My daughter's nurse
: Among the ancients, it was the custom for nurses who had brought up children to remain with them in after-life.
Mentioning my name, too?
Look round at me.
No.
Do you deny it?
Why? Pray, are you not the person you always used to say you were?
Hush!
Why are you afraid about that door?
I' faith, that's the very reason why we, wretched creatures, have never been able to find you out here.
Well, but tell me, what business have you with that family from whose house you were coming out? Where are the ladies?Where are the ladies?
: "Ubi illae?" literally, "Where are these women?"
Ah, wretched me!
Hah! What's the matter? Are they still alive?
Your daughter is alive. Her poor mother died of grief.
An unfortunate thing!
As for me, being a lone old woman, in want, and unknown, I contrived, as well as I could, to get the young woman married to the young man who is master of this house
What! to Antipho?
The very same, I say.
What? Has he got two wives?
Dear no, prithee, he has only got this one.
What about the other one that's called his relative?
Why, this is she.
What is it you say?
It was done on purpose, in order that her lover might be enabled to marry her without a portion.
Ye Gods, by our trust in you! How often do those things come about through accident, which you couldn't dare to hope for? On my return, I have found my daughter matched with the very person I wished, and just as I wanted; a thing that we were both using our endeavors, with the greatest earnestness, to bring about. Without any very great management on our part, by her own management, she has by herself brought this about.
Now consider what's to be done. The young man's father has returned, and they say that he bears this with feelings highly offended.
There's no danger of that. But, by Gods and men, do take care that no one comes to know that she's my daughter.
No one shall know it from me.
Follow me; in-doors we'll hear the rest.
'Tis caused by our own fault, that it is advantageous to be dishonest; while we wish ourselves to be styled very honest and generous. "So run away as not to run beyond the house,"Run beyond the house
: "Fugias ne printer casam." This passage, has given much trouble to the Commentators; but it is pretty clear that the explanation of Donatus is the correct one: "Don't abandon your own home," that being the safest place. Stallbaum agrees with Gronovius in thinking that it was first applied as a piece of advice to runaway slaves, as being likely to become worse off by the change; probably much in the same spirit as we say, "Out of the frying-pan into the fire."
Most clearly so.
They now get rewarded for it, who confound right with wrong.
Most undoubtedly.
How very foolishly, in fact, we have managed the affair with him!
If by these means we can only manage for him to marry her.
Is that, then, a matter of doubt?
I' faith, judging from what the fellow is, I don't know whether he mightn't change his mind.
How! change it indeed?
I don't know: but "if perhaps," I say.
I'll do as my brother advised me, bring hither his wife, to talk with her. Do you, Geta, go before; tell her that Nausistrata is about to visit her.
The money's been got for Phaedria; it's all hushed about the lawsuit; due care has been taken that she's not to leave for the present. What next, then? What's to be done? You are still sticking in the mud. You are paying by borrowing;Paying by borrowing
: "Versura solvere," was "to pay a debt by borrowing money," and consequently to be no better off than before. Geta having, by the money he has procured, freed Phaedria from all danger of losing his mistress, but at the same time having brought Antipho into still greater danger of losing his wife.Or his talking
: "Ejus" here alludes, not to Nausistrata but to Phormio. Madame Dacier suggests that it should be "hujus."
Come now, Nausistrata, after your usual way, manage to keep her in good-humor with us, and make her do of her own accord what must be done.
I will.
You are now seconding me with your endeavors, just as you assisted me with your moneyWith your money
: Colman observes: "Alluding to the money borrowed of her to pay Phormio; and as Donatus observes in another place, it is admirably contrived, in order to bring about a humorous catastrophe that Chremes should make use of his wife's money on this occasion."
I wish to do so; and yet, i' faith, through the fault of my husband, I am less able than I ought to be.
Why so?
Because, i' faith, he takes such indifferent care of the property that was so industriously acquired by my father; for from those farms he used regularly to receive two talents of silver yearly; there's an instance, how superior one man is to another.
Two talents, pray?
Aye, and when things were much worse, two talents even.
Whew!
What! does this seem surprising?
Of course it does.
I wish I had been born a man; Id have shown—
That I'm quite sure of.
In what way—
Forbear, pray, that you may be able to do battle with her; lest she, being a young woman, may be more than a match for you.
I'll do as you bid me; but I see my husband coming out of your house.
Ha! Demipho, has the money been paid him yet?
I took care immediately.
I wish it hadn't been paid him.
Why do you wish I hadn't, Chremes?
It's all right.
What say you? Have you been letting her know why we are going to bring her?
I've arranged it.
Pray, what does she say?
She can't be got to leave.
Why can't she?
Because they are fond of one another.
What's that to us?
I wonder what all this can be.
For my part, upon my faith, I don't know.
What's the matter?
That you should put so little confidence in me!
Do you wish me to believe you? Do you wish me to consider this as quite certain? Very well, be it so. Well, what's to be done with our friend'sOur friend's
: Chremes himself is so called, to deceive Nausistrata.
She'll do well enough.
Are we to drop her, then?
Why not?
The other one to stop?
Just so.
You may go then, Nausistrata.
I' faith, I think it better for all that she should remain here as it is, than as you first intended; for she seemed to me a very genteel person when I saw her.
What is the meaning of all this?
Now she has.
O Jupiter! the Gods do befriend us; I have found that it is my daughter married to your son.
Ha! How can that possibly be?
This spot is not exactly suited for me to tell it you.
Well then, step in-doors.
Hark, you, I don't wish our sons even to come to know of this.