Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Adelphi, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 4.4

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610 (AESCHINUS.)

AESCHINUS.

Discrucior animi:
610

Hocine de improviso mali mihi obiici

Tantum, ut neque quid de me faciam neque quid agam certum siet!

Membra metu debilia sunt; animus timore

Obstipuit: pectore consistere nil consili

Quit. Vah! quomodo me ex hac expediam turba? Tanta nunc
615

Suspicio de me incidit;

Neque ea immerito: Sostrata credit mihi me psaltriam hanc emisse.

Id anus mihi indicium fecit.

Nam ut hinc forte ea ad obstetricem erat missa, ubi eam vidi ilico

Accedo, rogito Pamphila quid agat, iam partus adsiet;
620

Eone obstetricem arcessat. Illa exclamat, Abi, abi iam, Aeschine.

Satis diu dedisti verba; sat adhuc tua nos frustrata est fides.

Hem, quid istuc obsecro, inquam, est? Valeas; habeas illam quae placet.

Sensi ilico id illas suspicari: sed me reprehendi tamen

Ne quid de fratre garrulae illi dicerem, ac fieret palam.
625

Nunc quid faciam? Dicam fratris esse? Id quidem minime est opus

Usquam efferri. Ac mitto: fieri potis est ut ne qua exeat.

Ipsum id metuo ut credant; tot concurrunt verisimilia.

Egomet rapui; ipse egomet solvi argentum; ad me abducta est domum.

Haec adeo mea culpa fateor fieri. Non me hanc rem patri
630

Ut ut erat gesta indicasse? Exorassem ut eam ducerem.

Cessatum usque adhuc est: nunc porro, Aeschine, expergiscere!

Nunc hoc primum est: ad illas ibo ut purgem me; accedam ad fores.

Perii! horresco semper ubi pultare hasce occipio miser.

Heus, heus: Aeschinus ego sum: aperite aliquis actutum ostium.
635

Prodit nescio quis: concedam huc.

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

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Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

Adelphi; or, The Brothers Perseus (Terence. The Comedies of Terence. Riley, Henry Thomas; Colman, George, translators. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1872.) — 4.4 focus

610
(Enter AESCHINUS.)

AESCHINUS.

I am quite distracted in mind! for this misfortune so unexpectedly to befall me, that I neither know what to do with myself, or how to act! My limbs are enfeebled through fear, my faculties bewildered with apprehension; no counsel is able to find a place within my breast.
610

Alas! how to extricate myself from this perplexity I know not; so strong a suspicion has taken possession of them about me; not without some reason too: Sostrata believes that I have purchased this Music-girl for myself: the old woman informed me of that. For by accident, when she was sent for the midwife, I saw her,
615

and at once went up to her. How is Pamphila? I inquired; is her delivery at hand? Is it for that she is sending for the midwife? Away, away, Aeschinus, cries she; you have deceived us long enough; already have your promises disappointed us sufficiently. Ha! said I; pray what is the meaning of this? Farewell, she cries; keep to her who is your choice. I instantly guessed what it was they suspected, but still I checked myself,
620

that I might not be telling that gossip any thing about my brother, whereby it might be divulged. Now what am I to do? Shall I say she is for my brother, a thing that ought by no means to be repeated any where? However, let that pass. It is possible it might go no further. I am afraid they would not believe it, so many probabilities concur against it; ’twas I myself carried her off; ’twas I, my own self, that paid the money for her; ’twas my own house she was carried to.
625

This I confess has been entirely my own fault. Ought I not to have disclosed this affair, just as it happened, to my father? I might have obtained his consent to marry her. I have been too negligent hitherto; henceforth, then, arouse yourself, Aeschinus. This then is the first thing; to go to them and clear myself. I’ll approach the door. (Advances to the door of SOSTRATA’S house.) Confusion! I always tremble most dreadfully when I go to knock at that door.
630

(Knocking and calling to them within.) Ho there, ho there! it is Aeschinus; open the door immediately, some one. (The door opens.) Some person, I know not who, is coming out; I’ll step aside here.
635
(He stands apart.)

Publius Terentius Afer (Terence) Adelphi 4.4

ed. Edward St. John Parry

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