Perde 5
[Textpart 7]
But he has dissuaded me from giving her to you. For what, says he, will be the talk among people if you do this? Formerly, when she might have been handsomely disposed of, then she wasn’t given; now it’s a disgrace for her to be turned out of doors, a repudiated woman; pretty nearly, in fact, all the reasons which you yourself, some little time since, were urging to me.
910
PHORMIO
Upon my faith, you are treating me in a very insulting manner.
915
PHORMIO
Do you ask me? Because I shall not be able to marry the other person I mentioned; for with what face shall I return to her whom I’ve slighted?
915
CHREMES
Then besides, I see that Antipho is unwilling to part with her. (Aside, prompting DEMIPHO.) Say so.
DEMIPHO
Then besides, I see that my son
is very unwilling to part with the damsel. But have the goodness to step over to the Forum, and order this money to be transferred to my account,Transferred to my account: Rescribere argentum, or nummos, meant to transfer, or set down money to the account of another person in one’s banker’s books. A passage in the Asinaria of Plautus, l. 445, seems to have the same meaning. Phormio.
920
PHORMIO
What, when I’ve paid it over to the persons to whom I was indebted?
DEMIPHO
What’s to be done, then?
PHORMIO
If you will let me have her for a wife,
as you promised, I’ll take her; but if you prefer that she should stay with you, the portion must stay with me, Demipho. For it isn’t fair that I should be misled for you, as it was for your own sakes that I broke off with the other woman, who was to have brought me a portion just as large.
925
DEMIPHO
Away with you to utter perdition, with this swaggering, you vagabond. What, then, do you fancy we don’t know you, or your doings?
930
PHORMIO
You are provoking me.
DEMIPHO
Would you have married her, if she had been given to you?
PHORMIO
Try the experiment.
DEMIPHO
That my son might cohabit with her at your house, that was your design.
PHORMIO
Pray, what is that you say?
935
DEMIPHO
Then do you give me my money?
935
PHORMIO
Nay, but do you give me my wife?
DEMIPHO
Come before a magistrate. (Going to seize hold of him.)
