Perde 4
MERCURY
How often do you want it told? Amphitryon, my master;—don’t be troublesome.
AMPHITRYON
Who’s he sleeping with?
MERCURY
Take care that you don’t meet with some mishap in trifling with me this way.
AMPHITRYON
Prithee, do tell me, my dear Sosia.
MERCURY
More civilly said—with Alcmena.
AMPHITRYON
In the same chamber?
MERCURY
Yes, as I fancy, he is sleeping with her side by side.
AMPHITRYON
Alas!—wretch that I am!
MERCURY
It really is a gain which he imagines to be a misfortune. For to lend one’s wife to another is just as though you were to let out barren land to be ploughed.
MERCURY
What, the plague, about Sosia?
AMPHITRYON
Don’t you know me, you whip-scoundrel?
MERCURY
I know that you are a troublesome fellow, who have no need to go buyNo need to go buy: He seems to mean that a litigium, or lawsuit, is already prepared for him, in daring to personate Amphitryon. a lawsuit.
AMPHITRYON
Still once more—am I not your master Amphitryon?
MERCURY
You are Bacchus himselfBacchus himself: He means that, from his frantic conduct he must surely be, not a Bacchanalian, but Bacchus himself., and not Amphitryon. How often do you want to be told? Any times more? My master Amphitryon, in the same chamber, is holding Alcmena in his embraces. If you persist, I’ll produce him here, and not without your great discomfiture.
AMPHITRYON
I wish him to be fetched. (Aside.) I pray that this day, in return for my services, I may not lose house, wife, and household, together with my figure.
MERCURY
Well, I’ll fetch him; but, in the meantime, do you mind about the door, please. (Aside.) I suppose that by this he has brought the sacrifice that he was intending, as far as the banquetAs the banquet: It is supposed that he here has a double meaning, and implies that he supposes that by this time Jupiter has satisfied his venement desire. It has been previously remarked, that after sacrifices a feast was made of the portions that were left.. (Aloud.) If you are troublesome, you shan’t escape without my making a sacrifice of you.
AMPHITRYON
Ye Gods, by my trust in you, what madness is distracting my household? What wondrous things have I seen since I arrived from abroad! Why, it’s true, surely, what was once heard tell of, how that men of Attica were transformed in ArcadiaIn Arcadia: He alludes to a story among the ancients, that certain people of Arcadia were transformed for a certain time into wolves: they were called Lycanthropi, or Wolf-men. Pliny the Elder mentions them in his Eighth Book., and remained as savage wild beasts, and were not ever afterwards known unto their parents.
