Cistellaria, or The Casket

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 346 sections

1.3.165
she made the servant of her father partaker of her counsels, and gave to that servant the child to be exposed to death. He exposed it; this woman took up the child; that servant, who had exposed it, secretly took note whither or to what house she carried away the child.
1.3.170
As you have heard her own self confess, she gave this child to the Courtesan Melaenis; and she brought her up as being her own daughter, honestly and virtuously. But then, this Lemnian married a neighbour there, his relation, for his wife.
1.3.175
She departed this life; there she was compliant to her husband. After he had performed the due obsequies to his wife, at once he removed hither; here he married for his wife that same woman whom formerly, when a maid, he ravished. When he understood that it was she whom he had ravished,
1.3.180
she told him that, in consequence of the violation, she had brought forth a daughter, and had at once given her to a servant to be exposed. He forthwith ordered this same servant to make enquiries, if anyhow he could discover who had taken it up. Now to that task
1.3.185
is the servant always assiduously devoting his attention, if he can find out that Courtesan, whom formerly, when he himself exposed her, he from his hidingplace had seen take her up. Now, what remains unpaid, I wish to discharge, that my name may be struck out, so that I mayn’t remain a debtor.
1.3.190
A young man is here at Sicyon, his father is alive; with affection he distractedly dotes upon this exposed girl, who just now went hence in tears unto her mother; and she loves him in return, which is the most delightful love of all. As human matters go, nothing is granted for everlasting:
1.3.195
the father is wishful to give the young man a wife. When the mother came to know of this, she ordered her to be sent for home. Thus have these matters come to pass. Kindly fare you well, and conquer by inborn valour, as you have done before; defend your allies, both ancient ones and new;
1.3.200
increase resources by your righteous laws; destroy your foes; laud and laurels gather; that, conquered by you, the Pœni may suffer the penalty.
2.1.203
I do believe that Love was the first to invent torture among mankind. This conjecture do I form from myself at home, not to go seek it out of doors;
2.1.205
I, who surpass all men, exceed them in the pangs of my feelings. I’m tossed, tormented, agitated, goaded, whirled on the wheel of love in my misery, I’m deprived of sensation, carried one way, carried another way, I’m torn and rent asunder; such clouded faculties of mind have I,
2.1.211
where I am, there I am not; where I am not, there my thoughts are; to such a degree have I now all kinds of feelings in me; what I like, then all at once I like not the same; so much does love trifle with me changing my mind,
2.1.216
drive me, pursue, desire, and seize for itself, retain, trepan, and promise; what it gives, it gives not; it deludes me; what this moment it has persuaded me, it now dissuades me from; what it has dissuaded me from, it now points out to me that same.
2.1.221
After the manner of the sea is it experienced by me; so much does it distract my enamoured feelings; and only in that, in my misery, I do not sink utterly, is there any evil removed from me thus ruined;
2.1.225
in such a way has my father detained me these six days running in the country, at his house there; nor has it been allowed me in the meantime to visit my mistress. Isn’t this dreadful to relate?
2.1.492
Are you joking for this reason, because you’ve got another wife engaged, a rich lady of Lemnos? Have her then! We are neither of a family so great as you are, nor is our wealth so substantial as yours; but still
2.1.495
I have no fears that any one will impeach our oath; you then, if you shall feel any pain, will know for what reason you do feel pain.
2.1.497
May the Gods confound me—
2.1.497b
Whatever you wish for, I desire it may befall you.
2.1.498
If ever I’ll marry that wife which my father has engaged for me.
2.1.499
And me, if ever I give you my daughter for a wife.
2.1.500
Will you allow me to be forsworn?
2.1.500b
Yes, and a little more easily than myself and my affairs to go to ruin, and my daughter to be trifled with. Begone! go seek where there is confidence enough in your oaths; here now, with us, Alcesimarchus, you’ve renounced your title to our friendship.
2.1.504
Make trial of me but once.
2.1.504b
I have made that trial full oft; which I lament has been so made.
2.1.505
Give her back to me.
2.1.505b
Under new circumstances I’ll use an old proverb: What I have given, I wish I had not given; what’s left, that I shall not give.
2.1.507
Won’t you restore her again to me?
2.1.507b
Answer yourself for me.
2.1.508
You won’t restore her then?
2.1.508b
You know the whole of my resolution already.
2.1.509
Is that quite resolved upon by you in your heart?
2.1.509b
Why, in fact, I’m thinking about something else;
2.1.510
i’ faith, I don’t at present catch these words of yours with my ears.
2.1.511
Not hear? Why, what are you doing?
2.1.511b
Then do you give heed at once, that you may know what you are doing.
2.1.512
Then, so may the Gods and Goddesses of above and below, and of middle rank, and so may Juno the queen and the daughter of supreme Jove, and so may Saturn his uncle—
2.1.514b
I’ troth, his father—
2.1.515
And so may Ops the opulent, his grandam—
2.1.515b
Indeed, his mother, rather.
2.1.516
Juno his daughter, and Saturn his uncle, supreme Jove—You are maddening me; it’s through you I make these mistakes.
2.1.517b
Go on saying so.
2.1.518
Is it that I’m to know what conclusion you are going to come to?
2.1.519
Go on talking; I shall not send her back, that’s resolved upon.
2.1.519b
