Читать книгу Yale Classics - Roman Classical Literature - Луций Анней Сенека - Страница 35

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Enter Hegio and Geta, conversing, at a distance.

Heg. Oh immortal Gods! a disgraceful action, Geta! What is it you tell me?

Geta. Such is the fact.

Heg. That so ignoble a deed should come from that family! Oh Æschinus, assuredly you haven’t taken after your father in that!

Dem. (apart.) Why surely, he has heard this about the Music-girl; that gives him concern, though a stranger; this father of his thinks nothing of it. Ah me! I wish he were somewhere close at hand to overhear this.

Heg. Unless they do as they ought to do, they shall not come off so easily.

Geta. All our hopes, Hegio, are centred in you; you we have for our only friend; you are our protector, our father. The old man, Simulus, when dying, recommended us to you; if you forsake us, we are undone.

Heg. Beware how you mention that; I neither will do it, nor do I think thaat; with due regard to the ties of relationship, I could.

Dem. (apart.) I’ll accost him. (Approaches Hegio.) Hegio, I bid you welcome right heartily.

Heg. (starting.) Oh! I you are the very man I was looking for. Greetings to you, Demea.

Dem. Why, what’s the matter?

Heg. Your eldest son Æschinus, whom you gave to your brother to adopt, has been acting the part of neither an honest man nor a gentleman.

Dem. What has he been doing?

Heg. You knew my friend and year’s-mate, Simulus?

Dem. Why not?

Heg. He has debauched his daughter, a virgin.

Dem. Hah!

Heg. Stay, Demea. You have not yet heard the worst.

Dem. Is there any thing still worse?

Heg. Worse, by far: for this indeed might in some measure have been borne with. The hour of night prompted him; passion, wine, young blood; ’tis human nature. When he was sensible of what he had done, he came voluntarily to the girl’s mother, weeping, praying, entreating, pledging his honor, vowing that he would take her home.53 The affair was pardoned, hushed, up, his word taken. The girl from that intercourse became pregnant: this is the tenth month. He, worthy fellow, has provided himself, if it please the Gods, with a Music-girl to live with; the other he has cast off.

Dem. Do you say this for certain?

Heg. The mother of the young woman is among us,54 the young woman too; the fact speaks for itself; this Geta, besides, according to the common run of servants, not a bad one or of idle habits; he supports them; alone, maintains the whole family; take him, bind him,55 examine him upon the matter.

Geta. Aye, faith, put me to the torture, Demea, if such is not the fact: besides, he will not deny it. Confront me with him.

Dem. (aside.) I am ashamed; and what to do, or how to answer him, I don’t know.

Pam. (crying out within the house of Sostrata.) Ah me! I am racked with pains! Juno Lucina,56 bring aid, save me, I beseech thee!

Heg. Hold; is she in labor, pray?

Geta. No doubt of it, Hegio.

Heg. Ah! she is now imploring your protection, Demea; let her obtain from you spontaneously what the power of the law compels you to give. I do entreat the Gods that what befits you may at once be done. But if your sentiments are otherwise, Demea, I will defend both them and him who is dead to the utmost of my power. He was my kinsman:57 we were brought up together from children, we were companions in the wars and at home, together we experienced the hardships of poverty. I will therefore exert myself, strive, use all methods, in fine lay down my life, rather than forsake these women. What answer do you give me?

Dem. I’ll go find my brother, Hegio: the advice he gives me upon this matter I’ll follow.58

Heg. But, Demea, take you care and reflect upon this: the more easy you are in your circumstances, the more powerful, wealthy, affluent, and noble you are, so much the more ought you with equanimity to observe the dictates of justice, if you would have yourselves esteemed as men of probity.

Dem. Go back now;59 every thing shall be done that is proper to be done.

Heg. It becomes you to act thus. Geta, show me in to Sostrata.

Follows Geta into Sostrata’s house.

Dem. (to himself.) Not without warning on my part have these things happened: I only wish it may end here; but this immoderate indulgence will undoubtedly lead to some great misfortune. I’ll go find my brother, and vent these feelings upon him.

Exit.