Heautontimorumenos; or, The Self-Tormenter

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 909 sections

3.3.587b
Take a walk! where?
3.3.587c
Pshaw! Just as if there was no place to walk in. Why, then, go this way, that way, where you will.
3.3.588b
He says right, I’m of his opinion.
3.3.589
May the Gods extirpate you, Syrus, for thrusting me away from here.
3.3.589b
Then
3.3.590
do you for the future keep those hands of yours within bounds. (Exit CLITIPHO.) Really now (to CHREMES), what do you think? What do you imagine will become of him next, unless, so far as the Gods afford you the means, you watch him, correct and admonish him ?
3.3.593
I’ll take care of that.
3.3.593b
But now, master, he must be looked after by you.
3.3.594
It shall be done.
3.3.594b
If you are wise,—for now he minds me less and less every day.
3.3.595
What say you? What have you done, Syrus, about that matter which I was mentioning to you a short time since? Have you any plan that suits you, or not yet even?
3.3.596b
You mean the design upon Menedemus? I have; I have just hit upon one.
3.3.597b
You are a clever fellow; what is it? Tell me.
3.3.598
I’ll tell you; but, as one matter arises out of another—
3.3.598b
Why, what. is it, Syrus?
3.3.599
This Courtesan is a very bad woman.
3.3.599b
So she seems.
3.3.599c
Aye, if you did but know.
3.3.600
O shocking! just see what she is hatching. There was a certain old woman here from Corinth,—this Bacchis lent her a thousand silver drachmae.
3.3.602
What then?
3.3.602b
She is now dead: she has left a daughter, a young girl. She has been left with this Bacchis as a pledge for that sum.
3.3.603b
I understand you.
3.3.604
She has brought her hither along with her, her I mean who is now with your wife.
3.3.605
What then?
3.3.605b
She is soliciting Clinia at once to advance her this money; she says, however, that this girl is to be a security, that, at a future time, she will repay the thousand pieces of money.
3.3.606b
And would she really be a security?
3.3.606c
Dear me, is it to be doubted?
3.3.607a
I think so.
3.3.607b
What then do you intend doing?
3.3.608
What, I? I shall go to Menedemus; I’ll tell him she is a captive from Caria, rich, and of noble family; if he redeems her, there will be a considerable profit in this transaction.
3.3.610
You are in an error.
3.3.610b
Why so ?
3.3.610c
I’ll now answer you for Menedemus—I will not purchase her.
3.3.611b
What is it you say? Do speak more agreeably to our wishes.
3.3.611c
But there is no occasion.
3.3.612
No occasion?
3.3.612b
Certainly not, i’ faith.
3.3.612c
How so, I wonder?
3.3.612d
You shall soon know.
3.3.613
Stop, stop; what is the reason that there is such a great noise at our door?
4.1.614
Unless my fancy deceives me, surely this is the ring which I suspect it to be, the same with which my daughter was exposed.
4.1.615b
Syrus, what is the meaning of these expressions ?
4.1.616
Nurse, how is it? Does it not seem to you the same?
4.1.616b
As for me, I said it was the same the very instant that you showed it me.
4.1.617b
But have you now examined it thoroughly, my dear nurse?
4.1.617c
Thoroughly.
4.1.618
Then go in-doors at once, and if she has now done bathing, bring me word. I’ll wait here in the mean time for my husband.
4.1.619b
She wants you, see what it is she wants;
4.1.620
she is in a serious mood, I don’t know why; it is not without a cause—I fear what it may be.
4.1.620b
What it may be? I’ faith, she’ll now surely be announcing some important trifle, with a great parade.
4.1.622
Ha! my husband!
4.1.622b
Ha! my wife !
4.1.622c
I was looking for you.
4.1.622d
Tell me what you want.
4.1.623
In the first place, this I beg of you, not to believe that I have ventured to do any thing contrary to your commands.
4.1.624b
Would you have me believe you in this, although so incredible? Well, I will believe you.
4.1.625b
This excuse portends I know not what offense.
4.1.626
Do you remember me being pregnant, and yourself declaring to me, most peremptorily, that if I should bring forth a girl, you would not have it brought up.
4.1.627b
I know what you have done, you have brought it up.
4.1.628b
Such is the fact, I’m sure: my young master has gained a loss in consequence.
4.1.629
Not at all; but there was here an elderly woman of Corinth, of no indifferent character; to her I gave it
4.1.630
to be exposed.
4.1.630b
O Jupiter! that there should be such extreme folly in a person’s mind.
4.1.631
Alas! what have I done ?
4.1.631b
And do you ask the question?
4.1.631c
