Eunuchus

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 1,575 sections

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FABULAE INTERLOCUTORES. ANTIPHO, adolescens. CHAEREA, adolescens. CHREMES, adolescens rusticus. DORIAS, ancilla. DORUS, eunuchus. GNATHO, parasitus. LACHES, senex. PARMENO, servus. PHAEDRIA, adolescens. PYTHIAS, ancilla. SANGA, lixa. SOPHRONA, nutrix. THAIS, meretrix. THRASO, miles.
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INTRODUCTION. PAMPHILA and Chremes were the children of an Athenian citizen. Pamphila, while an infant, was carried off from her home at Sunium by robbers, and by them sold to a merchant of Rhodes. He presented her to a courtesan of that place, who had her brought up with her own daughter Thais as her younger sister. When Thais grew up she removed to Athens with a lover of hers, who at his death left her all his property. She then kept company with a soldier named Thraso, who went to Caria after living with her a short time. Meanwhile her mother had died, and her uncle wishing to realize money by Pamphila, who was beautiful and accomplished, sold her to Thraso, who happened to be at Rhodes on his return to Athens, and carried her with him intending to make a present of her to Thais. During his absence, however, Thais had found a new lover, one Phaedria, son of Laches. This Thraso discovers on his return, and in order to secure his footing with her, makes his present conditional upon Phaedria’s dismissal. This causes Thais great perplexity, for she is really attached to Phaedria, and yet much wishes to get possession of Pamphila, whose history she has learnt in part, and whom she hopes to restore to her Athenian family, intending by so doing to make herself friends in Athens. Accordingly she shuts her door against Phaedria.
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He is at first highly incensed at her conduct; but after an interview with her, consents to absent himself from Athens for a day or two, that she may have time to obtain Pamphila from Thraso. Before he goes he gives orders that an Ethiopian slave, and an eunuch whom he has bought for Thais, shall be taken to her house. At this moment Thraso sends Pamphila under the escort of Gnatho his follower. On her way to Thais’ house she is seen in the street by Chaerea, Phaedria’s brother, who at first sight falls desperately in love with her, and hurries after her, but being detained on his way by an old friend of his father’s, arrives just too late to see her taken into the house. Here he falls in with Parmeno, his father’s slave, and between them they concoct the scheme on which the plot of the play turns. Chaerea is dressed up in the eunuch’s clothes and conducted to Thais’ house, where he soon has an opportunity of carrying out his intended scheme, during the absence of Thais at Thraso’s house; after which he makes his escape. This event causes the greatest consternation in the household; and is no less distressing to Thais, who finds her plan for restoring Pamphila to her relations thus awkwardly frustrated. For in the meantime she has obtained some interviews with Chremes, the brother of Pamphila, and has nearly identified Pamphila when the catastrophe comes to her knowledge. Phaedria, too, is much disconcerted at discovering that his present has worked so much mischief. All parties, in fact, are at their wit’s end, with the exception of Chaerea, who, upon discovering Pamphila’s history, makes the best amends he can by undertaking to marry her. Pythias meanwhile, Thais’ maid, pays off old scores by driving Parmeno to divulge the whole matter to Laches, father of Chaerea and Phaedria.
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The result is of course a happy explanation on all sides. Thais is taken under Laches’ protection, and continues her intimacy with Phaedria. Chaerea and Pamphila marry. Parmeno is forgiven by his grateful young master: and the only person who suffers is the unfortunate Thraso, who is beaten clean off the field, and is only too glad to submit to be the perpetual butt of these young sparks, on condition that he shall be allowed to be one in their parties, and thus still enjoy the society of Thais. This is the outline of the play, which gives a very lively and amusing action. But the most admirable feature is the manner in which some of the subordinate parts are worked out. The bye-play between Pythias and Parmeno is admirable. The character of the Parasite as drawn in Act II. scene ii. is admirable, and striking from its novelty after the hackneyed ideal which is presented to us in all the plays of Plautus. No less admirable is the Braggadocio of Act III. scene i., the features of the character being the same as those of the Miles Gloriosus of Plautus, except that Terence with greater humour makes Thraso prouder of his wit than of his military exploits. The scene in which Thraso is represented as attacking Thais in her house (Act IV. scene vii.) is highly ridiculous, and reminds one more strongly than any passage of Terence of the free humour of Aristophanes. We cannot wonder that the Eunuchus should have been the most popular of all Terence’s plays: for here there is the nearest approach to the Plautini sales, which were the true Roman comedy. It is said to have been purchased by the Aediles for the sum of 8000 sesterces (above 64 £ 10 s. sterling), the largest sum which had been given for any play. The leading incident of the plot makes it unfit for the modern stage: but when we say this we say all that can be said against the play. The execution is highly delicate, even in the famous scene which describes the successful issue of Chaerea’s scheme. The play is said by the author of the Life of Terence to have been acted twice in one day: and no doubt it was acted on more than one occasion.
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EUNUCHUS. ACTA LUDIS MEGALENSIBUS, L. POSTUMIO ALBINO L. CORNELIO MERULA AEDILIBUS CURULIBUS. EGERE L. AMBIVIUS TURPIO L. ATILIUS PRAENESTINUS TIBIIS DUABUS DEXTRIS. GRAECA MENANDRU. ACTA II. MODOS FECIT FLACCUS CLAUDII, M. VALERIO C. FANNIO COSS.
prologue.pr.1
Si quisquam est qui placere se studeat bonis
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Quam plurimis et minime multos laedere,
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In his poeta hic nomen profitetur suum.
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Tum si quis est qui dictum in se inclementius
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Existimavit esse, sic existimet,
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Responsum non dictum esse, quia laesit prior,
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Qui bene vertendo, et easdem scribendo male, ex
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Graecis bonis Latinas fecit non bonas.
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Idem Menandri Phasma nunc nuper dedit;
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Atque in Thesauro scripsit causamn dicere
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Prius unde petitur aurum quare sit suumn
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Quam ille qui petit unde is sit thesaurus sibi,
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Aut unde in patrium monumentum pervenerit.
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Dehinc ne frustretur ipse se, aut sic cogitet,
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Defunctus iam sum, nihil est quod dicat mihi;
