Did Thais really return me many thanks?
Exceeding thanks.
Was she delighted, say you?
Not so much, indeed, at the present itself, as because it was given by
you; really, in right earnest, she does exult at that.
Undoubtedly it is the case with me, that every thing I do is a cause for thankfulness.
Upon my faith, I've observed it.
The most mighty King,The most mighty King
: It
has been suggested that Darius III. is here alluded to, who was a
contemporary of Menander. As however Pyrrhus, king of
He who has the wit that you have, often by his words appropriates to himself the glory that has been achieved by the labor of others.
You've just hit it.
The king, then, kept you in his eye.
Just so.
To enjoy your society.
True; he intrusted to? me all his army, all his state secrets.
Astonishing!
Then if, on any occasion, a surfeit of society, or a dislike of
business, came upon him, when he was desirous to take some recreation;
just as though—you understand?You understand
: He says
this at the very moment when lie is at a loss what to say next; the
Parasite obligingly steps in to help him out with the
difficulty.
I know; just as though on occasion he would rid his mind of those anxieties.
You have it. Then he used to take me aside as his only boon companion.
Whew! You are telling of a King of refined taste.
Aye, he is a person of that sort; a man of but very few acquaintanceships.
Indeed, of none
:
"Immo, nullorum arbitror, si tecum vivit." This expression which is
used "aside," has two meanings, neither of which is complimentary to
the Captain. It may mean, "he has no society if he associates with
you," making the Captain equivalent to nobody; or it may signify,
"if he associates with you he'll be sure to drive all his other
acquaintances away."
All the people envied me, and attacked me privately. I don't care one
straw. They envied me dreadfully; but one in particular, whom the King
had appointed over the Indian elephants.Over the
Indian elephants
: Here he shows his lofty position to
perfection; he dares to take down the pride of one who commanded
even the royal elephants. The Braggart Captain of Plautus comes into
collision with the elephants themselves: l. 26. Artotrogus says to
him, "In what a fashion it was you broke the fore-leg of even an
elephant in
Cleverly said, upon my faith, and shrewdly. Astounding! You did give the fellow a home thrust. What said he?
Dumfounded, instantaneously.
How could he be otherwise?
Well then, about that: matter, Gnatho, the way in which I touched up the Rhodian at a banquet—did I never tell you?
Never; but pray, do tell me.
There was in my company at a banquet, this young man of Rhodes, whom I'm
speaking of. By chance I had a mistress there; he began to toy with her,
and to annoy me. "What are you doing, sir impudence?" said I to the
fellow; "a hare yourself, and looking out for game?"Lookinq
out for game?
: "Pulmentum," more strictly speaking, "A
nice bit." Patrick has the following Note on this passage: "'Lepus
tute es, et pulmentum quaeris?' A proverbial expression in use at
that time: the proper meaning of it, stripped of its figure, is,
'You are little more than a woman yourself, and do you want a
mistress?'" We learn from Donatus and Vopiscus, that Livius
Andronicus had used this proverb in his Plays before Terence.
Commentators who enter into a minute explanation of it offer many
conjectures rather curious than solid, and of a nature not fit to be
mentioned here. Donatus seems to think that allusion is made to a
story prevalent among the ancient naturalists that the hare was in
the habit of changing its sex.
What's the matter?
How apt, how smart, how clever; nothing could be more excellent. Prithee, was this a saying of yours? I fancied it was an old one.
Did you ever hear it before?
Many a time; and it is mentioned among the first-rate ones.
It's my own.
I'm sorry though that it was said to a thoughtless young man, and one of respectability.
Pray, what did he do?
. Quite disconcerted. All who were present were dying with laughter; in short, they were all quite afraid of me.
[Not without reason.
But hark you, had I best clear myself of this to Thais, as to her suspicion that I'm fond of this girl?
By no means: on the contrary, rather increase her jealousy.
Why so?
Do you ask me? Don't you see, if on any occasion she makes mention of Phaedria or commends him, to provoke you—
I understand.
That such may not be the case, this method is the only remedy. When she speaks of Phaedria, do you instantly mention Pamphila. If at any time she says, "Let's invite Phaedria to make one," do you say, "Let's ask Pamphila to sing." If she praises his good looks, do you, on the other hand, praise hers. In short, do you return like for like, which will mortify her.
If, indeed, she loved me,If, indeed, she loved
me
: Colman has the following Note upon this passage: "I am
at a loss to determine whether it was in order to show the absurdity
of the Captain or from inadvertence in the Poet, that Terence here
makes Thraso and Gnatho speak in contradiction to the idea of
Thais's wonderful veneration for Thraso, with which they opened the
Scene."
