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543
(Enter PHANOSTRATA, from her house.)
PHANOSTRATA
(to herself.)
I seemed just now to be hearing the voice of my servant Lampadiscus before the house.
I seemed just now to be hearing the voice of my servant Lampadiscus before the house.
LAMPADISCUS
(stepping forward.)
You are not deaf, mistress, you heard aright.
You are not deaf, mistress, you heard aright.
PHANOSTRATA
What are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
LAMPADISCUS
A thing for you to rejoice at.
A thing for you to rejoice at.
PHANOSTRATA
What’s that?
What’s that?
LAMPADISCUS
(pointing to the house of SILENIUM.)
A little while ago, I saw a woman coming out of that house there.
A little while ago, I saw a woman coming out of that house there.
PHANOSTRATA
Her that took up my daughter?
Her that took up my daughter?
LAMPADISCUS
You have the matter rgiht.
You have the matter rgiht.
PHANOSTRATA
What after that?
What after that?
LAMPADISCUS
I told her in what way I had seen her take up the daughter of my mistress from the Hippodrome.
Then she was in a fright.
I told her in what way I had seen her take up the daughter of my mistress from the Hippodrome.
Then she was in a fright.
MELAENIS
(apart.) Now my body’s in a shudder, my heart is throbbing; for I recollect that from the Hippodrome the little female infant was brought to me, and that I brought it up as my own.
(apart.) Now my body’s in a shudder, my heart is throbbing; for I recollect that from the Hippodrome the little female infant was brought to me, and that I brought it up as my own.
PHANOSTRATA
Come, prithee, do go on; my soul’s longing to hear
how the matter proceeded.
555
Come, prithee, do go on; my soul’s longing to hear
how the matter proceeded.
555
MELAENIS
(apart.) I only wish you couldn’t hear.
(apart.) I only wish you couldn’t hear.
LAMPADISCUS
I proceed
saying
1
,
This old woman calls you her daughter wrongfully.
For this woman here is your foster-mother, so don’t think she is your mother. I’m to take you back and invite you to opulence, where you may be settled in a noble family,
where your father may present you with twenty great talents for a portion. For this is not a place where after the Etrurian mode
2
you are disgracefully to earn a dowry for yourself by prostitution of your person.
560
I proceed
saying
1
,
This old woman calls you her daughter wrongfully.
For this woman here is your foster-mother, so don’t think she is your mother. I’m to take you back and invite you to opulence, where you may be settled in a noble family,
where your father may present you with twenty great talents for a portion. For this is not a place where after the Etrurian mode
2
you are disgracefully to earn a dowry for yourself by prostitution of your person.
560
PHANOSTRATA
Is she, pray, a Courtesan, who took it up?
Is she, pray, a Courtesan, who took it up?
LAMPADISCUS
Yes, she was a Courtesan. But how it happened, I’ll tell you about that matter. I was now winning her over to me by my persuasion. The old woman embraced her knees, weeping and entreating that she would not forsake her; saying that she was her own daughter; and she took a solemn oath to me that she herself had borne her.
565
Her, said she,
whom you are in search of, I gave to a friend of mine to bring her up as her own daughter; and she is alive, said she.
Where is she? immediately said I.
570
Yes, she was a Courtesan. But how it happened, I’ll tell you about that matter. I was now winning her over to me by my persuasion. The old woman embraced her knees, weeping and entreating that she would not forsake her; saying that she was her own daughter; and she took a solemn oath to me that she herself had borne her.
565
Her, said she,
whom you are in search of, I gave to a friend of mine to bring her up as her own daughter; and she is alive, said she.
Where is she? immediately said I.
570
PHANOSTRATA
Preserve me, ye Gods, I do entreat you.
Preserve me, ye Gods, I do entreat you.
MELAENIS
(apart.)
But me you are undoing!
But me you are undoing!
PHANOSTRATA
You ought to have enquired to whom she gave it.
You ought to have enquired to whom she gave it.
LAMPADISCUS
I did enquire, and she said to the Courtesan Melaenis.
575
I did enquire, and she said to the Courtesan Melaenis.
575
MELAENIS
(apart.)
He has mentioned my name? I’m utterly undone!
He has mentioned my name? I’m utterly undone!
LAMPADISCUS
When she mentioned her, I straightway asked,
Where does she live? said I;
take and show me.
She has been carried off hence, says she,
to live abroad.
When she mentioned her, I straightway asked,
Where does she live? said I;
take and show me.
She has been carried off hence, says she,
to live abroad.
MELAENIS
He’s sprinkling
3
a little cold water now.
He’s sprinkling
3
a little cold water now.
LAMPADISCUS
Wherever she has been carried off, thither we will follow. Do you trifle in this fashion? You are undone, if, i’ faith, you don’t disclose this.I insisted to such a degree, that the old woman swore that she would soon inform me.
Wherever she has been carried off, thither we will follow. Do you trifle in this fashion? You are undone, if, i’ faith, you don’t disclose this.I insisted to such a degree, that the old woman swore that she would soon inform me.
PHANOSTRATA
But you oughtn’t to have let her go.
But you oughtn’t to have let her go.
LAMPADISCUS
She’s all safe; but she said that she wished first to meet a certain woman, a friend of hers, with whom this was a matter of interest in common, and I’m sure she’ll come.
