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Enter ADELPHASIUM and ANTERBASTYLIS, from the Temple of Venus.
ADELPHASIUM
'Twas worth the while, to-day, of him who has a taste for loveliness to afford a feast to his eyes, in coming hither to the Temple this day to see the sights. Upon my faith, I was charmed there to-day with the most elegant offerings of the courtesans, worthy of Venus, the most handsome Goddess; nor did I despise her worship this day; so great an abundance of beauteous objects was there there, each nicely arranged in its own place. The odours of Arabia and of myrrh filled everything. The festive day seemed to be affected with no gloom, Venus, nor did thy Temple; so great a throng of her dependants was there, who had come to Venus of Calydon. ANTERASTYLIS
But certainly, as far indeed as regarded us two, sister, we were all-powerful in our prayers, beauteous and gainers of her favour; neither were we there held in ridicule by the young men, which, i' faith, sister, happened to all the rest. ADELPHASIUM
I'd rather that it should so appear to other persons, than that you, sister, should praise yourself. ANTERASTYLIS
Indeed, I trust so. ADELPHASIUM
Troth, and so do I, when I reflect of what breeding we and the others are. We were born in that station, that it befits us to be unblemished by faultiness. HANNO
apart . Jupiter, who dost preserve and feed the race of men, through whom we pass this mortal life, in whose hands are the hopes of life in all men, prithee, do grant this day as a prosperous one for my fortunes! Those whom I've missed for many years, and whom when little I lost from their native land, to them restore their liberty, that I may be sure that for an indomitable sense of duty there is a reward. AGORASTOCLES
apart . I'll engage that Jove shall do it all; for to me he is indebted1, and stands in awe of me. HANNO
apart . Prithee, do hold your peace. He weeps. AGORASTOCLES
apart . Kinsman, do not weep. ANTERASTYLIS
apart . As it is a pleasure for a man, my sister, if he succeeds in anything, to have the credit of victory, just so did we this day among the rest excel them all in beauty. ADELPHASIUM
Sister, you are more silly than I could wish. Prithee, do you really think yourself a beauty, if your face has not been besmeared with soot2? AGORASTOCLES
apart . O kinsman! O kinsman, dearest of all kinsmen3 to me! HANNO
apart . What is it, son of my cousin? My son, tell me, what is it you wish? AGORASTOCLES
apart . Why, really, I do wish you to attend to this. HANNO
apart . Why, really, I am attending to it. AGORASTOCLES
apart . Kinsman, kinsman, dearest of all kinsmen to me! HANNO
apart . What's the matter? AGO. apart . She's a clever and a nice girl. How shrewd she is! HANNO
apart . She has her father's disposition in being shrewd. AGORASTOCLES
apart . How's that? This long time, i' faith, she has surely used up your shrewdness. 'Tis from here pointing to himself she now derives her shrewdness; 'tis from here her sense; whatever she does shrewdly, through my love does she act so shrewdly. ADELPHASIUM
We are not born of that rank, although we are slaves, sister, that it should befit us to do anything which any man may laugh at. Many are the faults of women; but of the many, this one is the greatest, to please themselves too much, and to give their attention too little to pleasing the men. ANTERASTYLIS
It was a very great delight that was portended in our sacrifice of the entrails, sister, and what the soothsayer said about us both---- AGORASTOCLES
apart . I wish he had said something about me! ANTERASTYLIS
That we should be free in a few days, in spite of our owner. I don't know why I should hope for that, unless the Gods or our parents do something. AGORASTOCLES
apart . 'Twas through confidence in me4, kinsman, upon my faith, that the soothsayer promised them liberty, I'm sure of it, because he knows I'm in love with her. ADELPHASIUM
Sister, follow me this way. Moves as if going. ANTERASTYLIS
I follow. Moves also. HANNO
stepping forward . Before you go away5, I want you both. Unless it's inconvenient, stop. ADELPHASIUM
