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203
(Enter ALCESIMARCHUS and MELAENIS.)
ALCESIMARCHUS
I do believe that Love was the first to invent torture among mankind. This conjecture do I form from myself at home, not to go seek it out of doors;
I, who surpass all men, exceed them in the pangs of my feelings. I’m tossed, tormented, agitated, goaded, whirled on the wheel of love in my misery, I’m deprived of sensation, carried one way, carried another way, I’m torn and rent asunder; such clouded faculties of mind have I,
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where I am, there I am not; where I am not, there my thoughts are; to such a degree have I now all kinds of feelings in me; what I like, then all at once I like not the same; so much does love trifle with me changing my mind,
drive me, pursue, desire, and seize for itself, retain, trepan, and promise; what it gives, it gives not; it deludes me; what this moment it has persuaded me, it now dissuades me from; what it has dissuaded me from, it now points out to me that same.
After the manner of the sea is it experienced by me; so much does it distract my enamoured feelings; and only in that, in my misery, I do not sink utterly, is there any evil removed from me thus ruined;
in such a way has my father detained me these six days running in the country, at his house there; nor has it been allowed me in the meantime to visit my mistress. Isn’t this dreadful to relate?
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1
I do believe that Love was the first to invent torture among mankind. This conjecture do I form from myself at home, not to go seek it out of doors;
I, who surpass all men, exceed them in the pangs of my feelings. I’m tossed, tormented, agitated, goaded, whirled on the wheel of love in my misery, I’m deprived of sensation, carried one way, carried another way, I’m torn and rent asunder; such clouded faculties of mind have I,
205
where I am, there I am not; where I am not, there my thoughts are; to such a degree have I now all kinds of feelings in me; what I like, then all at once I like not the same; so much does love trifle with me changing my mind,
drive me, pursue, desire, and seize for itself, retain, trepan, and promise; what it gives, it gives not; it deludes me; what this moment it has persuaded me, it now dissuades me from; what it has dissuaded me from, it now points out to me that same.
After the manner of the sea is it experienced by me; so much does it distract my enamoured feelings; and only in that, in my misery, I do not sink utterly, is there any evil removed from me thus ruined;
in such a way has my father detained me these six days running in the country, at his house there; nor has it been allowed me in the meantime to visit my mistress. Isn’t this dreadful to relate?
225
MELAENIS
Are you joking for this reason, because you’ve got another wife engaged, a rich lady of
Lemnos
? Have her then! We are neither of a family so great as you are, nor is our wealth so substantial as yours; but still
I have no fears that any one will impeach our oath; you then, if you shall feel any pain, will know for what reason you do feel pain.
495
Are you joking for this reason, because you’ve got another wife engaged, a rich lady of
Lemnos
? Have her then! We are neither of a family so great as you are, nor is our wealth so substantial as yours; but still
I have no fears that any one will impeach our oath; you then, if you shall feel any pain, will know for what reason you do feel pain.
495
ALCESIMARCHUS
May the Gods confound me—
May the Gods confound me—
MELAENIS
Whatever you wish for, I desire it may befall you.
Whatever you wish for, I desire it may befall you.
ALCESIMARCHUS
If ever I’ll marry that wife which my father has engaged for me.
If ever I’ll marry that wife which my father has engaged for me.
MELAENIS
And me, if ever I give you my daughter for a wife.
And me, if ever I give you my daughter for a wife.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Will you allow me to be forsworn?
500
Will you allow me to be forsworn?
500
MELAENIS
Yes, and a little more easily than myself and my affairs to go to ruin, and my daughter to be trifled with. Begone! go seek where there is confidence enough in your oaths; here now, with us, Alcesimarchus, you’ve renounced your title
2
to our friendship.
Yes, and a little more easily than myself and my affairs to go to ruin, and my daughter to be trifled with. Begone! go seek where there is confidence enough in your oaths; here now, with us, Alcesimarchus, you’ve renounced your title
2
to our friendship.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Make trial of me but once.
Make trial of me but once.
MELAENIS
I have made that trial full oft; which I lament has been so made.
I have made that trial full oft; which I lament has been so made.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Give her back to me.
505
Give her back to me.
505
MELAENIS
Under new circumstances I’ll use an old proverb:
What I have given, I wish I had not given; what’s left, that I shall not give.
