Good-morrow to you, Laches!
Troth, now, Bacchis, I suppose you somewhat wonder what can be my reason for sending the lad to fetch you out of doors.
Upon my faith, I am even in some anxiety as well, when I reflect what I am, lest the name of my calling should be to my prejudice; for my behavior I can easily defend.
If you speak the truth, you will be in no danger, woman, from me, for I am now of that age that it is not meet for me to receive forgiveness for a fault; for that reason do I the more carefully attend to every particular, that I may not act with rashness; for if you now do, or intend to do, that which is proper for deserving women to do, it would be unjust for me, in my ignorance, to offer an injury to you, when undeserving of it.
On my word, great is the gratitude that I ought to feel toward you for such conduct; for he who, after committing an injury, would excuse himself, would profit me but little. But what is the matter?
You admit my son, Pamphilus, to your house.
Ah!
Just let me speak: before he was married to this woman, I tolerated your amour. Stay! I have not yet said to you what I intended. He has now got a wife: look out for another person more to be depended on, while you have time to deliberate; for neither will he be of this mind all his life, nor, i' faith, will you be always of your present age.
Who is it says this?
His mother-in-law.
What! that I
That you do: and she has taken away her daughter; and for that reason, has wished secretly to destroy the child that has been born.
Did I know any other means whereby I might be enabled to establish my
credit with you, more solemn than an oath, I would, Laches, assure you
of this, that I have kept Pamphilus at a distanceKept
Pamphilus at a distance
: Colman observes, how are we to reconcile this with
the words of Parmeno at the beginning of the Play, where he says
that Pamphilus visited Bacchis daily; and he inquires whether we are
to suppose that Bacchis, who behaves so candidly in every other
instance, wantonly perjures herself in this, or that the Poet, by a
strange infatuation attending him in this Play, contradicts
himself? To this it may be answered, that as Bacchis appears to be
so scrupulous in other instances, it is credible that,
notwithstanding his visits, she may not have allowed him to share
her embraces.
You are very good. But, pray, do you know what I would prefer that you should do?
What? Tell me.
Go in-doors there
I will do so; although, i' faith, if it had been any other woman of this calling, she would not have done so, I am quite sure; present herself before a married woman for such a purpose! But I do not wish your son to be suspected on an unfounded report, nor appear inconstant, undeservedly, to you, to whom he by no means ought; for he has deserved of me, that, so far as I am able, I should do him a service.
Your language has rendered me quite friendly and well disposed toward you; but not only did they think so—I too believed it. Now that I have found you quite different from what I had expected, take care that you still continue the same-make use of my friendship as you please; if otherwise—; but I will forbear, that you may not hear any thing unkind from me. But this one thing I recommend you make trial what sort of a friend I am, or what I can effect as such, rather than what as an enemy.
(to the NURSE.) Nothing at my house will I suffer you to be in want of;
but whatever is requisite shall be supplied you in abundance. Still,
when you are well fed and well drenched, do take care that the child has
enough.
Is this she?
It is.
Upon my faith, those women don't fear the Gods; and I don't think that the Gods care about them.
Other courtesans avoid doing
:
Colman has the following quotation from Donatus: "Terence, by his
uncommon art, has attempted many innovations with great success. In
this Comedy, he introduces, contrary to received prejudices, a good
step-mother and an honest courtesan; but at the same time he so
carefully assigns their motives of action, that by him alone every
thing seems reconcilable to truth and nature; for this is just the
opposite of what he mentions in another place, as the common
privilege of all Poets, 'to paint good matrons and wicked
courtesans.'" Perhaps the same good feeling prompted Terence, in
showing that a mother-in-law and a courtesan could be capable of
acting with good and disinterested feelings, which caused Cumberland to write his Play of
"The Jew," to combat the popular prejudice against that persecuted
class, by showing, in the character of Sheva, that a Jew might
possibly be a virtuous man.
We find, Phidippus, that our wives have been unjustly
suspectedHave been unjustly suspected
: The
words here employed are also capable of meaning, if an active sense
is given to "suspectas," "our wives have entertained wrong
suspicions;" but the sense above given seems preferable, as being
the meaning of the passage.
I sincerely wish it may be so.
Examine her; here she is; she herself will satisfy you.
Why do you tell me these things? Is it because you have not already heard what my feelings are with regard to this matter, Laches? Do you only satisfy their minds.
Troth now, Bacchis, I do entreat that what you have promised me you will do.
Would you wish me, then, to go in about this business?
Go, and satisfy their minds, so as to make them believe it.
I'll go: although, upon my word, I am quite sure that my presence will be disagreeable to them, for a married woman is the enemy of a mistress, when she has been separated from her husband.
But they will be your friends, when they know the reason of your coming.
And I promise that they shall be your friends, when they know the fact; for you will release them from their mistake, and yourself, at the same time, from suspicion.
Wretched me! I'm ashamed to meet Philumena. (To her ATTENDANTS.) Do you
both follow me into the house.