Truculentus
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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CALLICLES
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Do I use ill language to you, or do I wish you so very ill? According to my ideas, you have both pretty well experienced how mild and gentle a person I am. I interrogated you both, as you were lashed and hanging up by the arms; I well remember it; the way in which you quite confessed each point, I know. Here now, I wish in the same way to learn; do you confess without a punishment.
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Although you are both of you of the serpent nature, I tell you beforehand, you mustn’t be having double tongues, lest with your two tongues I should be putting you to death; unless, perhaps, you wish to be taken to the men who go clink, clinkMen who go clink, clink: Tintinnaculos. The executioners or torturers are so called, either from their putting fetters on the persons to be punished, or else from their fastening bells (tintinnabula) upon them, to prevent their running away..
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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Violence forces me to confess the truth; the thongs do so gall my arms.
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CALLICLES
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But, if you confess the truth to me, you shall be relieved from the chains.
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DINARCHUS
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Even now, what’s the matter, I’m at a loss to know and uncertain; except that still I’m afraid.End of this line is part of line 786 in the Latin.
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SYRA
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What I’ve done wrong I know not.
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CALLICLES
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First of all, then, you stand apart. (They stand apart.) Aye, so; that’s what I mean; that you mayn’t be making signs between you, I’ll be a party-wall. (To his MAID-SERVANT.) Speak you.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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What am I to speak about?
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CALLICLES
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What was done with the child that my daughter was delivered of? My grandchild, I mean? Tell me the circumstances of the case.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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I gave it to her.
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CALLICLES
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Now hold your tongue. (To SYRA.) Did you receive the child from her?
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SYRA
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I did receive it.
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CALLICLES
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Hold your tongue; I want no more; you’ve confessed enough.
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SYRA
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I’m not going to deny it.
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CALLICLES
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By this you’ve now caused some relief for your shoulder-blades. So far, the account of each of them tallies.
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DINARCHUS
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Ah wretched me!
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my doings are now being disclosed, which I hoped would be concealed.
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CALLICLES
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Speak, you. Who bade you give the child to her?
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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My elder mistress.
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CALLICLES
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What say you? Why did you receive it?
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SYRA
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My young mistress entreated me that the child might be brought, and that all this might remain secret.
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CALLICLES
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Speak, you. What did you do with this child?
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SYRA
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I took it to my mistress.
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CALLICLES
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What did your mistress do with this child?
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SYRA
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Gave it at once to my mistress.
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CALLICLES
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Plague on it, to what mistress?
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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There are two of them.
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CALLICLES
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Take you care, unless I ask you anything, only to answer that which I ask of you.
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SYRA
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The mother, I say, made a present of it to the daughter.
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CALLICLES
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You are saying more than you did just now.
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SYRA
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You are asking more.
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CALLICLES
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Answer me quickly; what did she do, to whom it was given? Tell me.
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SYRA
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She passed it off as—
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CALLICLES
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Whose?
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SYRA
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As her own
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son.
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CALLICLES
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As her own son?
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Ye Gods, by my trust in you I do appeal to you, how much more easily does another than she to whom it belongs, bring forth another’s child! She, by the labours of another, has brought forth this child without pain. A child blest indeed! two mothers it has got, and grandams twoAnd grandams two: Plautus must, of course, mean two grandmothers by the mother’s side alone; otherwise there was nothing wonderful in a child having two grandmothers.. I’m now afraid how many fathers there may have been. Do see, please, the shocking deeds of women!
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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I’ troth, this fraud relates rather to the men than to the women. ’Twas a man, and not a woman, that caused her pregnancy.
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CALLICLES
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I know that too. You were a trusty guardian for it.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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He can do the most, who is strong the most. He was a man; he was the strongest; he prevailed; what he wanted, he carried off.
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CALLICLES
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And, i’ faith, he too brought a heavy mishap, in fact, upon yourself.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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The thing itself experienced, I myself fully know that, even if you had held your tongue.
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CALLICLES
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Never, this day, have I been able to made you declare who he was.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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I’ve held my tongue; but now I shan’t hold my tongue, since he’s here; it’s necessary I should tell.
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DINARCHUS
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I’m petrified; in my wretchedness, I dare not move myself; the matter’s all out! The trial’s now going on here for my life!
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These are my misdeeds, this is my folly. I’m in dread how soon I may be named.
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CALLICLES
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Speak out, who was it, debauched my maiden daughter?
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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I see him near you. A supporter of the wallSupporter of the wall: Dinarchus, in his fright, is sneaking close to the wall. The servant espying him, sneeringly calls him patronus parieti, the patron or supporter of the wall..
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CALLICLES
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Hussy, who was it?In the translation this interjection breaks up the lines of the maid servant, resulting in three parts to line 822. For purposes of clarity, the lines above on 822 have been re-joined and this portion has been moved here.
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DINARCHUS
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I’m neither alive nor dead, nor know I what I am now to do; neither know I how to go away hence, nor how to accost him; I’m numbed with fear.
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CALLICLES
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Will you tell me, or no?
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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It is Dinarchus, to whom you first betrothed her.
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CALLICLES
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Where is this person whom you mention?
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DINARCHUS
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Here I am, Callicles. (Falling on the ground.) By your knees I do entreat you that you will bear with wisdom that which was done in folly; and that you will pardon me that, which, losing my senses, I did through the bad influence of wine.
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CALLICLES
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You please me not. You throw the blame on what is dumbOn what is dumb: By throwing the blame on wine, that could not defend itself., that which cannot speak.
