The Six Comedies of Terence

1. Auflage 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4554-0012-6
Verlag: Seltzer Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 595 Seiten

Six comedies by the Roman dramatist, in English translation: Andria; or, the Fair Andrian; Eunuchus; or, the Eunuch; Heautontimorumenos; or, the Self-Tormentor; Adelphi; or, the Brothers; Hecyra; the Mother-in-law; and Phormio; or, the Scheming Parasite.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Terence

Leseproben

ACT THE THIRD.
   SCENE I.     Enter THRASO and GNATHO.   THRA. Did Thais really return me many thanks?   GNA. Exceeding {thanks}.   THRA. Was she delighted, say you?   GNA. Not so much, indeed, at the present itself, as because it was given by you; really, in right earnest, she does exult at that.     Enter PARMENO unseen, from LACHES' house.   PAR. (apart.) I've come here to be on the look-out, that when there is an opportunity I may take {the presents}. But see, here's the Captain.   THRA. Undoubtedly it is the case with me, that every thing I do is a cause for thankfulness.   GNA. Upon my faith, I've observed it.   THRA. The most mighty King,[62] even, always used to give me especial thanks for whatever I did; but not so to others.   GNA. He who has the wit that you have, often by his words appropriates to himself the glory that has been achieved by the labor of others.   THRA. You've just hit it.[63]   GNA. The king, then, kept you in his eye.[64]   THRA. Just so.   GNA. To enjoy your society.   THRA. True; he intrusted {to me} all his army, all his state secrets.   GNA. Astonishing!   THRA. Then if, on any occasion, a surfeit of society, or a dislike of business, came upon him, when he was desirous to take some recreation; just as though-- you understand?[65]   GNA. I know; just as though on occasion he would rid his mind of those anxieties.   THRA. You have it. Then he used to take me aside as his only boon companion.   GNA. Whew! You are telling of a King of refined taste.   THRA. Aye, he is a person of that sort; a man of but very few acquaintanceships.   GNA. (aside.) Indeed, of none,[66] I fancy, if he's on intimate terms with you.   THRA. All the people envied me, and attacked me privately. I don't care one straw. They envied me dreadfully; but one in particular, whom {the King} had appointed over the Indian elephants.[67] Once, when he became particularly troublesome, "Prithee, Strato," said I, "are you so fierce because you hold command over the wild beasts?"   GNA. Cleverly said, upon my faith, and shrewdly. Astounding! You did give the fellow a home thrust. What said he?   THRA. Dumfounded, instantaneously.   GNA. How could he be otherwise?   PAR. (apart.) Ye Gods, by our trust in you! a lost and miserable fellow the one, and the other a scoundrel.   THRA. Well then, about that matter, Gnatho, the way in which I touched up the Rhodian at a banquet-- did I never tell you?   GNA. Never; but pray, do tell me. (Aside.) I've heard it more than a thousand times already.   THRA. There was in my company at a banquet, this young man of Rhodes, whom I'm speaking of. By chance I had a mistress there; he began to toy with her, and to annoy me. "What are you doing, sir impudence?" said I to the fellow; "a hare yourself, and looking out for game?"[68]   GNA. (pretending to laugh very heartily.) Ha, ha, ha!   THRA. What's the matter?   GNA. How apt, how smart, how clever; nothing {could be} more excellent. Prithee, was this a saying of yours? I fancied it was an old one.   THRA. Did you ever hear it before?   GNA. Many a time; and it is mentioned among the first-rate ones.   THRA. It's my own.   GNA. I'm sorry {though} that it was said to a thoughtless young man, and one of respectability.   PAR. (apart.) May the Gods confound you!   GNA. Pray, what {did} he {do}?   THRA. Quite disconcerted. All who were present were dying with laughter; in short, they were all quite afraid of me.   GNA. Not without reason.   THRA. But hark you, had I best clear myself of this to Thais, as to her suspicion that I'm fond of this girl?   GNA. By no means: on the contrary, rather increase her jealousy.   THRA. Why so?   GNA. Do you ask me? Don't you see, if on any occasion she makes mention of Phaedria or commends him, to provoke you----   THRA. I understand.   