Studies in the Poetry of Italy, Part I. RomanMiller, Frank Justus
Philosophy
Studies in the Poetry of Italy, Part I. Roman
Miller, Frank Justus
Latin poetry -- History and criticism
See here, Phormio, we have said enough. Unless you take immediate
steps to get that woman away, I'll throw her out of the house. I have
spoken, Phormio.
Phormio is not to be outdone in bluster, and adopting Demipho's formula,
as well as his tone and gestures, he says:
And if you touch that girl except as becomes a free-born citizen,
I'll bring a cracking suit against you. I have spoken, Demipho.
So saying, he turns and swaggers off the stage, much to the secret
delight of Geta, the impotent rage of Demipho, and the open-mouthed
amazement of the three friends.
Demipho now appeals to his friends for advice as to how to proceed in
this crisis; but they are so obsequious in their manner, and so
contradictory in their advice, that Demipho is in greater perplexity
than before, and decides to take no action at all until his brother
Chremes comes home. He accordingly leaves the stage in the direction of
the harbor, his three friends having already bowed themselves out.
This temporary disposition of Antipho's case is fittingly followed by
the appearance of the young man himself in self-reproachful soliloquy
that he should have run away and left his young wife in the lurch. Geta
appears, and tells Antipho all that has passed in his absence, much to
Antipho's gratitude and relief, though he sorely dreads the return of
his uncle, who, it seems, is to be the arbiter of his destiny.
Phædria and his troubles now claim the center of the stage. As Antipho
and Geta stand talking, they hear a pitiful outcry, and looking up, they
see a black-browed, evil-faced, typical stage villain, who we presently
discover is Dorio, the slave-driver who owns Phædria's sweetheart.
Things have evidently come to a crisis with that young man. He is
following Dorio, and imploring him to wait three days until he can get
money enough to buy his sweetheart. But Dorio says he has a customer who
offers cash down. After much entreaty, however, he tells Phædria that if
the money is forthcoming before to-morrow morning he will consider the
bargain closed. So there Phædria's business is brought to a head, and
the attention of us all must be at once turned to what has suddenly
become the paramount issue. What is to be done? Phædria is too
hysterical to be of any help in the matter, and Antipho tells the
faithful and resourceful Geta that he must get the money somehow. Geta
says that this is liable to be a pretty difficult matter, and doesn't
want to undertake it, but is finally persuaded by Phædria's pitiful
despair to try. He asks Phædria how much money he needs.
_Phæd._ Only six hundred dollars. _Ge._ Six hundred dollars! Whew!
she's pretty dear, Phædria. _Phæd._ [_indignantly_]. It's no such
thing! She's cheap at the price. _Ge._ Well, well! I'll get you the
money somehow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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