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But the wine, if it could speak, would defend itself. It’s not wine that’s in the habit of ruling men, but men wine; those, indeed, who are virtuous men; but he who is bad, although he drinks water, or if indeed he abstains from intoxicating liquors, still, by nature he’s bad.
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DINARCHUS
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Well, I’m sensible that many reproaches must be heard by me, which I would prefer not.
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I confess that I’ve offended you, and am privy to the crime.
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A MAID-SERVANT of Callicles.
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Callicles, prithee beware that you do injury to no person; the accused is pleading his cause at large, the witnesses you are keeping in bonds.
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CALLICLES
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Release those women. (They are unbound.) Come (to each of them in turn), do you be off home, and you home as well. (To SYRA.) Tell your mistress this: she must give up the child, if any one asks for it. (SYRA goes into the house of PHRONESIUM, and exit the MAID-SERVANT.)
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You, Dinarchus, let’s go before the judge.
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DINARCHUS
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Why do you wish me to go before the judge? You are the Praetor to me. But I entreat of you, Callicles, that you’ll give me your daughter for a wife.
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CALLICLES
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I’ faith, I find, indeed, that you’ve come to a decision on that point yourself; for you haven’t waited till I gave her; you have helped yourself. Now keep her, as you’ve got her, but I’ll fine you this grand haul;
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six great talents will I deduct from her dowry for this folly.
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DINARCHUS
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You act kindly towards me.
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CALLICLES
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’Twere best for you to demand your son back from thence. (Pointing to the house of PHRONESIUM.) But your wife, as soon as possible, take away from my house. I shall at once, therefore, send a messenger to that kinsman of mine by marriage, and tell him to look out for another match for his son.
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DINARCHUS
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But I’ll demand back the child of her, lest by-and-by she should deny it. That’s of no use; for she herself, of her own accord, has discovered the whole matter to me, how it happened. But see, right opportunely, i’ faith, is she coming out of doors from her house. Assuredly, a far-darting sting has that woman, who even from that distance is wounding my heart.
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PHRONESIUM
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A woman is a spoony and a trolloping slut, if she hasn’t a view to her own interests, even in her cups.
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If her other limbs are soaked in wine, at least let her head be sober. But it’s a vexation to me that my hair-dresser has been thus badly treated. She has been telling me that this child has been discovered to be the son of Dinarchus. When I heard that (She moves, as if going.)
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DINARCHUS
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She’s going, in whose hands are all my fortune and my children.
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PHRONESIUM
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I see him who has constituted me the guardian of his property.
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DINARCHUS
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Madam, here am I.
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PHRONESIUM
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It certainly is he. What’s the matter, my love?
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DINARCHUS
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No love; cease your trifling. I’ve nothing now to do with that subject.
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PHRONESIUM
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By my faith, I know what you want, and what you desire, and what you ask for. You want to see me; you desire to caress me; you ask for the child.
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DINARCHUS
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Immortal Gods! how plain she speaks. How, in a few words, has she hit upon the very point!
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PHRONESIUM
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As for me, I know that you are betrothed, and that you have a son by your betrothed, and that a wife is now going to be married by you; that now your thoughts are elsewhere, that myself you are going to consider as forsaken. But still consider, the little mouse, how sagacious an animal it is, which never entrusts its life to one hole only;
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inasmuch as, if one hole is blocked up, it seeks another as a place of refuge.
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DINARCHUS
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When there’s leisure, then I’ll talk to you on those matters more at large; at present, give me up the child.
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PHRONESIUM
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No; do, there’s a dear, let it be at my house the few next days.
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DINARCHUS
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Certainly not.
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PHRONESIUM
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Do, there’s a dear.
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DINARCHUS
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What occasion is there?
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PHRONESIUM
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It’s for my interest. This for the next three days at least, until the Captain is circumvented somehow;
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for that same purpose. If I get anything, it shall be for your own advantage as well. If you take the child away, all hope in the Captain will evaporate from my heart.
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DINARCHUS
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I would have that done; but, when it’s taken home, to do it againTo do it again: Refacere. This, in most of the Editions, is printed as re facere, to do in reality; but that does not seem to be the proper reading. Dinarchus appears to mean, You may keep the child for the present, in order to carry out your plans; for when I have once taken it home I shall not be able to do it again—or, in other words, lend it to you for your purposes., if I were to wish it, I have not the opportunity. Now make use of the child, and take care of it, because you have the means by which to take care of it.
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PHRONESIUM
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Upon my faith, I do love you much for this matter. When you shall be afraid of a scolding at home,
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do you take shelter here in my house. At least, prove a friend, to help me to a profitable speculation.
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DINARCHUS
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Kindly farewell, Phronesium.
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PHRONESIUM
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Won’t you any longer call me apple of your eye?
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DINARCHUS
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That name too, meanwhile, shall be repeated full oft.
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PHRONESIUM
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Do you wish for anything else?
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DINARCHUS
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Fare thee well; when I have leisure, I’ll come to your house.
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PHRONESIUM
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Well, he’s gone away from here, and has taken his departure; we may say here whatever we please.
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’Tis a true proverb that’s quoted, Where the friends are, there are the riches. Through him, there’s still some hope that the Captain may be duped to-day; whom, by the powers, I love better than my own self,—so long as I get out of him what I want: since, when we have got much, not much of it is seen that has been given. Such are the brilliant prospects of Courtesans!
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ASTAPHIUM
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Hush! hush! be quiet.
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PHRONESIUM
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Prithee, what is it?
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ASTAPHIUM
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The father of the child is coming.
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PHRONESIUM
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Well, let him come here. Let him, if it only is he,