I never saw a dispute on more unequal termsOn more unequal terms
: "
Your own fault.
What could I do?
You ought to have yielded to the young man.
How could I more so, when to-day I have even afforded my face to his blows?
Well—are you aware of what I tell you? To slight money on some occasions is sometimes the surest gain. What!—were you afraid, you greatest simpleton alive, if you had parted with ever so littleIf you had parted with ever so little
: This passage is probably alluded to by
I do not pay ready money for hope.
Then you'll never make a fortune. Get out with you, Sannio; you don't know how to take in mankind.
I believe that to be the better plan—but I was never so cunning as not, whenever I was able to get it, to prefer getting ready money.
Come, come, I know your spirit; as if twenty minae were any thing at all to you in comparison to obliging him; besides, they say that you are setting out for
(aside.) Hah!
That you have been buying up many things to take thither; and that the vessel is hired. This I know, your mind is in suspense; however, when you return thence, I hope you'll settle the matter.
Not a foot do stir: Heavens! I'm undone!
In the very joint
: "To take to
: He alludes to a famous slave-market held in the Isle of
Have you by this reckoned
3 Have you by this reckoned
: "
Is this honorable of him? Ought Aeschinus to attempt this? Ought he to endeavor to take her away from me by downright violence?
Scrape together ten minae
: Donatus remarks, that Syrus knows very well that Aeschinus is ready to pay the whole, but offers Sannio half, that he may be glad to take the bare principal, and think himself well off into the bargain.
Ah me! unfortunate wretch, I am now in danger of even losing part of the principal. Has he no shame? He has loosened all my teeth; my head, too, is full of bumps with his cuffs; and would he defraud me as well? I shall go nowhere.
Just as you please. Have you any thing more to say before I go?
Why yes, Syrus, i' faith, I have this to request. Whatever the matters that are past, rather than go to law, let what is my own be returned me; at least, Syrus, the sum she cost me. I know that you have not hitherto made trial of my friendship; you will have no occasion to say that I am unmindful or ungrateful.
I'll do the best I can. But I see Ctesipho; he's in high spirits about his mistress.
What about what I was asking you?
Stay a little.
From any man, when you stand in need of it, you are glad to receive a service; but of a truth it is doubly acceptable, if he does you a kindness who ought to do so. O brother, brother, how can I sufficiently commend you? This I am quite sure of; I can never speak of you in such high terms but that your deserts will surpass it. For I am of opinion that I possess this one thing in especial beyond all others, a brother than whom no individual is more highly endowed with the highest qualities.
O Ctesipho!
O Syrus, where is Aeschinus?
Why, look—he's at home, waiting for you.
What's the matter?
What's the matter? 'Tis through him, Syrus, that I am now alive—generous creature! Has he not deemed every thing of secondary importance to himself in comparison with my happiness? The reproach, the discredit, my own amour and imprudence, he has taken upon himself. There can be nothing beyond this; but what means that noise at the door?
Stay, stay; 'tis Aeschinus himself coming out.
Where is that villain?
He's looking for me
: Donatus remarks upon the readiness with which Sannio takes the appellation of "
By my troth, I certainly will away with it, when I have such a brother as you. O my dear Aeschinus! O my brother! Alas! I am unwilling to praise you any more to your face, lest you should think I do so rather for flattery than through gratitude.
Go to, you simpleton! as though we didn't by this time understand each other, Ctesipho. This grieves me, that we knew of it almost too late, and that the matter had come to such a pass, that if all mankind had wished they could not possibly have assisted you.
I felt ashamed.
Pooh! that is folly, not shame; about such a trifling matter to be almost flying the country!
Flying the country
: Donatus tells us, that in Menander the young man was on the point of killing himself. Terence has here softened it into leaving the country. Colman remarks: "We know that the circumstance of carrying off the Music-girl was borrowed from Diphilus; yet it is plain from Donatus that there was also an intrigue by Ctesipho in the Play of Menander; which gives another proof of the manner in which Terence used the Greek Comedies."
I did wrong.
He is pacified at last.
I'll go to the Forum to pay him off; you, Ctesipho, step in-doors to her.
He is in haste for
: Donatus remarks that this is a piece of malice on the part of Syrus, for the purpose of teasing Sannio.
Not particularly so; although still, I'm stopping here doing nothing at all.
It shall be paid, don't fear.
But he is to pay it all.
He shall pay it all; only hold your tongue and follow us this way.
I'll follow.
That shall not happen, be of good heart; meanwhile enjoy yourself in-doors with her, and order the couches
Order the couches
: Those used for the purpose of reclining on at the entertainment.
Pray do so. Since this has turned out so well, let us make a cheerful day of it.
Prithee, my dear nurse, how is it like to end?
Like to end, do you ask? I' troth, right well, I trust.
Her pains are just beginning, my dear.
