Do you say so?
'Tis as I told you,—but in the mean time, while we've been carrying on our discourse, these women have been left behind.
No wonder; they are so encumbered; they are bringing a troop of female
attendantsTroop of female attendants
: The
train and expenses of a courtesan of high station are admirably
depicted in the speech of Lysiteles, in the Trinummus of Plautus, 1.
252.
We ought not to have left them; what a quantity of things they are bringing!
Jewels of gold, and clothes; it's growing late too, and they don't know the way. It was very foolish of us to leave them. Just go back, Dromo, and meet them. Make haste—why do you delay? (Exit DROMO.
How so, prithee? For nothing in the world could I rather wish for just now, than that I have suspected this without reason.
This, in the first place, then (that you may not be ignorant of any thing that concerns her); the old woman, who was formerly said to be her mother, was not so.—She is dead: this I overheard by accident from her, as we came along, while she was telling the other one.
Pray, who is the other one?
Stay; what I have begun I wish first to relate, Clitipho; I shall come to that afterward.
Make haste, then.
First of all then, when we came to the house, Dromo knocked at the door;
a certain old woman came out; when she opened the door, he directly
rushed in; I followed; the old woman bolted the door, and returned to
her wool. On this occasion might be known, Clinia, or else on none, in
what pursuits she passed her life during your absence; when we thus came
upon a female unexpectedly. For this circumstance then gave us an
opportunity of judging of the course of her daily life; a thing which
especially discovers what is the disposition of each individual. We
found her industriously plying at the web; plainly clad in a mourning
dress,In a mourning dress
: Among the
Greeks, in general, mourning for the dead seems to have lasted till
the thirtieth day after the funeral, and during that period black
dresses were worn. The Romans also wore mourning for the dead, which
seems, in the time of the Republic, to have been black or dark blue
for either sex. Under the Empire the men continued to wear black,
but the women wore white. No jewels or ornaments were worn upon
these occasions.With no worthless woman's
trumpery
: By "nullâ malâ re
muliebri" he clearly means that they did not find her painted up
with the cosmetics which some women were in the habit of using. Such
preparations for the face as white-lead, wax, antimony, or
vermilion, well deserve the name of" mala res." A host of these
cosmetics will be found described in Do hold
your peace
: "Pax," literally "peace!" in the sense of
"Hush!" "Be quiet!" See the Notes to the Trinummus of Plautus, ll.
889-891, in Bohn's Translation.
My dear Syrus, do not without cause throw me into ecstasies, I beseech you.
The old woman was spinning the woof:The woof
: See an
interesting passage on the ancient weaving, in the Metamorphoses of
Ovid, B. vi., l. 54, et seq. See also the Epistle of Penelope to
Ulysses, in the Heroides of Ovid, l. 10, and the Note in Bohn's
English Translation.She was weaving
: This
line and part of the next are supposed to have been translated
almost literally from some lines, the composition of Menander, which
are still extant.
If this is true, Clinia, as I believe it is, who is there more fortunate than you? Do you mark this girl whom he speaks of, as dirty and drabbish? This, too, is a strong indication that the mistress is out of harm's way, when her confidant is in such ill plight; for it is a rule with those who wish to gain access to the mistress, first to bribe the maid.
When we told her that you had returned, and had requested her to come to you, the damsel instantly put away the web, and covered her face all over with tears; so that you might easily perceive that it really was caused by her affection for you.
So may the Deities bless me, I know not where I am for joy! I was so alarmed before.
But I was sure that there was no reason, Clinia. Come now, Syrus, tell me, in my turn, who this other lady is.
Your Bacchis, whom we are bringing.Your Bacchis, whom we
are bringing
: Colman has the following remark: "Here we
enter upon the other part of the table, which the Poet has most
artfully complicated with the main subject by making Syrus bring
Clitipho's mistress along with Antiphila. This part of the story, we
know, was not in Menander."
Ha! What! Bacchis? How now, you rascal! whither are you bringing her?
Whither am I bringing her? To our house, to be sure.
What! to my father's?
To the very same.
Oh, the audacious impudence of the fellow!
Hark'ye, no great and memorable action is done without some risk.
