Epidicus, or The Fortunate Discovery

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 684 sections

3.4.461b
Upon my faith, I don’t know whether it’s convenient or not, until perhaps you say what you want.
3.4.463
I want you to transfer her to me, and take the ransom.
3.4.463a
You may have her.
3.4.464
But why should I hesitate to speak out to you? I wish at once to make her my freed-woman, that she may be my mistress.
3.4.466b
I’ll make short work with you; she was bought for me for fifty minae of silver; if sixty minae are paid down to me, I’ll let the damsel employ your holidays,
3.4.470
and so assuredly so, that, if you like, you may remove her from this country.
3.4.471
Is she then purchased by me?
3.4.471b
On those terms you may have her.
3.4.472
You have made a good bargain.
3.4.472b
Hallo there! bring out of doors the Music-girl you took in. The harp, too, as well, that was thrown in with her, I’ll make you a present of it for nothing.
3.4.475
Come, take her, please.
3.4.475b
What madness possesses you? What mystery are you devising for me? Why don’t you order the Music-girl to be brought from in-doors?
3.4.477b
Why, this is the Music-girl. There’s no other one here.
3.4.478b
You can’t impose on me. Why don’t you bring out here the Music-girl Acropolistis?
3.4.480
This, I tell you, is she.
3.4.480b
This, I tell you, is not she. Do you suppose that I can’t know my own mistress?
3.4.481b
It was this Music-girl, I tell you, for whom my son was dying with love.
3.4.482b
This is not she.
3.4.483
How, not she?
3.4.483b
It is not.
3.4.483c
Where in the world, then, does, she come from? For my part, i’ faith, I certainly paid the money for her.
3.4.484b
Foolishly paid, I guess, and a mighty mistake.
3.4.485b
Nay, but this is she; for I sent the servant who is in the habit of attending my son; he himself this moment purchased the Music-girl.
3.4.488
Well then, this fellow has cut you up joint by joint, old gentleman, this servant of yours.
3.4.489b
How, cut me up?
3.4.489c
Such is my suspicion;
3.4.490
for she has been palmed upon you for that Music-girl. Old gentleman, you’ve been bubbled clearly and cleverly. I shall now go seek her wherever she is.
3.4.492b
Warrior, farewell!
3.4.493
Bravo, bravo! Epidicus You’re a clever fellow! You have fought well—you’re a man! you’ve wiped my nose when snivelling, worthless fellow that I am!
3.4.495
Did Apaecides purchase you to-day of the procurer? (A pause.) Come now, tell me.
3.4.496
I never heard of that person before to-day, nor, indeed, was any one able to purchase me for any money; I’ve been free now for more than five years.
3.4.499
What business have you, then, at my house?
3.4.499b
You shall hear;
3.4.500
I came, being hired to perform for an old gentleman while he was sacrificing.
3.4.501b
I do confess that I am the most worthless of all men in Athens of Attica. But do you know Acropolistis the Music-girl?
3.4.504
As well as my own self.
3.4.504b
Where does she live?
3.4.504c
Since she has been made free,
3.4.505
I don’t know for certain.
3.4.506
Well now, I should like to know who has made her free, if you know?
3.4.507b
That which I have heard, you shall hear; I heard that Stratippocles, the son of Periphanes, had provided in his absence that she should be made free.
3.4.510
By heavens, I’m undone, most clearly, if these things are true. Epidicus has disembowelled my purse!
3.4.512
I’ve heard to that effect. Do you want me for anything else?
3.4.513
Away to perdition in the veriest torments, and off this instant!
3.4.514
Won’t you give me back my harp?
3.4.514b
Neither harp nor pipes.
3.4.515
Make haste, then, and escape from here, if the Gods love you!
3.4.515b
I’ll be off. At a future time, however, you’ll restore it, with the greater disgrace to yourself.
3.4.517
What now? Shall I, who have been placed before so many edicts, allow him to get with impunity? No; even though as much again should be required to be lost, I’ll lose it rather than
