The Comedies of Terence | Page 6

wife, or whether {his} mistress, is
pregnant by Pamphilus. It is worth while to hear their effrontery; for it
is an undertaking {worthy} of those in their dotage, not of those who
dote in love;[41] whatever she shall bring forth, they have resolved to
rear;[42] and they are now contriving among themselves a certain
scheme, that she is a citizen of Attica. There was formerly a certain old
man of this place, a merchant; he was shipwrecked off the Isle of
Andros; he died. {They say} that there, the father of Chrysis, on that
occasion, sheltered this girl, thrown on shore, an orphan, a little child.
What nonsense! To myself at least it isn't very probable; the fiction
pleases them, however. But Mysis is coming out of the house. Now I'll
{betake} myself hence to the Forum,[43] that I may meet with
Pamphilus, lest his father should take him by surprise about this matter.
(Exit.
SCENE IV.
Enter MYSIS from the house of GLYCERIUM.
MYS. (speaking at the door to Archylis within.) I've heard you already,
Archylis; you request Lesbia to be fetched. Really, upon my faith, she
is a wine-bibbing[44] and a rash woman, and not sufficiently
trustworthy for you to commit to her care a female at her first delivery;
is she still to be brought? (She receives an answer from within, and
comes forward.) Do look at the inconsiderateness of the old woman;

because she is her pot-companion. Ye Gods, I do entreat you, give her
ease in her delivery, and to that woman an opportunity of making her
mistakes elsewhere in preference. But why do I see Pamphilus so out of
spirits? I fear what it may be. I'll wait, that I may know whether this
sorrow portends any disaster. (Stands apart.)
SCENE V.
Enter PAMPHILUS, wringing his hands.
PAM. (to himself.) Is it humane to do or to devise this? Is this the duty
of a father?
MYS. (apart.) What does this mean?
PAM. (to himself.) O, by our faith in the Gods! what is, if this is not, an
indignity? He had resolved that he himself would give me a wife to-day;
ought I not to have known this beforehand? Ought it not to have been
mentioned previously?
MYS. (apart.) Wretched me! What language do I hear?
PAM. (to himself.) What {does} Chremes {do}? He who had declared
that he would not intrust his daughter to me as a wife; because he
{himself} sees me unchanged he has changed. Thus perversely does he
lend his aid, that he may withdraw wretched me from Glycerium. If this
is effected, I am utterly undone. That any man should be so unhappy in
love, or {so} unfortunate as I am! Oh, faith of Gods and men! shall I by
no device be able to escape {this} alliance with Chremes? In how many
ways {am} I contemned, {and} held in scorn? Every thing done, {and}
concluded! Alas! {once} rejected I am sought again; for what reason?
Unless perhaps it is this, which I suspect it is: they are rearing some
monster,[45] {and} as she can not be pushed off upon any one {else},
they have recourse to me.
MYS. (apart.) This language has terrified wretched me with
apprehension.

PAM. (to himself.) But what am I to say about my father? Alas! that he
should so thoughtlessly conclude an affair of such importance! Passing
me in the Forum just now, he said, "Pamphilus, you must be married
to-day: get ready; be off home." He seemed to me to say this: "Be off
this instant, and go hang yourself." I was amazed; think you that I was
able to utter a single word, or any excuse, even a frivolous, false, {or}
lame one? I was speechless. But if any one were to ask me now what I
would have done, if I had known this sooner, {why}, I would have
done any thing rather than do this. But now, what course shall I first
adopt? So many cares beset me, which rend my mind to pieces; love,
sympathy for her, the worry of this marriage; then, respect for my
father, who has ever, until now, with such an indulgent disposition,
allowed me to do whatever was agreeable to my feelings. Ought I to
oppose him? Ah me! I am in uncertainty what to do.
MYS. (apart.) I'm wretchedly afraid how this uncertainty is to
terminate. But now there's an absolute necessity, either for him to speak
to her, or for me {to speak} to him about her. While the mind is in
suspense, it is swayed by a slight impulse one way or the other.
PAM. (overhearing her.) Who is it speaking here? (Seeing her.) Mysis?
Good-morrow to you.
MYS. Oh! Good-morrow to you, Pamphilus.
PAM. How is she?
MYS. Do you