Look now; are you seeking to gain credit for yourself, at the hazard of my character, you rascal, in a point, where, if you only make the slightest slip, I am ruined? What would you be doing with her?
But still—
Why "still?"
If you'll give me leave, I'll tell you.
Do give him leave.
I give him leave then.
This affair is now just as though when—
Plague on it, what roundabout story is he beginning to tell me?
Syrus, he says what's right—do omit digressions; come to the point.
Really I can not hold my tongue. Clitipho, you are every way unjust, and can not possibly be endured.
Upon my faith, he ought to have a hearing.
You wish to indulge in your amours; you wish to possess your mistress; you wish that to be procured where-withal to make her presents; in getting this, you do not wish the risk to be your own. You are not wise to no purpose,—if indeed it is being wise to wish for that which can not happen. Either the one must be had with the other, or the one must be let alone with the other. Now, of these two alternatives, consider which one you would prefer; although this project which I have formed, I know to be both a wise and a safe one. For there is an opportunity for your mistress to be with you at your father's house, without fear of a discovery; besides, by these self-same means, I shall find the money which you have promised her—to effect which, you have already made my ears deaf with entreating me. What would you have more?
If, indeed, this could be brought about—
If, indeed? You shall know it by experience.
Well, well, disclose this project of yours. What is it?
We will pretend that your mistress is his (pointing to CLINIA).
Very fine! Tell me, what is he to do with his own? Is she, too, to be called his, as if one was not a sufficient discredit?
No—she shall be taken to your mother.
Why there?
It would be tedious, Clitipho, if I were to tell you why I do so; I have a good reason.
Stuff! I see no grounds sufficiently solid why it should be for my
advantage to incur this risk.Incur this risk
: As to
his own mistress.
Stay; if there is this risk, I have another project, which you must both confess to be free from danger.
Find out something of that description, I beseech you.
By all means; I'll go meet her, and tell her to return home.
Ha! what was it you said?
I'll rid you at once of all fears, so that you may sleep at your ease
upon either ear.Upon either ear
: " In aurem
utramvis," a proverbial expression, implying an easy and secure
repose. It is also used by Plautus, and is found in a fragment of
the
What am I to do now?
What are you to do? The goods that—
Only tell me the truth, Syrus.
Dispatch quickly; you'll be wishing just now too late and in vain.
The Gods provide, enjoy while yet you may; for you know not—
Still do that which I said
: "Perge porro,
tamen istuc ago." Stallbaum observes that the meaning is: "Although
I'm going off, I'm still attending to what you're saying." According
to Schmieder and others, it means: "Call on just as you please, I
shall persist in sending Bacchis away."
Whether you may have another opportunity hereafter or ever again.
I'faith, that's true.
Come back, come back.
Nay, Syrus, I commit myself, and my love, and my reputation entirely to you: you are the seducer; take care you don't deserve any blame.
It is ridiculous for you to give me that caution, Clitipho, as if my
interest was less at stake in this affair than yours. Here, if any ill
luck should perchance befall us, words will be in readiness for you, but
for this individual blows
You may rest assured I'll do so. The matter has now come to that pass, that it is a case of necessity.
'Tis with good reason that I love you, Clinia.
But she mustn't be tripping at all.
She is thoroughly tutored in her part.
But this I wonder at, how you could so easily prevail upon her, who is
wont to treat such great peoplelSuch great
people
: "Quos," literally, "What persons!"
I came to her at the proper moment, which in all things is of the first
importance: for there I found a certain wretched captain soliciting her
favors: she artfully managed the man, so as to inflame his eager
passions by denial; and this, too, that it might be especially pleasing
to yourself. But hark you, take care, will you, not to be imprudently
impetuous. You know your father, how quick-sighted he is in these
matters; and I know you, how unable you are to command yourself. Keep
clear of words of double meaning,Words of double
meaning
: "Inversa verba, eversas cervices tuas."
"Inversa verba" clearly means, words with a double meaning, or
substituted for others by previous arrangement, like correspondence
by cipher. Lucretius uses the words in this sense, B. i., l. 643. A
full account of the secret signs and correspondence in use among the
ancients will be found in the 16th and 17th Epistles of the Heroides
of Ovid, in his Amours, B. i., El. 4, and in various passages of the
Art of Love. See also the Asinaria of Plautus, l. 780. It is not
known for certain what " eversa cervix" here means; it may mean the
turning of the neck in some particular manner by way of a hint or to
give a side-long look, or it may allude to the act of snatching a
kiss on the sly, which might lead to a discovery.
