T. Maccius Plautus Mercator 4.5

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

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

SYRA

Who is it that’s calling me?

EUTYCHUS

’Tis I, your master and foster-child.

SYRA

(turning round.)

Save you, my foster-child.

EUTYCHUS

Has my mother returned from the country then? Answer me.

810

SYRA

Aye, for her own especial sake and that of the family.

EUTYCHUS

What is it that’s the matter?

SYRA

That very pretty father of yours has brought a mistress into the house.

EUTYCHUS

How say you?

SYRA

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

SYRA

Even still.

EUTYCHUS

Do you follow me.

(He goes into the house of LYSIMACHUS.)

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.)