Bacchides, or The Twin Sisters

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 938 sections

3.6.552
This same must me a bad man.
3.6.552b
I judge that so he is.
3.6.553
Troth now, prithee, do tell me who it is.
3.6.553b
He lives on good terms with yourself. But were he not; so, I would entreat you to do him whatever harm you could do.
3.6.555b
Only tell me the person, who he is; if I don’t do him an injury, some way or other, do you say that I’m the greatest of cowards.
3.6.557
The person’s a bad one, but he’s your friend, i’ faith.
3.6.557b
So much the rather, then, tell me who he is. In good sooth, I set no value on the esteem of a worthless person.
3.6.559
I appear, then, not to be able to avoid disclosing to you his name.
3.6.560
Pistoclerus, you have utterly undone me, your friend.
3.6.561
How’s that?
3.6.561b
How’s that? Did I not send you a letter from Ephesus about my mistress, that you should find her out for me?
3.6.562b
I own you did; and I have discovered her.
3.6.563
How now? Was there not a choice for you of other Courtesans in Athens, for you to form engagements with, instead of with her whom I had recommended to your care?
3.6.565
Could you yourself begin to love, and to contrive an injury against myself?
3.6.566
Are you in your senses?
3.6.566b
I have found out the whole affair from your tutor; don’t deny it. You’ve ruined me.
3.6.567b
What, still upbraiding me without reason with these rebukes of yours?
3.6.568
Why? You’re in love with Bacchis.
3.6.568b
But look you, two persons of the name of Bacchis are living here in this house.
3.6.569
How, two?
3.6.569b
Aye, and the two are sisters.
3.6.569c
You are now designedly telling idle stories.
3.6.570
In fine, if you persist in thinking there’s but little confidence in me, I’ll take you upon my shoulders, and carry you hence into their house.
3.6.571b
Well, I’ll go; but stay a moment.
3.6.572
I will not stay, and you shall not be holding me under a false suspicion.
3.6.572b
I follow you then.
4.1.573
Of a debauched and unscrupulous fellow am I the Parasite—a Captain, who has brought his mistress with him from Samos.
4.1.575
Now he has ordered me to go to her, and make enquiry whether she will pay back the gold, or whether she will depart together with him. You, boy, who have for some time been with her, whichever of these is the house, do you knock. Go to the door forthwith. (The BOY goes to knock.) Are you coming back from there, you hangdog? How the graceless scoundrel does knock!
4.1.580
You can gobble up a loaf three feet wide, and yet you don’t know how to knock at a door. (He calls out and knocks violently.) Is there any one in-doors? Hallo! is there any one here? Does any one open this door? Who’s coming out?
4.2.583a
What’s the matter? What’s this knocking? Why, what the confounded torment possesses you, to be exerting your strength in this fashion on another person’s door?
4.2.586
You’ve almost broken the door down. What do you want now?
4.2.587
Young gentleman, my respects.
4.2.587b
And my respects. But whom are you looking for?
4.2.588
For Bacchis.
4.2.588b
But which of them?
4.2.588c
Of that I know nothing, only it’s Bacchis. In a few words, the Captain, Cleomachus,
4.2.590
has sent me to her, either for her to pay back the tyro hundred golden Philippeans, or to go hence this day, together with him, to Elatia.
4.2.592
She doesn’t go: she says she shan’t go. Begone, and take back this message—she loves another person, and not him. Take yourself off from the house.
4.2.594
You’re too hasty.
4.2.594b
And would you know now hasty I am?
4.2.595
By my faith, your phiz isn’t far off from a mishap; so much are these teeth-crackers (looking at his fists) longing in my fists.
4.2.597
So far as I understand his words, ’tis a warning to me, lest he should knock my nut-crackers out of my jaws. (To PISTOCLERUS.) At your own peril, I’ll tell him this.
4.2.600
What do you say?
4.2.600b
I’ll tell him that which you bade me.
4.2.600c
Who are you? Tell me.
4.2.601b
I’m the skill of his body
4.2.602
He needs must be a scampish fellow, who has got so worthless a skin.
4.2.603
He’ll be coming here, swollen up with wrath.
4.2.603b
I wish he may burst.
4.2.604
Is there anything you want?
4.2.604b
Be off; you must do so this instant.
4.2.605
Good-bye, teeth-cracker.
4.2.605b
And you, skin of his body, good-bye! This matter has come to such a point, that what advice to give my friend about his mistress, I know not; who, in his pet, has given up all the gold to his father, and not a coin is there that may be paid to the Captain.
4.2.610
But I’ll step aside, for the door makes a noise. O, here’s Mnesilochus coming out, and pensive, too.
4.3.612
Insolent, of a froward, passionate, ungovernable, inconsiderate disposition, without reason and moderation, am I; without fine principles of rectitude and honor, hard of belief, powerless to control my passions,
4.3.615
born of a temper ill-disposed, unamiable and ungracious is my life. In fine, I am that which I could wish others to be. There’s not a person more worthless, or more unworthy for the Gods to bless, or for men to love or to associate with.