Since she is impatient for and loves that which you give her, she already loves you; as it is, then, it is an easy matter for her to feel vexed. She will be always afraid lest the presents which she herself is now getting, you may on some occasion be taking elsewhere.
Well said; that never came into my mind.
Nonsense. You never thought about it; else how much more readily would you yourself have hit upon it, Thraso!
O my Thais, my sweet one, how are you? How much do you love me in return for that music girl?
Very much, as you deserve.
Let's go to dinner then. (To THRASO.) What do you stand here for?
When you please; I sha'n't delay.
Ha! Parmeno; well done; just going out for the day.
Where?
The fact will prove itself.
Do you step forward this way.
Hardly so much.
Where are you, Dorus? Step this way.
There's a Eunuch for you—of what a genteel appearance! of what a prime age!
God bless me, he's handsome.
What say you, Gnatho? Do you see any thing to find fault with? And what
say you, Thraso? In
exercises
: Reference will be found made to the
"palaestrae," or "places of exercise," in the Notes to the
Translation of Plautus.
That Eunuch, if occasion served,If occasion
served
: The Aposiopesis in this line is very aptly
introduced, on account of the presence of the female; but it
admirably illustrates the abominable turpitude of the speaker, and
perhaps in a somewhat more decent manner than that in which Plautus
attributes a similar tendency to his Braggart Captain, l.
1111.
And he who has sent these things makes no request that you will live for
him alone, and that for his own sake others may be excluded; he neither
tells of battles nor shows his scars, nor does he restrict you as
Why, faith, no person, I'm quite sure of that, could possibly put up with him, who had the means to get another.
You hold your tongue—a fellow whom I consider beneath all men of the
very lowest grade: for when you can bring yourself to flatter that
fellow Out of the very
flames
: This was a proverb expressive of the lowest
degree of meanness and infamy. When they burned the bodies of the
dead, it was the custom of the ancients to throw meat and various
articles of food upon the funeral pile, and it was considered the
greatest possible affront to tell a person that he was capable of
snatching these things out of the flames.
Are we to go now?
I'll take these in-doors first
It is not a proper thing for a general to be walking in the street with a mistress.
Why should I use many words with you? You are the very ape of your master. (Exit PARMENO.
What are you laughing at?
At what you were mentioning just now; that saying, too, about the Rhodian, recurred to my mind. But Thais is coming out.
You go before; take care that every thing is ready at home.
Very well.
Take care, Pythias, and be sure that if Chremes should happen to
come,If Chremes should happen to come
: This is
the first allusion to the arrangement which ultimately causes the
quarrel between Thais and the Captain.
I'll do so.
Well, what else was I intending to say? O, do you take particular care of that young woman; be sure that you keep at home.
Let us begone.
Had been offering a
sacrifice
: It was the custom to sacrifice before
entering on affairs of importance. Thus, too, Jupiter, in the
Amphitryon of Plautus, l. 938, speaks of offering sacrifice on his
safe return.
O most charming, dear creature!
Thais entreated you most earnestly to come again to-morrow.
I'm going into the country.
Do, there's a dear sir.
I can not, I tell you.
Then stay here at our house till she comes back.
Nothing less likely.
Why, my dear Chremes?
If you are so determined about it, pray do step over to the place where she is.
I'll go there.
Our rings
were given
: It was the custom of parties who agreed to
join in a "symbola," or "club" or "picnic" entertainment, to give
their rings as pledges to the "rex convivii," or "getter up the
feast." Stakes were also deposited on making bets at races. See
Ovid's Art of Love, B. i., l. 168.
To meet my
death
: There is a passage in the Othello of Shakspeare
extremely similar to this:
O joyous day! O welcome, my friend! There's not one in all the world whom I would rather wish to see at this moment that yourself.
Pray, do tell me what all this means.
Nay rather, i'faith, I beg of you to listen to me. Do you know the mistress whom my brother is so fond of?
I know her; I suppose you mean Thais?
The very same.
So far I recollect.
To-day a certain damsel was presented to her. Why now should I extol or commend her beauty to you, Antipho, since you yourself know how nice a judge of beauty I am? I have been smitten by her.
Do you say so?
If you saw her, I am sure you would say she's exquisite. What need of many words? I fell in love with her. By good luck there was at our house a certain Eunuch, whom my brother had purchased for Thais, and he had not as yet been sent to her. On this occasion, Parmeno, our servant, made a suggestion to me, which I adopted.
What was it?
Be quiet, and you shall hear the sooner; to change clothes with him, and order myself to be taken there in his stead.
What, instead of the Eunuch?
The fact.
To receive what advantage, pray, from this plan?
