Miles Gloriosus

Plautus, Titus Maccius

Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.

  1. Come, be of good heart; I’ll make you free from exit, too. But I used all endeavours, if I could by any method persuade her to go away, and not take you with her, she forced me, however.
PALAESTRIO
  1. In the Gods and yourself I’ll place my trust. Yet, at the last, although it is bitter to me that I must be deprived of an excellent master, yourself, at least it is a pleasure to me that, through my means, by reason of the excellence of your beauty, this has happened to you with regard to this lady neighbour, whom I am now introducing to you.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. What need of words? I’ll give you liberty and wealth if you obtain her for me.
PALAESTRIO
  1. I’ll win her.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. But I’m impatient.
PALAESTRIO
  1. But moderation is requisite; curb your desires; don’t be over anxious. But see, here she is herself; she is coming out of doors.
Enter ACROTELEUTIUM and MILPHIDIPPA from the house of PERIPLECOMENUS.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. in a low voice. Mistress, see! the Captain’s near.
ACROTELEUTIUM
  1. in a low voice. Where is he?
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. Only look to the left. Eye him askance, that he mayn’t perceive that we are looking at him.
ACROTELEUTIUM
  1. I see him. Troth, now’s the time, in our mischief, for us to become supremely mischievous.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. ’Tis for you to begin.
ACROTELEUTIUM
  1. aloud. Prithee, did you see him yourself? Aside. don’t spare your voice, so that he may hear.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. aloud. By my troth, I talked with his own self, at my ease, as long as I pleased, at my leisure, at my own discretion, just as I wished.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. to PALAESTRIO. Do you hear what she says?
PALAESTRIO
  1. to PYRGOPOLINICES. I hear. How delighted she is because she had access to you.
ACROTELEUTIUM
  1. aloud. O happy woman that you are!
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. How I do seem to be loved!
PALAESTRIO
  1. You are deserving of it.
  1. aloud. By my troth, ’tis passing strange what you say, that you had access to him and prevailed. They say that he is usually addressed, like a king, through letters or messengers.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. aloud. But, i’ faith, ’twas with difficulty I had an opportunity of approaching and beseeching him.