You are in a flight, now, just as though you had never been present on such an occasion—never been in labor yourself.
Unfortunate woman that I am! I have not a person at home; we are quite alone; Geta too is absent. I have no one to go for the midwife, or to fetch Aeschinus.
I' faith, he'll certainly be here just now, for he never lets a day pass without visiting us.
He is my sole comfort in my afflictions.
Things could not have happened, mistress, more for the advantage of your daughter than they have, seeing that violence was offered her; so far as he is concerned, it is most lucky,—such a person, of such disposition and feelings, a member of so respectable a family.
It is indeed as you say; I entreat the Gods that he may be preserved to us.
Unhappy me! How is it that I see Geta hurrying along thus terrified?
Pray, let us go nearer to him, Sostrata.
Well—leave me alone,
Leave me alone
: Quoting from Madame Dacier, Colman has this remark here: "Geta's reply is founded on a frolicsome but ill-natured custom which prevailed in
'Tis I,—Sostrata.
What's the matter? Why are you trembling?
Alas! alas!
My dear Geta, why in such haste? Do take breath.
Quite—
Why, what means this "quite"?
Undone—It's all over with us.
Say, then, I entreat you, what is the matter.
Now—
What "now," Geta?
Aeschinus—
What about him?
Has abandoned our family.
Then I am undone! Why so?
He has attached himself to another woman.
Woe unto wretched me!
And he makes no secret of it; he himself has carried her off openly from a procurer.
Are you quite sure of this?
Quite sure; I saw it myself, Sostrata, with these same eyes.
Ah wretched me! What is one now to believe, or whom believe? Our own Aeschinus, the very life of us all, in whom all our hopes and comforts were centred! Who used to swear he could never live a single day without her! Who used to say, that he would place the infant on his father's knees,
On his father's knees
: It was a prevalent custom with the Greeks to place the newly-born child upon the knee of its grandfather.
Dear mistress, forbear weeping, and rather consider what must be done for the future in this matter. Shall we submit to it, or shall we tell it to any person?
Pooh, pooh! Are you in your senses, my good man? Does this seem to you a business to be made known to any one?
I, indeed, have no wish for it. In the first place, then, that his feelings are estranged from us, the thing itself declares. Now, if we make this known, he'll deny it, I'm quite sure; your reputation and your daughter's character will then be in danger. On the other hand, if he were fully to confess it, as he is in love with another woman, it would not be to her advantage to be given to him. Therefore, under either circumstance, there is need of silence.
Oh! by no means in the world! I'll not do it.
What is it you say?
I'll make it known.
Ha, my dear Sostrata, take care what you do!
The matter can not possibly be in a worse position than it is at present. In the first place, she has no portion; then, besides, that which was as good as a portion, her honor, is lost: she can not be given in marriage as a virgin. This resource is left; if he should deny it, I have a ring which he lost as evidence of the truth. In fine, Geta, as I am fully conscious that no blame attaches to me, and that neither interest nor any consideration unworthy of her or of myself has had a share in this matter, I will make trial—
What am I to say to this? I agree, as you speak for the best.
You be off as fast as possible, and relate all the matter just as it has happened to her kinsman Hegio; for he was the best friend of our lamented Simulus, and has shown especial regard for us.
Do you, my dear Canthara, run with all haste, and fetch the midwife, so that, when she is wanted, we may not have to wait for her.
How should it go? I can not enough wonder at your mode of living here.
Why, really silly enough, and, to speak without disguise, altogether absurd. It shall be boned
: The operation of boning conger-eels is often mentioned in Plautus, from whom we learn that they were best when eaten in that state, and cold.
Is profligacy like this—
As for myself, it isn't to my taste, and I often exclaim against it.
Ye Gods, by our trust in you! Is he doing this for any purpose of his own, or does he think it creditable to ruin his son? Wretch that I am! methinks I already see the day when Aeschinus will be running away for want, to serve somewhere or other as a soldier.
Serve somewhere or other as a soldier
: See a similar passage in the Trinummus of Plautus,
O Demea ! That is wisdom indeed, not only to look at the present moment, but also to look forward to what's to come.
Well—is this Music-girl still with you?
Why, yes, she's in-doors.
How now—is he going to keep her at home?
I believe so; such is his madness!
Is it possible?
An imprudent lenity in his father, and a vicious inlulgence.
Really, I am ashamed and grieved at my brother.
Demea! Between you there is a great—I do not say it because you are here present—a too great difference. You are, every bit of you, nothing but wisdom; he a mere dreamer. Would you indeed have suffered that son of yours to act thus?
I, suffer him? Would I not have smelt it out six months before he attempted it?
Need I be told by you of your foresight?
I pray he may only continue the same he is at present!
Just as each person wishes his son to be, so he turns out.
What news of him? Have you seen him to-day?
