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[100]
“I am annoyed because the boy takes a
stranger's fancy. But are not all the finest works of nature common property?
The sun shines upon all men. The moon with countless troops of stars in her
train leads even the beasts to their food. Can we imagine anything more lovely
than water? yet it flows for all the world. Then shall love alone be stolen
rather than enjoyed? The truth is that I do not care for possessions unless the
common herd are jealous of them. One rival, and he too an old man, will not be
troublesome; even if he wants to gain an advantage, his shortness of breath will
give him away.” When I had made these points without any confidence,
deceiving my protesting spirit, I covered my head in my cloak and pretended to be
asleep.
But suddenly, as though fate were in arms against my resolution, a voice on the
ship's deck said with a groan, like this: “So he deceived me, then?”
These manly tones were somehow familiar to my ear, and my heart beat fast as they
struck me. But then a woman torn by the same indignation broke out yet more
vehemently: “Ah, if the gods would deliver Giton into my hands, what a fine
welcome I would give the runaway.” The shock of these unexpected sounds
drove all the blood out of both of us. I felt as if I were being hunted round in
some troubled dream; I was a long while finding my voice, and then pulled Eumolpus's
clothes with a shaking hand, just as he was falling into a deep sleep, and said,
“Tell me the truth, father; can you say who owns this ship, or who is on
board?” He was annoyed at being disturbed, and replied, “Was this
why you chose a quiet corner on deck, on purpose to prevent us from getting any
rest? What on earth is the use of my telling you[p. 203] that Lichas of
Tarentum is the master of this boat, and is carrying Tryphaena to Tarentum under
a sentence of banishment?”
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