4.3.618
’Tis more just that I should have enemies than friends—’tis more reasonable that the bad should give me their assistance than the good.
4.3.620
There’s not a person more deserving of all the reproaches that are befitting worthless men, than I, who have given up to my father the money that was in my power. Could this be believed by any one whatever? Am I not a madman, who have miserably undone myself and the device of Chrysalus?
4.3.625
He must now be consoled by me; I’ll accost him. (Aloud.) Hallo, Mnesilochus! what’s the matter?
4.3.626b
I’m ruined.
4.3.626a
May the Gods grant better things!
4.3.626ab
I’m ruined.
4.3.627
Won’t you hold your tongue, simpleton?
4.3.627b
Hold my tongue?
4.3.627a
You are not now quite right in your senses.
4.3.627ab
I’m undone. Many sharp and poignant woes are now arising in my breast. Did I not put faith in that accusation? Without any cause was I angry with you.
4.3.630
Come, come, do have a good heart.
4.3.630b
Whence have it? A dead man is of more value than I am.
4.3.631b
The Captain’s Parasite came here, just now, to fetch the gold hence. I drove the fellow away from this door and from this fair one, and packed him off through my harsh language.
4.3.633b
But of what service is that to me? Wretch that I am, what shall I do? I have nothing; and he certainly will carry her off.
4.3.635
By my faith, if I had the means, I’d engage not.
4.3.635b
I know you’d give it me; I know your ways; and were you not in love, I should now have the very greatest possible confidence in your assistance. At present, you yourself have more than enough of your own business, for me to suppose that you, who are in want yourself; are able to give me any assistance.
4.3.638a
Do but hold your tongue: some Divinity will favour us.
4.3.638ab
Nonsense.
4.3.639
Do stay.
4.3.639b
What’s the matter?
4.3.639c
Why, I see Chrysalus here, your main resource.
4.4.640
It’s right this man (pointing to himself) should be worth his weight in gold: it’s fair that a statue of gold should be erected for him. For, this day, two exploits have I achieved; with twofold spoils have I been graced. So cleverly have I gulled my elder master this day, that he has been made a fool of. The crafty old blade, by my crafty tricks, have I compelled and constrained to believe me in everything.
4.4.645
Then, for the son of the old gentleman, my master here in love, together with whom I drink, with whom I eat and go a-courting, I have procured regal and golden trea sures, that he may take from thence at home, and not go seeking abroad. Those Parmenos and those Syruses,
4.4.650
please me not, who filch some two or three minae from their masters. There’s nothing more worthless than a servant without skill—worthless, if he has not a breast mightily well-stocked, so that, whenever there is necessity, he may draw his supply from his own breast. No one can be a person well to do
4.4.655
unless he understands both how to do good and how to do evil. With rogues he must be a rogue; with thieves let him filch whatever he can. It befits him who is truly wise, to be a person that can shift his very skin.
4.4.659_660
Good with the good let him be, bad with the bad: just as things are, so let him ever frame his humour. But I should like to know how much gold my master has taken for himself, and what he has given up to his father.
4.4.665
If he is a prudent person, he has made a Hercules of his parent: he has given him the tenth part, and has kept back nine for himself. But, see! the person whom I was looking for; he meets me most opportunely. (To MNESILOCHUS.) Has any of your money fallen down, my master, that thus, in silence, you are looking down upon the ground?
4.4.669
Why do I see you two sad and sorrowful?
4.4.670
I like it not; and ’tis not without some reason. Are you going now to give me any answer?
4.4.671
I’m undone, Chrysalus.
4.4.671b
Perhaps you took too little of the gold.
4.4.672
How, a plague, too little? Why, yes, indeed, a very great deal less than too little.
4.4.673
Why the mischief then, simpleton, since by my skill an opportunity was procured for that very purpose, that you might take as much as you pleased,
4.4.675
did you thus take it up with the tips of two fingers? Or, didn’t you know how rarely an opportunity of that kind presents itself to a person?
4.4.677
You are mistaken.
4.4.677b
Why, surely, ’tis you yourself that were mistaken, when you dip’t your fingers in not deep enough.
4.4.678
I’ faith, you’d upbraid me more than now you do, if you knew the matter better. I’m undone.
4.4.679b
My mind is now foreboding further mischief from those words.
4.4.680
I’m ruined.
4.4.680b
How so?
4.4.680c
Because I’ve given all up to my father, with every particle of it.
4.4.681
Given it up?
4.4.681b
Given it up.
4.4.681c
What, all?

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi004.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source.