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615
(Enter TRACHALIO, in haste, from the Temple.)
TRACHALIO
(aloud.)
O citizens of
Cyrene
, I implore your aid, countrymen, you who are near neighbours to these spots, bring aid to helplessness, and utterly crush a most vile attempt. Inflict vengeance, that the power of the wicked, who wish themselves to be distinguished by crimes, may not be stronger than of the guiltless.
615
Make an example for the shameless man, give its reward to modest virtue; cause that one may be allowed to live here rather under the control of the laws than of brute force. Hasten hither into the Temple of Venus; again do I implore your aid, you who are here at hand and who hear my cries.
620
Bring assistance to those who, after the recognized usage, have entrusted their lives to Venus and to the Priestess of Venus, under their protection.
Wring ye the neck of iniquity before it reaches yourselves.
O citizens of
Cyrene
, I implore your aid, countrymen, you who are near neighbours to these spots, bring aid to helplessness, and utterly crush a most vile attempt. Inflict vengeance, that the power of the wicked, who wish themselves to be distinguished by crimes, may not be stronger than of the guiltless.
615
Make an example for the shameless man, give its reward to modest virtue; cause that one may be allowed to live here rather under the control of the laws than of brute force. Hasten hither into the Temple of Venus; again do I implore your aid, you who are here at hand and who hear my cries.
620
Bring assistance to those who, after the recognized usage, have entrusted their lives to Venus and to the Priestess of Venus, under their protection.
Wring ye the neck of iniquity before it reaches yourselves.
DAEMONES
What’s all this to-do?
What’s all this to-do?
TRACHALIO
(embracing his knees.)
By these knees of yours, I do entreat you, old gentleman, whoever you are—
By these knees of yours, I do entreat you, old gentleman, whoever you are—
DAEMONES
Nay, but do you let go my knees, then, and tell me why it is that you are making a noise?
Nay, but do you let go my knees, then, and tell me why it is that you are making a noise?
TRACHALIO
I do beg and entreat you, that if you hope
I do beg and entreat you, that if you hope
DAEMONES
Are you in your senses?
Are you in your senses?
TRACHALIO
—Or whether you trust that you will have plenty of juice of silphium
3
, that you will not hesitate to give me the aid which I shall entreat of you, aged sir.
—Or whether you trust that you will have plenty of juice of silphium
3
, that you will not hesitate to give me the aid which I shall entreat of you, aged sir.
DAEMONES
And I, by your legs, and ancles, and back, do entreat you that, if you hope that you will have a crop of elm-twigs, and that a fruitful harvest of beatings will this year be your lot, you will tell me what’s the matter here, by reason of which you are making this uproar.
635
And I, by your legs, and ancles, and back, do entreat you that, if you hope that you will have a crop of elm-twigs, and that a fruitful harvest of beatings will this year be your lot, you will tell me what’s the matter here, by reason of which you are making this uproar.
635
TRACHALIO
Why do you choose to speak me ill? For my part, I wished you everything that’s good.
Why do you choose to speak me ill? For my part, I wished you everything that’s good.
DAEMONES
And for my part, I’m speaking you well, in praying that things which you deserve may befall you.
640
And for my part, I’m speaking you well, in praying that things which you deserve may befall you.
640
TRACHALIO
Prithee, do prevent this.
Prithee, do prevent this.
DAEMONES
What’s the matter, then?
What’s the matter, then?
TRACHALIO
(pointing to the Temple.)
Two innocent women are inside here, in need of your aid, on whom, against law and justice, an injury has been, is being, glaringly committed here in the Temple of Venus. Besides, the Priestess of Venus
is being disgracefully insulted.
645
Two innocent women are inside here, in need of your aid, on whom, against law and justice, an injury has been, is being, glaringly committed here in the Temple of Venus. Besides, the Priestess of Venus
is being disgracefully insulted.
645
DAEMONES
What person is there of effrontery so great as to dare to injure the Priestess? But these women, who are they? Or what injury is being done to them?
What person is there of effrontery so great as to dare to injure the Priestess? But these women, who are they? Or what injury is being done to them?
TRACHALIO
If you give me your attention, I’ll tell you. They have clung to the statue of Venus; a most audacious fellow is now trying to tear them away. They ought, by rights, both of them to be free.
If you give me your attention, I’ll tell you. They have clung to the statue of Venus; a most audacious fellow is now trying to tear them away. They ought, by rights, both of them to be free.
DAEMONES
What fellow is it that so lightly holds the Gods? In a few words tell me.
650
What fellow is it that so lightly holds the Gods? In a few words tell me.
650
TRACHALIO
One most full of fraud, villany, parricide, and perjury; a lawbreaker, an immodest, unclean, most shameless fellow; to sum up all in one word, he is a Procurer; why need I say more about him?
One most full of fraud, villany, parricide, and perjury; a lawbreaker, an immodest, unclean, most shameless fellow; to sum up all in one word, he is a Procurer; why need I say more about him?
DAEMONES
Troth now, you tell of a man that ought to be handed over to retribution.
Troth now, you tell of a man that ought to be handed over to retribution.
TRACHALIO
A villain, to seize the Priestess by the throat.
655
A villain, to seize the Priestess by the throat.
655
DAEMONES
By my troth, but he has done it at his own great peril.
(Calls aloud at his door.) Come you out of doors here, Turbalio and Sparax; where are you?
By my troth, but he has done it at his own great peril.
(Calls aloud at his door.) Come you out of doors here, Turbalio and Sparax; where are you?
TRACHALIO
Prithee, do go in, and hasten to their rescue.
Prithee, do go in, and hasten to their rescue.
DAEMONES
(impatiently.)
And am I to call for them once more?
(from the cottage.)
And am I to call for them once more?
DAEMONES
Follow me this way.
4
Follow me this way.
4
TRACHALIO
Come on now this instant, bid them tear his eyes out, just in the way that cooks do cuttle-fish
5
.
Come on now this instant, bid them tear his eyes out, just in the way that cooks do cuttle-fish
5
.
DAEMONES
Drag the fellow out here by his legs, just like a slaughtered pig.
660
(DAEMONES and his SERVANTS go into the Temple.)
Drag the fellow out here by his legs, just like a slaughtered pig.
660
TRACHALIO
(listening at the door.)
I hear a scuffling; the Procurer, I guess, is being belaboured with their fists; I’d very much like them to knock the teeth out of the jaws of the most villanous fellow. But see, here are the women themselves coming out of the Temple in consternation.
I hear a scuffling; the Procurer, I guess, is being belaboured with their fists; I’d very much like them to knock the teeth out of the jaws of the most villanous fellow. But see, here are the women themselves coming out of the Temple in consternation.
Rudens. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
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