You shall have to commend me.
Take care of that, please.
You yourself shall be surprised at me.
But how quickly the ladies have come up with us!
Where are they?
For the present she is nothing to you.
I know it, before my father; but now in the mean time—
Not a bit the more.
Do let me.
I will not let you, I tell you.
But only for a moment, pray.
I forbid it.
Only to salute her.
If you are wise, get you gone.
I'm off. But what's he to do?
He will stay here.
O happy man!
Take yourself off.
Upon my word, my dear Antiphila, I commend you, and think you fortunate
in having made it your study that your manners should be conformable to
those good looks of yours: and so may the Gods bless me, I do not at all
wonder if every man is in love with you. For your discourse has been a
proof to me what kind of disposition you possess. And when now I reflect
in my mind upon your way of life, and that of all of you, in fact, who
keep the public at a distance from yourselves, it is not surprising both
that you are of that disposition, and that we are not; for it is your
interest to be virtuous; those, with whom we are acquainted, will not
allow us to be so. For our lovers, allured merely by our beauty, court
us for that; when that has faded, they transfer their affections
elsewhere; and unless we have made provision in the mean time for the
future, we live in destitution. Now with you, when you have once
resolved to pass your life with one man whose manners are especially
kindred to your own, those personsA man whose
manners—those persons
: "Cujus—hi ;" a change of number
by the use of the figure Enallage.
I know nothing about other women: I'm sure that I have, indeed, always used every endeavor to derive my own happiness from his happiness.
I can
scarce endure it
: Colman has the following remark on
this passage: "Madame Dacier, contrary to the authority of all
editions and MSS., adopts a conceit of her father's in this place,
and places this speech to Clitipho, whom she supposes to have
retired to a hiding-place, where he might overhear the conversation,
and from whence he peeps out to make this speech to Syrus. This she
calls an agreeable jeu de th£eâtre, and doubts
not but all lovers of Terence will be obliged to her father for so
ingenious a remark; but it is to be feared that critical sagacity
will not be so lavish of acknowledgments as filial piety. There does
not appear the least foundation for this remark in the Scene, nor
has the Poet given us the least room to doubt of Clitipho being
actually departed. To me, instead of an agreeable jeu de
th£eâtre, it appears a most absurd and
ridiculous device; particularly vicious in this place, as it most
injudiciously tends to interrupt the course of Clinia's more
interesting passion, so admirably delineated in this little
Scene."
Nay, so far as I understand your father, he will for a long time yet be giving you a hard task.
Why, who is that young man that's looking at us?
Prithee, what is the matter with you?
I shall die, alas! I shall die!
Why are you thus surprised, Antiphila?
Is it Clinia that I see, or not?
Whom do you see?
Oh my long-wished for Clinia, blessings on you!
How fare you, my love?
I'm overjoyed that you have returned safe.
And do I embrace you, Antiphila, so passionately longed for by my soul?
Go in-doors; for the old gentleman has been waiting for us some time.
It is now
daybreak
: Though this is the only Play which includes
more than one day in the action, it is not the only one in which the
day is represented as breaking. The Amphitryon and the Curculio of
Plautts commence before daybreak, and the action is carried on into
the middle of the day. Madame Dacier absolutely considers it as a
fact beyond all doubt, that the Roman Audience went home after the
first two Acts of the Play, and returned for the representation of
the third the next morning at daybreak. Scaliger was of the same
opinion; but it is not generally entertained by Commentators.
Pray, have you heard any thing about my son, Chremes?
He's alive, and well.
Why, where is he, pray?
Here, at my house, at home.
My son?
Such is the fact.
Come home?
Certainly.
My son, Clinia, come home?
I say so.
Let us go. Lead me to him, I beg of you.
He does not wish you yet to know of his return, and he shuns your presence; he's afraid that, on account of that fault, your former severity may even be increased.
Did you not tell him how I was affected?How I was
affected
: "Ut essem," literally, "How I was."