Do you ask? That I might see, hear, and be in company with her whom I loved, Antipho. Is that a slight motive, or a poor reason? I was presented to the woman. She, as soon as she received me, joyfully took me home to her house and intrusted the damsel—
To whom? To you?
To me.
She gave orders that no male was to come near her, and commanded me not
to stir away from her; that I was to remain alone with her in the inner
apartments.In the inner apartments
: The
"Gynecaea," or women's apartments, among the Greeks, always occupied
the interior part of the house, which was most distant from the
street, and there they were kept in great seclusion.
A few
novices of girls
: These "noviciae" were young slaves
recently bought, and intended to be trained to the calling of a
Courtesan.At a certain painting
:
See the story of How Jove
: Donatus
remarks here that this was "a very proper piece of furniture for the
house of a Courtesan, giving an example of loose and mercenary Love,
calculated to excite wanton thoughts, and at the same time hinting
to the young lover that he must make his way to the bosom of his
mistress, like A
poor creature of a mortal
: "Homuncio." He uses this word
the better to contrast his abject nature as a poor mortal with the
majesty of Take this fan
: As to the fans of
the ancients, see the Trinummus of Plautus, l. 252, and the Note to
the passage in Bohn's Translation. See also the Amours of
Really, I should very much have liked to see that impudent face of yours just then, and what figure a great donkey like you made, holding a fan!
Chattered aloud
: This line bears a
strong resemblance to two lines found in Anstey's new Bath Guide:
I
slily looked askance
: This way of looking aside,
"limis," is mentioned in the Miles Gloriosus of Plautus, where
Milphidippa tells Acroteleutium to look at the Captain sideways,
"Aspicito limis," l. 1217; also in the Bacchides, l. 1131. Those
familiar with the works of Hogarth will readily call to mind the
picture of Bedlam in the Rake's Progress, where the young woman is
looking askance through her fan at the madman in his cell.Through the fan
: This shows that
the fan was probably one made of thin boards, and not of
feathers.
What then?
Eh? What then, you simpleton?
I own I am.
Was I to let slip the opportunity offered me, so excellent, so
short-lived,So short-lived
: Colman has the following Note
here: "Short indeed, considering the number of incidents, which,
according to Chaerea's relation, are crowded into it. All the time
allowed for this adventure is the short space between the departure
of Thais and Thraso and the entrance of Chaerea; so that all this
variety of business of sleeping, bathing, ravishing, &c., is
dispatched during the two soliloquies of Antipho and Chaerea, and
the short Scene between Chremes and Pythias. The truth is, that a
very close adherence to the unities often drives the Poet into as
great absurdities as the perfect violation of them."
Troth, you certainly are in the right; but, meantime, what has been arranged about the club-entertainment?
All's ready.
You are a clever hand; but where? At your house?
No, at Discus's, our freedman.
That's a long way off.
Then let's make so much the greater haste.
Change your dress.
Where am I to change it? I'm at a loss; for at present I'm an exile from home; I'm afraid of my brother, lest he should be in-doors: and then again of my father, lest he should have returned from the country by this.
Let's go to my house; there is the nearest place for you to change.
You say right. Let's be off; besides, I want to take counsel with you about this girl, by what means I may be able to secure the future possession of her.
Very well.
Took off her golden jewels
: This
was probably because it was contrary to the laws of
While I
was going
: Donatus remarks that here the Poet artfully
finds a reason to bring Phaedria back again; as he at first with
equal art sent him out of the way, to give probability to those
incidents necessary to happen in his absence.At a distance
: "Extremâ
lineâ." There have been many suggestions offered for the
origin of this figurative expression. Some suggest that it alludes
to the last or lowest stage of the supposed ladder of love; others
that it refers to the first or elementary line traced by the
student, when beginning to learn the art of painting. It is however
more generally thought to be a metaphor taken from the chariotraces
in the Circus, where, in going round the turning-place, he who was
nearest was said "currere in primâ lineâ;" the
next, "in secundâ;" and so on to the last, who took the
widest range, and was said to run "in extremâ
lineâ."
Besides, too, the villain, after he had abused the girl, rent all the poor thing's clothes, and tore her hair as well.
If he were just now in my reach, how eagerly would I fly at that villain's eyes with my nails!
Why, Phaedria, whom should I be looking for? Away with you, as you deserve, with such fine presents of yours.
What is the matter?
What, do you ask? The Eunuch you gave us, what confusion he has caused. He has ravished the girl whom the Captain made present of to my mistress.
What is it you say?
I'm ruined outright!
You are drunk.
I wish that they were so, who wish ill to me.
Oh, prithee, my dear Pythias, what a monstrous thing this is!
You are out of your senses. How could a Eunuch possibly do this?