If I have acted wrong, my dear Chremes, I have done so in ignorance.
4.1.632b
This, indeed, I know for certain, even if you were to deny it, that in every thing you both speak and act ignorantly and foolishly: how many blunders you disclose in this single affair! For, in the first place, then, if
4.1.635
you had been disposed to obey my orders, the child ought to have been dispatched; you ought not in words to have feigned her death, and in reality to have left hopes of her surviving. But that I pass over; compassion, maternal affection, I allow it. But how finely you did provide for the future! What was your meaning? Do reflect. It’s clear, beyond a doubt, that your daughter was betrayed by you to this old woman,
4.1.640
either that through you she might make a living by her, or that she might be sold in open market as a slave. I suppose you reasoned thus: any thing is enough, if only her life is saved: what are you to do with those who understand neither law, nor right and justice? Be it for better or for worse, be it for them or against them, they see nothing except just what they please.
4.1.644
My dear Chremes, I have done wrong, I own; I am convinced. Now this I beg of you;
4.1.645
inasmuch as you are more advanced in years than I, be so much the more ready to forgive; so that your justice may be some protection for my weakness.
4.1.647
I’ll readily forgive you doing this, of course; but, Sostrata, my easy temper prompts you to do amiss. But, whatever this circumstance is, by reason of which this was begun upon, proceed to tell it.
4.1.649b
As we women are all foolishly and wretchedly
4.1.650
superstitious, when I delivered the child to her to be exposed, I drew a ring from off my finger, and ordered her to expose it, together with the child; that if she should die, she might not be without some portion of our possessions.
4.1.653
That was right; thereby you proved the saving of yourself and her.
4.1.653b
This is that ring.
4.1.654
Whence did you get it?
4.1.654b
From the young woman whom Bacchis brought here with her.
4.1.654c
Ha!
4.1.655
What does she say?
4.1.655b
She gave it me to keep for her, while she went to bathe. At first I paid no attention to it; but after I looked at it, I at once recognized it, and came running to you.
4.1.657b
What do you suspect now, or have you discovered, relative to her?
4.1.658b
I don’t know; unless you inquire of herself whence she got it, if that can possibly be discovered.
4.1.659b
I’m undone! I see more hopes from this incident than I desire.
4.1.660
If it is so, she certainly must be ours.
4.1.660b
Is this woman living to whom you delivered the child?
4.1.660c
I don’t know.
4.1.661
What account did she bring you at the time?
4.1.661b
That she had done as I had ordered her.
4.1.662
Tell me what is the woman’s name, that she may be inquired after.
4.1.662b
Philtere.
4.1.663
’Tis the very same. It’s a wonder if she isn’t found, and I lost.
4.1.663b
Sostrata, follow me this way in-doors.
4.1.664b
How much beyond my hopes has this matter turned out! How dreadfully afraid I was,
4.1.665
Chremes, that you would now be of feelings as unrelenting as formerly you were on exposing the child.
4.1.666
Many a time a man can not be such as he would be, if circumstances do not admit of it. Time has now so brought it about, that I should be glad of a daughter; formerly I wished for nothing less.
4.2.668
Unless my fancy deceives me, retribution will not be very far off from me; so much by this incident are my forces now utterly driven into straits;
4.2.670
unless I contrive by some means that the old man mayn’t come to know that this damsel is his son’s mistress. For as to entertaining any hopes about the money, or supposing I could cajole him, it’s useless; I shall be sufficient triumphant, if I’m allowed to escape with my sides covered. I’m vexed that such a tempting morsel has been so suddenly snatched away from my jaws. What am I to do? Or what shall I devise? I must begin upon my plan over again.
4.2.675
Nothing is so difficult, but that it may be found out by seeking. What now if I set about it after this fashion. (He considers.) That’s of no use. What, if after this fashion? I effect just about the same. But this I think will do. It can not. Yes! excellent. Bravo! I’ve found out the best of all—I’ faith, I do believe that after all I shall lay hold of this same run-away money.
4.3.679
Nothing can possibly henceforth befall me of such consequence

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0134.phi002.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.