No—
For what reason, Chremes?
Because there you would judge extremely ill both for yourself and for him, if you were to show yourself of a spirit so weak and irresolute.
I can not help it: enough already, enough, have I proved a rigorous father.
Ah Menedemus! you are too precipitate in either extreme, either with
profuseness or with parsimony too great. Into the same error will you
fall from the one side as from the other. In the first place, formerly,
rather than allow your son to visit a young woman, who was then content
with a very little, and to whom any thing was acceptable, you frightened
him away from here. After that, she began, quite against her
inclination, to seek a subsistence upon the town. Now, when she can not
be supported without a great expense, you are ready to give any thing.
For, that you may know how perfectly she is trained to extravagance, in
the first place, she has already brought with her more than ten female
attendants, all laden with clothes and jewels of gold; if a
satrapIf a satrap
: "Satrapa" was a
Persian word signifying "a ruler of a province." The name was
considered as synonymous with "possessor of wealth almost
inexhaustible."
Is she at your house ?
Is she, do you ask? I have felt it; for 1 have given her and her retinue
one dinner; had I to give them another such, it would be all over with
me; for, to pass by other matters, what a quantity of wine she did
consume for me in tasting only,In tasting only
: "
Pytiso" was the name given to the nasty practice of tasting wine,
and then spitting it out; offensive in a man, but infinitely more so
in a woman. It seems in those times to have been done by persons who
wished to give themselves airs in the houses of private persons; at
the present day it is probably confined to wine-vaults and
sale-rooms where wine is put up to auction, and even there it is
practiced much more than is either necessary or agreeable. Doubtless
Bacchis did it to show her exquisite taste in the matter of
wines.Is too
acid
: "Asperum;" meaning that the wine was not old
enough for her palate. The great fault of the Greek wines was their
tartness, for which reason sea-water was mixed with them all except
the Chian, which was the highest class of wine.Respected sir
: "Pater," literally
"father;" a title by which the young generally addressed aged
persons who were strangers to them.All the casks, all the vessels
:
"Dolia omnia, omnes serias." The finer kinds of wine were drawn off
from the " dolia," or large vessels, into the "amphorae," which,
like the "dolia," were made of earth, and sometimes of glass. The
mouths of the vessels were stopped tight by a plug of wood or cork,
which was made impervious to the atmosphere by being rubbed over
with a composition of pitch, clay, wax, or gypsum. On the outside,
the title of the wine was painted, and among the Romans the date of
the vintage was denoted by the names of the Consuls then in office.
When the vessels were of glass, small tickets or labels, called
"pittacia," were suspended from them, stating to a similar effect.
The "seriae" were much the same as the "dolia," perhaps somewhat
smaller; they were both long, bell-mouthed vessels of earthen-ware,
formed of the best clay, and lined with pitch while hot from the
furnace. "Seriae" were also used to contain oil and other liquids;
and in the Captivi of Plautus the word is applied to pans used for
the purpose of salting meat. "Relino" signifies the act of taking
the seal of pitch or Wax off the stopper of the
wine-vessel.
Let him do what he will; let him take, waste, and squander; I'm determined to endure it, so long as I only have him with me.
If it is your determination thus to act, I hold it to be of very great foment that he should not be aware that with a full knowledge you grant him this.
What shall I do ?
Any thing, rather than what you are thinking of; supply him with money
through some other person; suffer yourself to be imposed upon by the
artifices of his servant: although I have smelt out this too, that they
are about that, and are secretly planning it among them. Syrus is always
whispering with that servant of yours;With that servant of
yours
: Dromo.What an inlet
:
"Fenestram ;" literally, "a window."
You seem to speak the truth, and just what is the fact.
I'faith, I have not been sensible of sleep this night with my
eyes,This night with my eyes
: Colman has the
following Note here: "Hedelin obstinately contends from this
passage, that neither Chremes nor any of his family went to bed the
whole night; the contrary of which is evident, as Menage observes,
from the two next Scenes. For why should Syrus take notice of his
being up so early, if he had never retired to rest? Or would Chremes
have reproached Clitipho for his behavior the night before, had the
feast never been interrupted? Eugraphius's interpretation of these
words is natural and obvious, who explains them to signify that the
anxiety of Chremes to restore Clinia to Menedemus broke his
rest."
