizen of Attica—
CHREMESapart. Ha!
DAVUSaloud. And that, constrained by the laws,
Constrained by the laws
: He alludes to a law at Athens which compelled a man who had debauched a free-born woman to marry her. This is said by Davus with the view of frightening Chremes from the match. he will have to take her as his wife.
MYSIS Well now, pray, is she not a citizen?
CHREMESapart. I had almost fallen unawares into a comical misfortune. Comes forward.
DAVUS Who's that, speaking? Pretending to look about. O Chremes, you have come in good time. Do listen to this.
CHREMES I have heard it all already.
DAVUS Prithee, did you hear it? Here's villainy for you! she pointing at MYSIS ought to be carried off
She ought to be carried off
: He says this implying that Mysis, who is a slave, ought to be put to the torture to confess the truth; as it was the usual method at Athens to force a confession from slaves by that method. We find in the Hecyra, Bacchis readily offering her slaves to be put to the torture, and in the Adelphi the same custom is alluded to in the Scene between Micio, Hegio and Geta. hence to the torture forthwith. To MYSIS, pointing at CHREMES. This is Chremes himself; don't suppose that you are trifling with Davus only.
MYSIS Wretched me! upon my faith I have told no untruth, my worthy old gentleman.
CHREMES I know the whole affair. Is Simo within?
DAVUS He is. CHREMES goes into SIMO'S house.
MYSISDAVUS attempting to caress her. Don't touch me, villain. Moving away. On my word, if I don't tell Glycerium all this—
DAVUS How now, simpleton, don't you know what has been done?
MYSIS How should I know?
DAVUS This is the bride's father. It couldn't any other way have been managed that he should know the things that we wanted him to know.
MYSIS You should have told me that before.
DAVUS Do you suppose that it makes little difference whether you do things according to impulse, as nature prompts, or from premeditation?