Casina, or The Stratagem Defeated

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 752 sections

3.5.692
She has; but two of them.
3.5.692b
Why two?
3.5.692c
She says that this very day she’ll murder you with the one, the bailiff with the other.
3.5.694
I am now the most utterly murdered of all people that do exist.
3.5.695
I’ll put on me a coat of mail; I think that’s the best. What did my wife do? Didn’t she go and take them away from her?
3.5.697
No person dares go near her.
3.5.697b
She should have prevailed on her.
3.5.697c
She is entreating her. She declares that assuredly she will lay them down on no other terms, unless she understands that she shall not be given to the bailiff.
3.5.700
But whether she likes it or no, because she refuses, she shall marry him this day. For why shouldn’t I carry this out that I’ve begun, for her to marry me?—that, indeed, I didn’t intend to say—but, our bailiff?
3.5.703b
You’re making your mistakes pretty often.
3.5.704
It’s alarm that impedes my words. But, prithee,
3.5.705
do tell my wife, that I entreat her to prevail upon her to put down the sword, and allow me to return in-doors.
3.5.706b
I’ll tell her.
3.5.707
And do you entreat her.
3.5.707b
And I’ll entreat her.
3.5.707c
And in soft language, in your usual way. But do you hear me? If you manage this, I’ll give you a pair of shoes and a gold ring for your finger, and plenty of nice things.
3.5.710
I’ll do my best.
3.5.710b
Take care and prevail.
3.5.711
Now then I’ll be off; unless you detain me for anything.
3.5.712b
Be off, and take care.
3.5.713_719
Look, his assistant is returning, at last, with the provisions; he’s bringing a train after him. (She goes into the house.)
3.6.720
See, you thief, that you lead on your briars beneath their banners.
3.6.720b
But how are they briars?
3.6.721
Because that which they have touched, they instantly seize hold of; if you go to snatch it from them, they instantly rend it; so, wherever they come, wherever they are, with a twofold loss do they mulct their masters.
3.6.723
Heyday, indeed!
3.6.723b
Well, well! This way I’m delaying to go meet my master with a magnificent, patrician, and patronizing air. (He struts along.)
3.6.724_725
My good man, save you.
3.6.724_725b
I admit that so I am.
3.6.724_725c
How goes it?
3.6.724_725d
You are in love, but I’m hungering and thirsting.
3.6.726
You have come capitally provided.
3.6.726b
Pooh! pooh!
3.6.727
But stop you, although you do hold me in contempt—
3.6.727b
O dear, O dear! your converse has a bad smell to me. (Moving away.)
3.6.728
What’s the matter?
3.6.728b
That’s the matter.
3.6.728a
Will you not stop there?
3.6.728aa
Why, really, you are causing me ennui .
3.6.729
I shall be giving you a grand coup , I fancy, if you don’t stand still forthwith. (Catches hold of him.)
3.6.730b
O mon Dieu! Can’t you get away from me, unless you would like me to be sick just now?
3.6.732
Do stop a bit.
3.6.732b
How’s this? (Staring at him.) What person’s this?
3.6.733_735
I’m your master.
3.6.733_735b
What master?
3.6.733_735c
He whose slave you are.
3.6.733_735d
I, a slave?
3.6.733_735e
Aye, and mine.
3.6.736
Am I not a free man? Remember! remember!
3.6.737b
Stop and stay you there!
3.6.737c
Let me alone.
3.6.738
I am your slave.
3.6.738b
That’s very good.
3.6.738c
My dear little Olympio, my father, my patron, I do beg of you—
3.6.739b
Well, you certainly are in your senses.
3.6.740b
Of course I am your slave.
3.6.741
What need have I of so worthless a slave?
3.6.742
Well now, how soon are you going to provide me some amusement ?
3.6.743
If the dinner were but drest.
3.6.744
Then let them be off this instant in-doors.
3.6.744b
Go you into the house and despatch with all haste.
3.6.746
I’ll come in just now. Have the dinner charmingly sauced up for me; I want to have a charming meal. I really don’t care, now, to be eating in the style of your sumptuous foreigners. Be off, will you; but for the present, however, I take up my abode here.
3.6.748a
Is there anything that detains you here?
3.6.749
The servant-maid says that Casina has got a sword in-doors, to deprive you and me of life with it.
3.6.750
