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1! ALCMENA
It is so, I speak the truth; unless you are going to allege that this is falsely said as well. JUPITER
offering to embrace her . You are too angry. ALCMENA
repulsing him . Can't you keep your hands off? For surely if you were wise, or quite in your senses, with her, whom you deem and pronounce to be unchaste, you would neither hold discourse, in mirth or in seriousness, unless, indeed, you are more foolish than the most foolish. JUPITER
If I did say so, not a bit the more are you so, nor do I think you so, and therefore have I returned hither that I might excuse myself to you. For never has anything proved more grievous to my feelings than when I heard that you were angry with me. "Why did you charge me?" you will say. I'll tell you; by my troth, not that I deemed you to be unchaste; but I was trying your feelings, what you would do, and in what manner you would bring yourself to bear it. Really, I said these things to you just now in jest, for the sake of the joke. Do but ask Sosia this. ALCMENA
But why don't you bring here my kinsman, Naucrates, whom you said just now that you would bring as a witness that you had not come here? JUPITER
If anything was said in joke, it isn't right for you to take it in earnest. ALCMENA
I know how much this has pained me at heart. JUPITER
Prithee, Alcmena taking her hand , by your right hand I do entreat you, grant me pardon; forgive me, don't be angry. ALCMENA
By my virtue have I rendered these accusations vain. Since then I eschew conduct that's unchaste, I would wish to avoid imputations of unchastity. Fare you well, keep your own
1 Enemies indeed: "Inimicos." Gronovius tells us that "izimicus" was term in law by which the husband was denoted after divorce if so, the expression might be supposed to strike with peculiar harshness on a husband's ear.
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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