Perde 5
[Textpart 1]
Be not dismayed—but the serpents began to gaze upon all around. After they beheld the children, quickly they made towards the cradle; I, fearing for the children, alarmed for myself, going backwards, began to draw and pull the cradle to and fro, and so much the more fiercely did the serpents pursue. After that one of the children caught sight of the serpents,
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BROMIA
he quickly leapt from the cradle, straightway he made an attack upon them, ana suddenly he grasped them, one in each hand.
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AMPHITRYON
You tell of wondrous things; a very fearful exploit do you relate; for at your words horror steals upon the limbs of wretched me. What happened then? Say on.
BROMIA
The child slew both the serpents. While these things are passing, in a loud voice there calls upon your wife—
BROMIA
Jupiter, the supreme Ruler of Gods and men. He said that he had secretly enjoyed Alcmena in his embraces, and that he was his own son who had overcome those serpents; the other, he said, was your child.
AMPHITRYON
By my troth, I am not sorry
if I am allowed to take my half of a blessing in partnership with Jupiter. Go home, and bid the sacred vessels to be at once prepared for me, that with many victims I may seek my peace with supreme Jove. I will apply to Tiresias Tiresias: Some Commentators think that under the name Tiresias any soothsayer is here meant, and that this was before the time of Tiresias. So involved is the heathen Mythology, that it would be hard to say who existed first, Tiresias or Amphitryon, so that if Plautus is guilty of an anachronism, it is one of his most excusable ones. Juno was said to have struck Tiresias with blindness; on which Jupiter, as a recompense, bestowed on him the gift of prophecy See the Metamorphoses of Ovid, B. 3, l. 323. the soothsayer, and consult him what he considers ought to be done; at the same time I’ll relate to him this matter just as it has happened. (It thunders.)
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But what means this? How dreadfully it thunders! Ye Gods, your mercy, I do entreat.
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[Textpart 2]
Be of good cheer, Amphitryon; I am come to thy aid: thou hast nothing to fear; all diviners and soothsayers let alone. What is to be, and what has past, I will tell thee; and so much better than they can, inasmuch as I am Jupiter.
JUPITER
First of all, I have made loan of the person of Alcmena, and have caused her to be pregnant with a son. Thou, too, didst cause her to be pregnant, when thou didst set out upon the expedition; at one birth has she brought forth the two together. One of these, the one that is sprung from my parentage,
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shall bless theeShall bless thee: Te adficiet. Se, himself, is thought by some to be the correct reading here, as it has been remarked, how could the exploits of Hercules redound to the glory of Amphitryon? Still, as his adoptive father, it was not unlikely that he would take a peculiar interest in the achievements of Hercules. with deathless glory by his deeds. Do thou return with Alcmena to your former affection; she merits not that thou shouldst impute it to her as her blame; by my power has she been compelled thus to act. I now return to the heavens.
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AMPHITRYON
I’ll do as thou dost command me; and I entreat thee to keep thy promises.
I’ll go in-doors to my wife. I dismiss the aged Tiresias from my thoughts.
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An ACTOR
Spectators, now, for the sake of supreme Jove Sake of supreme Jove: According to some Commentators, the Romans believed that this Play greatly redounded to the honor of Jupiter; and it was, consequently, often acted in times of public trouble and calamity, with the view of appeasing his anger. They must have had singular notions of honor, as his Godship figures here in the combined characters of an insolent impostor and an unprincipled debauchee., give loud applause.
