Prologos
[Textpart pr]
This city is Thebes; in that house there (pointing), AmphitryonAmphitryon: Perseus was the son of Jupiter and Danaë. By Andromeda, he was the father of Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Nestor, and Electryon. Alcaeus was the father of Amphitryon, while Electryon was the father of Alcmena, by Lysidice, the daughter of Pelops. Amphitryon, having accidentally slain Electryon, fled with his daughter Alcmena, who had been betrothed to him, to the court of Creon, King of Thebes. The brother of Alcmena having been slain by the Teleboans or Taphians, who inhabited certain islands on the coast of Acarnania, Amphitryon undertook an expedition against them, at the head of the forces of Creon. dwells, born at Argos, of an Argive sire; whose wife is Alcmena, daughter of Electryon.
MERCURY
This Amphitrvon is now the general of the Theban troops; for between the Teleboans and the Theban people there is war. He, before he departed hence for the expedition, left his wife Alcmena pregnant. But I believe that you already know how my father is disposed how free in these affairs he has been,
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and how great a lover of many a woman, if any object once has captivated him. Unknown to her husband, he began to love Alcmena, and took temporary possession of her person for himself, and made her pregnant, too, by his embrace.
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Now, that more fully you may understand the matter with respect to Alcmena, she is pregnant by both; both by her husband and by supreme Jupiter And my father is now lying here (he points to the house) in-doors with her; and for this reason is this night made longer, while he is taking this pleasure with her whom he desires.
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But he has so disguised himself, as though he were Amphitryon. Now, that you may not be surprised at this dress of mine, inasmuch as I have come out here this way in servile garb, an ancient and an antique circumstance, made new, will I relate to you, by reason of which I have come to you attired in this new fashion;
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for lo! my father Jupiter, now in the house, changes himself into the likeness of Amphitryon, and all the servants who see him think it is he, so shifting in his shape does he render himself when he chooses. I have taken on myself the form of the servant Sosia,
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who has gone hence together with Amphitryon on the expedition, that I may be able to serve my father in his amour, and that the servants may not be enquiring who I am, when they see me here frequenting oft the house. Now, as they will suppose me a servant and their fellow-servant,
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not any one will enquire who I am, or why I’m come. My father, now in-doors, is gratifying his inclination, and is embracing her of whom he is especially enamoured. What has been done there at the army, my father is now relating to Alcmena. She, who really is with a paramour, thinks that he is her own husband. There, my father is now
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relating how he has routed the legions of the enemy; how he has been enriched with abundant gifts. Those gifts which there were given to Amphitryon, we have carried off; what he pleases, my father easily performs.
Now will Amphitryon come hither this day from the army, his servant too, whose form I am bearing. Now, that you may be able the more easily to distinguish between us, I always shall carry these little wings here (pointing) upon my broad-brimmed cap; then besides, for my father there will be a golden tuft
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beneath his cap; that mark will not be upon Amphitryon. These marks no one of these domestics will be able to see; but you will see them. But yonder is Sosia, the servant of Amphitryon; he is now coming yonder from the harbour, with a lantern.
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I will now drive him, as he arrives, away from the house. Attend, it will be worth the while of you spectators, for Jupiter and Mercury to perform here the actors’ part.
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