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(JUPITER, AMPHITRYON, and BLEPHARO.)
JUPITER
Do you say that I lie?
Do you say that I lie?
AMPHITRYON
You lie, I say, you corrupter of my family.
You lie, I say, you corrupter of my family.
JUPITER
For that disgraceful speech, I’ll drag you along here, seizing you by the throat.
(Seizes him by the throat.)
For that disgraceful speech, I’ll drag you along here, seizing you by the throat.
AMPHITRYON
Ah wretched me!
Ah wretched me!
JUPITER
But you should have had a care of this beforehand.
But you should have had a care of this beforehand.
AMPHITRYON
Blepharo, aid me!
Blepharo, aid me!
BLEPHARO
(aside.)
The two are so exactly alike that I don’t know which to side with. Still, so far as possible, I’ll put an end to their contention.
(Aloud.) Amphitryon, don’t slay Amphitryon in fight; let go his throat, I pray.
The two are so exactly alike that I don’t know which to side with. Still, so far as possible, I’ll put an end to their contention.
(Aloud.) Amphitryon, don’t slay Amphitryon in fight; let go his throat, I pray.
JUPITER
Are you calling this fellow Amphitryon?
Are you calling this fellow Amphitryon?
BLEPHARO
Why not? Formerly he was but one, but now he has become double. While you are wanting to be he, the other, too, doesn’t cease to be of his form. Meanwhile, prithee, do leave go of his neck.
Why not? Formerly he was but one, but now he has become double. While you are wanting to be he, the other, too, doesn’t cease to be of his form. Meanwhile, prithee, do leave go of his neck.
JUPITER
I will leave go.
(Lets go of AMPHITRYON.) But tell me, does that fellow appear to you to be Amphitryon?
I will leave go.
(Lets go of AMPHITRYON.) But tell me, does that fellow appear to you to be Amphitryon?
BLEPHARO
Really, both of you do.
Really, both of you do.
AMPHITRYON
O supreme Jupiter! when this day didst thou take from me my form? I’ll proceed to make enquiry of him; are you Amphitryon?
O supreme Jupiter! when this day didst thou take from me my form? I’ll proceed to make enquiry of him; are you Amphitryon?
JUPITER
Do you deny it?
Do you deny it?
AMPHITRYON
Downright do I deny it, inasmuch as in Thebes there is no other Amphitryon besides myself.
Downright do I deny it, inasmuch as in Thebes there is no other Amphitryon besides myself.
JUPITER
On the contrary, no other besides myself; and, in fact, do you, Blepharo, be the judge.
On the contrary, no other besides myself; and, in fact, do you, Blepharo, be the judge.
BLEPHARO
I’ll make this matter clear by proofs, if I can.
(To AMPHITRYON.) Do you answer first.
I’ll make this matter clear by proofs, if I can.
(To AMPHITRYON.) Do you answer first.
AMPHITRYON
With pleasure.
With pleasure.
BLEPHARO
Before the battle with the Taphians was begun by you, what orders did you give me?
Before the battle with the Taphians was begun by you, what orders did you give me?
AMPHITRYON
The ship being in readiness, for you carefully to keep close to the rudder.
The ship being in readiness, for you carefully to keep close to the rudder.
JUPITER
That if our people should take to flight, I might betake myself in safety thither.
That if our people should take to flight, I might betake myself in safety thither.
BLEPHARO
Anything else as well?
Anything else as well?
AMPHITRYON
That the bag loaded with treasure should be carefully guarded.
That the bag loaded with treasure should be carefully guarded.
JUPITER
Because the money—
Because the money—
BLEPHARO
Hold your tongue, you, if you please; it’s my place to ask. Did you know the amount?
Hold your tongue, you, if you please; it’s my place to ask. Did you know the amount?
JUPITER
Fifty Attic talents.
Fifty Attic talents.
BLEPHARO
He tells the truth to a nicety. And you
(to AMPHITRYON), how many Philippeans?
