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1024
(Enter CLITIPHO from the house of CHREMES.)
CLITIPHO
If there ever was any time, mother, when I caused you pleasure,
being called your son by your own desire, I beseech: you to remember it, and now to take compassion on me in my distress. A thing I beg and request—do discover to me my parents.
1025
If there ever was any time, mother, when I caused you pleasure,
being called your son by your own desire, I beseech: you to remember it, and now to take compassion on me in my distress. A thing I beg and request—do discover to me my parents.
1025
SOSTRATA
I conjure you, my son, not to entertain that notion in your mind, that you are another person’s child.
I conjure you, my son, not to entertain that notion in your mind, that you are another person’s child.
CLITIPHO
I am.
I am.
SOSTRATA
Wretch that I am!
(Turning to CHREMES.) Was it this that you wanted, pray?
(To CLITIPHO.) So may you be the survivor of me and of him, you are my son and his; and henceforth, if you love me,take care that I never hear that speech from you again.
1030
Wretch that I am!
(Turning to CHREMES.) Was it this that you wanted, pray?
(To CLITIPHO.) So may you be the survivor of me and of him, you are my son and his; and henceforth, if you love me,take care that I never hear that speech from you again.
1030
CHREMES
But I say, if you fear me, take care how I find these propensities existing in you.
But I say, if you fear me, take care how I find these propensities existing in you.
CLITIPHO
What propensities?
What propensities?
CHREMES
If you wish to know, I’ll tell you; being a trifler, an idler, a cheat, a glutton, a debauchee, a spendthrift—Believe me, and believe that you are our son.
If you wish to know, I’ll tell you; being a trifler, an idler, a cheat, a glutton, a debauchee, a spendthrift—Believe me, and believe that you are our son.
CLITIPHO
This is not the language of a parent.
1035
This is not the language of a parent.
1035
CHREMES
If you had been born from my head, Clitipho, just as they say
Minerva was from Jove’s, none the more on that account would I suffer myself to be disgraced by your profligacy.
1
If you had been born from my head, Clitipho, just as they say
Minerva was from Jove’s, none the more on that account would I suffer myself to be disgraced by your profligacy.
1
SOSTRATA
May the Gods forbid it.
May the Gods forbid it.
CHREMES
I don’t know as to the Gods;
2
so far as I shall be enabled, I will carefully prevent it. You are seeking that which you possess—parents; that which you are in want of you don’t seek—
in what way to pay obedience to a father, and to preserve what he acquired by his industry. That you by trickery should bring before my eyes—I am ashamed to mention the unseemly word in her presence
(pointing to SOSTRATA), but you were not in any degree ashamed to act thus.
1040
I don’t know as to the Gods;
2
so far as I shall be enabled, I will carefully prevent it. You are seeking that which you possess—parents; that which you are in want of you don’t seek—
in what way to pay obedience to a father, and to preserve what he acquired by his industry. That you by trickery should bring before my eyes—I am ashamed to mention the unseemly word in her presence
(pointing to SOSTRATA), but you were not in any degree ashamed to act thus.
1040
CLITIPHO
(aside.)
Alas! how thoroughly displeased I now am with myself! How much ashamed! nor do I know how to make a beginning to pacify him.
Alas! how thoroughly displeased I now am with myself! How much ashamed! nor do I know how to make a beginning to pacify him.
Heautontimorumenos. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). Ney York. 1874.
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