Perde 4
[Textpart 4]
Take home your wife, and don’t oppose my will.
PAMPHILUS
Father, if she had wished to have children by me, or to continue to be my wife, I am quite certain she would not have concealed from me what I find she has concealed. Now, as I find that her mind is estranged from me, and think that there would be no agreement between us in future, why should I take her back?
655
LACHES
The young woman has done what her mother persuaded her. Is that to be wondered at? Do you suppose you can find any woman who is free from fault? Or is it that men have no failings?
660
PHIDIPPUS
Do you yourselves now consider, Laches, and you, Pamphilus,
whether it is most advisable for you to leave her or take her back. What your wife may do, is not in my control. Under neither circumstance will you meet with any difficulty from me. But what are we to do with the child?
665
LACHES
You do ask an absurd question; whatever happens, send him back his child of course,
that we may bring it up as ours.
670
PAMPHILUS
A child which the father has abandoned, am I to rear?.
670
LACHES
What was it you said? How—not rear it, Pamphilus? Prithee, are we to expose it, in preference? What madness is this? Really, I can not now be silent any longer. For you force me to say in his presence (pointing to PHIDIPPUS) what I would rather not.
Do you suppose I am in ignorance of the cause of your tears, or what it is on account of which you are perplexed to this degree? In the first place, when you alleged as a reason, that, on account of your mother, you could not have your wife at home, she promised that she would leave the house.
675
Now, since you see this pretext as well taken away from you, because a child has been born without your knowledge, you have got another. You are mistaken if you suppose that I am ignorant of your feelings. That at last you might prevail upon your feelings to take this step, how long a period for loving a mistress did I allow you!
680
With what patience did I bear the expense you were at in keeping her! I remonstrated with you and entreated you to take a wife. I said that it was time: by my persuasion you married. What you then did in obedience to me, you did as became you. Now again you have set your fancy upon a mistress,
685
and, to gratify her, you do an injury to the other as well. For I see plainly that you have once more relapsed into the same course of life.
690
LACHES
Your own self, and you act unjustly therein. You feign false grounds for discord, that you may live with her when you have got rid of this witness of your actions;
your wife has perceived it too; for what other reason had she for leaving you?
695
PHIDIPPUS
It’s clear he guesses right; for that must be it.
PAMPHILUS
I will give you my oath that none of these is the reason.
LACHES
Oh take home your wife, or tell me why you should not.
PAMPHILUS
It is not the time at present.
