Perde 1
[Textpart 2]
You’ll easily find, father, one both worse and of worse morals
PAMPHILA
than she was; one better you’ll neither find nor does the sun behold.
110
ANTIPHO
But I’m making the enquiry of you, and of this sister of yours.
PAMPHILA
I’ faith, father, I know how they should be, if they are to be such as I think right.
ANTIPHO
I wish, then, to know what you do think right.
PAMPHILA
That when they walk through the city, they should shut the mouths of all, so that none can speak ill of them with good reason.
ANTIPHO
And now speak you in your turn.
115
PHILUMENA
What do you wish that I should speak to you about, father?
115
ANTIPHO
How is the woman most easily distinguished, who is of a good disposition?
PHILUMENA
When she, who has the power of doing ill, refrains from doing so.
ANTIPHO
Not bad that. (To PAMPHILA.) Come, say you, which choice is the preferable, to marry a maiden or a widow?
PAMPHILA
So far as my skill extends,
of many evilsOf many evils: Pamphila is embarrassed here; and as she probably does not wish her father to marry either widow or maiden, but still does not like to tell him so, she takes refuge in a truism, rather than give a direct answer to his question. Aristotle tells us that Epicharmus was much in the habit of giving utterance to remarks of this nature., that which is the least evil, the same is the least an evil.
120
He that can avoid the women, let him avoid them,
so that each day he takes care, the day before, not to do that which, the day after, he may regret.
ANTIPHO
What sort of woman, pray, seems to you by far the wisest?
PHILUMENA
She who, when affairs are prosperous, shall still be able to know herself,
and who with equanimity can endure it to be worse with her than it has been.
125
ANTIPHO
By my troth, in merry mood have I been trying the bent of your dispositions. But ’tis this for which I am come to you, and for which I wished to meet you both. My friends are advising me to the effect that I should remove you hence to my own house.
PAMPHILA
But still, we, whose interests are concerned, are advising you quite otherwise.
