Perde 1
[Textpart 1]
Inasmuch as hitherto I have loved you, and have deemed you to be my friend, my dear Gymnasium, and your mother as well; so have you shown it to me this day, both you and she. If you had been my own sister, how more you two could possibly have held me in esteem
SILENIUM
I know not; but, according as is my way of thinking, I conceive it could not possibly be, such ready assistance, all other things laid aside, have you given me. For this reason do I love you, and for it a vast obligation have you both conferred upon me.
5
GYMNASIUM
I’ faith, at such a price as this, indeed, it’s easy for us to give you our attendance and to do you good offices;
so handsomely and so elegantly have you entertained us at breakfast at your house, as we shall ever remember.
10
SILENIUM
It has been done with hearty good will by me, and will be done, to get those things which I shall think you are desirous of.
A PROCURESS
As the man said, who was borne by a prospering breeze on a calm sea:
I rejoice that we came That we came: Ventum. There is probably a poor pun intended on the other meaning of this word, as the accusative case of ventus, wind. to you; in such a delightful manner have we been here this day received; nor except in the management, was there anything there at your house but what pleased me.
15
SILENIUM
How so, prithee?
A PROCURESS
Too seldom did the servant give me something to drink, and, as it was, it clouded the colour of the wine.
GYMNASIUM
Pray, is that becoming to be mentioned here?
A PROCURESS
It’s both right and proper; there’s no other person here.
SILENIUM
With reason do I love you both, who esteem and honor me.
A PROCURESS
I’ faith, my dear Silenium, it befits this class to be kindly disposed among themselves, and carefully to keep up friendships,
when you see these matrons of elevated rank, born of the noblest families, how they value friendship, and how carefully they keep it united between themselves. If we do that same thing, if we imitate the same example, still as it is, with difficulty do we exist with their extreme dislike. Of their own enjoyments they would have us to be in want,
25
in resources of our own they would have us not to possess any power, and to stand in need of them in all matters, that we may be their humble servantsMay be their humble servants: Ut simus sibi supplices. Literally, that we may be suppliants to themselves.. If you wait upon them, you’d rather be giving your room than your company. So very kind are they before the world to our class; in private, if ever there’s the opportunity,
underhandedly they pour cold water Pour cold water: Meaning, in other words, They try to do us all the mischief they can. upon us. They declare that we are in the habit of having commerce with their husbands; they say that we are their supplanters; they attempt to crush us. Because we are the free daughters of slaves Free daughters of slaves: The professae, or courtesans, at Rome, were mostly of the class of libertinae—children of slaves who had been made free, or else freed-women themselves, who had been the mistresses of their former owners. From this circumstance, to lead a libertine life came to mean the same as to pass a loose or unchaste life., both I and your mother, we became Courtesans; she brought up yourself, and I this girl (pointing to GYMNASIUM),
35
by chance-fathers. Nor yet for the sake of vanity have I driven her to the calling of a Courtesan, but that I mightn’t starve.
40
SILENIUM
But it had been better to give her in marriage to a husband in preference.
A PROCURESS
Heyday, now! Surely, faith, she’s married to a husband every day; she has both been married to one to-day, she’ll be marrying again to-night. I’ve never allowed her to go to bed a widow.
For if she weren’t to be marrying, the household would perish with doleful famine.
45
