Perde 1
[Textpart 2]
Aye, you only, alone.
DINARCHUS
I heard that she was brought to bed.
ASTAPHIUM
Oh, prithee, Dinarchus, do hold your tongue.
ASTAPHIUM
I shudder in my alarm, as often as mention is made of childbirth, with such difficulty has Phronesium survived for you. Prithee, do come in-doors now; do go to see her and wait there a little. She’ll be out just now; for she was at the bath.
195
DINARCHUS
What do you say? She who was never pregnant, how could she be brought to bed? For really, I never, that I am aware of, perceived her to be in a breeding state.
ASTAPHIUM
She concealed it from you and was afraid, lest you should persuade her to have recourse to abortionRecourse to abortion: The practice of procuring abortion was not deemed criminal either at Rome or Athens; though at the latter place there was a law which imposed a penalty on any person who administered a potion to a woman for that purpose., and so destroy the child.
200
DINARCHUS
Troth then, who’s the father of this child?
ASTAPHIUM
A Babylonian Captain,The first part of this sentence is in line 202 in the Latin. whose arrival she is now expecting.
So much so, indeed, that, according as was reported, they say that he’ll be here just now. I wonder he has not arrived by this.
DINARCHUS
Shall I go in, then?
205
ASTAPHIUM
Why not? As boldly as at home, into your own house; for even still are you now one of us, Dinarchus.
205
DINARCHUS
How soon are you on your return?
ASTAPHIUM
I’ll be there this instant; it’s close at hand where I was going.
DINARCHUS
But do return directly; meanwhile I’ll wait for you at your house. (He goes into the house of PHRONESIUM.)
