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(Enter PERIPLECOMENUS from his house.)
PERIPLECOMENUS
Faith, but these men here, these servants of my neighbour the Captain, take me not to be a man, but a woman, so much do they trifle with me. My lady guest, who came here yesterday from
Athens
with the gentleman, my guest,
is she to be mauled about and made fun of here in the street—a lady, free-born and free?
490
Faith, but these men here, these servants of my neighbour the Captain, take me not to be a man, but a woman, so much do they trifle with me. My lady guest, who came here yesterday from
Athens
with the gentleman, my guest,
is she to be mauled about and made fun of here in the street—a lady, free-born and free?
490
SCELEDRUS
(aside.)
By my troth, I’m undone. He’s coming in a straight line up towards me. I fear that this matter may cause me great trouble, so far as I have heard this old gentleman speak.
By my troth, I’m undone. He’s coming in a straight line up towards me. I fear that this matter may cause me great trouble, so far as I have heard this old gentleman speak.
PERIPLECOMENUS
I’ll up to this fellow. Was it you, Sceledrus, source of mischief, that were just now
making fun of my lady guest before the house?
495
I’ll up to this fellow. Was it you, Sceledrus, source of mischief, that were just now
making fun of my lady guest before the house?
495
SCELEDRUS
Good neighbour, listen, I beg.
Good neighbour, listen, I beg.
PERIPLECOMENUS
I, listen to you?
I, listen to you?
SCELEDRUS
I wish to clear myself.
I wish to clear myself.
PERIPLECOMENUS
You, clear yourself to me, who have done an action so gross and so unbecoming? And because you are soldiers
1
, do you suppose,
you gallows-bird, that you may do what you like with us?
500
You, clear yourself to me, who have done an action so gross and so unbecoming? And because you are soldiers
1
, do you suppose,
you gallows-bird, that you may do what you like with us?
500
SCELEDRUS
May I—?
May I—?
PERIPLECOMENUS
But so may all the Gods and Goddesses prosper me, if a punishment with the rod
2
is not given to you at my request, a long and lasting one, from morning to evening; because you have been breaking my gutters and my tiles,
while you were following there a monkey like your own self
3
; because, too, you have been peeping down from there at my guest in my house, when he was caressing and fondling his mistress; besides, you have dared to accuse the chaste lady of your master of criminality, and myself of a heinous offence;
505
and further, because you have dared to maul about my lady guest before my house. If the punishment of the whip is not given to you, I will cause your master to be more laden with disgrace than the sea is full of waves in a heavy storm.
510
But so may all the Gods and Goddesses prosper me, if a punishment with the rod
2
is not given to you at my request, a long and lasting one, from morning to evening; because you have been breaking my gutters and my tiles,
while you were following there a monkey like your own self
3
; because, too, you have been peeping down from there at my guest in my house, when he was caressing and fondling his mistress; besides, you have dared to accuse the chaste lady of your master of criminality, and myself of a heinous offence;
505
and further, because you have dared to maul about my lady guest before my house. If the punishment of the whip is not given to you, I will cause your master to be more laden with disgrace than the sea is full of waves in a heavy storm.
510
SCELEDRUS
I am driven to such straits, Periplecomenus, that I don’t know
whether it is fitter for me rather to dispute this matter with you, or whether, if she is not our lady, and if our lady was not seen by me, it seems more proper for me to excuse myself to you; as even now I don’t know which I saw, so like is that guest of yours to our lady—
515
if, indeed, she is not the same person.
520
I am driven to such straits, Periplecomenus, that I don’t know
whether it is fitter for me rather to dispute this matter with you, or whether, if she is not our lady, and if our lady was not seen by me, it seems more proper for me to excuse myself to you; as even now I don’t know which I saw, so like is that guest of yours to our lady—
515
if, indeed, she is not the same person.
520
PERIPLECOMENUS
Go into my house and look: you’ll soon see.
Go into my house and look: you’ll soon see.
SCELEDRUS
May I go?
May I go?
PERIPLECOMENUS
Why, I command you; go and examine at your leisure.
Why, I command you; go and examine at your leisure.
SCELEDRUS
I am determined to do so.
(Goes into the house of PERIPLECOMENUS.)
I am determined to do so.
Miles Gloriosus. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.
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