Cistellaria, or The Casket

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 346 sections

2.3.606b
Surely, just now you said you were in search of the daughter of her who has been talking here.
2.3.608
Her daughter I am in search of.
2.3.608b
In what way then, pray, is she a former woman, who is now his wife?
2.3.609b
Woman, whoever you are, you weary me with your prating.
2.3.611
The middle woman whom he had for a wife, of her this maiden was born that’s being given to Alcesimarchus. That wife is dead. Do you understand now?
2.3.613b
I understand that quite well; but it’s this knotty point I’m enquiring about, how
2.3.615
the first can be the last, the last be the first.
2.3.616
The fact is this; this woman he ravished before he took her home as his wife; before that she was pregnant, and before that she gave birth to a daughter: after she gave birth to her, she ordered the infant to be exposed; I myself exposed her; another woman took her away;
2.3.620
I was on the look-out; after that, my master married her. That girl, her daughter, we are now in search of. (MELAENIS turns aside her head.) Why now, with face upturned, are you looking up towards the heavens?
2.3.623
Now, then, be off at once whither you were hastening; I won’t detain you; I understand it now.
2.3.624b
I’ troth, to the Deities I do give thanks;
2.3.625
for if you hadn’t understood me, I do think you would never have let me go.
2.3.626
Now it’s necessary for me to be honest, whether I will or no, although I had rather not; I find the thing is discovered. Now will I myself lay them under an obligation to me, rather than she shall peach upon me. I’ll go home,
2.3.630
and I’ll bring Silenium to her parents.
3.1.631
I’ve disclosed the whole matter to you; follow, my Silenium, that you may rather belong to those to whom you ought to belong, than be mine. Although against my will I shall part with you, still I’ll reconcile my mind to consult that which in especial conduces to your benefit. (Giving her a casket.)
3.1.635
For here in this are the trinkets, together with which she who gave you to me formerly brought you to me; that your parents may recognize you the more easily. Take this casket, Halisca, and then go and knock at that door (pointing to the house of DEMIPHO): say that I request that some one will come from within. Make haste, quickly.
3.1.639
Death, receive me unto thyself, a friend and well-wisher to me!
3.1.639_640
My mother, to our sorrow, we are undone!
3.1.641b
Whether shall I pierce my side here (striking his right side) or on the left.
3.1.642
What’s the matter with you?
3.1.642b
Don’t you see Alcesimarchus? He’s grasping a sword.
3.1.643
What art about? Thou art delaying. Quit the light of day.
3.1.643b
Do run and aid him, pray, that he mayn’t kill himself.
3.1.644b
O Safety more healthful than my own safety, you now, whether I wish or don’t wish, alone do cause me to live.
3.1.646
Fie on it! Were you ready to commit such violence?
3.1.646b
I’ve nought to do with you—to you I’m dead. (Clasping SILENIUM in his arms.) Her, as I hold her, I’m determined not to lose. For, by heaven, I am resolved henceforth to have her entirely rivetted fast unto me. (Goes to the door of the house, and calls.) Where are you, servants? Shut the door with bolts, with bars,
3.1.650
when I shall have carried her within the threshold!
3.1.650b
He’s gone off: he has carried the damsel away. I’ll go—I’ll at once follow him in-doors, that he may know of me these same things, if from being angered with me I can render him pleased.
4.1.653
I do believe I never saw a more tormenting old nag than this is. What she just now confessed to me, is she to be denying it?
4.1.655
But look, I see my mistress. Why (seeing the casket on the ground), how’s this, that this casket is lying here with these trinkets, and that I see no other person in the street? I must act the child’s part; I’ll stoop to pick up the casket.
4.1.658
What are you about, Lampadio?
4.1.658b
Is this casket from out of our house here, I wonder. For I picked it up, lying here near the door.
4.1.659b
What news do you bring about the old woman?
4.1.660b
That there’s not one other on earth more wicked. She denies all those things which she just now confessed to me. But, i’ faith, for me to allow that old jade to be laughing at me, it’s preferable for me to die by any kind of death.
4.1.663b
Ye Gods, I do adjure you by our trust in you!
4.1.664
Why do you call upon the Gods?
4.1.664b
Save us!
4.1.664c
What’s the matter?
4.1.664d
These are the trinkets with which you exposed my little daughter to death.
4.1.666
Are you in your senses?
4.1.666b
These certainly are.
4.1.666c
Do you persist?
4.1.666d
These are they.
4.1.666e
If any other woman were to speak to me after that fashion, I should say she was drunk.
4.1.668
By heaven! I’m talking no nonsense.
4.1.668b
But prithee, whence in the world did these come, or what Deity placed this before our door? As though
4.1.670
for a given purpose, at the very instant
4.1.670b
sacred Hope comes to my aid?
4.2.671
Unless the Gods give me some aid, I’m utterly undone; nor do I know whence I am to seek for aid. To such a degree does carelessness possess wretched me in mind, which I sadly fear may be lighting upon my own back, if my mistress knows that I’m so negligent as I really am.
4.2.675
