Latin drama (Comedy) -- Translations into English; Terence -- Translations into English
PYTH. That I can not tell;
Unless, as I suppose, for love of Pamphila.
THAIS. Alas! I am undone; undone, indeed,
If that, which you have told me now, be true.
Is't that the girl bemoans thus?
PYTH. I believe so.
THAIS. How, careless wretch! was that the charge I gave you
At my departure?
PYTH. What could I do? She
Was trusted, as you bade, to him alone.
THAIS. Oh, jade, you set the wolf to keep the sheep
--I'm quite asham'd to 've been so poorly bubbled.
PYTH. Who comes here?--Hist! peace, madam, I beseech you!
We're safe: we have the very man.
(_Seeing CHAEREA at a distance._)
THAIS. Where is he?
PYTH. Here, on the left; d'ye see him, ma'am?
THAIS. I see him.
PYTH. Let him be seiz'd immediately!
THAIS. And what
Can we do to him, fool?
PYTH. Do to him, say you?
--See, what a saucy face the rogue has got!
Ha'nt he?--and then how settled an assurance?
SCENE II.
_Enter CHAEREA._
CHAER. At Antipho's, as if for spite, there were
His father and his mother both at home,
So that I could by no means enter, but
They must have seen me. Meanwhile, as I stood
Before the door, came by an old acquaintance,
At sight of whom I flew, with all my speed,
Into a narrow, unfrequented alley;
And thence into another, and another,
Frighten'd and flurried as I scampered on,
Lest any one should know me.--But is that
Thais? 'Tis she herself. I'm all aground.
What shall I do?--Pshaw! what have I to care?
What can she do to me?
THAIS. Let's up to him.
Oh, Dorus! good Sir, welcome!--And so, Sirrah,
You ran away.
CHAER. Yes, madam!
THAIS. And you think
It was a clever trick?
CHAER. No, madam!
THAIS. Can you
Believe that you shall go unpunish'd for it?
CHAER. Forgive me this one fault! If I commit
Another, kill me!
THAIS. Do you dread my cruelty?
CHAER. No, ma'am!
THAIS. What then?
CHAER. I was afraid, lest She
Accuse me to you. (_Pointing to PYTHIAS._)
THAIS. Upon what account?
CHAER. A little matter.
PYTH. Rogue! a little matter?
Is it so little, think you, to abuse
A virgin, and a citizen!
CHAER. I thought
She was my fellow-servant.
PYTH. Fellow-servant!
I can scarce hold from flying at his hair.
Monstrous! he's come to make his sport of us.
THAIS. Away! you rave.
PYTH. Why so? if I had done 't,
I should have still been in the monster's debt;
Particularly, as he owns himself
Your servant.
THAIS. Well--no more of this.--Oh, Chaerea,
You've done a deed unworthy of yourself:
For granting I, perhaps, might well deserve
This injury, it was not honorable
In you to do it.--As I live, I know not
What counsel to pursue about this girl;
You've so destroy'd my measures, that I can't
Restore her, without blushing to her friends,
Nor so deliver her, as I propos'd,
To make them thank me for my kindness, Chaerea!
CHAER. Henceforth, I hope, eternal peace shall be
Betwixt us, Thais! Oft from things like these,
And bad beginnings, warmest friendships rise.
What if some God hath order'd this?
THAIS. Indeed,
I'll so interpret it, and wish it so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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