Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Eunuchus, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 5.2

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839 (CHAEREA. THAIS. PYTHIAS.)

CHAEREA

Apud Antiphonem uterque, mater et pater,

Quasi dedita opera domi erant, ut nullo modo
840

Introire possem quin viderent me. Interim

Dum ante ostium sto, notus mihi quidam obviam

Venit. Ubi vidi, ego me in pedes quantum queo

In angiportum quoddam desertum; inde item

In aliud, inde in aliud: ita miserrimus
845

Fui fugitando ne quis me cognosceret.

Sed estne haec Thais quam video? Ipsa est. Haereo.

Quid faciam? quid mea autem? quid faciet mihi?

THAIS

Adeamus. Bone vir Dore salve. Die mihi,

Aufugistine?
850

CHAEREA

Hera, factum.

THAIS

Satin id tibi placet?

CHAEREA

Non.

THAIS

Credin te impune habiturum?

CHAEREA

Unam hanc noxiam

Mitte: si aliam admisero umquam, occidito.

THAIS

Num meam saevitiam veritus es?

CHAEREA

Non.

THAIS

Quid igitur?

CHAEREA

Hanc metui ne me criminaretur tibi.

THAIS

Quid feceras?
855

CHAEREA

Paulum quiddam.

PYTHIAS

Eho, paulum, impudens?

An paulum hoc esse tibi videtur, virginem

Vitiare civem?

CHAEREA

Conservam esse credidi.

PYTHIAS

Conservam? Vix me contineo quin involem in

Capillum. Monstrum etiam ultro derisum advenit.

THAIS

Abin hinc, insana?
860

PYTHIAS

Quid ita vero? debeam,

Credo, isti quicquam furcifero, si id fecerim;

Praesertim cium se servum fateatur tuum.

THAIS

Missa haec faciamus. Non te lignum, Chaerea,

Fecisti; nam etsi ego digna hac contumelia

Sum maxime, at tu indignius qui faceres tamen.
865

Neque edepol quid nunc consili capiam scio

De virgine istac: ita conturbasti mihi

Rationes omnes, ut eam non possim suis,

Ita ut aequum fuerat atque ut studui, tradere,

Ut solidum parerem hoc mihi beneficium, Chaerea.
870

CHAEREA

At nunc dehinc spero aeternam inter nos gratiam

Fore, Thais. Saepe ex huiusmodi re quapiam et

Malo principio magna familiaritas

Conflata est. Quid si hoc quispiam voluit Deus?

THAIS

Equidem pol in eam partem accipioque et volo.
875

CHAEREA

Immo ita quaeso. Unum hoc scito; contumeliae

Non me fecisse causa sed amoris.

THAIS

Scio;

Et pol propterea magis nunc ignosco tibi.

Non adeo inhumano ingenio sum, Chaerea,

Neque ita imperita ut quid amor valeat nesciam.
880

CHAEREA

Te quoque iam, Thais, ita me Di bene ament, amo.

PYTHIAS

Tum pol tibi ab istoc, hera, cavendum intelligo.

CHAEREA

Non ausim.

PYTHIAS

Nihil tibi quicquam credo.

THAIS

Desinas.

CHAEREA

Nunc ego te in hac re mihi oro ut adiutrix sies:

Ego me tuae commendo et committo fidei;
885

Te mihi patronam capio, Thais; te obsecro.

Emoriar si non hanc uxorem duxero.

THAIS

Tamen si pater—.

CHAEREA

Quid? ah volet, certo scio;

Civis modo haec sit.

THAIS

Paululum opperirier

Si vis, iam frater ipse hic aderit virginis:
890

Nutricem arcessitum it quae illam aluit parvulam.

In cognoscendo tute ipse aderis, Chaerea.

CHAEREA

Ego vero maneo.

THAIS

Vin interea, dum is venit,

Domi opperiamur potius quam hic ante ostium?

