Perde 5
[Textpart 4]
Let’s go in-doors; this place isn’t a suitable one for your practices, for there to be persons to overhear who are passing through the street, while we are talking.
1005
DEMIPHO
Why, faith, you say what’s right; that way the story will be shorter. Let’s be off
EUTYCHUS
Your son is in-doors here at our house.
DEMIPHO
It’s very good. We’ll pass that way through the garden Through the garden: He means that he will be able to go home the back way, so that perhaps his wife may not see whence lie has come. This line shows that the houses of Lysimachus and Demipho are on the same side of the street, and not, as Cotter says, one on one side, the other on the other, with their doors opposite.—It may be here remarked, that it is not improbable that a considerable portion of this Play has perished. home.
LYSIMACHUS
Eutychus, I want this affair to be settled before I set my foot again within doors.
1010
LYSIMACHUS
Each person thinks about his own concerns. Answer me this: do you know for certain that your mother isn’t angry with me?
EUTYCHUS
Trust me for it. Are you satisfied?
LYSIMACHUS
I am. But still, troth now, prithee, do take care.
EUTYCHUS
Don’t you believe me?
LYSIMACHUS
Yes, I do believe you; but still I’m dreadfully afraid.
DEMIPHO
Let’s go in-doors.
1015
EUTYCHUS
Aye, but I think we must pronounce. the law for the old men before we depart, on what terms they are to keep check upon themselves and to be continent. Whoever shall be sixty years of age, if we know of any one, whether husband or, i’ faith, whether bachelor, in fact, who goes a wenching, upon these terms shall we deal with him; we shall deem him a fool.
1015
And, i’ faith, so far as we’re concerned, he shall be in want who has squandered away his property. And let no one hereafter forbid his youthful son to be in love and to keep a mistress, so it be done in a decent manner. If he shall forbid him, let him, unknown to himself, suffer more loss than if he had openly permitted him. Let this law, then, from this night forward, be binding upon the old men.
1020
(To the AUDIENCE.) Young men, kindly fare you well; and if this law, enacted for the sake of the old ones, pleases you, it is right that you should give us loud applause.
1025