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Is ne erret moneo et desinat lacessere.
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Habeo alia multa quae nunc condonabitur;
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Quae proferentur post, si perget laedere
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Ita ut facere instituit. Quam nunc acturi sumus
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Menandri Eunuchum postquam Aediles emerunt,
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Perfecit sibi ut inspiciendi esset copia.
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Magistratus cum ibi adessent occepta est agi.
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Exclamat furem non poetam fabulam
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Dedisse, et nihil dedisse verborum tamen;
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Colacem esse Naevi et Plauti veterem fabulam;
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Parasiti personam inde ablatam et militis.
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Si id est peccatum, peccatum imprudentia est
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Poetae; non qui furtum facere studuerit.
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Id ita esse vos iam iudicare poteritis.
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Colax Menandri est; in ea est parasitus Colax,
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Et miles gloriosus; eas se non negat
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Personas transtulisse in Eunuchum suam
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Ex Graeca; sed eas fabulas factas prius
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Latinas scisse sese id vero pernegat.
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Quod si personis iisdem uti aliis non licet,
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Qui magis licet currentes servos scribere,
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Bonas matronas facere, meretrices malas,
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Parasitum edacem, gloriosum militem,
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Puerum supponi, falli per servum senem,
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Amare, odisse, suspicari? Denique
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Nullum est iam dictum, quod non dictum sit prius.
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Quare aequum est vos cognoscere atque ignoscere
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Quae veteres factitarunt si faciunt novi.
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Date operam, et cum silentio animadvertite,
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Ut pernoscatis quid sibi Eunuchus velit.
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Quid igitur faciam? non eam? ne nunc quidem
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Cum arcessor ultro? an potius ita me comparem
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Non perpeti meretricum contumelias?
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Exclusit: revocat. Redeam? non, si me obsecret.
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Si quidem hercle possis, nihil prius neque fortius:
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Verum si incipies, neque pertendes naviter,
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Atque ubi pati non poteris, cum nemo expetet,
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Infecta pace, ultro ad eam venies, indicans
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Te amare et ferre non posse, actum est: ilicet:
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Peristi. Eludet, ubi te victum senserit.
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Proin tu dum est tempus etiam atque etiam cogita,
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Here, quae res in se neque consilium neque modun
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Habet ullum eam consilio regere non potes.
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In amore haec omnia insunt vitia; iniuriae,
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Suspiciones, inimicitiae, indutiae,
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Bellum, pax rursum. Incerta haec si tu postules
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Ratione certa facere, nihilo plus agas
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Quam si des operam ut cum ratione insanias.
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Et quod nunc tute tecum iratus cogitas,
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Egone illam quae illum? quae me? quae non? sine modo:
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Mori me malim: sentiet qui vir siem;
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Haec verba una mehercle falsa lacrimula,
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Quam oculos terendo misere vix vi expresserit,
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Restinguet: et te ultro accusabit: et dabis
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Ei ultro supplicium.
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O indignum facinus! nunc ego et
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Illam scelestam esse et me miserum sentio;
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Et taedet; et amore ardeo; et prudens sciens,
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Vivus vidensque pereo; nec quid agam scio.
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Quid agas nisi ut te redimas captum quam queas
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Minimo? si nequeas paululo, at quanti queas:
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Et ne te afflictes.
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Itane suades?
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Si sapis:
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Neque praeterquam quas ipse amor molestias
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Habet addas, et illas quas habet recte feras.
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Sed ecca ipsa egreditur nostri fundi calamitas;
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Nam quod nos capere oportet haec intercipit.
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Miseram me! vereor ne illud gravius Phaedria
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Tulerit, neve aliorsum atque ego feci acceperit,
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Quod heri intromissus non est.
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Totus Parmeno
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Tremo horreoque postquam aspexi hanc.
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Bono animo es:
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Accede ad ignem hunc; iam calesces plus satis.
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Quis hic loquitur? ehem, tune hic eras, mi Phaedria?
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Quid hic stabas? cur non recta introibas?
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Caeterum
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De exclusione verbum nullum.
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Quid taces?

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