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Adelphi; or, The Brothers

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 789 sections

1. 5.2.777

   Halloo, Syrus! Ctesipho desires you’ll come back.

2. 5.2.777b

   Get you gone.

3. 5.2.778

   What is it he says about Ctesipho?

4. 5.2.778b

   Nothing.

5. 5.2.778c

   How now, you hang-dog, is Ctesipho in the house?

6. 5.2.779b

   He is not.

7. 5.2.779c

   Then why does he mention him?

8. 5.2.780

   It’s another person; a little diminutive Parasite. Don’t you know him?

9. 5.2.781b

   I will know him before long.

10. 5.2.781c

    What are you about? Whither are you going?

11. 5.2.781d

    Let me alone.

12. 5.2.782

    Don’t, I tell you.

13. 5.2.782b

    Won’t you keep your hands off, whip-scoundrel? Or would you like me to knock your brains out this instant?

14. 5.2.783b

    He’s gone! no very pleasant boon-companion, upon my faith,

15. 5.2.785

    particularly to Ctesipho. What am I to do now ? Why, even get into some corner till this tempest is lulled, and sleep off this drop of wine. That’s my plan.

16. 5.3.788

    Every thing’s ready with us, as I told you, Sostrata, when you like.—Who, I wonder, is making my door fly open with such fury?

17. 5.3.790

    Alas! what shall I do? How behave? In what terms exclaim, or how make my complaint? O heavens! O earth! O seas of Neptune!

18. 5.3.791b

    Here’s for you! he has discovered all about the affair; and of course is now raving about it; a quarrel is the consequence; I must assist him, however.

19. 5.3.793b

    See, here comes the common corrupter of my children.

20. 5.3.795

    Pray moderate your passion, and recover yourself.

21. 5.3.796

    I have moderated it; I am myself; I forbear all reproaches; let us come to the point: was this agreed upon between us,—proposed by yourself, in fact,—that you were not to concern yourself about my son, nor I about yours? Answer me.

22. 5.3.799b

    It is the fact,—I don’t deny it.

23. 5.3.800

    Why is he now carousing at your house? Why are you harboring my son ? Why do you purchase a mistress for him, Micio? Is it at all fair, that I should have any less justice from you, than you from me? Since I do not concern myself about your son, don’t you concern yourself about mine.

24. 5.3.804

    You don’t reason fairly.

25. 5.3.804a

    No?

26. 5.3.804aa

    For surely it is a maxim of old,

27. 5.3.805

    that among themselves all things are common to friends.

28. 5.3.806

    Smartly said; you’ve got that speech up for the occasion.

29. 5.3.807

    Listen to a few words, unless it is disagreeable, Demea. In the first place, if the extravagance your sons are guilty of distresses you, pray do reason with yourself.

30. 5.3.810

    You formerly brought up the two suitably to your circumstances, thinking that your own property would have to suffice for them both; and, of course, you then thought that I should marry. Adhere to that same old rule of yours,—save, scrape together, and be thrifty for them; take care to leave them as much as possible,

31. 5.3.815

    and take that credit to yourself: my fortune, which has come to them beyond their expectation, allow them to enjoy; of your capital there will be no diminution; what comes from this quarter, set it all down as so much gain. If you think proper impartially to consider these matters in your mind, Demea,

32. 5.3.820

    you will save me and yourself, and them, considerable uneasiness.

33. 5.3.821

    I don’t speak about the expense; their morals—

34. 5.3.821b

    Hold; I understand you; that point I was coming to. There are in men, Demea, many signs from which a conjecture is easily formed; so that when two persons do the same thing, you may often say,

35. 5.3.825

    this one may be allowed to do it with impunity, the other may not; not that the thing itself is different, but that he is who does it. I see signs in them, so as to feel confident that they will turn out as we wish. I see that they have good sense and understanding, that they have modesty upon occasion, and are affectionate to each other; you may infer

36. 5.3.830

    that their bent and disposition is of a pliant nature; at any time you like you may reclaim them. But still, you may be apprehensive that they will be somewhat too apt to neglect their interests. O my dear Demea, in all other things we grow wiser with age; this sole vice does old age bring upon men:

37. 5.3.835

    we are all more solicitous about our own interests than we need be; and in this respect age will make them sharp enough.

38. 5.3.836b

    Only take care, Micio, that these fine reasonings of yours, and this easy disposition of yours, do not ruin us in the end.

39. 5.3.838b

    Say no more; there’s no danger of that. Now think no further of these matters. Put yourself to-day into my hands;

40. 5.3.840

    smooth your brow.

41. 5.3.840b

    Why, as the occasion requires it, I must do so; but to-morrow I shall be off with my son into the country at day-break.

42. 5.3.842b

    Aye, to-night, for my share; only keep yourself in good-humor for the day.

43. 5.3.843b

    I’ll carry off that Music-girl along with me as well.

44. 5.3.844b

    You will gain your point;

45. 5.3.845

    by that means you will keep your son fast there; only take care to secure her.

46. 5.3.846b

    I’ll see to that; and what with cooking and grinding, I’ll take care she shall be well covered with ashes, smoke, and meal; besides all this, at the very mid-day I’ll set her gathering stubble;

47. 5.3.850

    I’ll make her as burned and as black as a coal.

48. 5.3.850b

    You quite delight me; now you seem to me to be wise; and for my part I would then compel my son to go to bed with her, even though he should be unwilling.

49. 5.3.853

    Do you banter me? Happy man, to have such a temper! I feel—

50. 5.3.854b

    Ah ! at it again!

51. 5.3.854c

    I’ll have done then at once.

52. 5.3.855

    Go in-doors then, and let’s devote this day to the object to which it belongs.

