Perde 2
[Textpart 1]
Both the other matter do I fear, and this do I dread; so utterly in trepidation am wretched I.
535
[Textpart 2]
I’ve followed the old woman with my clamour through the streets; I’ve kept her most dreadfully plagued. In what a multitude of ways has she, this day, kept guard upon herself, and been able to remember nothing. How many alluring things, what advantages I’ve promised her.
LAMPADISCUS
How many inventions I’ve applied to her, how many stratagems in questioning her. With difficulty have I extorted it from her that she should tell me, because I promised to give her a cask of wine.
540
[Textpart 3]
I seemed just now to be hearing the voice of my servant Lampadiscus before the house.
LAMPADISCUS
You are not deaf, mistress, you heard aright.
PHANOSTRATA
What are you doing here?
545
LAMPADISCUS
A thing for you to rejoice at.
545
LAMPADISCUS
A little while ago, I saw a woman coming out of that house there.
PHANOSTRATA
Her that took up my daughter?
LAMPADISCUS
You have the matter rgiht.
PHANOSTRATA
What after that?
LAMPADISCUS
I told her in what way I had seen her take up the daughter of my mistress from the Hippodrome.
Then she was in a fright.
MELAENIS
(apart.) Now my body’s in a shudder, my heart is throbbing; for I recollect that from the Hippodrome the little female infant was brought to me, and that I brought it up as my own.
PHANOSTRATA
Come, prithee, do go on; my soul’s longing to hear
how the matter proceeded.
555
MELAENIS
(apart.) I only wish you couldn’t hear.
555
LAMPADISCUS
I proceed sayingSaying: We are to suppose that on following the Procuress to her own house, he says this to Gymnasium, taking her for the young woman whom he is in search of. Probably a large portion of the Play is lost here., This old woman calls you her daughter wrongfully. For this woman here is your foster-mother, so don’t think she is your mother. I’m to take you back and invite you to opulence, where you may be settled in a noble family,
where your father may present you with twenty great talents for a portion. For this is not a place where after the Etrurian mode The Etrurian mode: The Tuscans or Etrurians, who were said to have been originally a colony from Lydia, are by some writers stated to have forced their young women to gain their marriage-portions by prostitution. Herodotus alludes to this custom of the Lydians. you are disgracefully to earn a dowry for yourself by prostitution of your person.
560