CHAEREA

Immo percupio.
895

PYTHIAS

Quam tu rem actura obsecro es?

THAIS

Nam quid ita?

PYTHIAS

Rogitas? hunc tu in aedes cogitas

Recipere posthac?

THAIS

Cur non?

PYTHIAS

Crede hoc meae fidei;

Dabit hic aliquam pugnam denuo.

THAIS

Au tace obsecro.

PYTHIAS

Parum perspexisse eius videre audaciam.

CHAEREA

Non faciam, Pythias.
900

PYTHIAS

Non pol credo, Chaerea,

Nisi si commissum non erit.

CHAEREA

Quin Pythias,

Tu me servato.

PYTHIAS

Neque pol servandum tibi

Quicquam dare ausim, neque te servare: apage te.

THAIS

Adest optime ipse frater.

CHAEREA

Perii hercle: obsecro,

Abeamus intro Thais: nolo me in via
905

Cum hac veste videat.

THAIS

Quamobrem tandem? an quia pudet?

CHAEREA

Id ipsum.

PYTHIAS

Id ipsum? Virgo vero.

THAIS

I prae; sequor.

Tu istic mane, ut Chremem introducas, Pythias.

Eunuchus. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). ed. Edward St. John Parry. London. 1857.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2.

Current edition Perseus

Eunuchus (Terence. Publii Terentii Comoediae Sex. Parry, Edward St. John, editor. London: Whittaker and Co.; George Bell, 1857.)

Translations (1)

Eunuchus; or, The Eunuch Perseus (Terence. The Comedies of Terence. Riley, Henry Thomas; Colman, George, translators. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1872.) — 5.2 focus

839 (Enter CHAEREA, in the EUNUCH’s dress, on the other side of the stage.)

CHAEREA

(to himself.)

At Antipho’s,¹ both of them, father and mother,

just as if on purpose, were at home, so that I couldn’t any way get in, but that they must have seen me. In the mean time, while I was standing before the door, a certain acquaintance of mine was coming full upon me. When I espied him, I took to my heels as fast as I could down a narrow unfrequented alley; thence again
840

to another, and thence to another; thus have I been most dreadfully harassed with running about, that no one might recognize me. But isn’t this Thais that I see? It is she. I’m at a stand. What shall I do? But what need I care? What can she do to me?
845

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Let’s accost him. (To CHAEREA.) Good Mister Dorus, welcome; tell me,

have you been running away?
850

CHAEREA

Madam, I did so.

THAIS

Are you quite pleased with it?

CHAEREA

No.

THAIS

Do you fancy that you’ll get off with impunity?

CHAEREA

Forgive this one fault; if I’m ever guilty of another, then kill me.

THAIS

Were you in fear of my severity?

CHAEREA

No.

THAIS

No? What then?

CHAEREA

(pointing at PYTHIAS.)

I was afraid of her, lest she might be accusing me to you.

THAIS

What had you done?
855

CHAEREA

A mere trifle.

PYTHIAS

Come now, a trifle, you impudent fellow. Does this appear a trifle to you, to ravish a virgin, a citizen?

CHAEREA

I took her for my fellow-servant.

PYTHIAS

Fellow-servant? I can hardly restrain myself from flying at his hair. A miscreant! Even of his own free will he comes to make fun of us.

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Won’t you begone from here, you mad woman?
860

PYTHIAS

Why so? Really, I do believe I should be something in this hang-dog’s debt, if I were to do so; especially as he owns that he is your servant.

THAIS

We’ll pass that by. Chaerea, you have behaved unworthily of yourself; for if I am deserving in the highest degree of this affront,

still it is unbecoming of you to be guilty of it. And, upon my faith, I do not know what method now to adopt about this girl: you have so confounded all my plans, that I can not possibly return her to her friends in such a manner as is befitting and as I had intended;
865

in order that, by this means, I might, Chaerea, do a real service to myself.
870

CHAEREA

But now, from henceforth, I hope, Thais, that there will be lasting good-will between us. Many a time, from some affair of this kind and from a bad beginning, great friendships have sprung up. What if some Divinity has willed this?