GNA. That such may not be the case, this method is the only remedy. When she speaks of Phaedria, do you instantly {mention} Pamphila. If at any time she says, "Let's invite Phaedria to make one," {do} you {say}, "Let's {ask} Pamphila to sing." If she praises his good looks, do you, on the other hand, praise hers. In short, do you return like for like, which will mortify her.   THRA. If, indeed, she loved me,[69] this might be of some use, Gnatho.   GNA. Since she is impatient for and loves that which you give her, she already loves you; as it is, {then}, it is an easy matter for her to feel vexed. She will be always afraid lest the presents which she herself is now getting, you may on some occasion be taking elsewhere.   THRA. Well said; that never came into my mind.   GNA. Nonsense. You never thought about it; else how much more readily would you yourself have hit upon it, Thraso!    SCENE II.     Enter THAIS from her house, attended by PYTHIAS.   THAIS, (as she comes out.) I thought I just now heard the Captain's voice. And look, here he is. Welcome, my {dear} Thraso.   THRA. O my Thais, my sweet one, how are you? How much do you love me in return for that music girl?   PAR. (apart.) How polite! What a beginning he has made on meeting her!   THAIS. Very much, as you deserve.   GNA. Let's go to dinner then. (To THRASO.) What do you stand {here} for?   PAR. (apart.) Then there's the other one: you would declare that he was born for his belly's sake.   THRA. When you please; I sha'n't delay.   PAR. (apart.) I'll accost them, and pretend as though I had just come out. (He comes forward.) Are you going any where, Thais?   THAIS. Ha! Parmeno; well done; {just} going out for the day.   PAR. Where?   THAIS, (aside, pointing at THRASO.) Why! don't you see him?   PAR. (aside.) I see him, and I'm sorry for it. (Aloud.) Phaedria's presents are ready for you when you please.   THRA. (impatiently.) Why are we to stand {here}? Why don't we be off?   PAR. (to THRASO.) Troth now, pray, do let us, with your leave, present to her the things we intend, {and} accost and speak to her.   THRA. (ironically.) Very fine presents, I suppose, or {at least} equal to mine.   PAR. The fact will prove itself. (Goes to the door of LACHES' house and calls.) Ho there! bid those people come out of doors at once, as I ordered.     Enter from the house a BLACK GIRL.   PAR. Do you step forward this way, (To THAIS.) She comes all the way from AEthiopia.   THRA. (contemptuously.) Here are some three minae in value.   GNA. Hardly so much.   PAR. Where are you, Dorus? Step this way.     Enter CHAEREA from the house, dressed like the EUNUCH.   PAR. There's a Eunuch for you-- of what a genteel appearance! of what a prime age!   THAIS. God bless me, he's handsome.   PAR. What say you, Gnatho? Do you see any thing to find fault with? And what {say} you, Thraso? (Aside.) They hold their tongues; they praise him sufficiently {thereby}. (To THAIS.) Make trial of him in literature, try him in exercises,[70] and in music; I'll warrant him well skilled in what it becomes a gentleman to know.   THRA. That Eunuch, if occasion served,[71] even in my sober senses, I--   PAR. And he who has sent these things makes no request that you will live for him alone, and that for his own sake others may be excluded; he neither tells of battles nor shows his scars, nor does he restrict you as (looking at THRASO) a certain person does; but when it is not inconvenient, whenever you think fit, whenever you have the time, he is satisfied to be admitted.   THRA. (to GNATHO, contemptuously.) It appears that this is the servant of some beggarly, wretched master.   GNA. Why, faith, no person, I'm quite sure of that, could possibly put up with him, who had the means to get another.   PAR. You hold your tongue-- a fellow whom I consider beneath all men of the very lowest grade: for when you can bring yourself to flatter that fellow (pointing at THRASO), I do believe you could pick your victuals out of the {very} flames.[72]   THRA. Are we to go now?   THAIS. I'll take these in-doors first (pointing to CHAEREA and the AETHIOPIAN), and at the same time I'll order what I wish; after that I'll return immediately. (Goes into the house with PYTHIAS, CHAEREA, and the SLAVE.)   THRA. (to GNATHO.) I shall be off. Do you wait for her.   PAR. It is not a proper...