I am ready to serve you.
Do you know what it is I now want you to do?
Tell me.
As you have perceived that they are laying a plan to deceive me, that they may hasten to complete it. I long to give him whatever he wants: I am now longing to behold him.
I'll lend my endeavors. This little business is in my way. Our neighbors
Simus and Crito are disputing here about boundaries; they have chosen me
for arbitrator. I'll go and tell them that I can not possibly give them
my attention to-day as I had stated I would. I'll be here immediately.
Pray do.
I have disengaged myself, that I might lend you my services at my
leisure. Syrus must be found and instructed by me in this business. Some
one, I know not who, is coming out of my house: do you step hence home,
that they may not perceiveThat they may not
perceive
: Madame Dacier observes that Chremes seizes
this as a very plausible and necessary pretense to engage Menedemus
to return home, and not to his labors in the field, as he had at
first intended.
Syrus.
Well—
What are you doing here ?
All right. Really, I am quite surprised at you, Chremes, up so early, after drinking so much yesterday.
Not too much.
Not too much, say you? Really, you've seen the old age of an
eagle,Old age of an eagle
: This was a
proverbial expression, signifying a hale and vigorous old age. It
has been suggested, too, that it alludes to the practice of some old
men, who drink more than they eat. It was vulgarly said that eagles
never die of old age, and that when, by reason of their beaks
growing inward, they are unable to feed upon their prey, they live
by sucking the blood.
Pooh, pooh!
A pleasant and agreeable woman this Courtesan.
Why, so she seemed to me, in fact.
And really of handsome appearance.
Well enough.
Not like those of former days,Not like those of former
days
: Syrus, by showing himself an admirer of the good
old times, a " laudator temporis acti," is wishful to flatter the
vanity of Chremes, as it is a feeling common to old age, perhaps by
no means an unamiable one, to think former times better than the
present. Aged people feel grateful to those happy hours when their
hopes were bright, and every thing was viewed from the sunny side of
life.
How should I not be aware? A fellow that deserves the mill.
Who?
That servant of the young gentleman, I mean.
To suffer it to come to this!
What was he to do?
Do you ask the question? He ought to have found some expedient, contrived some stratagem, by means of which there might have been something for the young man to give to his mistress, and thus have saved this crabbed old fellow in spite of himself.
You are surely joking.
This ought to have been done by him, Syrus.
How now—pray, do you commend servants, who deceive their masters?
Upon occasion—I certainly do commend them.
Quite right.
Inasmuch as it often is the remedy for great disturbances. Then would this man's only son have staid at home.
And what is he now waiting for, Syrus? Is it until his father drives him
away from here a second time, when he can no longer support her
expenses?Can no longer support her
expenses
: He refers to Menedemus and Bacchis.
He is a stupid fellow.
Then you ought to assist him—for the sake of the young man.
For my part, I can do so easily, if you command me; for I know well in what fashion it is usually done.
So much the better, i' faith.
'Tis not my way to tell an untruth.
Do it then.
But hark you! Just take care and remember this, in case any thing of this sort should perchance happen at a future time, such are human affairs!—your son might do the same.
The necessity will not arise, I trust.
I' faith, and I trust so too: nor do I say so now, because I have
suspected him in any way; but in case, none the moreBut in
case, none the more
: " Sed si quid, ne quid." An
instance of Aposiopesis, signifying "But if any thing does happen,
don't you blame me."And
truly, Chremes
: Some suppose that this is said in
apparent candor by Syrus, in order the more readily to throw Chremes
off his guard. Other Commentators, again, fancy these words to be
said by Syrus in a low voice, aside, which seems not improbable; it
being a just retribution on Chremes for his recommendation, however
well intended: in that case, Chremes probably overhears it, if we
may judge from his answer.
As to that, we'll consider what is requisite when the occasion does
happen. At present do you set about this matter.
Pray, what does this mean? What behavior is this, Clitipho? Is this acting as becomes you?
What have I done;
Did I not see you just now putting your hand into this Courtesan's bosom ?
What, I?
