Free The Portable Roman Reader (Portable Library) by Various Page B

“Tis a law,” says he, “that young women, who are orphans, shall be marry’d to their nearest relations, and this same law obliges the men to marry them: I’ll say you are her kinsman, and I’ll be your prosecutor: I’ll pretend to be her father’s friend: we’ll bring it before the judges: who her father was, who her mother, and how she’s related to you, leave to my management, I’ll have all ready, to carry it to my own advantage and in favor of me: when you disprove none of these articles, I shall gain my cause. Your father will come home: he’ll have a pull with me: what then? We shall secure our woman.”
    DAVUS: A humourous piece of impudence!
    GETA: He prevail’d on the young man: they set about it: they come into court: he marry’d her.
    DAVUS: What’s that you say?
    GETA: ‘Tis just as I tell you.
    DAVUS: O! Geta, what will become of you?
    GETA: I can’t tell, by Hercules: this I know, whatever fortune lays upon me, I’ll bear it patiently.
    DAVUS: I’m glad to hear you say so: ‘tis what we all ought to do.
    GETA: All my hope is in myself.
    DAVUS: I commend you.
    GETA: Suppose I get cne to intercede for me, this perhaps will be his speech—“pray forgive him now, but if he does so again, I’ll not speak a word for him.” ‘Tis well if he don’t add, “when I’m gone, e’en hang him.”
    DAVUS: What of the music-girl’s hero? What exploit has he in hand?
    GETA: Nothing worth speaking of.
    DAVUS: Perhaps he has it not in his pow‘r to give much.
    GETA: He can give nothing but hope.
    DAVUS: Is his father come home, or not?
    GETA: Not yet.
    DAVUS: Well, when d‘y’ expect your old man?
    GETA: I don’t know certainly; but I hear’d just now that there’s a letter come from him, and left at the port: I’ll go for it.
    DAVUS: Have you any more to say to me, Geta?
    GETA: Nothing, but that I wish you well. (Davus goes) Here boy. Will nobody come out? (A boy comes) Take this, and give it to Dorcius. (He gives the money to the boy and goes)

ACT I, SCENE III
    (Antipho and Phædria)
    ANTIPHO: That it shou’d come to this, Phædria, that I shou’d be afraid of my father when I do but think of his return, of a father who wishes me so well! Had I not been an inconsiderate fool, I might have expected him as I ought.
    PHÆDRIA: What’s the matter?
    ANTIPHO: Is that a question for you to ask, who was my confidant in so bold an enterprise? O! that it had never enter’d into Phormio’s head to persuade me to it, and that he had not drove me in my fit of love on what has prov’d the source of my misfortunes! If I had not obtain’d her, then I shou’d have been uneasy some few days; but I shou’d have escap’d this perplexity of mind, which ev‘ry day torments me—
    PHÆDRIA: I hear you.
    ANTIPHO:—While I’m ev‘ry moment in expectation of his return, who will force me from the arms of my belov’d.
    PHÆDRIA: ‘Tis a grievance to some that they can’t have what they love; satiety’s the root of your complaint. Antipho, you’re too rich in love; for such, by Hercules, is your situation, ’tis worth our warmest wishes and endeavours. By heav’n cou’d I possess my love so long, I’d purchase it with death, nor think it dear: do but consider, what I endure amidst my present want, and what you gather from your plenteous store; not to mention your good fortune, in having gain‘d, according to your will, an honest wellbred wife, whose character has never been stain’d: you’re a happy man, if you had but this one thing, a mind to bear your fortune as you ought; you’d feel how ’tis, if you had to do with such a cock-bawd as I have: but ‘tis in the nature of us all to murmur at our own condition.
    ANTIPHO: But, on the contrary, Phaedria, you are the fortunate man in my eye now; in whom is lodg’d the pow‘r without constraint of consulting what pleases you best, to keep her, love her, or to leave her: I’m unhappily fall’n into such a strait, that I have no right to