Why then, so may Jupiter,
2.1.520
and so may Juno and Saturn, to me, so may—I don’t know what to say—Now I know—Yes, madam, listen, that you may know my mind; may all the Deities, great and small, and those honored with the platter cause me not surviving to give a kiss this day to Silenium, if I don’t this very day murder you and your daughter and myself,
2.1.525
and after that, with the break of day, if I don’t to-morrow kill you both, and indeed, by all the powers, if at the third onset I don’t demolish you all, if you don’t send her back to me. I’ve said what I intended. Farewell.
2.1.528
He’s gone in-doors in a rage. What shall I do now? If she comes back to him, matters will be just in the same position. When satiety begins to take possession;
2.1.530
he’ll be turning her out of doors, when he shall be bringing home this Lemnian wife. But still I’ll go and follow him; there’s necessity for caution, lest he, in love, should be doing some mischief. In fine, since with strict justice a poor person’s not allowed to contend with a rich one, I’ll lose my labour rather than lose my daughter. But who’s this that straight along the street is directing his course this way?
2.1.535
Both the other matter do I fear, and this do I dread; so utterly in trepidation am wretched I.
2.2.536
I’ve followed the old woman with my clamour through the streets; I’ve kept her most dreadfully plagued. In what a multitude of ways has she, this day, kept guard upon herself, and been able to remember nothing. How many alluring things, what advantages I’ve promised her.
2.2.540
How many inventions I’ve applied to her, how many stratagems in questioning her. With difficulty have I extorted it from her that she should tell me, because I promised to give her a cask of wine.
2.3.543
I seemed just now to be hearing the voice of my servant Lampadiscus before the house.
2.3.544b
You are not deaf, mistress, you heard aright.
2.3.545b
What are you doing here?
2.3.545c
A thing for you to rejoice at.
2.3.546
What’s that?
2.3.546b
A little while ago, I saw a woman coming out of that house there.
2.3.547b
Her that took up my daughter?
2.3.548b
You have the matter rgiht.
2.3.548c
What after that?
2.3.549
I told her in what way I had seen her take up the daughter of my mistress from the Hippodrome.
2.3.551
Then she was in a fright.
2.3.551b
(apart.) Now my body’s in a shudder, my heart is throbbing; for I recollect that from the Hippodrome the little female infant was brought to me, and that I brought it up as my own.
2.3.554
Come, prithee, do go on; my soul’s longing to hear
2.3.555
how the matter proceeded.
2.3.555b
(apart.) I only wish you couldn’t hear.
2.3.556
I proceed saying, This old woman calls you her daughter wrongfully. For this woman here is your foster-mother, so don’t think she is your mother. I’m to take you back and invite you to opulence, where you may be settled in a noble family,
2.3.560
where your father may present you with twenty great talents for a portion. For this is not a place where after the Etrurian mode you are disgracefully to earn a dowry for yourself by prostitution of your person.
2.3.564
Is she, pray, a Courtesan, who took it up?
2.3.565
Yes, she was a Courtesan. But how it happened, I’ll tell you about that matter. I was now winning her over to me by my persuasion. The old woman embraced her knees, weeping and entreating that she would not forsake her; saying that she was her own daughter; and she took a solemn oath to me that she herself had borne her.
2.3.570
Her, said she, whom you are in search of, I gave to a friend of mine to bring her up as her own daughter; and she is alive, said she. Where is she? immediately said I.
2.3.573
Preserve me, ye Gods, I do entreat you.
2.3.573b
But me you are undoing!
2.3.574
You ought to have enquired to whom she gave it.
2.3.575
I did enquire, and she said to the Courtesan Melaenis.
2.3.576
He has mentioned my name? I’m utterly undone!
2.3.577
When she mentioned her, I straightway asked, Where does she live? said I; take and show me. She has been carried off hence, says she, to live abroad.
2.3.579b
He’s sprinkling a little cold water now.
2.3.580b
Wherever she has been carried off, thither we will follow. Do you trifle in this fashion? You are undone, if, i’ faith, you don’t disclose this.I insisted to such a degree, that the old woman swore that she would soon inform me.
2.3.584b
But you oughtn’t to have let her go.
2.3.585
She’s all safe; but she said that she wished first to meet a certain woman, a friend of hers, with whom this was a matter of interest in common, and I’m sure she’ll come.
2.3.588b
She’ll be discovering me, and adding her own distress to mine.
2.3.591
Make me acquainted what you now wish me to do.
2.3.591b
Go in-doors, and be of good heart. If your husband shall come, bid him wait at home, lest he should be required by me, if I want him for anything. I’m going to run back to the old woman.
2.3.594b
Lampadio, prithee, do take care.
2.3.595b
I’ll have this matter well managed.
2.3.596
I trust in the Gods and in yourself.
2.3.596b
And I in the same.—that you’ll now go home.
2.3.597
Young man, stay and listen.
2.3.597b
What, are you calling to me, woman?
2.3.598
To you.
2.3.598b
What’s the matter? For I’m fully engaged.
2.3.599
Who lives there?
2.3.599b
Demipho, my master.
2.3.600
It is he, I suppose, that has betrothed his daughter with such great wealth to Alcesimarchus?
2.3.602
It is he himself.
2.3.602b
How now, you? What other daughter, then, are you people now in search of?
2.3.603b
I’ll tell you; not his daughter by his wife, but his wife’s daughter.
2.3.605
What’s the meaning of that speech?
2.3.605b
By a former woman, I say, my master had a daughter born.

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi007.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.