THAIS

I’faith, for my own part I both take it in that view and wish to do so.
875

CHAEREA

Yes, prithee, do so. Be sure of this one thing, that I did not do it for the sake of affronting you, but in consequence of passion.

THAIS

I understand, and, i’faith, for that reason do I now the more readily forgive you. I am not, Chaerea, of a disposition so ungentle, or so inexperienced,

as not to know what is the power of love.
880

CHAEREA

So may the Deities kindly bless me, Thais; I am now smitten with you as well.

PYTHIAS

Then, i’faith, mistress, I foresee you must have a care of him.

CHAEREA

I would not dare—

PYTHIAS

I won’t trust you at all in any thing.

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Do have done.

CHAEREA

Now I entreat you that you will be my assistant in this affair.

I intrust and commit myself to your care; I take you, Thais, as my protectress; I implore you; I shall die if I don’t have her for my wife.
885

THAIS

But if your father should say any thing—

CHAEREA

Oh, he’ll consent, I’m quite sure of that, if she is only a citizen.

THAIS

If you will wait a little,

the brother himself of the young woman will be here presently; he has gone to fetch the nurse, who brought her up when a little child; you yourself, shall be present Chaerea, at his recognition of her.
890

CHAEREA

I certainly will stay.

THAIS

In the mean time, until he comes, would you prefer that we should wait for him in the house, rather than here before the door?

CHAEREA

Why yes, I should like it much.
895

PYTIH.

(to THAIS.)

Prithee, what are you going to do?

THAIS

Why, what’s the matter?

PYTHIAS

Do you ask? Do you think of admitting him after this into your house?

THAIS

Why not?

PYTHIAS

Trust my word for it, he’ll be creating some new disturbance.

THAIS

O dear, prithee, do hold your tongue.

PYTHIAS

You seem to me to be far from sensible of his assurance.

CHAEREA

I’ll not do any thing, Pythias.
900

PYTHIAS

Upon my faith, I don’t believe you, Chaerea, except in case you are not trusted.

CHAEREA

Nay but, Pythias, do you be my keeper.

PYTHIAS

Upon my faith, I would neither venture to give any thing to you to keep, nor to keep you myself: away with you!

THAIS

Most opportunely the brother himself is coming.

CHAEREA

I’faith, I’m undone. Prithee,

let’s be gone in-doors, Thais. I don’t want him to see me in the street with this dress on.
905

THAIS

For what reason, pray? Because you are ashamed?

CHAEREA

Just so.

PYTHIAS

Just so? But the young woman—

THAIS

Go first; I’ll follow. You stay here, Pythias, that you may show Chremes in.

(THAIS and CHAEREA go into the house.)

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THAIS Adeamus. Bone vir Dore salve. Die mihi, Aufugistine? 850

CHAEREA Hera, factum.

THAIS Satin id tibi placet?

CHAEREA Non.

THAIS Credin te impune habiturum?

CHAEREA Unam hanc noxiam Mitte: si aliam admisero umquam, occidito.

THAIS Num meam saevitiam veritus es?

CHAEREA Non.

THAIS Quid igitur?

CHAEREA Hanc metui ne me criminaretur tibi.

THAIS Quid feceras? 855

CHAEREA Paulum quiddam.

PYTHIAS Eho, paulum, impudens? An paulum hoc esse tibi videtur, virginem Vitiare civem?

CHAEREA Conservam esse credidi.

PYTHIAS Conservam? Vix me contineo quin involem in Capillum. Monstrum etiam ultro derisum advenit.

THAIS Abin hinc, insana? 860

PYTHIAS Quid ita vero? debeam, Credo, isti quicquam furcifero, si id fecerim; Praesertim cium se servum fateatur tuum.

