Perde 5
[Textpart 2]
This Procurer lives close at hand.
HANNO
I could do him a mischief with pleasure.
MILPHIO
He has two slave girls, courtesans,
sisters; one of these he is desperately in love with, nor has he ever taker any liberties with her.
1095
HANNO
It’s an unhappy kind of passion.
MILPHIO
The Procurer plays upon him.
HANNO
He’s enhancing his own profits thereby.
MILPHIO
He wishes to do him an evil turn.
HANNO
He’s right, if he does do it.
MILPHIO
Now I adopt this plan, and prepare this contrivance,
that we should cite you; you are to affirm that they are your daughters, and that they were stolen when little from Carthage, and to maintain the cause of both in an action on their freedom, as though they were both your own daughters. Do you understand?
1100
HANNO
On my faith, I do understand; for I likewise did have two daughters
who were stolen away when little children, together with their nurse.
1105
MILPHIO
Upon my word, you do feign it cleverly. At the very commencement this amuses me.
HANNO
Much more, i’ troth, than I could wish.
MILPHIO
Dear me! a subtle person, upon my word, artful and knowing, both tricky and crafty! How he does whimper, in order that with his gestures he may effect this all the more easily.
Even myself, now, the master-workman, does he excel in skill.
1110
HANNO
But their nurse But their nurse: It did not escape the accurate Schmieder that the fact has not been hitherto communicated to Hanno that the damsels had a nurse who was stolen. This, then, is either an oversight of Plautus, or he must mean that Hanno thinks he has asked the question, and has received an answer in the affirmative., of what appearance was she? Tell me.
MILPHIO
Of stature not tall, of a dusky complexion Of a dusky complexion: Aquilo. Of the hue of deep water..
HANNO
’Tis the very person.
