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Enter NICOBULUS from his house.
NICOBULUS
Pray, whose voice is it that sounds near me? CHRYSALUS
O Nicobulus! NICOBULUS
What's the matter? CHRYSALUS
O, capital! NICOBULUS
Well, have you done aught of what I sent you upon? CHRYSALUS
What--ask you that? Step closer this way. NICOBULUS
coming nearer . Well, I do come closer. CHRYSALUS
I am an excellent pleader. By rebuking him, and by whatever hard language I really was able to think of, I forced the fellow to tears. NICOBULUS
What did he say? CHRYSALUS
He uttered not a word: crying, he listened in silence to what I was saying; in silence he wrote down on his tablets; these sealed he gave to me; he bade me deliver them to you. Gives him the tablets. But I am afraid that they sing to the same tune that the former ones did. Observe the seal, is it his? NICOBULUS
I recognize it. I'd like to read them over. Goes to a distance. CHRYSALUS
Read them through. Aside. Now is the upper lintel1 being cut down, now is the destruction of Troy near at hand. The wooden horse is shaking it right cleverly. NICOBULUS
Chrysalus, just step here while I am reading these through. CHRYSALUS
Prithee, what need is there for me to be near you? NICOBULUS
That you may know what's written here. CHRYSALUS
I don't care, and I don't wish to know. NICOBULUS
Still, do come here. CHRYSALUS
What need is there? NICOBULUS
Hold your tongue. CHRYSALUS
I won't, I say. NICOBULUS
But I will, I say. CHRYSALUS
What need is there? NICOBULUS
Still do you only do that which I bid you. CHRYSALUS
I'll come. 'Tis right to do so; your own servant ought to be obedient at your command. Goes up to him. NICOBULUS
looking at the tablets . Heyday! he hasn't been sparing2 of his wax or pen. But whatever it is, I'm resolved to read it through. Attend to me, please, this very instant. CHRYSALUS
When you choose, read on; I devote to you the attention of my ears. NICOBULUS
looking close . Bless me! the letters are small. CHRYSALUS
To one, indeed, who cannot see well with his eyes but they are quite large enough for one who can see well. NICOBULUS
Give your attention then. He reads. "Father, I beseech you, do give two hundred Philippeans to Chrysalus, if you wish me to be safe or alive for you----" CHRYSALUS
By my troth, really a very great mistake, I tell you. NICOBULUS
What's the matter? CHRYSALUS
He hasn't first written the salutation to you. NICOBULUS
looking . I don't see it anywhere. CHRYSALUS
Even from its very commencement the letter is an impertinent one. If you are wise, you'll not give it; but at the best, if you give it him, why, let him find out some other porter for himself, if he is wise; for I won't carry it if you order me ever so much. I've been quite enough suspected as it is, when I was guiltless of a fault. NICOBULUS
Listen on now, while I read through what's written. (Reading.) "I am ashamed, father, to appear before you in your presence; such disgraceful conduct of mine have I heard that you are aware of, that I have formed an intercourse with the wife of a strange Captain." By my troth, you are not joking there; for I have saved your life from the consequences of this foul deed with two hundred golden Philippeans. CHRYSALUS
There's not a particle of these things but what I've told him. NICOBULUS
reading . "I confess that I have acted foolishly. But I beseech you, father, do not forsake me, if, in my folly, I have transgressed. Of fierce desires, and eyes uncontrolled, have I been; I have been urged on to do a deed of which I am now ashamed." It were proper, then, that you should have taken heed before you were ashamed. CHRYSALUS
All these very same words did I say to him only just now. NICOBULUS
reading . "I beseech you, father, to consider that it is enough that Chrysalus has reproached me with many cutting words, and by his advice has made me a better man, so that 'tis right that you should return him sincere thanks." CHRYSALUS
Is that written there? NICOBULUS
Look and see, then you'll know. Shows him the letter. CHRYSALUS
He that has so offended, how humble to all he is, and of his own accord. NICOBULUS
reading . "Now, father, if even yet I may be allowed to ask anything of you, do give me two hundred Philippean pieces, I do entreat you." CHRYSALUS
By my troth, now, not one even, if you are wise. NICOBULUS
Let me read on. Reading. "In set form3 I have taken an oath that I would give this to the woman this day before nightfall, ere she leaves me. Now, father, have a care that I be not forsworn, and take me hence away from her as soon as you can, on whose account I have incurred so much loss and guilt. Take care and let not the two hundred pieces be a cause of annoyance to you; I will repay you innumerable times as much, if I live. Farewell, and do attend to these matters." Now, Chrysalus, what do you think? CHRYSALUS
