Perde 3
[Textpart 1]
What, mother, if this inclination of mine is fixed? What am I to do? Tell me.
CLEAERETA
Oh dear—look at my headLook at my head: She tells her daughter to look at her grey hairs, meaning that she must make a provision against old age, when her admirers will forsake her and she will have no means of gaining a livelihood., if, indeed, you consider your own interest.
PHILENIUM
Even the shepherd, mother, that feeds the sheep of another, has a certain one of his own to be the consoler of his hopes. For the sake of my affection, do allow me to love Argyrippus only, who is my choice.
CLEAERETA
Go in-doors, for, upon my word, there is really nothing more impudent than yourself.
PHILENIUM
Mother, you have given birth to a daughter obedient to your commands.
[Textpart 2]
Great praise and thanks we give deservedly to perfidy, when relying upon our tricks, our stratagems, and our devices, upon our confidence in our shoulder-blades and the hardihood resulting from the elm-twigs so oft applied, against the whips, the searing-irons, the crosses, and the fetters,
545
LEONIDA
the cords, the chains, the prisons, the stocks, the shackles, the collars, and taskmasters most cruel and well acquainted with our backs, who many a time before have imprintedHave imprinted: The sense of the passage seems to require a comma after indiderunt, and not a period, as Richter’s edition has it. scars upon our shoulder-blades; by conquering, now, these legions, troops and armies of thieves,
by our prowess, through our perjuries, O brave, have we gained the victory. This, through the valour of this comrade of mine, and through my own courtesy, has been brought about.
555
LIBANUS
What man is there more firm than myself at enduring stripes?
LEONIDA
By the powers, you who can extol your exploits now, as I can do exploits, which in peace and in warfare you have so — villanously performed;
verily, in troth, many in number may they be now recounted according to your deserts; where you have defrauded him that trusted you, where you have proved faithless to your master, where knowingly and wilfully you have on solemn oath been perjured, where you have bored through party walls, where you have been detected in theft, where you have full oft pleaded your cause, as you hung up, against eight
560
clever, hardened fellowsEight clever, hardened fellows: These were probably the eight Lictors who attended the Tresviri or Triumviri, which magistrates had especial jurisdiction over slaves with the power of ordering summary punishment., sturdy stripers.
565
LIBANUS
Certainly I do admit, Leonida, that it is true as you say. But verily, in troth, your many misdeeds, too, may be recounted as well and truly; where wilfully you have proved faithless to the trusting, where you have been detected in theft and scourged in public,
where you have proved forsworn, where you have laid hands on sacred things, where to your masters you have full oft proved a loss, a trouble, and a disgrace, where you have stoutly denied that that was given to you which had been entrusted to you, where you have proved more faithful to your wench than to your friend, where through your hardihood you have frequently reduced to weariness eight
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sturdy lictors, armed with pliant twigs of elm. (To the AUDIENCE.) Is the compliment ill repaid in the way that I’ve praised my comrade?
575
LEONIDA
Just as befits both me and yourself, and our dispositions.
LIBANUS
Now drop this, and answer me this that I ask.
LEONIDA
Enquire of me what you please.
LIBANUS
Have you got the twenty silver minae?
