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664
(Enter PALAESTRA and AMPELISCA, in haste, from the Temple, with dishevelled locks.)
PALAESTRA
Now is that time arrived when destitution of all resources and aid,
succour and defence, overtakes us. Neither hope nor means is there to bring us aid, nor know we in what direction we should commence to proceed. In exceeding terror now are we both, in this our wretchedness. Such cruelty and such outrage
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have been committed towards us just now in-doors here by our master, who, in his villany, pushed down the old lady, the Priestess, headlong, and struck her in a very disgraceful manner, and with his violence tore us away from the inner side
1
of the statue. But as our lot and fortunes are now showing themselves,
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’twere best to die, nor in our miseries is there anything better than death.
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Now is that time arrived when destitution of all resources and aid,
succour and defence, overtakes us. Neither hope nor means is there to bring us aid, nor know we in what direction we should commence to proceed. In exceeding terror now are we both, in this our wretchedness. Such cruelty and such outrage
665
have been committed towards us just now in-doors here by our master, who, in his villany, pushed down the old lady, the Priestess, headlong, and struck her in a very disgraceful manner, and with his violence tore us away from the inner side
1
of the statue. But as our lot and fortunes are now showing themselves,
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’twere best to die, nor in our miseries is there anything better than death.
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TRACHALIO
(behind.)
What’s this? Whose words are those? Why do I delay to console them?
(Aloud.) Harkye, Palaestra,
Ampelisca, harkye!
What’s this? Whose words are those? Why do I delay to console them?
(Aloud.) Harkye, Palaestra,
Ampelisca, harkye!
PALAESTRA
Prithee, who is it that calls us?
Prithee, who is it that calls us?
AMPELISCA
Who is it that calls me by name?
Who is it that calls me by name?
TRACHALIO
If you turn round and look, you’ll know.
If you turn round and look, you’ll know.
PALAESTRA
(turning round.)
O hope of my safety!
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O hope of my safety!
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TRACHALIO
Be silent and of good courage; trust me
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.
Be silent and of good courage; trust me
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.
PALAESTRA
If only it can be so, let not violence overwhelm us.
If only it can be so, let not violence overwhelm us.
TRACHALIO
What violence?
What violence?
PALAESTRA
That same which is driving me to commit violence on myself.
That same which is driving me to commit violence on myself.
TRACHALIO
Oh, do leave off; you are very silly.
Oh, do leave off; you are very silly.
PALAESTRA
Then do you leave off at once your consoling me in my misery with words.
Then do you leave off at once your consoling me in my misery with words.
AMPELISCA
Unless you afford us protection in reality
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, Trachalio, it’s all over with us.
Unless you afford us protection in reality
3
, Trachalio, it’s all over with us.
PALAESTRA
I’m resolved to die sooner than suffer this Procurer to get me in his power. But still I am of woman’s heart; when, in my misery, death comes into my mind, fear takes possession of my limbs.
4
I’m resolved to die sooner than suffer this Procurer to get me in his power. But still I am of woman’s heart; when, in my misery, death comes into my mind, fear takes possession of my limbs.
4
TRACHALIO
By my troth, although this is a bitter affliction,
do have a good heart.
By my troth, although this is a bitter affliction,
do have a good heart.
PALAESTRA
Why where, pray, is a good heart to be found for me?
Why where, pray, is a good heart to be found for me?
TRACHALIO
Don’t you fear, I tell you; sit you down here by the altar.
(Points to it.)
Don’t you fear, I tell you; sit you down here by the altar.
AMPELISCA
What can this altar possibly avail us more than the statue here within the Temple
of Venus, from which just now, embracing it, in our wretchedness, we were torn by force?
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What can this altar possibly avail us more than the statue here within the Temple
of Venus, from which just now, embracing it, in our wretchedness, we were torn by force?
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TRACHALIO
Only you be seated here; then I’ll protect you in this spot. This altar you possess as though your bulwarks
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; these your fortifications; from this spot will I defend you. With the aid of Venus, I’ll march against the wickedness of the Procurer.
Only you be seated here; then I’ll protect you in this spot. This altar you possess as though your bulwarks
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; these your fortifications; from this spot will I defend you. With the aid of Venus, I’ll march against the wickedness of the Procurer.
PALAESTRA
We follow your instructions
(they advance to the altar and kneel); and genial Venus, we both of us, in tears, implore thee,
embracing this thy altar, bending upon our knees, that thou wilt receive us into thy guardianship, and be our protector; that thou wilt punish those wretches who have set at nought thy Temple, and that thou wilt suffer us to occupy this thy altar with thy permission, we who last night were by the might of Neptune cast away;
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hold us not in scorn, and do not for that reason impute it to us as a fault, if there is anything that thou shouldst think is not so well attended to
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by us as it ought to have been.
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We follow your instructions
(they advance to the altar and kneel); and genial Venus, we both of us, in tears, implore thee,
embracing this thy altar, bending upon our knees, that thou wilt receive us into thy guardianship, and be our protector; that thou wilt punish those wretches who have set at nought thy Temple, and that thou wilt suffer us to occupy this thy altar with thy permission, we who last night were by the might of Neptune cast away;
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hold us not in scorn, and do not for that reason impute it to us as a fault, if there is anything that thou shouldst think is not so well attended to
6
by us as it ought to have been.
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TRACHALIO
I think they ask what’s just; it ought, Venus, by thee to be granted. Thou oughtst to pardon them; ’tis terror forces them to do this. They say that thou wast born from a shell
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; take thou care that thou dost not despise the shells of these.
But see, most opportunely the old gentleman is coming out, both my protector and your own.
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(He goes to the altar.)
I think they ask what’s just; it ought, Venus, by thee to be granted. Thou oughtst to pardon them; ’tis terror forces them to do this. They say that thou wast born from a shell
7
; take thou care that thou dost not despise the shells of these.
But see, most opportunely the old gentleman is coming out, both my protector and your own.
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Rudens. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1913.
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