With these self-same eyes I saw it—don't deny it. Besides, you wrong him unworthily in not keeping your hands off: for indeed it is a gross affront to entertain a person, your friend, at your house, and to take liberties with his mistress. Yesterday, for instance, at wine, how rude you were—
'Tis the truth
:
"Factum." "Done for" is another translation which this word will
here admit of.
How annoying you were So much so, that for my part, as the Gods may prosper me, I dreaded what in the end might be the consequence. I understand lovers. They resent highly things that you would not imagine.
But he has full confidence in me, father, that I would not do any thing of that kind.
Be it so; still, at least, you ought to go somewhere for a little time
away from their presence. Passion prompts to many a thing; your presence
acts as a restraint upon doing them. I form a judgment from myself.
There's not one of my friends this day to whom I would venture,
Clitipho, to disclose all my secrets. With one, his station forbids it;
with another, I am ashamed of the action itself, lest I may appear a
fool or devoid of shame; do you rest assured that he does the
same.That he does the sane
: Clinia.
Clitipho, these same injunctions I gave you. You have acted the part of
a prudent and discreet person.Of a prudent and discreet
person
: This is said ironically.
Hold your tongue, I beg.
Very good.
I believe it; and not without reason. Why, he vexes myself even.
I' faith, I'm saying the truth, as it appears to me.
May I not go near them?
How now—pray, is there but one wayIs there but one
way
: And that an immodest one.
What am I to do?
Bid him go somewhere out of the way.
Where am I to go ?
Where you please; leave the place to them; be off and take a walk.
Take a walk! where ?
Pshaw! Just as if there was no place to walk in. Why, then, go this way, that way, where you will.
He says right, I'm of his opinion.
May the Gods extirpate you, Syrus, for thrusting me away from here.
I'll take care of that.
But now, master, he must be looked after by you.
It shall be done.
If you are wise,—for now he minds me less and less every day.
What say you? What have you done, Syrus, about that matter which I was mentioning to you a short time since? Have you any plan that suits you, or not yet even ?
You mean the design upon Menedemus? I have; I have just hit upon one.
You are a clever fellow; what is it? Tell me.
I'll tell you; but, as one matter arises out of another—
Why, what. is it, Syrus?
This Courtesan is a very bad woman.
So she seems.
Aye, if you did but know. O shocking! just see what she is hatching.
There was a certain old woman here from
What then?
She is now dead: she has left a daughter, a young girl. She has been left with this Bacchis as a pledge for that sum.
I understand you.
She has brought her hither along with her, her I mean who is now with
your wife.With your wife
: Madame Dacier
remarks, that as Anitiphila is shortly to be acknowledged as the
daughter of Chremes, she is not therefore in company with the other
women at the feast, who arc Courtesans, but with the wife of
Chremes, and consequently free from reproach or scandal.
What then ?
She is soliciting Clinia at once to advance her this money; she says, however, that this girl is to be a security, that, at a future time, she will repay the thousand pieces of money.
And would she really be a security ?Would she really be a
security
: The question of Chremes seems directed to the
fact whether the girl is of value sufficient to be good security for
the thousand drachmae.
Dear me, is it to be doubted ? I think so.
What then do you intend doing?
What, I? I shall go to Menedemus; I'll tell him she is a captive from
You are in an error.
Why so ?
I'll now answer you for Menedemus—I will not purchase her.
What is it you say? Do speak more agreeably to our wishes.
But there is no occasion.
No occasion?
Certainly not, i' faith.
How so, I wonder?
You shall soon know.You shall soon know
:
Madame Dacier suggests that Chremes is prevented by his wife's
coming from making a proposal to advance the money himself, on the
supposition that it will be a lucrative speculation. This notion is
contradicted by Colman, who adds the following note from Eugraphius:
"Syrus pretends to have concerted this plot against Menedemus, in
order to trick him out of some money to be given to Clinia's
supposed mistress. Chremes, however, does not approve of this: yet
it serves to carry on the plot; for when Antiphila proves afterward
to be the daughter of Chremes, he necessarily becomes the debtor of
Bacchis, and is obliged to lay down the sum for which he imagines
his daughter is pledged."
Stop, stop; what is the reason that there is such a great noise at our
door ?
