Publii Terentii Carthaginiensis Afris poëtae lepidissimi comoediae sex Anglo-Latinae in usum ludi-discipulorum, quo Feliciùs venustatem linguae Latinae ad sermonem quotidianum exercendum assequantur / a Carolo Hoole ... = Six comedies of that excellent poet Publius Terentius, an African of Carthage, in English and Latine : for the use of young scholars, that they may the more readily attain the purity of the Latine tongue for common discourse / by Charles Hoole ...

Act. I. S••en. II.

PARMENO. PHILOTIS. SYRA.

Pa.

IF the old man ask for me, tell him I am newly gone To the haven to enquire of Pamphilus's coming. Do you hear what I say Syra? if he ask for me, be sure that You tell him then; if he shall not ask, do not tell him, [line 5] That I may make use of this excuse, yet never made another time, But do not I see Philotis? whence doth she come? Philotis, God save you heartilie.

Ph.

O Parmeno, God save you.

S.

In troth God save you Parm••no.

Pa.

And you Syra in good sooth, Tell me Philotis, where have you solac••d your self so long a time?

Ph.

[line 10] Trulie I have not solaced my self, who went Hence to Corinth with a most unkinde souldier; I poor woman endured him there two whole years together.

Par.

Trulie Philotis I think you had often a good minde To see Ath••ns again, and that you reperted [line 15] Of the course you had taken.

Ph.

It cannot be said, How desirous I was to come hither again, and get away from the soul∣dier, And see you here, that according to our old accustomed manner I might freelie feast it amongst you. For there I might not speak, but by appointment, [line 20] What words might please him.

Par.

I do not think The souldier did hand somelie bound your discourse.

Ph.

But what business is this? what stories did Bacchis Tell me erewhile within here? a thing which I never thought Would come to passe, that he could frame his minde [line 25] To have a wife, whilest she is alive.

Pa••••

What to have one?

Ph.

Oh you, hath he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o••e?

Par.

He hath one, but I fear this marriage will not hold.

Ph.

God gra•••• it may not, if it be for Ba••chis good. But how should I believe that it is so? tell me Parmeno.

Par.

There is no need it should be spoken; forbear [line 30] To ask me this.

P••.

Verilie for that reason (I could forbear) that it may not come abroad; I swear I do not ask you therefore that I may disclose this thing, but that I may silentlie rejoyce with my self.

Par.

You shall never speak so handsomelie, as that I will trust My back with you.

P••▪

Ah Parmeno, do not say so, [line 35] As though you had not rather tell me this, Then I who ask, would know.

Par.

She speaks the truth. And this is a very great fault that I have; if you will promise me on your word That you will say nothing of it, I will tell you.

Ph.

You come to your old by as: I plight you my faith: speak.

Par.

Hearken.

Ph.

I am whollie intent upon you.

Par

As Pa•• philus [line 40] Loved this Ba••••his very dearlie, so then especiallie When his father began to intreat him to take a wife, And to tell him these things, which are common to all fathers,

That he was an old man, and that he was onelie son, And that he desired he might be his succour in his old age. [line 45] He at first said he would not marry, but after that his father Was more earnestlie urgent upon him, he put him into a quandarie, Whether he should rather yield to shame or love. At the last by importuning and wearying the old man brought it about: He handfasted this next neighbours daughter to him. [line 50] That seemed no whit at all troublesome to Pamphilus all the while, Till he was just upon the marriage: after he saw It was provided, and that there was no delay made, but he must marry: He then at length took it so heavilie, that I believe Bacchis her self, if she had been there, would then have pittied him. [line 55] Whensoever he had leisure graented to be alone, That he might talke with me, (he would say) O Parmeno, I am undone, what have I done? into what mischief have I plunged my self? I shall never be able to endure this, Parmeno, I am undone poor man.

Ph.

But God confound thee Laches with that thy wearying him.

Par.

[line 60] That I may make short: he brings his wife home; He had nothing to do with the maid that first night: The night following, he did as little to her.

Ph.

What say you? could a young man lye in a bed with a maid, Being soundlie tipled, and so as to refrain himself from her? [line 65] You do not tell a thing likely to be true, neither do I think it to be true.

Par.

I believe it seems so to you; for no body comes to you, Except he have a desire to you; he had married her against his will.

Ph.

What fell out afterwards?

Par.

Truly within a very few days After Pamphilus drew me alone out of the doors, [line 70] And tells me how the maid was even then clear from him, And that he, before he had married her and brought her home, Did hope he should be able to abide the marriage. But, Parmeno (saith he) it is neither honest for me, nor good for the maid, That she, whom I concluded, I should not be able to keep any longer [line 75] With me, should be made a laughing-stock: But that I should deliver her again undesteined, as I received her from her friends.

Ph.

You tell me of the honest and chaste nature of Pamphilus.

Par.

I think it very unfitting for me to publish this;

And that she should be restored to her father, against whom you can a Redge no fault, [line 80] It is an unjust thing; but I hope that she will go away at last, When she knoweth this, that she cannot abide with me.

Ph.

What did he in the mean time? did he go to Bacch is?

Par.

E∣verie day. But, as it fell out, after she saw him estranged from her, She presentlie became a great deal more froward, and more malapert.

Ph.

[line 85] No marvail indeed.

Par.

And that matter did most of all Separate him from her, after he sufficientlie understood himself, And her, and this woman which was at home, Considering both their behaviours by way of comparison: This woman, as becometh one that is of u good nature, [line 90] Being shamefac' t and modest, did bear all the inconveniences and wrongs Of her husband, and concealed his taunting words. Hereupon his affection being partlie engaged by the pittie Of his wife, and partlie overcome by the injuries of this Bacchis, By little and little stole away from Bacchis, and set his love [line 95] On this woman, after he had got one of a like disposition. In the mean time an old-man a kinsman of these Died in Imbrus, the inheritance fell to these by law: His father packt Pamphilus being in love thither against his will; He left his wife here with his mother; for the old man [line 100] Kept himself close in the countrie; he seldome comes hither into the citie.

Ph.

What instabilitie hath the marriage hitherto?

Par.

You shall now hear; at first indeed for a few daies The women agreed verie well amongst themselves: In the mean time she began wonderfully to distaste Sostrata, [line 105] And yet there was no wrangling betwixt them, never was there Anie complaining.

Ph.

What then?

Par.

If at anie time she came to her, To talk with her, she presentlie got out of her sight, She would not see her: at last when she could not abide it, She made as though she was sent for by her mother to a sacrifice; she went away. [line 110] When she had been there a good manie daies, she bids she should be sent for. They then alledged I know not, what excuse; she bids again.

No bodie sent her back. After she had sent for her somewhat often, They pretend that the woman was sick. Our mistress presentlie Goes to her to visit her: no bodie gave her admission. When the old man understood this; [line 125] He came yesterday for that reason out of the countrie hither, And talk't with Philumena's father out of hand. I do not yet know what they did amongst themselves; But indeed I am sollicitous, what this may come to. You know all the matter; I will go on this journie, whither I began.

Ph.

[line 130] And indeed so will I; for I appointed with a stranger, That I would come and speak with him.

Par.

God speed you In what you do.

Ph.

Fare you well.

Par.

And fare you well heartilie, Philotis.