Who's calling us back? AGORASTOCLES
One who wishes to do you a kindness. ADELPHASIUM
There's opportunity for doing it. But who is the person? AGORASTOCLES
A friend of yours. ADELPHASIUM
One> who is not an enemy, in fact. AGORASTOCLES
This is a good man, my love. ADELPHASIUM
I' faith, I should prefer him rather than a bad one. AGORASTOCLES
If, indeed, friendship must be engaged in, with such a person ought it to be engaged in. ADELPHASIUM
I don't beg for it. AGORASTOCLES
He wishes to do you many services. ADELPHASIUM
Being good yourself you will be doing good to the good. HANNO
I will cause you joy---- ADELPHASIUM
And, i' faith, we pleasure to you. HANNO
And liberty. ADELPHASIUM
At that price you'll easily make us your own. AGORASTOCLES
My kinsman, so may the Gods bless me, if I were Jupiter, upon my faith I'd at once marry her for my wife, and pack Juno out of doors. How quietly did she utter her words, how considerately and becomingly! how modestly did she frame her speech! certainly she is my own! HANNO
apart to AGORASTOCLES . But how skilfully I accosted her! AGORASTOCLES
Cleverly and becomingly, upon my faith. HANNO
Am I still to go on testing them? AGORASTOCLES
Compress it in a few words; the people who are sitting here are getting thirsty6. HANNO
Well, why don't we proceed to do that which was to be done? To the WOMEN. I summon you to justice. AGORASTOCLES
Seize hold of this one, kinsman, if you are wise. Should you like me to catch hold of her? ADELPHASIUM
Is this person your kinsman, Agorastocles? AGORASTOCLES
I'll soon let you know. Now, by my word, I'll be nicely revenged on you; for I'll make----you my bride. HANNO
Come before a court of justice; don't delay! AGORASTOCLES
Summon me as your witness7, and take me; I'll be a witness for you; and after that, her pointing to ADELPHASIUM will I love and embrace. But 'twas this, indeed, I intended to say--why yes, I did say that which I intended to say. HANNO
to the DAMSELS . You are lingering. I summon you to justice, unless it is more becoming for you to be dragged thither. ADELPHASIUM
Why do you summon us to justice? What are we in your debt? AGORASTOCLES
He'll tell it there. ADELPHASIUM
Are even my own dogs barking at me? AGORASTOCLES
Then, troth, do you caress me; give me a kiss in place of a piece of meat; present your lips in place of a bone8: that way I'll render this dog more smooth for you than oil. HANNO
Come on, if you are coming. ADELPHASIUM
What have we done to you? HANNO
You are thieves, both of you. ADELPHASIUM
What, we, as regards you? HANNO
You, I say. AGORASTOCLES
And I know it. ADELPHASIUM
What theft is this? AGORASTOCLES
Enquire of him. HANNO
Because for many years you have been concealing my daughters from me, and, in fact, persons free-born, and free, and born of the highest rank. ADELPHASIUM
I' faith, you'll never find that villany to have been committed by us. AGORASTOCLES
Make a bet of a kiss now, if you are not forsworn, which is to give it to the other. ADELPHASIUM
I've nothing to do with you; prithee, get you gone. AGORASTOCLES
But, i' faith, I've got something to do with you; for he is my kinsman; it's necessary for me to be his advocate. And I'll inform him how you are guilty of many a theft, and in what way you have got his daughters as slaves at your house, whom you know to be free women stolen from their native land. ADELPHASIUM
Where are these, or who are they, prithee? AGORASTOCLES
aside to HANNO . They have been teased sufficiently. HANNO
aside . Why not speak out, then? AGORASTOCLES
aside . I' faith, I'm of that opinion, kinsman. ADELPHASIUM
I'm dreadfully afraid what this business can mean, my sister; so astounded am I, I stand here without my senses. HANNO
Damsels, give me your attention. In the first place, if it could possibly come to pass, for the Gods not to send upon the innocent what is undeserved, that could I have wished to happen; now for the good the Gods bestow upon me, upon yourselves and upon your nurse9, 'tis due that we should give to the Deities our endless thanks, since the immortal Gods approve and reward our piety. You are my daughters, both of you, and this is your relation, Agorastocles, the son of my cousin. ADELPHASIUM
