Perde 5
[Textpart 2]
It’s another person; a little diminutive Parasite. Don’t you know him?
780
DEMEA
I will know him before long.
SYRUS
What are you about? Whither are you going?
DEMEA
Won’t you keep your hands off, whip-scoundrel? Or would you like me to knock your brains out this instant?
SYRUS
He’s gone! no very pleasant boon-companion, upon my faith,
particularly to Ctesipho. What am I to do now ? Why, even get into some corner till this tempest is lulled, and sleep off this drop of wine. That’s my plan.
785
[Textpart 3]
Every thing’s ready with us, as I told you, Sostrata, when you like.—Who, I wonder, is making my door fly open with such fury?
DEMEA
Alas! what shall I do? How behave? In what terms exclaim, or how make my complaint? O heavens! O earth! O seas of Neptune!
790
MICIO
Here’s for you! he has discovered all about the affair; and of course is now raving about it; a quarrel is the consequence; I must assist him,I must assist him: Colman remarks on this passage: The character of Micio appears extremely amiable through the first four Acts of this Comedy, and his behavior is in many respects worthy of imitation; but his conduct in conniving at the irregularities of Ctesipho, and even assisting him to support them, is certainly reprehensible. Perhaps the Poet threw this shade over his virtues on purpose to show that mildness and good-humor might be carried to excess. however.
DEMEA
See, here comes the common corrupter of my children.
MICIO
Pray moderate your passion, and recover yourself.
795
DEMEA
I have moderated it; I am myself; I forbear all reproaches; let us come to the point: was this agreed upon between us,—proposed by yourself, in fact,—that you were not to concern yourself about my son, nor I about yours? Answer me.
MICIO
It is the fact,—I don’t deny it.
DEMEA
Why is he now carousing at your house? Why are you harboring my son ? Why do you purchase a mistress for him, Micio? Is it at all fair, that I should have any less justice from you, than you from me? Since I do not concern myself about your son, don’t you concern yourself about mine.
800
MICIO
You don’t reason fairly.
DEMEA
No?Part of line 804 in the Latin.
MICIO
For surely it is a maxim of old,
that among themselves all things are common to friends.Part of line 804 in the Latin.
805
