Adelphi
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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GETA
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Ah
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wretched me! I am scarcely master of my senses, I am so inflamed with anger. There is nothing that I would like better than for all that family to be thrown in my way, that I might give vent to all my wrath upon them while this wound is still fresh. I could be content with any punishment, so I might only wreak my vengeance on them. First, I would stop the breath of the old fellow himself who gave being to this monster;
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then as for his prompter, Syrus, out upon him! How I would tear him piecemeal! I would snatch him by the middle up aloft, and dash him head downward upon the earth, so that with his brains he would bestrew the road: I would pull out the eyes of the young fellow himself, and afterward hurl him headlong over some precipice. The others I would rush upon, drive, drag, crush, and trample them under foot.
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But why do I delay at once to acquaint my mistress with this calamity?
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SOSTRATA
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Let us call him Lack. Geta—
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GETA
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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 Greece—to stop the slaves in the streets, and designedly keep them in chat, so that they might be lashed when they came home for staying out so long. whoever you are.
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SOSTRATA
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’Tis I,—Sostrata.
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GETA
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Why, where are you? You are the very person I am looking for. I was in quest of you; it’s very fortunate you have met me.
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SOSTRATA
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What’s the matter? Why are you trembling?
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GETA
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Alas! alas!
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SOSTRATA
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My dear Geta, why in such haste? Do take breath.
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GETA
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Quite—
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SOSTRATA
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Why, what means this quite?
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GETA
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Undone—
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It’s all over with us.
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SOSTRATA
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Say, then, I entreat you, what is the matter.
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GETA
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Now—
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SOSTRATA
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What now, Geta?
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GETA
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Aeschinus—
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SOSTRATA
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What about him?
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GETA
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Has abandoned our family.
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SOSTRATA
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Then I am undone! Why so?
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GETA
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He has attached himself to another woman.
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SOSTRATA
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Woe unto wretched me!
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GETA
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And he makes no secret of it; he himself has carried her off openly from a procurer.
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SOSTRATA
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Are you quite sure of this?
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GETA
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Quite sure; I saw it myself, Sostrata, with these same eyes.
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SOSTRATA
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Ah
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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. and thus entreat that he might be allowed to make her his wife!
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GETA
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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?
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CANTHARA
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Pooh, pooh! Are you in your senses, my good man? Does this seem to you a business to be made known to any one?
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GETA
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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;
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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.
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SOSTRATA
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Oh! by no means in the world! I’ll not do it.
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GETA
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What is it you say?
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SOSTRATA
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I’ll make it known.
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GETA
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Ha, my dear Sostrata, take care what you do!
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SOSTRATA
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The matter can not possibly be in a worse position than it is at present.
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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,
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I will make trial—
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GETA
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What am I to say to this? I agree, as you speak for the best.
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SOSTRATA
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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.
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GETA
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Aye, faith, because nobody else takes any notice of us.
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SOSTRATA
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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.
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DEMEA
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Utterly undone! I hear that Ctesipho was with Aeschinus at the carrying off of this girl. This sorrow still remains for unhappy me, should Aeschinus be able to seduce him, even him, who promises so fair, to a course of debauchery. Where am I to inquire for him? I doubt he has been carried off to some bad house;
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that profligate has persuaded him, I’m quite sure. But look—I see Syrus coming this way, I shall now know from him where he is. But, i ’faith, he is one of the gang; if he perceives that I am looking for him, the rascal will never tell me. I’ll not let him know what I want.
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SYRUS
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We just now told the old gentleman the whole affair just as it happened;
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I never did see any one more delighted.
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DEMEA
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O Jupiter! the folly of the man!
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SYRUS
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He commended his son. To me, who put them upon this project, he gave thanks—
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DEMEA
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I shall burst asunder.
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SYRUS
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He told down the money instantly,
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and gave me half a mina besides to spend. That was laid out quite to my liking.
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DEMEA
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Very fine—if you would wish a thing to be nicely managed, intrust it to this fellow.
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SYRUS
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Ha, Demea! I didn’t see you; how goes it?
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DEMEA
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How should it go? I can not enough wonder at your mode of living here.
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SYRUS
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Why, really silly enough, and, to speak without disguise, altogether absurd. (Calls at the door of MICIO’S house.) Dromo, clean the rest of the fish; let the largest conger-eel play a little in the water; when I come back it shall, be boned;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. not before.
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DEMEA
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Is profligacy like this—
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SYRUS
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As for myself, it isn’t to my taste,
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and I often exclaim against it. (Calls; at the door.) Stephanio, take care that the salt fish is well soaked.
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DEMEA
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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,
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to serve somewhere or other as a soldier.Serve somewhere or other as a soldier: See a similar passage in the Trinummus of Plautus, l. 722, whence it appears that it was the practice for young men of ruined fortunes to go and offer their services as mercenaries to some of the neighboring potentates. Many of the ten thousand who fought for the younger Cyrus at the battle of Cunaxa, and were led back under the command of Xenophon (as described in his Anabasis) were, doubtless, of this class.
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SYRUS
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O Demea! That is wisdom indeed, not only to look at the present moment, but also to look forward to what’s to come.
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DEMEA
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Well—is this Music-girl still with you?
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SYRUS
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Why, yes, she’s in-doors.
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DEMEA
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How now—is he going to keep her at home?
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SYRUS
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I believe so; such is his
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madness!
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DEMEA
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Is it possible?
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SYRUS
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An imprudent lenity in his father, and a vicious inlulgence.
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DEMEA
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Really, I am ashamed and grieved at my brother.
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SYRUS
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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;
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he a mere dreamer. Would you indeed have suffered that son of yours to act thus?
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DEMEA
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I, suffer him? Would I not have smelt it out six months before he attempted it?
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SYRUS
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Need I be told by you of your foresight?
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DEMEA
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I pray he may only continue the same he is at present!
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SYRUS
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Just as each person wishes his son to be, so he turns out.
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DEMEA
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What news of him? Have you seen him to-day?
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SYRUS
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What, your son? (Aside.) I’ll pack him off into the country. (To DEMEA.) I fancy he’s busy at the farm long before this.
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DEMEA
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Are you quite sure he is there?
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SYRUS
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What!—when I saw him part of the way myself—
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DEMEA
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Very good. I was afraid he might be loitering here.
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SYRUS
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And extremely angry too.
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DEMEA
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Why so?
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SYRUS
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He attacked his brother in the Forum with strong language
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about this Music-girl.
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DEMEA
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Do you really say so?
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SYRUS
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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!
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DEMEA
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Oh, I shall weep for joy.
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SYRUS
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By this you are not squandering your money only, but your reputation.
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DEMEA
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May he be preserved to me! I trust he will be like his forefathers.
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SYRUS
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Heyday!
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DEMEA
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Syrus, he is full of these maxims.
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SYRUS
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Strange, indeed! He had the means at home of learning them.
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DEMEA
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I do every thing I can; I spare no pains; I train him up to it: in fine,
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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—
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SYRUS
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Quite right.
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DEMEA
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Avoid that—
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SYRUS
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Very shrewd.
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DEMEA
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This is praiseworthy—