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970
(Enter LACHES.)
LACHES
(to himself.)
I have this advantage
1
from my country-house being so near at hand; no weariness, either of country or of town, ever takes possession of me; when satiety begins to come on, I change my locality. But is not that our Parmeno? Surely it is he. Whom are you waiting for, Parmeno, before the door here?
970
I have this advantage
1
from my country-house being so near at hand; no weariness, either of country or of town, ever takes possession of me; when satiety begins to come on, I change my locality. But is not that our Parmeno? Surely it is he. Whom are you waiting for, Parmeno, before the door here?
970
PARMENO
(pretends not to see him.)
Who is it
(Turning round.) Oh, I’m glad that you have returned safe.
975
Who is it
(Turning round.) Oh, I’m glad that you have returned safe.
975
LACHES
Whom are you waiting for?
Whom are you waiting for?
PARMENO
(aside.)
I’m undone: my tongue cleaves to my mouth through fright.
I’m undone: my tongue cleaves to my mouth through fright.
LACHES
Why, what is it you are trembling about? Is all quite right? Tell me.
Why, what is it you are trembling about? Is all quite right? Tell me.
PARMENO
Master, in the first place, I would have you persuaded of what is the fact; whatever has happened in this affair has happened through no fault of mine.
Master, in the first place, I would have you persuaded of what is the fact; whatever has happened in this affair has happened through no fault of mine.
LACHES
What is it?
980
What is it?
980
PARMENO
Really you have reason to ask. I ought first to have told you the circumstances. Phaedria purchased a certain Eunuch, to make a present of to this woman here.
Really you have reason to ask. I ought first to have told you the circumstances. Phaedria purchased a certain Eunuch, to make a present of to this woman here.
LACHES
To what woman?
To what woman?
PARMENO
To Thais.
To Thais.
LACHES
Bought? Good heavens, I’m undone! For how much?
Bought? Good heavens, I’m undone! For how much?
PARMENO
Twenty minae.
Twenty minae.
LACHES
Done for, quite.
Done for, quite.
PARMENO
Then, Chaerea is in love with a certain music-girl here.
(Pointing to THAIS’s house.)
Then, Chaerea is in love with a certain music-girl here.
LACHES
How! What? In love? Does he know already what a courtesan means? Is he come to town? One misfortune close upon another.
985
How! What? In love? Does he know already what a courtesan means? Is he come to town? One misfortune close upon another.
985
PARMENO
Master, don’t look so at me; he didn’t do these things by my encouragement.
Master, don’t look so at me; he didn’t do these things by my encouragement.
LACHES
Leave off talking about yourself. If I live, you hang-dog, I’ll— But first give me an account of it, whatever it is.
Leave off talking about yourself. If I live, you hang-dog, I’ll— But first give me an account of it, whatever it is.
PARMENO
He was taken to the house of Thais in place of the Eunuch.
990
He was taken to the house of Thais in place of the Eunuch.
990
LACHES
In place of the Eunuch?
In place of the Eunuch?
PARMENO
Such is the fact. They have since apprehended him in the house as a ravisher, and bound him.
Such is the fact. They have since apprehended him in the house as a ravisher, and bound him.
LACHES
Death!
Death!
PARMENO
Mark the assurance of courtesans.
Mark the assurance of courtesans.
LACHES
Is there any other calamity or misfortune besides, that you have not told me of?
Is there any other calamity or misfortune besides, that you have not told me of?
PARMENO
That’s all.
That’s all.
LACHES
Do I delay rushing in here?
(Runs into the house of THAIS.)
Do I delay rushing in here?
PARMENO
(to himself.)
There’s no doubt but that I shall have a heavy punishment for this affair, only that I was obliged to act thus. I’m glad of this, that some mischief will befall these women here through my agency, for the old man has, for a long time, been on the look-out for some occasion
2
to do them a bad turn; at last he has found it.
1000
There’s no doubt but that I shall have a heavy punishment for this affair, only that I was obliged to act thus. I’m glad of this, that some mischief will befall these women here through my agency, for the old man has, for a long time, been on the look-out for some occasion
2
to do them a bad turn; at last he has found it.
1000
Eunuchus. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). Ney York. 1874.
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