He tells the truth to a nicety. And you
(to AMPHITRYON), how many Philippeans?
AMPHITRYON
Two thousand.
Two thousand.
JUPITER
And obols
1
twice as many.
And obols
1
twice as many.
BLEPHARO
Each of you states the matter correctly. Inside the bag one of you must have been shut up.
Each of you states the matter correctly. Inside the bag one of you must have been shut up.
JUPITER
Attend, please. With this right hand, as you know, I slew king Pterelas; his spoils I seized, and the goblet from which he had been used to drink I brought away in a casket; I made a present of it to my wife, with whom this day at home I bathed, I sacrificed, and slept.
Attend, please. With this right hand, as you know, I slew king Pterelas; his spoils I seized, and the goblet from which he had been used to drink I brought away in a casket; I made a present of it to my wife, with whom this day at home I bathed, I sacrificed, and slept.
AMPHITRYON
Ah me! what do I hear? I scarcely am myself. For, awake, I am asleep; awake, I am in a dream; alive and well, I come to destruction. I am that same Amphitryon, the descendant of
2
Gorgophone, the general of the Thebans, and the sole combatant for Creon against the Teleboans; I, who have subdued by my might the Acarnanians and the Taphians, and, by my consummate warlike prowess, their king. Over these have I appointed Cephalus, the son of the great Deioneus.
Ah me! what do I hear? I scarcely am myself. For, awake, I am asleep; awake, I am in a dream; alive and well, I come to destruction. I am that same Amphitryon, the descendant of
2
Gorgophone, the general of the Thebans, and the sole combatant for Creon against the Teleboans; I, who have subdued by my might the Acarnanians and the Taphians, and, by my consummate warlike prowess, their king. Over these have I appointed Cephalus, the son of the great Deioneus.
JUPITER
I am he who by warfare and my valour crushed the hostile ravagers. They had destroyed Electryon and the brothers of my wife. Wandering through the Ionian, the Aegean, and the Cretan seas, with piratical violence they laid waste Achaia, Aetolia, and Phocis.
I am he who by warfare and my valour crushed the hostile ravagers. They had destroyed Electryon and the brothers of my wife. Wandering through the Ionian, the Aegean, and the Cretan seas, with piratical violence they laid waste Achaia, Aetolia, and Phocis.
AMPHITRYON
Immortal Gods! I cannot trust my own self, so exactly does he relate all the things that happened there. Consider, Blepharo.
Immortal Gods! I cannot trust my own self, so exactly does he relate all the things that happened there. Consider, Blepharo.
BLEPHARO
One thing only remains; if so it is, do you be Amphitryons both of you.
One thing only remains; if so it is, do you be Amphitryons both of you.
JUPITER
I knew what you would say. The scar that I have on the muscle of my right arm, from the wound which Pterelas gave me—
I knew what you would say. The scar that I have on the muscle of my right arm, from the wound which Pterelas gave me—
BLEPHARO
Well, that.
Well, that.
AMPHITRYON
Quite to the purpose.
Quite to the purpose.
JUPITER
See you! look, behold!
See you! look, behold!
BLEPHARO
Uncover, and I’ll look.
Uncover, and I’ll look.
JUPITER
We have uncovered. Look!
(They show their naked arms.)
We have uncovered. Look!
BLEPHARO
(looking at the right arm of each.)
Supreme Jupiter, what do I behold? On the right-arm muscle of each, in the same spot, the scar clearly appears with the same mark, reddish and somewhat livid, just as it has first commenced to close. Reasoning is at a standstill, all judgment is struck dumb; I don’t know what to do.
3
Supreme Jupiter, what do I behold? On the right-arm muscle of each, in the same spot, the scar clearly appears with the same mark, reddish and somewhat livid, just as it has first commenced to close. Reasoning is at a standstill, all judgment is struck dumb; I don’t know what to do.
3
Amphitruo. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
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