I won't give you one bit of advice this day, and I won't run the risk, that if any mistake is made, you should say that you had done it by my counsel. But, as I conceive, if I were in your place, I would rather give the gold than suffer him to be corrupted. There is a twofold choice consider which you would adopt; either to lose the gold, or for a lover to be forsworn. I neither order you, nor forbid you, nor do I persuade you. NICOBULUS
I'm sorry for him. CHRYSALUS
You don't do anything surprising--he is your son. If still more must be lost, 'tis better for it to go, than for this disgrace to be everywhere proclaimed. NICOBULUS
By my troth, I certainly had much rather he had been at Ephesus, so long as he was well, than that he had returned home. But why don't I hasten to get rid of that which is doomed to be squandered away? I'll bring you just now from in-doors twice two hundred Philippeans, both those which, a little time since, to my sorrow, I promised to the Captain, and these others. Wait there; I'll be out to you, Chrysalus, this instant. Goes into his house. CHRYSALUS
Troy is laid waste, the chiefs have razed Pergamus. I knew some time ago that I should be the ruin of Pergamus. I' faith I wouldn't dare make a bet with him who should say that I was deserving of severe torture; so great confusion am I making. But the door makes a noise; the plunder's being brought forth from Troy. For the present I'll hold my tongue. with the money in two bays. NICOBULUS
Take you this gold, Chrysalus; go, carry it to my son. But I'll go hence to the market-place to pay this to the Captain. CHRYSALUS
For my part, I'll not receive it; do you seek somebody at once to take it. I won't have it entrusted to me. NICOBULUS
But do take it; you're worrying me now. Holds it to him. CHRYSALUS
For my part, I'll not take it. NICOBULUS
But, prithee do. CHRYSALUS
I am telling you what is the fact. NICOBULUS
You are delaying me. CHRYSALUS
I don't want, I say, the gold to be entrusted to me. At all events, find some person to keep a watch upon me. NICOBULUS
You're plaguing me. CHRYSALUS
Well, give it me, if it must be so. Holds out his hand. NICOBULUS
gives him the money . Take care of it. I'll be back here just now. (Exit.) CHRYSALUS
I've taken care----that you shall be a most wretched old fellow; this is bringing an undertaking to a fair ending; even as it has proved my lot to go rejoicing, laden with the spoil. With safety to myself, and the city taken by stratagem, I now bring home my whole army unhurt. But, Spectators, don't you now be surprised that I don't go in triumph; 'tis such a common thing, I don't care for it. Still however, the soldiers shall be received with the usual honeyed wine. Now I'll carry off all this booty at once to the Quæstor4. Goes into the house of BACCHIS. Enter PHILOXENUS. PHILOXENUS
The more I revolve it in my breast, what disturbances my son has raised, into what a course of life, and into what habits he unwittingly has headlong plunged himself, the greater is my concern, and the more do I dread lest he may be ruined or corrupted. I know it; I once was of the same age, and I did all these things; but in a quiet way. I was gay, I had my mistress, I drank, I feasted, I made presents, but still it was seldom I did so. The methods, too, please me not which I see parents in general employ towards their sons. I have determined to give some latitude to my son, that he may have some scope for his inclinations. I think that's right; but still, I don't wish him to give way too much to sloth and wantonness. Now I'm going to Mnesilochus, to see whether, as I requested, by his endeavours he has turned him for me to virtue and to sobriety; as, indeed, I am sure he has done if he has met him, of such a disposition is he by nature. (Exit.)
1 The upper lintel: He alludes to the Phrygian gate, which he has before mentioned in l. 955
2 Hasn't been sparing: By this expression he means that his son has written a very long letter, as he has been neither sparing of the wax for the table's, nor of the use of the "stylus" or pen.
3 In set form: Of course the oath would be the more solemn in such case.
4 To the Quaestor: It was the custom of the Romans to deliver to the City Quaestor the plunder taken in war, to be employed in the public service. Here he means his young master, Mnesilochus.
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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