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nor yet was there ever any quarrel or words between them.
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PARMENO
If at any time she came to converse with her, she would instantly withdraw from her presence,From her presence: For the purpose, as will afterward appear, of not letting Sostrata see that she was pregnant. and refuse to see her; in fine, when she could no longer endure her, she pretended that she was sent for by her mother to assist at a sacrifice.
When she had been there a few days, Sostrata ordered her to be fetched. She made some, I know not what, excuse. Again she gave similar orders; no one sent back any excuse. After she had sent for her repeatedly, they pretended that the damsel was sick. My mistress immediately went to see her; no one admitted her. On the old man
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coming to know of this, he yesterday came up from the country on purpose, and waited immediately upon the father of Philumena. What passed between them, I do not know as yet; but really I do feel some anxiety in what way this is to end. You now have the whole matter; and I shall proceed whither I was on my way.
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PHILOTIS
And I too, for I made an appointment with a certain strangerWith a certain stranger: Here Philotis gives a reason, as Donatus observes, why she does not again appear in the Play. The following is an extract from Colman’s remarks on this passage: It were to be wished, for the sake of the credit of our author’s acknowledged art in the Drama, that Philotis had assigned as good a reason for her appearing at all. Eugraphius justly says: The Courtesan in this Scene is a character quite foreign to the fable. Donatus also says much the same thing in his Preface, and in his first Note to this Comedy; but adds that Terence chose this method rather. than to relate the argument by means of a Prologue, or to introduce a God speaking from a machine. I will venture to say that the Poet might have taken a much shorter and easier method than either; I mean, to have begun the Play with the very Scene which now opens the Second Act. to meet him.
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PARMENO
May the Gods prosper what you undertake!
PARMENO
And a kind farewell to you, my dear Philotis.