Enter SOSTRATA and a NURSE in haste from the house of CHREMES, and CHREMES and SYRUS on the other side of the stage unperceived.
Sos.
Nurse, how is it? Does it not seem to you the same?
As for me, I said it was the same the very instant that you showed it me.
But have you now examined it thoroughly, my dear nurse?
Thoroughly.
Then go in-doors at once, and if she has now done bathing, bring me word. I'll wait here in the mean time for my husband.
What it may be? I' faith, she'll now surely be announcing some important trifle, with a great parade.
Ha! my wife !
I was looking for you.
Tell me what you want.
In the first place, this I beg of you, not to believe that I have ventured to do any thing contrary to your commands.
Would you have me believe you in this, although so incredible? Well, I will believe you.
Do you remember me being pregnant, and yourself declaring to me, most peremptorily, that if I should bring forth a girl, you would not have it brought up.
I know what you have done, you have brought it up.
Has gained a loss
: He alludes to
Clitipho, who, by the discovery of his sister, would not come in for
such a large share of his father's property, and would consequently,
as Syrus observes, gain a loss.
Not at all; but there was here an elderly woman of
O
Alas! what have I done ?
And do you ask the question?
If I have acted wrong, my dear Chremes, I have done so in ignorance.
This, indeed, I know for certain, even if you were to deny it, that in every thing you both speak and act ignorantly and foolishly: how many blunders you disclose in this single affair! For, in the first place, then, if you had been disposed to obey my orders, the child ought to have been dispatched; you ought not in words to have feigned her death, and in reality to have left hopes of her surviving. But that I pass over; compassion, maternal affection, I allow it. But how finely you did provide for the future! What was your meaning ? Do reflect. It's clear, beyond a doubt, that your daughter was betrayed by you to this old woman, either that through you she might make a living by her, or that she might be sold in open market as a slave. I suppose you reasoned thus: " any thing is enough, if only her life is saved :" what are you to do with those who understand neither law, nor right and justice? Be it for better or for worse, be it for them or against them, they see nothing except just what they please.
My dear Chremes, I have done wrong, I own ; I am convinced. Now this I beg of you; inasmuch as you are more advanced in years than I, be so much the more ready to forgive; so that your justice may be some protection for my weakness.
I'll readily forgive you doing this, of course; but, Sostrata, my easy temper prompts you to do amiss. But, whatever this circumstance is, by reason of which this was begun upon, proceed to tell it.
As we women are all foolishly and wretchedly superstitious, when I
delivered the child to her to be exposed, I drew a ring from off my
finger, and ordered her to expose it, together with the child; that if
she should die, she might not be without
That was right; thereby you proved the saving of yourself and
her.Saving of yourself and her
: Madame Dacier
says that the meaning of this passage is this: Chremes tells his
wife that by having given this ring, she has done two good acts
instead of one—she has both cleared her conscience and saved the
child; for had there been no ring or token exposed with the infant,
the finder would not have been at the trouble of taking care of it,
but might have left it to perish, never suspecting it would be
inquired after, or himself liberally rewarded for having preserved
it.
Whence did you get it?
From the young woman whom Bacchis brought here with her.
What does she say?
She gave it me to keep for her, while she went to bathe. At first I paid no attention to it; but after I looked at it, I at once recognized it, and came running to you.
What do you suspect now, or have you discovered, relative to her ?
I don't know; unless you inquire of herself whence she got it, if that can possibly be discovered.
I see
more hopes
: Syrus is now alarmed that Antiphila should
so soon be acknowledged as the daughter of Chremes, lest he may lose
the opportunity of obtaining the money, and be punished as well, in
case the imposition is detected, and Bacchis discovered to be the
mistress of Clitipho and not of Clinia.
Is this woman living to whom you delivered the child?
I don't know.
What account did she bring you at the time?
That she had done as I had ordered her.
Tell me what is the woman's name, that she may be inquired after.
Philtere.
Sostrata, follow me this way in-doors.
How much beyond my hopes has this matter turned out! How dreadfully afraid I was, Chremes, that you would now be of feelings as unrelenting as formerly you were on exposing the child.
Many a time a man can not beA man can not be
: This
he says by way of palliating the cruelty he was guilty of in his
orders to have the child put to death.