T. Maccius Plautus Miles Gloriosus 4.8

PALAESTRIO

(to PHILOCOMASIUM.)

Prithee, when will you this day make an end of your weeping?

PHILOCOMASIUM

What can I do but weep? I am going away hence where I have spent my days most happily.

PALAESTRIO

See, there’s the man that has come from your mother and sister.

(pointing to PLEUSICLES.)

PHILOCOMASIUM

I see him.

PYRGOPOLINICES

Palaestrio, do you hear?

PALAESTRIO

What is your pleasure?

PYRGOPOLINICES

Aren’t you ordering those presents to be brought out which I gave her?

PLEUSICLES

Health to you, Philocomasium.

1315

PHILOCOMASIUM

And health to you.

PLEUSICLES

Your mother and sister bade me give their love to you.

PHILOCOMASIUM

Heaven prosper them.

PLEUSICLES

They beg you to set out, so that, while the wind is fair, they may set sail. But if your mother’s eyes had been well, she would have come ¹ together with me.

PHILOCOMASIUM

I’ll go; although I do it with regret—duty compels me.

PLEUSICLES

You act wisely.

PYRGOPOLINICES

If she had not been passing her life with myself, this day she would have been a blockhead.

1320

PHILOCOMASIUM

I am distracted at this, that I am estranged from such a man. For you are able to make any woman what-ever abound in wit; and because I was living with you, for that reason I was of a very lofty spirit. I see that I must lose that loftiness of mind.

(Pretends to cry.)

PYRGOPOLINICES

Don’t weep.

PHILOCOMASIUM

I can’t help it when I look upon you.

PYRGOPOLINICES

Be of good courage.

PHILOCOMASIUM

I know what pain it is to me.

PALAESTRIO

I really don’t wonder now, Philocomasium, if you were here with happiness to yourself, when I, a servant—as I look at him, weep because we are parting (pretends to cry), so much have his beauty, his manners, his valour, captivated your feelings.

PHILOCOMASIUM

Prithee, do let me embrace you before I depart?

PYRGOPOLINICES

By all means

PHILOCOMASIUM

(embracing him.)

O my eyes! O my life!

1330

PALAESTRIO

Do hold up the woman, I entreat you, lest she should fall.

(He takes hold of her, and she pretends to faint.)

PYRGOPOLINICES

What means this?

PALAESTRIO

Because, after she had quitted you, she suddenly became faint, poor thing.

PYRGOPOLINICES

Run in and fetch some water.

PALAESTRIO

I want no water; but I had rather you would keep at a distance. Prithee, don’t you interfere till she comes to.

PYRGOPOLINICES

(observing PLEUSICLES, who is holding PHILOCOMASIUM in his arm.)

They have their heads too closely in contact between them;

I don’t like it; he is soldering his lips ² to hers. What the plague are you about?

1335

PLEUSICLES

I was trying whether she was breathing or not.

PYRGOPOLINICES

You ought to have applied your ear then.

PLEUSICLES

If you had rather, I’ll let her go.

PYRGOPOLINICES

No, I don’t care; do you support her.

PALAESTRIO

To my misery, I’m quite distracted.

PYRGOPOLINICES

Go and bring here from in-doors all the things that I have given her.

PALAESTRIO

And even now, household God, do I salute thee before I depart;

my fellow-servants, both male and female, all farewell, and happy may you live; prithee, though absent, among yourselves bestow your blessings upon me as well.

1340

PYRGOPOLINICES

Come, Palaestrio, be of good courage.

PALAESTRIO

Alas! alas! I cannot but weep since from you I must depart.

PYRGOPOLINICES

Bear it with patience.

PHILOCOMASIUM

(feigning to recover.)

Ha! how’s this? What means it? Hail, O light!

PLEUSICLES

Are you recovered now?

1345

PHILOCOMASIUM

Prithee, what person am I embracing? I’m undone. Am I myself?

PLEUSICLES

(in a low voice.)

Fear not, my delight.

PYRGOPOLINICES

What means all this?

PALAESTRIO

Just now she swooned away here. I fear and dread that this at last may take place ³ too openly.

PYRGOPOLINICES

What is that you say?

PALAESTRIO

I fear that some one may turn it to your discredit, while all these things are being carried after us through the city.

PYRGOPOLINICES

I have given away my own property, and not theirs. I care but little for other people. Be off then, go with the blessing of the Gods.

PALAESTRIO

’Tis for your sake I say it.

PYRGOPOLINICES

I believe you.

PALAESTRIO

And now farewell!

PYRGOPOLINICES

And heartily farewell to you!

PALAESTRIO

(to PLEUSICLES and PHILOCOMASIUM as they leave.)

Go you quickly on; I’ll overtake you directly; I wish to speak a few words with my master. (To PYRGOPOLINICES.) Although you have ever deemed others more faithful to yourself than me,

still do I owe you many thanks for all things; and if such were your feelings, I would rather be a slave to you by far than be the freedman of another.

1355

PYRGOPOLINICES

Be of good courage.

PALAESTRIO

Ah me! When it comes in my mind, how my manners must be changed, how womanish manners must be learnt, and the military ones forgotten!

PYRGOPOLINICES

Take care and be honest.

1360

PALAESTRIO

I can be so no longer; I have lost all inclination ⁴ .

PYRGOPOLINICES

Go, follow them; don’t linger.

PALAESTRIO

Fare you right well.

PYRGOPOLINICES

And heartily fare you well.

PALAESTRIO

Prithee, do remember me; if perchance I should happen to be made free, I’ll send the news to you; don’t you forsake me ⁵ .

PYRGOPOLINICES

That is not my habit.

PALAESTRIO

Consider every now and then how faithful I have been to you.

If you do that, then at last you’ll know who is honest towards you and who dishonest.

1365

PYRGOPOLINICES

I know it; I have often found that true, as well before as to-day in especial.

PALAESTRIO

Do you know it? Aye, and this day I’ll make you hereafter say still more how true it is.

PYRGOPOLINICES

I can hardly refrain from bidding you to stay.

PALAESTRIO

Take you care how ⁶ you do that. They may say that you are a liar and not truthful, that you have no honor;

they may say that no one of your slaves is trustworthy except my-self. If, indeed, I thought you could do it with honor, I should advise you. But it cannot be; take care how you do so.

1370

PYRGOPOLINICES

Be off;

I’ll be content then, whatever happens.

PALAESTRIO

Then, fare you well.

PYRGOPOLINICES

’Twere better you should go with a good heart.

PALAESTRIO

Still, once more, farewell.

(Exit.)

PYRGOPOLINICES

Before this affair, I had always thought that he was a most rascally servant;

still, I find that he is faithful to me. When I consider with myself, I have done unwisely in parting with him. I’ll go hence at once now to my love here: the door, too, I perceive, makes a noise there.

1375