Perde 4
[Textpart 4]
I wish this Captain to be played off cleverly and adroitly.
ACROTELEUTIUM
I’ faith, you’re assigning me what’s a pleasure to me.
PALAESTRIO
But do you understand how?
ACROTELEUTIUM
You mean that I must pretend that I am distracted with love for him.
PALAESTRIO
Right—you have it.
ACROTELEUTIUM
And as though by reason of that love I had foregoneI had foregone: To account for the facility with which the pretended divorce appears to take place, we must remember that among the Romans either party was at liberty to dissolve the tie of marriage. Where a husband divorced his wife, the wife’s dos, or marriage-portion, was in general restored to her; and the same was the case where the divorce took place by mutual consent. This will account for Acroteleutium asserting that she had been divorced from Periplecomenus, and that she had retained possession of the house as having formed her marriage-portion. As a loss of affection on either side was thought to constitute a good ground for divorce, is is not to be wondered at if the Captain should believe the story that his neighbour’s wife had obtained a divorce on account of her passion for himself. my present marriage, longing for a match with him.
PALAESTRIO
Everything exactly in its due order; except only this one point; you must say that this house (pointing to the house of PERIPLECOMENUS) was your marriage-portion; that the old man had departed hence from you after you had carried out the divorce, lest he should be afraid just now to come here into the house of another man.
1165
ACROTELEUTIUM
You advise me well.
PALAESTRIO
But when he comes out from in-doors, I wish you—standing at a distance there—
so to make pretence, as though in comparison with his beauty you despised your own, and as though you were struck with awe at his opulent circumstances; at the same time, too, praise the comeliness of his person, the beauty of his face. Are you tutored enough?
1170
ACROTELEUTIUM
I understand it all. Is it enough that I give you my work so nicely finished off that you cannot find a fault with it.
PALAESTRIO
I’m content. Now (addressing PLEUSICLES), in your turn, learn what charge I shall give to you. So soon as this shall be done, when she shall have gone in, then do you immediately take care to come here dressed in the garb of a master of a ship. Have on a broad-brimmed hatA broad-brimmed hat: Causia. See the note to l. 851 of the Trinummus. of iron-grey, a woollen shadeA woollen shade: Culcitam laneam. The culcita here alluded to was a little cushion padded with wool, which was placed before weak or diseased eyes to absorb the moisture. It is supposed to have been either bound against the part affected, or else to have been held in the hand and applied every now and then. Commentators seem to think that here Pleusicies holds it up to his eye with his hand when addressing the Captain. They are at a loss to know why Palaestrio recommends this, as the Captain has never seen Pleusicles, who was at Naupactus when Philocomasium was carried off. Still, though it is not mentioned, it may be, because the Captain had seen Pleusicles before he went to Naupactus; or, what is more probable, that, affecting to have weak eyes, Pleusicles may not appear so comely as he really is, and not thereby excite any suspicion in the Captain’s mind as to his intentions. before your eyes; have on an iron-grey cloakAn iron-grey cloak: Some think that the ferrugineus, or iron colour, here called colos thalassinus, or the sea-colour, was dark blue, but dark grey seems more probable, as the shades of blue were too expensive for common wear. (for that is the seaman’s colour);
1175
have it fastened over the left shoulder, your right arm projecting outRight arm projecting out: This no doubt was the way in which the pallium was usually worn by seafaring men, for the sake of expedition, and in order to give free play to the right arm when aboard ship., your clothes some way well girded up, pretend as though you are some master of a ship. And all these requisites are at the house of this old gentleman, for he keeps fishermen.
1180
PLEUSICLES
Well, when I’m dressed out, why don’t you tell me what I’m to do then?
PALAESTRIO
Come here, and, in the name of her mother, bring word to Philocomasium, that, if she would return to Athens, she must go with you to the harbour directly, and that she must order it to be carried down to the ship if she wishes anything to be put on board; that if she doesn’t go, you must weigh anchor, for the wind is favourable.
PLEUSICLES
I like your plan much: do proceed.
PALAESTRIO
The Captain will at once advise her to go speedily that she may not delay her mother.
PLEUSICLES
Every way you are clever.
1190
PALAESTRIO
I shall tell him that she asks for me as a helper to carry her baggage down to the harbour. I shall go, and, understand you, I shall immediately be off with you straight to Athens.
PLEUSICLES
And when you have reached there, I’ll never let you be ashore three days before you’re free.