CHAEREA At nunc dehinc spero aeternam inter nos gratiam Fore, Thais. Saepe ex huiusmodi re quapiam et Malo principio magna familiaritas Conflata est. Quid si hoc quispiam voluit Deus?

THAIS Equidem pol in eam partem accipioque et volo. 875

CHAEREA Immo ita quaeso. Unum hoc scito; contumeliae Non me fecisse causa sed amoris.

THAIS Scio; Et pol propterea magis nunc ignosco tibi. Non adeo inhumano ingenio sum, Chaerea, Neque ita imperita ut quid amor valeat nesciam. 880

CHAEREA Te quoque iam, Thais, ita me Di bene ament, amo.

PYTHIAS Tum pol tibi ab istoc, hera, cavendum intelligo.

CHAEREA Non ausim.

PYTHIAS Nihil tibi quicquam credo.

THAIS Desinas.

CHAEREA Nunc ego te in hac re mihi oro ut adiutrix sies: Ego me tuae commendo et committo fidei; 885 Te mihi patronam capio, Thais; te obsecro. Emoriar si non hanc uxorem duxero.

THAIS Tamen si pater—.

CHAEREA Quid? ah volet, certo scio; Civis modo haec sit.

THAIS Paululum opperirier Si vis, iam frater ipse hic aderit virginis: 890 Nutricem arcessitum it quae illam aluit parvulam. In cognoscendo tute ipse aderis, Chaerea.

CHAEREA Ego vero maneo.

THAIS Vin interea, dum is venit, Domi opperiamur potius quam hic ante ostium?

CHAEREA Immo percupio. 895

PYTHIAS Quam tu rem actura obsecro es?

THAIS Nam quid ita?

PYTHIAS Rogitas? hunc tu in aedes cogitas Recipere posthac?

THAIS Cur non?

PYTHIAS Crede hoc meae fidei; Dabit hic aliquam pugnam denuo.

THAIS Au tace obsecro.

PYTHIAS Parum perspexisse eius videre audaciam.

CHAEREA Non faciam, Pythias. 900

PYTHIAS Non pol credo, Chaerea, Nisi si commissum non erit.

CHAEREA Quin Pythias, Tu me servato.

PYTHIAS Neque pol servandum tibi Quicquam dare ausim, neque te servare: apage te.

THAIS Adest optime ipse frater.

CHAEREA Perii hercle: obsecro, Abeamus intro Thais: nolo me in via 905 Cum hac veste videat.

THAIS Quamobrem tandem? an quia pudet?

CHAEREA Id ipsum.

PYTHIAS Id ipsum? Virgo vero.

THAIS I prae; sequor. Tu istic mane, ut Chremem introducas, Pythias.

Current edition Perseus

THAIS (to PYTHIAS.) Let’s accost him. (To CHAEREA.) Good Mister Dorus, welcome; tell me, have you been running away? 850

CHAEREA Madam, I did so.

THAIS Are you quite pleased with it?

CHAEREA No.

THAIS Do you fancy that you’ll get off with impunity?

CHAEREA Forgive this one fault; if I’m ever guilty of another, then kill me.

THAIS Were you in fear of my severity?

CHAEREA No.

THAIS No? What then?

CHAEREA (pointing at PYTHIAS.) I was afraid of her, lest she might be accusing me to you.

THAIS What had you done? 855

CHAEREA A mere trifle.

PYTHIAS Come now, a trifle, you impudent fellow. Does this appear a trifle to you, to ravish a virgin, a citizen?

CHAEREA I took her for my fellow-servant.

PYTHIAS Fellow-servant? I can hardly restrain myself from flying at his hair. A miscreant! Even of his own free will he comes to make fun of us.

THAIS (to PYTHIAS.) Won’t you begone from here, you mad woman? 860

PYTHIAS Why so? Really, I do believe I should be something in this hang-dog’s debt, if I were to do so; especially as he owns that he is your servant.

