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Enter OLYMPIO, in great alarm, from the house of ALCESIMUS.
OLYMPIO
bawling aloud . Neither where to fly to, nor where to conceal myself, nor how to hide this disgrace, do I know; so much have my master and myself been supereminently disgraced at these nuptials of ours. I'm now so ashamed, and now so afraid, and so ridiculous are we both. But, a simpleton, I'm now doing what's new to me: I'm ashamed at that which has never shamed me before. To the AUDIENCE. Lend me your attention, while I repeat my exploits; it's worth your while to catch them with your ears; so ridiculous to be heard, to be repeated, are these mishaps which I have met with in the house. [When straightway1 I had led my new-made bride into the room, I fastened the bolt; but, however, the gloom there was just like the night. I placed, I propped things against the door; I struggled hard2 that before the old fellow * * * * with my bride. Then I began to be slow in my proceedings, for I looked behind me every now and then, lest the old fellow should break in * * * * *, a kiss, that provocative to lust, I asked of her first. She pushed back my hand, and allowed me not to give her a kiss in a quiet way. But then the more anxious was I, the more desirous to assert my privilege with Casina, and I longed to do the old fellow out of that task. The door I blocked up, so that the old man might not over-power me. from the house. MYRRHINA
apart to CLEOSTRATA . Come now, you accost him Pointing to OLYMPIO. CLEOSTRATA
accosting OLYMPIO . Where is your newly-made bride? OLYMPIO
aside . By heavens, I'm utterly undone; the thing's all out. CLEOSTRATA
overhearing him . It's right, then, that you should relate the whole affair as it happened. What's going on in-doors? How fares Casina? Is she quite obsequious to your will? OLYMPIO
I'm ashamed to tell it. CLEOSTRATA
Relate it in its order just as you proceeded. OLYMPIO
Upon my faith, I am ashamed. CLEOSTRATA
Proceed boldly. After you went to bed, I want you to tell what took place after that. OLYMPIO
But it's a disgraceful matter. CLEOSTRATA
I'll take care that those who hear it shall be on their guard as to mentioning it. OLYMPIO
That's the principal thing. CLEOSTRATA
You kill me with weariness. Why don't you proceed? OLYMPIO
----Ubi * * * * us subtus porro * * * quid. 3 OLYMPIO
Babæ! CLEOSTRATA
Quid? OLYMPIO
Papæ! * * quid est? OLYMPIO
Oh, erat maximum. Gladium ne haberet metui; id quærere occœpi. Dum, gladiumne habeat, quæro, arripio capulum. Sed, quom cogito, non habuit gladium; nam id esset frigidius. CLEOSTRATA
Eloquere. OLYMPIO
At pudet. CLEOSTRATA
Num radix fuit? OLYMPIO
Non fuit. CLEOSTRATA
Num cucumis? OLYMPIO
Profecto hercle non fuit quidquam olerum; Nisi quidquid erat, calamitas profecto attigerat nunquam. Ita, quidquid erat, grande erat. MYRRHINA
Quid fit denique? Edisserta. OLYMPIO
----sepit veste id, quî estis. Ubi illum saltum video obseptum; Rogo, ut altero sinat ire. Ita, quidquid erat, grande erat. Tollo ut obvortam cubitissim * * * Ullum mutire * * * * * Surge, ut ineam in * * * * * Atque illam in * * * * * MYRRHINA
Perlepide narrat * * * * OLYMPIO
When I addressed Casina, "Casina," said I, "my dear wife, why do you slight your husband in this fashion? Really, upon my faith, you do this quite without my deserving it, inasmuch as I have given you the preference as my wife." She answered not a word. When I attempted a kiss, a beard pricked my lips just like briars. Forthwith, as I was upon my knees, she struck my head with her feet. I tumbled headlong from the bed; she leapt down upon me and punched my face. From there in silence out of doors I came in this guise; by your leaves I say it; may the old fellow drink of the same cup that I have been drinking of. CLEOSTRATA
Most excellent. But where's your cloak? OLYMPIO
pointing to the house of ALCESIMUS . I left it here in-doors. CLEOSTRATA
Well now; hasn't a very nice trick been played you? OLYMPIO
Yes, and deservedly. Hush! the door makes a noise. What, is she following me, I wonder? They go to a distance.
1 When straightway: With this line commences a part of the Play which is in a very imperfect state, and as to the reason for the appearance of which in that form the Critics are divided in opinion. As it is full of the grossest indecencies (which have precluded the possibility of translating some parts of it), it has been suggested that Plautus himself wrote it in this fragmentary form, as being sufficient to show his meaning, without displaying these indelicacies in all their amplitude. Another opinion is, that these passages are really the composition of Plautus, but that they have been reduced to their present state by lapse of time, or possibly, by reason of the MSS. having been subjected to castration by the fastidious students of the middle centuries. A third opinion is, that the portion between this line and l. 927, and some few lines in the next Scene as well, were not the composition of Plautus, but that they were composed by some of the learned in the middle ages, to fill up the hiatus which existed in this part of the Play, or was supposed to exist there. If so, the writers might certainly have employed their time and talents to better advantage, as they have fairly distanced Plautus in the very worst of his indecencies.
2 I struggled hard: This word is given as "mollio." to soften," in all the Editions. "Molio" seems much more appropriate, and is used by Frontinus in the some sense as "molior."
3 The translator leaves the next few lines in Latin because they contain sexual puns.
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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