I know nothing about him: as to what he has done, the thing speaks for itself. The girl is in tears; and when you ask her what's the matter, she does not dare tell. But he, a precious fellow, is nowhere to be seen. To my sorrow I suspect too, that when he took himself off he carried something away from the house.
I can not enough wonder, whither this varlet can possibly have betaken himself to any distance from here; unless perhaps he has returned home to our house.
Pray, go and see whether he is there.
I'll let you know immediately.
Ruined outright! Prithee, my dear, I never did so much as hear of a deed so abominable!
Why, faith, I had heard that they were extremely fond of the women, but were incapable; unfortunately what has happened never came into my mind; otherwise I should have shut him up somewhere, and not have intrusted the girl to him.
Oh, do look at that! How the villain distorts his face. What means your
coming back hither? Why this change of dress? What have you to say? If I
had delayed a moment, Pythias, I shouldn't have found him at home: he
had just prepared, in this fashion, for flight.
Have you caught the fellow, pray?
Caught him, why not?
O well done!
Upon my faith that really is capital!
Where is he?
Do you ask the question? Don't you see him?
This fellow, to be sure
What person is this?
The same that was brought to your house to-day.
Not one of our people has ever beheld this person with her eyes, Phaedria.
Not beheld him?
Prithee, did you fancy that this was he who was brought to our house?
Why, I had no other.
O dear! this one really isn't to be compared with the other. He was of a handsome and genteel appearance.
He seemed so, just then, because he was decked out in party-colored
clothes:In party-colored clothes
: It was
the custom to dress Eunuchs in party-colored clothes of bright hue.
Most probably it was from them that the "motley" descended to the
fools and buffoons of the Middle Ages.
Prithee, do hold your tongue; as though indeed the difference was so
trifling. A young man was brought to our house to-day, whom, really,
Phaedria, you would have liked to look upon. This is a withered,
antiquated, lethargic, old fellow, with a speckled complexion.With a speckled complexion
: "Colore stellionino;"
probably having spots or freckles on his face like a "stellio" or
"lizard."
You did buy me.
Bid him answer me in my turn.
Question him.
Chaerea came.
What, my brother?
Yes.
When?
To-day.
How long since?
Just now.
With whom?
With Parmeno.
Did you know him before?
No.
How did you know he was my brother?
Parmeno said he was. He gave me these clothes.
I'm undone!
He himself put on mine; afterward, they both went out together.
Now are you quite satisfied that I am sober, and that we have told you no falsehood? Is it now sufficiently evident that the girl has been ravished?
Avaunt, you beast, do you believe what he says?
What is there to believe? The thing speaks for itself.
He did.
And did he put them on?
He did.
And was he brought here instead of you?
Yes.
Great Jupiter! O wicked and audacious fellow!
Woe unto me! Now at last will you believe that we have been insulted in a disgraceful manner?
It is no wonder that you believe what the fellow says.
No.
He can't be brought to confess without being punished, I see: follow me
this way. At one moment he affirms, at another denies.
Indeed, I do entreat you, Phaedria.
Oh! oh!
I'm as certain that this is the contrivance of Parmeno as that I'm alive.
So it is, no doubt.
I'faith, I'll find out a method to-day to be even with him. But now, what do you think ought to be done, Dorias?
Do you mean with regard to this girl?
Yes; whether I ought to mention it or be silent?
Upon my word, if you are prudent, you won't know what you do know,
either about the Eunuch or the girl's misfortune. By this method you'll
both rid yourself of all perplexity, and have done a service to
her.Have done a service to her
: Though some
would have "illi" here to refer to the damsel, and others again to
Phaedria, it is pretty clear that Madame Dacier is right in
suggesting that Thais is the person meant.
I'll do so.
But don't I see Chremes? Thais will be here just now.
Why so?
Because when I came away from there, a quarrel had just commenced between them.
Take in these golden trinkets; I shall learn from him what's the matter.
Heyday! upon my faith, I've been bamboozled: the wine that I've drunk has got the upper hand. But, so long as I was reclining, how extremely sober I did seem to myself to be; when I got up, neither feet nor senses were quite equal to their duty.
Chremes!
Troth now, you are much more merry, that's certain.
Upon my faith, it is a true saying, that "Venus grows cold without
Has she already come away from the Captain's?
A long time ago; an age since. There has been a most violent quarrel between them.
Did she say nothing about you following her?
Nothing at all; only, on going away, she gave me a nod.
Well now, wasn't that enough?
Why, I didn't know that she meant that, until the Captain gave me an explanation, because I was dull of comprehension; for he bundled me out of the house. But look, here she is; I wonder how it was I got here before her.