by Plautus
Enter SIMO, from his house.
SIMO
The voice of a rascally fellow is calling me out of doors. He stares at PSEUDOLUS. But what’s this? How’s this? What is it I see in this guise?
PSEUDOLUS
staggering towards him . Your own Pseudolus, drunk, with a chaplet on.
SIMO
to himself . By my troth, this is free and easy indeed. But see his attitude; is he on my account a bit the more afraid? I’m thinking whether I shall address him harshly or kindly. But this pointing to a purse in his hand that I’m carrying forbids me to use rough measures towards him just now; if there’s any hope for me, centred in this.
PSEUDOLUS
staggering up to SIMO . A worthless fellow is coming to meet the best of men.
SIMO
May the Gods bless you, Pseudolus. PSEUDOLUS eructates. Foh! go to utter perdition. Pushes him away.
PSEUDOLUS
But why should I have that mischance befal me?
SIMO
Why, the plague, in your drunkenness, are you eructating in my face?
PSEUDOLUS
Hold me up, steadily; take care that I don’t fall. Don’t you see me, how drenched and soaking I am?
SIMO
What impudence is this, for you to be going about this way in broad daylight, drunk, with a chaplet on?
PSEUDOLUS
Such is my pleasure. Eructates again. SIMO. Why your pleasure? Do you persist in eructating in my very face?
PSEUDOLUS
An eructation is comforting to me; do indulge me in it; do but stand off.
SIMO
For my part I really do believe, you villain, that you are able in a single hour to drink up four right plentiful vintages of the Massic hills.
PSEUDOLUS
A winter hour, add.
SIMO
You don’t remind me amiss. But tell me, however, whence I am to say that you are bringing your deeply-laden bark?
PSEUDOLUS
I’ve just been having a thorough bout with your son. That damsel is the cause of this; along with your son she is carousing, a free woman.
SIMO
You are a most worthless fellow.
PSEUDOLUS
But, Simo, wasn’t Ballio nicely diddled? How well I carried what I told you into effect.
SIMO
I know everything in its order, just as you managed each particular.
PSEUDOLUS
Why, then, do you hesitate to pay me the money?
SIMO
You ask what’s just, I confess; take it. Gives him the money.
PSEUDOLUS
But you declared that you wouldn’t give it me; and still do you give it.
SIMO
Are you laughing at me? What? Are you going to take this from your master, Pseudolus?
PSEUDOLUS
With most willing heart and soul.
SIMO
Prithee, can’t you venture to make me an abatement of some portion of this money?
PSEUDOLUS
No: you shall say that I really am a greedy fellow; for you shall never be richer by a single coin of this money.
SIMO
Well, I really didn’t suppose that it would ever come to pass with me that I should be begging of you.
PSEUDOLUS
Load your shoulder with it, and follow me this way. Pointing.
SIMO
I — load myself with that?
PSEUDOLUS
You will load yourself, I’m sure.
SIMO
What am I to do to this fellow? Doesn’t he, contrary to my expectation, take my money, and then laugh at me?
PSEUDOLUS
Woe to the conquered: turn your back, then. Turns him round.
SIMO
Oh! oh! desist. Let me alone — I’m in pain.
PSEUDOLUS
Were you not in pain, I should be in pain; and no compassion would you have had for my back, if I hadn’t this day managed this.
SIMO
There will be an opportunity for me to be revenged on you, if I live.
PSEUDOLUS
Why do you threaten? I’ve got a back of my own.
SIMO
Very well, then. Moves as if going. PSEUD. Come you back then.
SIMO
Why come back?
PSEUDOLUS
Only come you back; you shall not be deceived.
SIMO
turns round . I am come back. PSEUD. Come and have a drink with me.
SIMO
What — I, come?
PSEUDOLUS
Do as I ask you. If you do come, I’ll let you take half of this, or even more. Points to the purse in his hand.
SIMO
I’ll come; take me where you like, Pseudolus.
PSEUDOLUS
How now then? Are you at all angry with me or with your son, Simo, on account of these matters?
SIMO
Certainly, not at all.
PSEUDOLUS
going . Step this way now.
SIMO
I follow you. But why don’t you invite the Spectators as well?
PSEUDOLUS
turning round . I’ faith, they are not in the habit of inviting me; and, therefore, I don’t invite them. But if you addressing the AUDIENCE are willing to applaud and approve of this company of players, and this Comedy, I invite you for to-morrow.
RUDENS
Translated by Henry Thomas Riley
Rudens, which translates from Latin as ‘The Rope’, tells the story of Palaestra, who is stolen from her parents by pirates, and reunited with her father, Daemones, ironically, by means of her pimp, Labrax. The story is, however, far more complex; in particular, humour is derived from the interactions between slaves and masters, and the changes in friendships throughout. The play is set in Cyrene, in northern Africa, although the characters come from a range of cities around the Mediterranean, most notably, Athens.
CONTENTS
THE SUBJECT
THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT.
ACT I.
ACT II.
ACT III.
ACT IV.
ACT V.