Under new circumstances I’ll use an old proverb:
What I have given, I wish I had not given; what’s left, that I shall not give.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Won’t you restore her again to me?
Won’t you restore her again to me?
MELAENIS
Answer yourself for me.
Answer yourself for me.
ALCESIMARCHUS
You won’t restore her then?
You won’t restore her then?
MELAENIS
You know the whole of my resolution already.
You know the whole of my resolution already.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Is that quite resolved upon by you in your heart?
Is that quite resolved upon by you in your heart?
MELAENIS
Why, in fact, I’m thinking about something else;
i’ faith, I don’t at present catch these words of yours with my ears.
510
Why, in fact, I’m thinking about something else;
i’ faith, I don’t at present catch these words of yours with my ears.
510
ALCESIMARCHUS
Not hear? Why, what are you doing?
Not hear? Why, what are you doing?
MELAENIS
3
Then do you give heed at once, that you may know what you are doing.
3
Then do you give heed at once, that you may know what you are doing.
ALCESIMARCHUS
MELAENIS
I’ troth, his father—
I’ troth, his father—
ALCESIMARCHUS
And so may Ops the opulent, his grandam—
515
And so may Ops the opulent, his grandam—
515
MELAENIS
Indeed, his mother, rather.
Indeed, his mother, rather.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Juno his daughter, and Saturn his uncle, supreme Jove—You are maddening me; it’s through you I make these mistakes.
Juno his daughter, and Saturn his uncle, supreme Jove—You are maddening me; it’s through you I make these mistakes.
MELAENIS
Go on saying so.
Go on saying so.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Is it that I’m to know
6
what conclusion you are going to come to?
Is it that I’m to know
6
what conclusion you are going to come to?
MELAENIS
Go on talking; I shall not send her back, that’s resolved upon.
Go on talking; I shall not send her back, that’s resolved upon.
ALCESIMARCHUS
Why then, so may Jupiter,
and so may Juno and Saturn, to me, so may—I don’t know what to say—Now I know—Yes, madam, listen, that you may know my mind; may all the Deities, great and small, and those honored with the platter
7
cause me not surviving to give a kiss this day to Silenium, if I don’t this very day murder you and your daughter and myself,
520
and after that, with the break of day, if I don’t to-morrow kill you both, and indeed, by all the powers, if at the third onset I don’t demolish you all, if you don’t send her back to me. I’ve said what I intended. Farewell.
525
(Goes into his FATHER’S house.)
Why then, so may Jupiter,
and so may Juno and Saturn, to me, so may—I don’t know what to say—Now I know—Yes, madam, listen, that you may know my mind; may all the Deities, great and small, and those honored with the platter
7
cause me not surviving to give a kiss this day to Silenium, if I don’t this very day murder you and your daughter and myself,
520
and after that, with the break of day, if I don’t to-morrow kill you both, and indeed, by all the powers, if at the third onset I don’t demolish you all, if you don’t send her back to me. I’ve said what I intended. Farewell.
525
MELAENIS
(to herself.)
He’s gone in-doors in a rage. What shall I do now? If she comes back to him, matters will be just in the same position. When satiety begins to take possession;
he’ll be turning her out of doors, when he shall be bringing home this Lemnian wife. But still I’ll go and follow him; there’s necessity for caution, lest he, in love, should be doing some mischief. In fine, since with strict justice a poor person’s not allowed to contend with a rich one, I’ll lose my labour rather than lose my daughter. But who’s this that straight along the street is directing his course this way?
530
Both the other matter do I fear, and this do I dread; so utterly in trepidation am wretched I.
535
(She stands aside.)
He’s gone in-doors in a rage. What shall I do now? If she comes back to him, matters will be just in the same position. When satiety begins to take possession;
he’ll be turning her out of doors, when he shall be bringing home this Lemnian wife. But still I’ll go and follow him; there’s necessity for caution, lest he, in love, should be doing some mischief. In fine, since with strict justice a poor person’s not allowed to contend with a rich one, I’ll lose my labour rather than lose my daughter. But who’s this that straight along the street is directing his course this way?
530
Both the other matter do I fear, and this do I dread; so utterly in trepidation am wretched I.
535
Cistellaria. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
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