View:
By Line
803
(Enter SYRA and EUTYCHUS, at a distance, on opposite sides.)
SYRA
(to herself.)
Whither my mistress sent me, to her father —, he’s not at home; they said that he has gone off into the country. Now, I’ll take home this answer.
I’ faith, the women do live upon hard terms, and, wretched creatures, on much more unjust ones than the men. For if a husband has been keeping a mistress without the knowledge of his wife,
if the wife comes to know it, the husband gets off with impunity; if, unknown to the husband, the wife goes from the house out of doors, a pretext arises for the husband, the marriage is dissolved
1
. I wish the law was the same for the husband as for the wife; for the wife that is a good one, is content with one husband;
820
why, any the less, should the husband be content with one wife? By my troth, I’d give cause, if men were punished in the same way (if any one should be keeping a mistress unknown to his wife), as those women are repudiated who are guilty of a slip, that there should be more divorced men than there are women now.
825
Whither my mistress sent me, to her father —, he’s not at home; they said that he has gone off into the country. Now, I’ll take home this answer.
I’ faith, the women do live upon hard terms, and, wretched creatures, on much more unjust ones than the men. For if a husband has been keeping a mistress without the knowledge of his wife,
if the wife comes to know it, the husband gets off with impunity; if, unknown to the husband, the wife goes from the house out of doors, a pretext arises for the husband, the marriage is dissolved
1
. I wish the law was the same for the husband as for the wife; for the wife that is a good one, is content with one husband;
820
why, any the less, should the husband be content with one wife? By my troth, I’d give cause, if men were punished in the same way (if any one should be keeping a mistress unknown to his wife), as those women are repudiated who are guilty of a slip, that there should be more divorced men than there are women now.
825
EUTYCHUS
(to himself, apart.)
I’m quite tired with hunting the whole city through; I find nothing whatever about this woman. But my mother has returned from the country; for I see Syra standing before the house. Syra!
805
I’m quite tired with hunting the whole city through; I find nothing whatever about this woman. But my mother has returned from the country; for I see Syra standing before the house. Syra!
805
SYRA
Who is it that’s calling me?
Who is it that’s calling me?
EUTYCHUS
’Tis I, your master and foster-child.
’Tis I, your master and foster-child.
SYRA
(turning round.)
Save you, my foster-child.
Save you, my foster-child.
EUTYCHUS
Has my mother returned from the country then? Answer me.
810
Has my mother returned from the country then? Answer me.
810
SYRA
Aye, for her own especial sake and that of the family.
Aye, for her own especial sake and that of the family.
EUTYCHUS
What is it that’s the matter?
What is it that’s the matter?
SYRA
That very pretty father of yours has brought a mistress into the house.
That very pretty father of yours has brought a mistress into the house.
EUTYCHUS
How say you?
How say you?
SYRA
Your mother, on arriving from the country, found her at home.
Your mother, on arriving from the country, found her at home.
EUTYCHUS
By my troth, I didn’t think my father was a person for those practices. Is the woman now even still in-doors?
815
By my troth, I didn’t think my father was a person for those practices. Is the woman now even still in-doors?
815
SYRA
Even still.
Even still.
EUTYCHUS
Do you follow me.
(He goes into the house of LYSIMACHUS.)
Do you follow me.
SYRA
(to herself.)
How now
2
? Do I see Peristrata here, the wife of Demipho? She quickens her pace; she glances about with her eyes; she turns herself round; she inclines her neck on one side. I’ll observe from here what matter she’s about; it’s something of importance, whatever scent she’s upon.
(Stands aside.)
How now
2
? Do I see Peristrata here, the wife of Demipho? She quickens her pace; she glances about with her eyes; she turns herself round; she inclines her neck on one side. I’ll observe from here what matter she’s about; it’s something of importance, whatever scent she’s upon.
Mercator. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.
Funding provided by NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2.