I understand it. Just let her alone with it. They are imposing on you: I know these worthless baggages. However, do you now go into the house with me.
3.6.754b
But, i’ faith, I’m fearful of mischief:
3.6.755
only do you go. Reconnoitre, first, what’s going on within.
3.6.756
My life’s as dear to me as yours is to you.
3.6.758
But only do go now.
3.6.758b
If you’ll go yourself, I’ll go in with you.
4.1.759
Upon my faith, I do not believe that at Nemea, nor do I think that at Olympia,
4.1.760
or anywhere else, there ever where such funny games as these ridiculous games that are going on in-doors here with our old gentleman and our bailiff Olympio. In-doors, all over the house, all are in a bustle; the old man is bawling away in the kitchen, and urging on the cooks.
4.1.765
Why don’t you go to work at once? Why don’t you serve up, if you are going to serve up? Make haste; the dinner ought to have been cooked by this. And then this bailiff is strutting about with his chaplet, clothed in white and finely rigged out. And then these women are dressing up the armour-bearer in the bedroom,
4.1.770
to give him to be married to our bailiff in place of Casina; but the artful baggages very cleverly conceal what the upshot of this is really to be. Then too, in a manner quite worthy of them, the cooks are very cleverly doing their best to the end that the old gentleman mayn’t get his dinner. They are upsetting the pots, and putting out the fire with the water.
4.1.775
At the request of these ladies they are so doing; they, too, are determined to bundle the old fellow dinnerless out of doors, that they by themselves may blow out their own stomachs. I know these female gluttons; a merchant-ship full of victuals they can devour. But the door is opening.
4.2.780
If you are wise, wife, you’ll dine, after all, when the dinner’s cooked. I shall dine in the country, for I’m desirous to attend the new-made husband and the newly-made bride into the country (I know the mischievous habits of persons), that no one may carry her off. Do you people indulge your appetite.
4.2.785
But do make haste and send him and her out immediately, that at least we may get there in daylight. I shall be here tomorrow; to-morrow, wife, I’ll be having a banquet still.
4.2.788
’Tis as I said it would be; the women are packing the old fellow dinnerless out of doors.
4.2.789b
What are you doing here?
4.2.790
I’m going whither she sent me.
4.2.790b
Really?
4.2.790c
Seriously.
4.2.791
What are you looking for here?
4.2.791b
Really I’m looking for nothing at all.
4.2.791c
Be off; you are loitering here; the others are bustling about in-doors.
4.2.792b
I’m off.
4.2.793
Be off, then, will you, away from here, you jade of jades. (PARDALISCA goes into the house.) Is she gone then? I may now say here anything I please.
4.2.795
He that’s in love, i’ faith, even if he is hungry, isn’t hungry at all. But see, the bailiff, my associate, companion, and husband-in-copartnership, is coming out of doors with wreath and torch.
4.3.798
Come, piper, while they are escorting the new-made bride out of doors, make the whole of this street resound with a sweet wedding-tune.
4.3.800
Io Hymen hymenaee! Io Hymen!
4.3.801
How fare you, my preserver?
4.3.801b
I’m very hungry, faith; and, in fact, I’m not thirsty a little.
4.3.802
But I’m in love.
4.3.802b
Still, upon my faith, love, I shan’t be making any trial of you. For some time past my inside has been grumbling with emptiness.
4.3.804
But why is she now delaying so long in-doors, just as though on purpose?
4.3.805
The greater the haste I’m in, in so much the less is she.
4.3.806
What if I were even to trill an hymeneal lay?
4.3.807
I agree to that; and I’ll help you at these our common nuptials.
4.3.808
Hymen hymenaee! Io Hymen!
4.3.809
Upon my faith, I’m dreadfully done up; one may burst one’s self with singing this hymeneal lay; if I do burst this way, I can’t burst any other, that I may make sure of.
4.3.811
Upon my faith, for sure, if you were a horse, you’d never be broken in.

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi006.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.