Читать книгу The Comedies of Terence - Terence - Страница 9

Davus.

Troth Davus, ’tis high time to look about you;

No room for sloth, as far as I can sound

The sentiments of our old gentleman

About this marriage, which if not fought off,

And cunningly, spoils me, or my poor master.

I know not what to do; nor can resolve

To help the son, or to obey the father.

If I desert poor Pamphilus, alas!

I tremble for his life; if I assist him,

I dread his father’s threats: a shrewd old Cuff,

Not easily deceiv’d. For first of all,

He knows of this amour; and watches me

With jealous eyes, lest I devise some trick

To break the match. If he discovers it,

Woe to poor Davus! nay, if he’s inclin’d

To punish me, he’ll seize on some pretense

To throw me into prison, right or wrong.

Another mischief too, to make bad worse,

This Andrian, wife or mistress, is with child

By Pamphilus. And do but mark the height

Of their assurance! for ’tis certainly

Another mischief is, this Andrian,

Mistress or wife, ’s with child by Pamphilus.

And do but mark their confidence! ’tis sure

The dotage of mad people, not of lovers.

Whate’er she shall bring forth, they have resolv’d

To educate: and have among themselves

Devis’d the strangest story! that Glycerium

Is an Athenian citizen. “There was

Once on a time a certain merchant, shipwreck’d

Upon the isle of Andros; there he died:

And Chrysis’ father took this orphan-wreck,

Then but an infant, under his protection.”

Ridiculous! ’tis all romance to me:

And yet the story pleases them. And see!

Mysis comes forth. But I must to the Forum

To look for Pamphilus, for fear his father

Should find him first, and take him unawares.