3.4.520
allow myself to be held in derision with impunity and plundered by them. That I should have been thus cheated openly to my face, and that I should have been set at nought before this Apaecides, who is famed as being the framer and founder of all the laws and ordinances! He too declares that he is a wise man! that the hammer,
3.4.525
forsooth, should be wiser than the handle!
4.1.526
If a mortal being has aught of misery, through which, miserable creature, to be wretched from the heart, that same do I experience, for whom full many a woe unites in the same spot, which, all, at the same instant are beating against my breast. A multitude of troubles keep me in suspense.
4.1.530
Poverty and misery alarm the thoughts of my heart; nor have I anywhere a spot of safety where to fix my hopes; in such a way has my daughter fallen into the power of the enemy; nor do I know where she now is.
4.1.533
Who is this woman coming from a distance with a breast filled with alarms, and who thus bewails her lot?
4.1.534b
It was told me that Periphanes was living in this neighbourhood.
4.1.535b
She’s mentioning me; need of hospitality has befallen her, I suppose.
4.1.536
I would be very willing to give a reward to any one who would point me out that man, or where he dwells.
4.1.537
I recognize her; for I think I have seen her before; where, I know not. Is it, or is it not she, whom my mind suspects her to be?
4.1.539
Good Gods! I have seen this person before!
4.1.540
It surely is she, a poor woman whom I remember having an intrigue with at Epidaurus.
4.1.541
Surely it is he, who at Epidaurus first violated my maiden modesty.
4.1.542
She who had the daughter by me whom I’ve now got at home.
4.1.543
What if I accost him?
4.1.543b
I don’t know whether to make up to her.
4.1.543c
If this is she—
4.1.543d
But if it is the man, as length of years renders me doubtful—
4.1.545
Length of time renders my mind uncertain. But if it is she, whom with some doubt I conjecture it to be, I’ll accost her circumspectly.
4.1.546
A woman’s artfulness must be employed by me.
4.1.547
I’ll address her.
4.1.547b
I’ll bring my powers of conversation to bear against him.
4.1.548
Health to you!
4.1.548b
That health I accept for me and mine.
4.1.548c
What besides?
4.1.549
Health to yourself; what you lent me, I return.
4.1.549b
I don’t impeach your punctuality.
4.1.550
Don’t I know you?
4.1.550b
If I know you, I’ll move your feelings, so that you shall know me.
4.1.551
Where have I been in the habit of seeing you?
4.1.551b
You are unfairly hard upon me.
4.1.551c
Why so?
4.1.551d
Because you think it right that I should be the prompter of your memory.
4.1.552b
You speak to the purpose.
4.1.553b
You say what’s strange to me, Periphanes.
4.1.553d
Ah now! that’s better.
4.1.554
Do you remember, Philippa—
4.1.554b
Yes, I remember that.
4.1.554c
At Epidaurus—
4.1.554d
Ah! you have moistened my burning breast with a little drop of comfort.
4.1.555b
How I relieved the poverty of you, a poor young maiden, and your mother?
4.1.556b
What, are you he who for your own gratification brought heavy troubles upon me?
4.1.558
I am he. Health to you.
4.1.558b
I am in health, since I see you in health.
4.1.559
Give me your hand.
4.1.559b
Take it—you hold by the hand a woman distrest and full of woes.
4.1.560b
What is it that disturbs your features?
4.1.561
The daughter whom I had by you—
4.1.561b
What of her?
4.1.561c
When I had brought her up, I lost her; she fell into the hands of the enemy.
4.1.562b
Keep your mind in quiet and at rest. Why look, she’s here at my house safe and sound. For immediately I heard from my servant that she was a captive, instantly I gave the money for her to be purchased;
4.1.565
he managed this affair as discreetly and frugally as in other matters he is egregiously—dishonest.

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi009.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.