Prithee, are they deluding us with imaginary joys? AGORASTOCLES
Really, so may the Deities preserve me, this is your father. Give him your hands. ADELPHASIUM
embracing him . Welcome, father! unhoped-for by us, allow us to embrace you! ANTERASTYLIS
embracing him . Welcome, father! much wished and longed for! We are both your daughters; we both embrace you. AGORASTOCLES
Who'll be for embracing me in the next place? HANNO
Now am I happy! Now with this delight do I allay the miseries of many a year. ADELPHASIUM
We hardly seem to believe this. HANNO
I'll tell you something to make you believe it the more: why, it was your nurse who recognized me first. ADELPHASIUM
Prithee, where is she? HANNO
pointing to AGORASTOCLES . She's at his house. AGORASTOCLES
to ADELPHASIUM, who is embracing her father . Pray, why does it please you to clasp his neck so long, before he has betrothed you to me? Dear one, much longed-for, blessings on you! He embraces her. ADELPHASIUM
struggling . Do leave off your salutations! AGORASTOCLES
I will leave off. And you the other one. To ANTERASTYLIS, whom he embraces. ANTERASTYLIS
struggling . I don't want that; you torment me to death! HANNO
Let us each clasp the other in our arms, than whom is there anything on earth more happy? AGORASTOCLES
Blessings befall the deserving. Pointing to HANNO. At last his wishes are realized! O Apelles! O Zeuxis10 the painter! why did you die too soon? Would that you could paint a subject after this! For I don't care for other common painters to be treating subjects of this description. HANNO
Gods and Goddesses all! I return you deservedly extreme thanks, for having blest me with this gladness so supreme and with these joys so great; as my daughters have returned to me and into my possession. ADELPHASIUM
My father, your own piety has clearly come to our aid. AGORASTOCLES
Kinsman, take care and keep it in memory that you've betrothed your elder daughter to me---- HANNO
I remember it. AGORASTOCLES
The portion, too, that you promised.
1 To me he is indebted: This impious expression is out of character with Agorastocles, and the latter portion of the line is supposed to be spurious.
2 Besmeared with soot: Douza informs us that it was the custom of the young men to divert themselves at the expense of those courtesans who were not handsome, by daubing their faces with soot and dirt.
3 Dearest of all kinsmen: 'Patruissime." A word coined by Plautus for the occasion.
4 Through confidence in me: He surmises that the soothsayer (like most other successful prophets) had learnt the true state of the case beforehand.
5 Before you go away: Warner, in his Note on this passage, suggests that Plautus has here forgotten the rules of nature. He says, "It is unnatural to suppose a parent, who has so long been in search of his daughters, should be so near them as to see them, and hear them talk, and not immediately fly into their embraces. And when he does speak to them, he teases and torments them a long time, for no other reason than to divert the Spectators."
6 Sitting here are getting thirsty: He alludes to the Spectators, and means that they must be tired with sitting there and listening to such a long Play.
7 Summon me as your witness: 'Antestare me." See the Note to the Curculio, l. 621.
8 Your lips in place of a bone: The original of this line is somewhat indelicate, and the translation of it has been modified. She expected assistance from Agorastocles, who appears to her to be taking the part of her enemy.
9 And upon your nurse: "Matri." This may either mean their own mother, the wife of Hanno, if then living, or their nurse Giddeneme: as "mater" is used in the latter sense by Plautus in the Prologue to the Menæchmi.
10 Apelles! O Zeuxis: Apelles of Cos flourished in the time of Alexander the Great. He was the most celebrated painter of his time. Zeuxis of Heraclæa flourished about a century before him, and was equally famous as a painter
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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