THE SUBJECT
DÆMONES, an aged Athenian, having lost his property, goes to live in retirement near the sea-shore of Cyrene, in the vicinity of the Temple of Venus. It so happens that Labrax, a Procurer, makes purchase of two damsels, Palæstra and Ampelisca, and comes to reside at Cyrene. Plesidippus, a young Athenian, sees Palæstra there, and falls in love with her; and making an arrangement with the Procurer, gives him a sum in part payment for her, on which occasion, Labrax invites him to a sacrifice in the Temple of Venus. A Sicilian guest of his, however, named Charmides, persuades him to carry the young women over to Sicily, where he is sure to make a greater profit by them. On this, the Procurer, accompanied by his guest, sets sail with them. A tempest arises, and they are shipwrecked. The young women escape in a boat, and arriving ashore, are hospitably received by the Priestess of Venus. Labrax and Charmides also escape, and on discovering where the women are, the former attempts to drag them by force from the Temple. On this they are protected by Dæmones and Plesidippus, who, through Trachalio, finds out where they are. In the wreck a wallet has been lost, which belongs to Labrax, and in which is a casket enclosing some trinkets belonging to Palæstra. Gripus, a servant of Dæmones, draws this up with the rope attached to his net; and by means of these trinkets it is discovered that Palæstra is the daughter of Dæmones, whom he had lost in her infancy; on which she is given in marriage to Plesidippus by her father, who becomes reconciled to Labrax.
THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT.
[Supposed to have been written by Priscian the Grammarian.]
A FISHERMAN draws a wallet out of the sea in his net (Reti), in which (Ubi) are the trinkets of his master’s daughter, who, having been stolen, had come into the possession of a Procurer as her owner (Dominum). She (Ea), having suffered shipwreck (Naufragio), without knowing it comes
under the protection of her own father; she is recognized, and is married to her (Suo) lover Plesidippus. ARCTURUS
WITH him who sways all nations, seas, and lands, I am a fellow-citizen in the realms of the Gods. I am, as you see, a bright and shining star, a Constellation that ever in its season rises here on earth and in the heavens. Arcturus is my name. By night, I am glittering in the heavens and amid the Gods, passing among mortals in the day. Other Constellations, too, descend from the heavens upon the earth; Jove, who is the ruler of Gods and men — he disperses us here in various directions among the nations, to observe the actions, manners, piety, and faith of men, just as the means of each avail him. Those who commence villanous suits at law upon false testimony, and those who, in court, upon false oath deny a debt, their names written down, do we return to Jove. Each day does he learn who here is calling for vengeance. Whatever wicked men seek here to gain their cause through perjury, who succeed before the judge in their unjust demands, the same case adjudged does he judge over again, and he fines them in a penalty much greater than the results of the judgment they have gained. The good men written down on other tablets does he keep. And still these wicked persons entertain a notion of theirs, that they are able to appease Jupiter with gifts, with sacrifice; both their labour and their cost they lose. This, for this reason, is so, because no petition of the perjured is acceptable to Him. If any person that is supplicating the Deities is pious, he will more easily procure pardon for himself than he that is wicked. Therefore I do advise you this, you who are good and who pass your lives in piety and in virtue — still persevere, that one day you may rejoice that so you did. Now, the reason for which I’ve come hither, I will disclose to you. First, then, Diphilus has willed the name of this city to be Cyrene. There pointing to the cottage dwells Dæmones, in the country and in a cottage very close adjoining to the sea, an old gentleman who has come hither in exile from Athens, no unworthy man. And still, not for his bad deserts has he left his country, but while he was aiding others, meanwhile himself he embarrassed: a property honorably acquired he lost by his kindly ways. Long since, his daughter, then a little child, was lost; a most villanous fellow bought her of the thief, and this Procurer brought the maiden hither to Cyrene. A certain Athenian youth, a citizen of this city, beheld her as she was going home from the music-school. He begins to love her; to the Procurer he comes; he purchases the damsel for himself at the price of thirty minæ, and gives him earnest, and binds the Procurer with an oath. This Procurer, just as befitted him, did not value at one straw his word, or what, on oath, he had said to the young man. He had a guest, a fit match for himself, an old man of Sicily, a rascal from Agrigentum, a traitor to his native city; this fellow began to extol the beauty of that maiden, and of the other damsels, too, that were belonging to him. On this he began to persuade the Procurer to go together with himself to Sicily; he said that there the men were given to pleasure; that there he might be enabled to become a wealthy man; that there was the greatest profit from courtesans. He prevails. A ship is hired by stealth. Whatever he has, by night the Procurer carries it on board ship from his house; the young man who purchased the damsel of him he has told that he is desirous of performing a vow to Venus. This is the Temple of Venus, here pointing at it , and here, for that reason, has he invited the youth hither to a breakfast. From there at once did he embark on board ship, and he carried off the courtesans. Some other persons informed the young man what things were going on, how that the Procurer had departed. When the young man came to the harbour, their ship had got a great way out to sea. When I beheld how that the maiden was being carried off, I brought at the same instant both relief to her and destruction to the Procurer; the storm I rebuked, and the waves of the sea I aroused. For the most violent Constellation of them all am 1, Arcturus; turbulent I am when rising, when I set, more turbulent still. Now, cast ashore there, both the Procurer and his guest are sitting upon a rock; their ship is dashed to pieces. But this maiden, and another as well, her attendant, affrighted, have leaped from the ship into a boat. At this moment the waves are bringing them from the rocks to land, to the cottage of this old man, who is living here in exile, whose roof and tiles the storm has stript off. And this is his servant who is coming out of doors. The youth will be here just now, and you shall see him, who purchased the maiden of the Procurer. Now, fare ye well, and may your foes distrust themselves. (Exit.)