CHAEREA But now, from henceforth, I hope, Thais, that there will be lasting good-will between us. Many a time, from some affair of this kind and from a bad beginning, great friendships have sprung up. What if some Divinity has willed this?

THAIS I’faith, for my own part I both take it in that view and wish to do so. 875

CHAEREA Yes, prithee, do so. Be sure of this one thing, that I did not do it for the sake of affronting you, but in consequence of passion.

THAIS I understand, and, i’faith, for that reason do I now the more readily forgive you. I am not, Chaerea, of a disposition so ungentle, or so inexperienced, as not to know what is the power of love. 880

CHAEREA So may the Deities kindly bless me, Thais; I am now smitten with you as well.

PYTHIAS Then, i’faith, mistress, I foresee you must have a care of him.

CHAEREA I would not dare—

PYTHIAS I won’t trust you at all in any thing.

THAIS (to PYTHIAS.) Do have done.

CHAEREA Now I entreat you that you will be my assistant in this affair. I intrust and commit myself to your care; I take you, Thais, as my protectress; I implore you; I shall die if I don’t have her for my wife. 885

THAIS

Adeamus. Bone vir Dore salve. Die mihi,

Aufugistine?
850

CHAEREA

Hera, factum.

THAIS

Satin id tibi placet?

CHAEREA

Non.

THAIS

Credin te impune habiturum?

CHAEREA

Unam hanc noxiam

Mitte: si aliam admisero umquam, occidito.

THAIS

Num meam saevitiam veritus es?

CHAEREA

Non.

THAIS

Quid igitur?

CHAEREA

Hanc metui ne me criminaretur tibi.

THAIS

Quid feceras?
855

CHAEREA

Paulum quiddam.

PYTHIAS

Eho, paulum, impudens?

An paulum hoc esse tibi videtur, virginem

Vitiare civem?

CHAEREA

Conservam esse credidi.

PYTHIAS

Conservam? Vix me contineo quin involem in

Capillum. Monstrum etiam ultro derisum advenit.

THAIS

Abin hinc, insana?
860

PYTHIAS

Quid ita vero? debeam,

Credo, isti quicquam furcifero, si id fecerim;

Praesertim cium se servum fateatur tuum.

CHAEREA

At nunc dehinc spero aeternam inter nos gratiam

Fore, Thais. Saepe ex huiusmodi re quapiam et

Malo principio magna familiaritas

Conflata est. Quid si hoc quispiam voluit Deus?

THAIS

Equidem pol in eam partem accipioque et volo.
875

CHAEREA

Immo ita quaeso. Unum hoc scito; contumeliae

Non me fecisse causa sed amoris.

THAIS

Scio;

Et pol propterea magis nunc ignosco tibi.

Non adeo inhumano ingenio sum, Chaerea,

Neque ita imperita ut quid amor valeat nesciam.
880

CHAEREA

Te quoque iam, Thais, ita me Di bene ament, amo.

PYTHIAS

Tum pol tibi ab istoc, hera, cavendum intelligo.

CHAEREA

Non ausim.

PYTHIAS

Nihil tibi quicquam credo.

THAIS

Desinas.

CHAEREA

Nunc ego te in hac re mihi oro ut adiutrix sies:

Ego me tuae commendo et committo fidei;
885

Te mihi patronam capio, Thais; te obsecro.

Emoriar si non hanc uxorem duxero.

THAIS

Tamen si pater—.

CHAEREA

Quid? ah volet, certo scio;

Civis modo haec sit.

THAIS

Paululum opperirier

Si vis, iam frater ipse hic aderit virginis:
890

Nutricem arcessitum it quae illam aluit parvulam.

In cognoscendo tute ipse aderis, Chaerea.

CHAEREA

Ego vero maneo.

THAIS

Vin interea, dum is venit,

Domi opperiamur potius quam hic ante ostium?

