View:
By Scene
533
(Enter THERAPONTIGONUS.
1
and LYCO.)
THERAPONTIGONUS
I’m come now, inflamed with wrath in no moderate degree, but with that same with which I’ve learned to deal destruction upon cities.
At once now, unless this moment you make haste instantly to pay me the thirty minae which I left with you, make haste to lay down your life.
535
I’m come now, inflamed with wrath in no moderate degree, but with that same with which I’ve learned to deal destruction upon cities.
At once now, unless this moment you make haste instantly to pay me the thirty minae which I left with you, make haste to lay down your life.
535
LYCO
By my troth, to no little mischief do I now devote you, but to that same to which I am wont to devote that man to whom I owe nothing at all.
By my troth, to no little mischief do I now devote you, but to that same to which I am wont to devote that man to whom I owe nothing at all.
THERAPONTIGONUS
Don’t you be making yourself bold with me, or suppose that I shall be entreating you.
Don’t you be making yourself bold with me, or suppose that I shall be entreating you.
LYCO
And you, indeed, shall never force me to pay you what has been paid, nor shall I give it you.
540
And you, indeed, shall never force me to pay you what has been paid, nor shall I give it you.
540
THERAPONTIGONUS
I thought this, when I entrusted you with it, that you would repay nothing at all.
I thought this, when I entrusted you with it, that you would repay nothing at all.
LYCO
Why then are you now asking it back of me?
Why then are you now asking it back of me?
THERAPONTIGONUS
I wish to know to whom you have paid it.
I wish to know to whom you have paid it.
LYCO
To your one-eyed freed-man; he said that he was called Summanus; I paid it to him, who brought me this sealed letter.
(Gives him the letter.)
To your one-eyed freed-man; he said that he was called Summanus; I paid it to him, who brought me this sealed letter.
THERAPONTIGONUS
What letter of mine, what one-eyed freed-man, what people called Summanus are you dreaming about? I really have no freed-man at all.
What letter of mine, what one-eyed freed-man, what people called Summanus are you dreaming about? I really have no freed-man at all.
LYCO
You act more wisely than a portion of the military men who have freed-men, and then forsake them.
You act more wisely than a portion of the military men who have freed-men, and then forsake them.
THERAPONTIGONUS
What have you done?
What have you done?
LYCO
What you requested me, I’ve done for your sake,
that I mightn’t slight the messenger who had brought your seal’s impression.
550
What you requested me, I’ve done for your sake,
that I mightn’t slight the messenger who had brought your seal’s impression.
550
THERAPONTIGONUS
More fool than fool were you to give credit to this letter.
More fool than fool were you to give credit to this letter.
LYCO
To that by which matters both public and private are carried on ought I not to have given credit? I’ll be off; the money has been properly paid you. Warrior, farewell.
To that by which matters both public and private are carried on ought I not to have given credit? I’ll be off; the money has been properly paid you. Warrior, farewell.
THERAPONTIGONUS
How—farewell?
How—farewell?
LYCO
Fare you ill then, if you choose,—aye, all your life, so far as I’m concerned.
(Exit.)
Fare you ill then, if you choose,—aye, all your life, so far as I’m concerned.
(Exit.)
THERAPONTIGONUS
What shall I do now? Of what use is it that I have caused kings to obey me, if this obscure fellow
2
is this day to laugh at me?
555
What shall I do now? Of what use is it that I have caused kings to obey me, if this obscure fellow
2
is this day to laugh at me?
555
Curculio. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2.