What, your son?
Are you quite sure he is there?
What!—when I saw him part of the way myself—
Very good. I was afraid he might be loitering here.
And extremely angry too.
Why so?
He attacked his brother in the Forum with strong language about this Music-girl.
Do you really say so?
Oh dear, he didn't at all mince the matter; for just as the money was being counted out, the gentleman came upon us by chance, and began exclaiming, "Oh Aeschinus, that you should perpetrate these enormities! that you should be guilty of actions so disgraceful to our family!"
Oh, I shall weep for joy.
"By this you are not squandering your money only, but your reputation."
May he be preserved to me! I trust he will be like his forefathers.
Syrus, he is full of these maxims.
I do every thing I can; I spare no pains; I train him up to it: in fine, I bid him look into the lives of men, as though into a mirror, and from others to take an example for himself. Do this, I say—
Quite right.
Avoid that—
Very shrewd.
This is praiseworthy—
That's the thing.
That is considered blamable—
Extremely good.
And then, moreover—
Upon my honor, I have not the leisure to listen to you just at present: I have got some fish just to my taste, and must take care they are not spoiled; for that would be as much a crime in me, as for you, Demea, not to observe those maxims which you have just been mentioning; and so far as I can, I lay down precepts for my fellow-servants on the very same plan; "this is too salt, that is quite burned up, this is not washed enough, that is very well done; remember and do so another time." I carefully instruct them so far as I can to the best of my capacity. In short, Demea, I bid them look into their sauce-pans as though into a mirror,
As though into a mirror
: He parodies the words of Demea in l. 415, where he speaks of looking into the lives of men as into a mirror.
That more wisdom may be granted you.
You will be going off into the country, I suppose?
Directly.
For what should you do here, where, if you do give any good precepts, no one will regard them?
Of our tribe
: Solon divided the Athenians into ten tribes, which he named after ten of the ancient heroes: Erectheis, Aegeis, Pandionis, Leontis, Acamantis, OEneis, Cecrops, Hippothoontis, Aeantis, and Antiochis. These tribes were each divided into ten Demi.
Oh immortal Gods! a disgraceful action, Geta! What is it you tell me?
Such is the fact.
That so ignoble a deed should come from that family! Oh Aeschinus, assuredly you haven't taken after your father in that !
Unless they do as they ought to do, they shall not come off so easily.
All our hopes, Hegio, are centred in you; you we have for our only friend; you are our protector, our father. The old man, Simulus, when dying, recommended us to you; if you forsake us, we are undone.
Beware how you mention that; I neither will do it, nor do I think that, with due regard to the ties of relationship, I could.
Why, what's the matter?
Your eldest son Aeschinus, whom you gave to your brother to adopt, has been acting the part of neither an honest man nor a gentleman.
What has he been doing?
You knew my friend and year's-mate, Simulus?
Why not?
He has debauched his daughter, a virgin.
Hah!
Stay, Demea. You have not yet heard the worst.
Is there any thing still worse?
Worse, by far: for this indeed might in some measure have been borne with. The hour of night prompted him; passion, wine, young blood; 'tis human nature. When he was sensible of what he had done, he came voluntarily to the girl's mother, weeping, praying, entreating, pledging his honor, vowing that he would take her home.
Would take her home
: As his wife.
Do you say this for certain?
The mother of the young woman is among us,
Is among us
: "Take him, bind him.
: In allusion to the method of examining slaves, by binding and torturing them.
Aye, faith, put me to the torture, Demea, if such is not the fact: besides, he will not deny it. Confront me with him.
Juno Lucina
: So in the
Hold; is she in labor, pray?
No doubt of it, Hegio.
Ah! she is now imploring your protection, Demea; let her obtain from you spontaneously what the power of the law compels you to give. I do entreat the Gods that what befits you may at once be clone. But if your sentiments are otherwise, Demea, I will defend both them and him who is dead to the utmost of my power. He was my kinsman:
He was my kinsman
: In the Play of Menander, Hegio was the brother of Sostrata.
I'll go find my brother, Hegio: the advice he gives me upon this matter I'll follow.
Upon this matter I'll follow
: "
But, Demea, take you care and reflect upon this: the more easy you are in your circumstances, the more powerful, wealthy, affluent, and noble you are, so much the more ought you with equanimity to observe the dictates of justice, if you would have yourselves esteemed as men of probity.
Go back now;
Go back now
: "
It becomes you to act thus. Geta, show me in to Sostrata.
Be of good heart,Be of good heart
: Colman has the following Note here: "Donatus tells us, that in some old copies this whole Scene was wanting. Guyetus therefore entirely rejects it. I have not ventured to take that liberty; but must confess that it appears to me, if not supposititious, at least cold and superfluous, and the substance of it had better been supposed to have passed between Hegio and Sostrata within."