CHAEREA

Immo percupio.
895

PYTHIAS

Quam tu rem actura obsecro es?

THAIS

Nam quid ita?

PYTHIAS

Rogitas? hunc tu in aedes cogitas

Recipere posthac?

THAIS

Cur non?

PYTHIAS

Crede hoc meae fidei;

Dabit hic aliquam pugnam denuo.

THAIS

Au tace obsecro.

PYTHIAS

Parum perspexisse eius videre audaciam.

CHAEREA

Non faciam, Pythias.
900

PYTHIAS

Non pol credo, Chaerea,

Nisi si commissum non erit.

CHAEREA

Quin Pythias,

Tu me servato.

PYTHIAS

Neque pol servandum tibi

Quicquam dare ausim, neque te servare: apage te.

THAIS

Adest optime ipse frater.

CHAEREA

Perii hercle: obsecro,

Abeamus intro Thais: nolo me in via
905

Cum hac veste videat.

THAIS

Quamobrem tandem? an quia pudet?

CHAEREA

Id ipsum.

PYTHIAS

Id ipsum? Virgo vero.

THAIS

I prae; sequor.

Tu istic mane, ut Chremem introducas, Pythias.

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Let’s accost him. (To CHAEREA.) Good Mister Dorus, welcome; tell me,

have you been running away?
850

CHAEREA

Madam, I did so.

THAIS

Are you quite pleased with it?

CHAEREA

No.

THAIS

Do you fancy that you’ll get off with impunity?

CHAEREA

Forgive this one fault; if I’m ever guilty of another, then kill me.

THAIS

Were you in fear of my severity?

CHAEREA

No.

THAIS

No? What then?

CHAEREA

(pointing at PYTHIAS.)

I was afraid of her, lest she might be accusing me to you.

THAIS

What had you done?
855

CHAEREA

A mere trifle.

PYTHIAS

Come now, a trifle, you impudent fellow. Does this appear a trifle to you, to ravish a virgin, a citizen?

CHAEREA

I took her for my fellow-servant.

PYTHIAS

Fellow-servant? I can hardly restrain myself from flying at his hair. A miscreant! Even of his own free will he comes to make fun of us.

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Won’t you begone from here, you mad woman?
860

PYTHIAS

Why so? Really, I do believe I should be something in this hang-dog’s debt, if I were to do so; especially as he owns that he is your servant.

CHAEREA

But now, from henceforth, I hope, Thais, that there will be lasting good-will between us. Many a time, from some affair of this kind and from a bad beginning, great friendships have sprung up. What if some Divinity has willed this?

THAIS

I’faith, for my own part I both take it in that view and wish to do so.
875

CHAEREA

Yes, prithee, do so. Be sure of this one thing, that I did not do it for the sake of affronting you, but in consequence of passion.

THAIS

I understand, and, i’faith, for that reason do I now the more readily forgive you. I am not, Chaerea, of a disposition so ungentle, or so inexperienced,

as not to know what is the power of love.
880

CHAEREA

So may the Deities kindly bless me, Thais; I am now smitten with you as well.

PYTHIAS

Then, i’faith, mistress, I foresee you must have a care of him.

CHAEREA

I would not dare—

PYTHIAS

I won’t trust you at all in any thing.

THAIS

(to PYTHIAS.)

Do have done.

CHAEREA

Now I entreat you that you will be my assistant in this affair.

I intrust and commit myself to your care; I take you, Thais, as my protectress; I implore you; I shall die if I don’t have her for my wife.
885

THAIS

But if your father should say any thing—

CHAEREA

Oh, he’ll consent, I’m quite sure of that, if she is only a citizen.

THAIS

If you will wait a little,

the brother himself of the young woman will be here presently; he has gone to fetch the nurse, who brought her up when a little child; you yourself, shall be present Chaerea, at his recognition of her.
890