The casket which I took and held in my hands here before the door, where it is I know not; except, as I fancy, it was dropt by me about this spot. (Looks about on the ground.) My good sirs (to the AUDIENCE), my kind Spectators, do give me information if any one has seen it, if any one has taken it away, or any one picked it up; and whether in this direction or that he has taken his departure?
4.2.680
I’m none the wiser for asking these persons, or for worrying them, who are always delighted at a woman’s mishaps. Now I’ll mark if there are any footsteps here; for if no one had passed this way since I went in-doors, the casket would be lying here. Why say here? It’s lost, I guess;
4.2.685
it’s done for. It’s all over with unhappy and unlucky me! It’s nowhere, and nowhere am I. This, by its loss, has proved my loss. But still, as I’ve begun, I’ll e’en go on; I’ll make search; for both within do I fear, and without I am afraid; so much, on either side, does fear agitate me now. In this are mortals intensely wretched.
4.2.690
He is now joyous, whoever he is, that has found it, which is of no use at all to any person else; to myself it may be. But I cause delay to myself, while I’m doing this with remissness. Halisca, attend to what you are about: look down upon the ground, and look round about; search with your eyes; guess with shrewdness.
4.2.695
Mistress!
4.2.695b
Well, what’s the matter?
4.2.695c
That’s she.
4.2.695d
Who?
4.2.695e
She who let fall the casket.
4.2.696
Why surely she’s tracing out that spot where it fell.
4.2.696a
It seems so.
4.2.697
But that person has gone this way; this way I perceive the imprint of his shoe; this way I’ll follow him. (She moves along, still looking on the ground.) In this spot now has he stopped, along with another person. Here now a circle presents itself to my sight,
4.2.700
nor did he go straight forward this way; here he came to a pause. This way did he come out of that circle. Here was a conference with some one. It points to two persons now. Who are these? Heyday I see the footsteps of only one. But he has gone this way. I’ll consider it: hither he went from thence; from hence he has never gone.
4.2.703
I’m troubling myself to no purpose. What’s lost is lost; my hide along with the casket. I’ll go in-doors again.
4.2.704b
Hallo, woman-stop; there are some persons who wish to meet with you.
4.2.705
Who’s calling me back?
4.2.705b
A good female and a bad male want you.
4.2.706
Away with you, bad male; I want a good one. (To herself.) After all, he who calls knows better what he wants than I who am called; I’ll return. (Aloud.) Prithee, have you seen any person hereabouts pick up a casket with some trinkets, which I, to my misfortune, have lost here?
4.2.710
For when, just now, we were running into the house of Alcesimarchus, that he mightn’t put an end to his life, at that moment I think that, through terror, the casket fell down from me here.
4.2.712
This woman’s to our purpose; let’s then give heed to her a little, mistress.
4.2.713
To my sorrow, I’m utterly undone. What shall I say to my mistress, who bade me with such earnestness take care of it, through which Silenium might the more readily recognize her parents—who, when little, was adopted by my mistress as her own,
4.2.716
and whom a certain Courtesan gave to her?
4.2.716b
(aside.) She’s talking about this matter of ours. According as she gives these indications by her talk, she must surely know where your daughter is.
4.2.718
Now is she desirous of her own accord to restore her to her father and mother, whose daughter she is; prithee, my good sir, you are attending to something else; I commend my matter to you.
4.2.720
I’m giving my attention to this, and this is as good as food to me, that you are talking of; but amid my attending to this matter, I was answering this mistress of mine what she was enquiring; now I return to you. If you have need of anything, say you, and give your orders. What were you looking, for?
4.2.723b
My good sir and my good madam, I greet you.
4.2.724
And we you. But what are you looking for?
4.2.724b
I’m tracing footsteps here,
4.2.725
the way that something has escaped me here, I don’t know how.
4.2.725b
What is it?
4.2.725a
What is it, pray?
4.2.726
Something to bring a loss to another, and a calamity on our family.
4.2.727
A worthless baggage is this, mistress, and a crafty one.
4.2.727b
I’ faith, and so she seems.
4.2.728
She imitates a worthless animal and a mischievous.
4.2.728b
Which one, prithee?
4.2.729
A caterpillar, which twisting about winds itself in the leaf of the vine;
4.2.730
just in the same way does she begin a story that twists about. (To HALISCA.) What are you looking for?
4.2.731b
A casket, my good young man, has flown away from me here.
4.2.732
You ought to have put it in a cage.
4.2.732b
I’ faith, the booty was no great one.
4.2.733
It’s a wonder, if a whole troop of slaves isn’t there in the casket.
4.2.734
Do let her speak.
4.2.734b
If indeed she would speak.
4.2.734c
Come say you, what was in it?
4.2.735
Trinkets only.
4.2.735b
There’s a certain man, who declares that he knows where it is.
4.2.736
But, by my faith, he’ll confer an obligation on a certain woman if he’ll discover it.
4.2.737
But this certain man wishes a reward to be given to him.
4.2.737b
But, by my faith, this certain woman, that has lost this casket, declares that she has nothing to give to this certain man.
4.2.739
But still this certain man looks for some money.

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.