Perde 5
[Textpart 1]
O higher and lower Higher and lower: According to some writers, the threshold was sacred to Vesta Tertullian mentions a Deity called Limentinus, or the God of the Threshold. portions of the threshold, now both of you farewell. This day for the last time do I raise this foot within my father’s house. The ease, the enjoyment, the in-dwelling, the habitation of this house is henceforth for me cut off, destroyed, and alienated. I am undone! The household Gods of my parents, the Lar the father of the family Father of the family: The Lares seem to have been divided into two classes—the private and the public Lares. The private, or familiares, were probably the same as the Penates, under another name. The public Lares were the urbani, presiding over the cities; rustici, over the country; compitales, over cross-roads; marini, over the sea.,
830
CHARINUS
to you do I recommend, that you will kindly protect the possessions of my parents. I shall now seek other household Gods for myself, another Lar, another city, another state. The people of Attica I do detest; for where worse manners are on the increase every day, where, those who are friends, those who are faithless, you are not able, to distinguish,
835
and where that is torn away from you, which especially pleases your taste, there, in fact, if a kingdom were given one, that country is not desirable.
840
[Textpart 2]
Thou who art the overlooker of Gods and of men, and the mistress of mortals as well, inasmuch as thou hast indulged me in this hope that I entertained, I do return thee thanks. What Deity is there now that is joyous with gladness like mine?
EUTYCHUS
That was at home which I was in search of. There did I find six companions, life, friendship, my native land, festivity, mirth, and jollity. On finding these, at the same moment did I utterly destroy ten very bad things, wrath, hatred, folly, ruin, perverseness, grief, tears, exile, want, and loneliness.
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Ye Gods, I pray you grant me a speedy opportunity of meeting him.
850
CHARINUS
I’m ready prepared, as you see. Pride I cast aside; I’m my own companion, attendant, horse, groom, esquire; I’m my own master, I, too, obey myself; for my own self do I carry what I require. O Cupid! how powerful art thou.
For easily dost thou render any one resolute through thy deeds, and then again, the same person diffident forthwith from being over bold.
855
EUTYCHUS
I’m thinking which way to run in search of him.
CHARINUS
The matter’s resolved upon, that I’ll seek her everywhere, wherever in the world she has been carried off from hence; and neither shall any river stand in my way, nor mountain, nor the sea,
indeed, nor heat, nor cold; I dread neither wind nor hail; the torrents of rain I’ll submit to; labour, heat, and thirst, will I endure. I’ll neither stop nor rest anywhere at night, or in the day, assuredly, before I shall have met with either my mistress or my death.
860
EUTYCHUS
Some voice, I know not who’s, flew to my ear.
CHARINUS
You do I invoke,
ye Lares of the roads Lares of the roads: He seems here to allude to the class of Lares who were usually called Compitales, and whose statues were erected at the cross-roads. Varro tells us that there were 265 stations for Lares at the corners of the streets of Rome., that you will kindly lend me aid.
865
EUTYCHUS
Jupiter! isn’t that Charinus?
865
CHARINUS
Fellow-citizens, fare ye well.
EUTYCHUS
Charinus, stop, this instant.
CHARINUS
Who calls me back?
EUTYCHUS
Hope, Safety, Victory.
CHARINUS
What do you want with me?