53. 5.4.856

    Never was there any person of ever such well-trained habits of life, but that experience, age, and custom are always bringing him something new, or suggesting something; so much so, that what you believe you know you don’t know, and what you have fancied of first importance to you, on making trial you reject;

54. 5.4.860

    and this is my case at present: for the rigid life I have hitherto led, my race nearly run, I now renounce. Why so?—I have found, by experience, that there is nothing better for a man than an easy temper and complacency. That this is the truth, it is easy for any one to understand on comparing me with my brother. He has always spent his life in ease and gayety;

55. 5.4.865

    mild, gentle, offensive to no one, having a smile for all, he has lived for himself, and has spent his money for himself; all men speak well of him, all love him. I, again, a rustic, a rigid, cross, self-denying, morose and thrifty person, married a wife; what misery I entailed in consequence! Sons were born—a fresh care. And just look, while I have been studying to do as much as possible for them,

56. 5.4.870

    I have worn out my life and years in saving; now, in the decline of my days, the return I get from them for my pains is their dislike. He, on the other hand, with out any trouble on his part, enjoys a father’s comforts; they love him; me they shun; him they trust with all their secrets, are fond of him, are always with him. I am forsaken;

57. 5.4.875

    they wish him to live; but my death, forsooth, they are longing for. Thus, after bringing them up with all possible pains, at a trifling cost he has made them his own; thus I bear all the misery, he enjoys the pleasure. Well, then, henceforward let us try, on the other hand, whether I can’t speak kindly and act complaisantly, as he challenges me to it:

58. 5.4.880

    I also want myself to be loved and highly valued by my friends. If that is to be effected by giving and indulging, I will not be behind him. If our means fail, that least concerns me, as I am the eldest.

59. 5.5.883

    Hark you, Demea, your brother begs you will not go out of the way.

60. 5.5.884

    Who is it?—O Syrus, my friend, save you! how are you? How goes it with you?

61. 5.5.885

    Very well.

62. 5.5.885b

    Very good. (Aside.) I have now for the first time used these three expressions contrary to my nature,—O Syrus, my friend, how are you?—how goes it with you? (To SYRUS.) You show yourself far from an unworthy servant, and I shall gladly do you a service.

63. 5.5.888b

    I thank you.

64. 5.5.888c

    Yes, Syrus, it is the truth; and you shall be convinced of it by experience before long.

65. 5.6.890

    Mistress, I am going to see after them, that they may send for the damsel as soon as possible; but see, here’s Demea. (Accosting him.) Save you!

66. 5.6.892

    O, what’s your name?

67. 5.6.892b

    Geta.

68. 5.6.892c

    Geta, I have this day come to the conclusion that you are a man of very great worth, for I look upon him as an undoubtedly good servant

69. 5.6.895

    who has a care for his master; as I have found to be your case, Geta; and for that reason, if any opportunity should offer, I would gladly do you a service. (Aside.) I am practicing the affable, and it succeeds very well.

70. 5.6.898b

    You are kind, sir, to think so.

71. 5.6.899

    Getting on by degrees—I’ll first make the lower classes my own.

72. 5.7.900

    They really are killing me while too intent on performing the nuptials with all ceremony; the whole day is being wasted in their preparations.

73. 5.7.902

    Aeschinus! how goes it?

74. 5.7.902b

    Ha, my father! are you here ?

75. 5.7.903

    Your father, indeed, both by affection and by nature; as I love you more than my very eyes; but why don’t you

76. 5.7.905

    send for your wife?

77. 5.7.905b

    So I wish to do; but I am waiting for the music-girl and people to sing the nuptial song.

78. 5.7.906b

    Come now, are you willing to listen to an old fellow like me?

79. 5.7.907b

    What is it?

80. 5.7.907c

    Let those things alone, the nuptial song, the crowds, the torches, and the music-girls, and order the stone wall in the garden here to be pulled down

81. 5.7.910

    with all dispatch, and bring her over that way; make but one house of the two; bring the mother and all the domestics over to our house.

82. 5.7.911b

    With all my heart, kindest father.

83. 5.7.912b

    Well done! now I am called kind. My brother’s house will become a thoroughfare; he will be bringing home a multitude, incurring expense in many ways: what matters it to me?

84. 5.7.915

    I, as the kind Demea, shall get into favor. Now then, bid that Babylonian pay down his twenty minae. (To SYRUS.) Syrus, do you delay to go and do it ?

85. 5.7.917b

    What am I to do?

86. 5.7.817c

    Pull down the wall: and you, Geta, go and bring them across.

87. 5.7.918b

    May the Gods bless you, Demea, as I see you so sincere a well-wisher to our family.

88. 5.7.920b

    I think they deserve it. What say you, Aeschinus, as to this plan ?

89. 5.7.921b

    I quite agree to it.

90. 5.7.921c

    It is much more proper than that she, being sick and lying-in, should be brought hither through the street.

91. 5.7.923b

    Why, my dear father, I never did see any thing better contrived.

92. 5.7.924

    It’s my way; but see, here’s Micio coming out.

93. 5.8.925

    Does my brother order it? Where is he? (To DEMEA.) Is this your order, Demea?

94. 5.8.926

    Certainly, I do order it, and in this matter, and in every thing else, wish especially to make this family one with ourselves, to oblige, serve, and unite them.

95. 5.8.928b

    Father, pray let it be so.

96. 5.8.929

    I do not oppose it.

97. 5.8.929b

    On the contrary, i’ faith, it is what we ought to do:

98. 5.8.930

    in the first place, she is the mother of his wife (pointing to AESCHINUS).

99. 5.8.930b

    She is. What then?

100. 5.8.931

     An honest and respectable woman.

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Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0134.phi006.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.