585
She’s all safe; but she said that she wished first to meet a certain woman, a friend of hers, with whom this was a matter of interest in common, and I’m sure she’ll come.
585
MELAENIS
(apart.)
She’ll be discovering me, and adding her own distress to mine.
She’ll be discovering me, and adding her own distress to mine.
PHANOSTRATA
Make me acquainted what you now wish me to do.
Make me acquainted what you now wish me to do.
LAMPADISCUS
Go in-doors, and be of good heart. If your husband shall come, bid him wait at home, lest he should be required by me, if I want him for anything. I’m going to run back to the old woman.
Go in-doors, and be of good heart. If your husband shall come, bid him wait at home, lest he should be required by me, if I want him for anything. I’m going to run back to the old woman.
PHANOSTRATA
Lampadio, prithee, do take care.
Lampadio, prithee, do take care.
LAMPADISCUS
I’ll have this matter well managed.
I’ll have this matter well managed.
PHANOSTRATA
I trust in the Gods and in yourself.
I trust in the Gods and in yourself.
LAMPADISCUS
And I in the same.—that you’ll now go home.
(PHANOSTRATA goes into her house.)
And I in the same.—that you’ll now go home.
MELAENIS
(coming forward.)
Young man, stay and listen.
Young man, stay and listen.
LAMPADISCUS
What, are you calling to me, woman?
What, are you calling to me, woman?
MELAENIS
To you.
To you.
LAMPADISCUS
What’s the matter? For I’m fully engaged.
What’s the matter? For I’m fully engaged.
MELAENIS
(Pointing to the house of DEMIPHO.)
Who lives there?
Who lives there?
LAMPADISCUS
Demipho, my master.
Demipho, my master.
MELAENIS
It is he, I suppose, that has betrothed his daughter with such great wealth to Alcesimarchus?
600
It is he, I suppose, that has betrothed his daughter with such great wealth to Alcesimarchus?
600
LAMPADISCUS
It is he himself.
It is he himself.
MELAENIS
How now, you? What other daughter, then, are you people now in search of?
How now, you? What other daughter, then, are you people now in search of?
LAMPADISCUS
I’ll tell you; not his daughter by his wife, but his wife’s daughter.
I’ll tell you; not his daughter by his wife, but his wife’s daughter.
MELAENIS
What’s the meaning of that speech?
605
What’s the meaning of that speech?
605
LAMPADISCUS
By a former woman, I say, my master had a daughter born.
By a former woman, I say, my master had a daughter born.
MELAENIS
Surely, just now you said you were in search of the daughter of her who has been talking here.
Surely, just now you said you were in search of the daughter of her who has been talking here.
LAMPADISCUS
Her daughter I am in search of.
Her daughter I am in search of.
MELAENIS
In what way then, pray, is she a
former woman, who is now his wife?
In what way then, pray, is she a
former woman, who is now his wife?
LAMPADISCUS
Woman, whoever you are, you weary me with your prating.
The middle woman
4
whom he had for a wife, of her this maiden was born that’s being given to Alcesimarchus. That wife is dead. Do you understand now?
Woman, whoever you are, you weary me with your prating.
The middle woman
4
whom he had for a wife, of her this maiden was born that’s being given to Alcesimarchus. That wife is dead. Do you understand now?
MELAENIS
I understand that quite well; but it’s this knotty point I’m enquiring about, how
the first can be the last, the last be the first.
615
I understand that quite well; but it’s this knotty point I’m enquiring about, how
the first can be the last, the last be the first.
615
LAMPADISCUS
The fact is this; this woman he ravished before he took her home as his wife; before that she was pregnant, and before that she gave birth to a daughter: after she gave birth to her, she ordered the infant to be exposed; I myself exposed her; another woman took her away;
I was on the look-out; after that, my master married her. That girl, her daughter, we are now in search of.
(MELAENIS turns aside her head.) Why now, with face upturned, are you looking up towards the heavens?
620
The fact is this; this woman he ravished before he took her home as his wife; before that she was pregnant, and before that she gave birth to a daughter: after she gave birth to her, she ordered the infant to be exposed; I myself exposed her; another woman took her away;
I was on the look-out; after that, my master married her. That girl, her daughter, we are now in search of.
(MELAENIS turns aside her head.) Why now, with face upturned, are you looking up towards the heavens?
620
MELAENIS
Now, then, be off at once whither you were hastening; I won’t detain you; I understand it now.
Now, then, be off at once whither you were hastening; I won’t detain you; I understand it now.
LAMPADISCUS
I’ troth, to the Deities I do give thanks;
for if you hadn’t understood me, I do think you would never have let me go.
625
(Exit.)
I’ troth, to the Deities I do give thanks;
for if you hadn’t understood me, I do think you would never have let me go.
625
MELAENIS
(to herself.)
Now it’s necessary for me to be honest, whether I will or no, although I had rather not; I find the thing is discovered. Now will I myself lay them under an obligation to me, rather than she shall peach upon me. I’ll go home,
and I’ll bring Silenium to her parents.
630
(Exit.)
Now it’s necessary for me to be honest, whether I will or no, although I had rather not; I find the thing is discovered. Now will I myself lay them under an obligation to me, rather than she shall peach upon me. I’ll go home,
and I’ll bring Silenium to her parents.
630
Cistellaria. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
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