ACT I.
Enter SCEPARNIO, with a spade on his shoulder.
SCEPARNIO
to himself . O ye immortal Gods, what a dreadful tempest has Neptune sent us this last night! The storm has unroofed the cottage. What need of words is there? It was no storm, but what Alcmena met with in Euripides; it has so knocked all the tiles from off the roof; more light has it given us, and has added to our windows.
Enter PLESIDIPPUS, at a distance, talking with three CITIZENS.
PLESIDIPPUS
I have both withdrawn you from your avocations, and that has not succeeded on account of which I’ve brought you; I could not catch the Procurer down at the harbour. But I have been unwilling to abandon all hope by reason of my remissness; on that account, my friends, have I the longer detained you. Now hither to the Temple of Venus am I come to see, where he was saying that he was about to perform a sacrifice.
SCEPARNIO
aloud to himself, at a distance . If I am wise, I shall be getting ready this clay that is awaiting me. Falls to work digging.
PLESIDIPPUS
looking round . Some one, I know not who, is speaking near to me. Enter DÆMONES, from his house.
DÆM.
Hallo! Sceparnio!
SCEPARNIO
Who’s calling me by name?
DÆM.
He who paid his money for you.
SCEPARNIO
turning round . As though you would say, Dæmones, that I am your slave.
DÆM.
There’s occasion for plenty of clay, therefore dig up plenty of earth. I find that the whole of my cottage must be covered; for now it’s shining through it, more full of holes than a sieve.
PLESIDIPPUS
advancing . Health to you, good father, and to both of you, indeed. DÆM. Health to you.
SCEPARNIO
to PLESIDIPPUS, who is muffled up in a coat . But whether are you male or female, who are calling him father?
PLESIDIPPUS
Why really, I’m a man.
DÆM.
Then, man, go seek a father elsewhere. I once had an only daughter, that only one I lost. Of the male sex I never had a child.
PLESIDIPPUS
But the Gods will give ——
SCEPARNIO
going on digging . A heavy mischance to you indeed, i’ faith, whoever you are, who are occupying us, already occupied, with your prating.
PLESIDIPPUS
pointing to the cottage . Pray are you dwelling there?
SCEPARNIO
Why do you ask that? Are you reconnoitring the place for you to come and rob there?
PLESIDIPPUS
It befits a slave to be right rich in his savings, whom, in the presence of his master, the conversation cannot escape, or who is to speak rudely to a free man.
SCEPARNIO
And it befits a man to be shameless and impudent, for him to whom there’s nothing owing, of his own accord to come to the house of another person annoying people.
DÆM.
Sceparnio, hold your tongue. To PLESIDIPPUS. What do you want, young man?
PLESIDIPPUS
A mishap to that fellow, who is in a hurry to be the first to speak when his master’s present. But, unless it’s troublesome, I wish to make enquiry of you in a few words.
DÆM.
My attention shall be given you, even though in the midst of business.
SCEPARNIO
to PLESIDIPPUS . Rather, be off with you to the marsh, and cut down some reeds, with which we may cover the cottage, while it is fine weather.
DÆM.
PLESIDIPPUS
Inform me on what I ask you; whether you have seen here any frizzle-headed fellow, with grey hair, a worthless, perjured, fawning knave.
DÆM.
Full many a one; for by reason of fellows of that stamp am I living in misery.
PLESIDIPPUS
Him, I mean, who brought with him to the Temple of Venus here two young women, and who was to make preparations for himself to perform a sacrifice either to-day or yesterday.
DÆM.
By my faith, young man, for these very many days past I haven’t seen any one sacrificing there; and yet it can’t be unknown to me if any one does sacrifice there. They are always asking here for water, or for fire, or for vessels, or for a knife, or for a spit, or for a pot for cooking, or something or other. What need is there of words? I procured my vessels and my well, for the use of Venus, and not my own. There has now been a cessation of it for these many days past.
PLESIDIPPUS
According to the words you utter, you tell me I’m undone.
DÆM.
Really, so far as I’m concerned, i’ faith, you may be safe and sound.
SCEPARNIO
stopping in his digging . Hark you, you that are roaming about Temples for the sake of your stomach, ‘twere better for you to order a breakfast to be got ready at home. Perhaps you’ve been invited here to breakfast. He that invited you, hasn’t he come at all?
PLESIDIPPUS
’Tis the fact.
SCEPARNIO
There’s no risk then in your betaking yourself hence home without your breakfast. It’s better for you to be a waiter upon Ceres than upon Venus; the latter attends to love, Ceres attends to wheat.
PLESIDIPPUS
to DÆMONES . This fellow has been making sport of me in a digraceful manner.