Chapter XIII: Act THE FIFTH: Scene I (2)

[Footnote 75: _Our rings were given_)--Ver. 541. It was the custom
of parties who agreed to join in a “symbola,” or “club” or
“picnic” entertainment, to give their rings as pledges to the “rex
convivii,” or “getter up the feast.” Stakes were also deposited on
making bets at races. See Ovid’s Art of Love, B. i., l. 168.]

[Footnote 76: _To meet my death_)--Ver. 550. There is a passage in
the Othello of Shakspeare extremely similar to this:

--“If I were now to die,
I were now to be most happy; for, I fear,
My soul hath her content so absolute,
That not another comfort, like to this,
Succeeds in unknown fate.”]

[Footnote 77: _In the inner apartments_)--Ver. 579. The “Gynecæa,”
or women’s apartments, among the Greeks, always occupied the
interior part of the house, which was most distant from the
street, and there they were kept in great seclusion.]

[Footnote 78: _A few novices of girls_)--Ver. 582. These “noviciæ”
were young slaves recently bought, and intended to be trained to
the calling of a Courtesan.]

[Footnote 79: _At a certain painting_)--Ver. 584. See the story of
Jupiter and Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos, in the
Metamorphoses of Ovid, B. iv., l. 610. Pictures of Venus and
Adonis, and of Jupiter and Ganymede, are mentioned in the Menæchmi
of Plautus; l. 144, and paintings on the walls are also mentioned
in the Mostellaria of Plantus, l. 821, where Tranio tries to
impose upon Theuropides by pretending to point out a picture of a
crow between two vultures.]

[Footnote 80: _How Jove_)--Ver. 584. Donatus remarks here that
this was “a very proper piece of furniture for the house of a
Courtesan, giving an example of loose and mercenary love,
calculated to excite wanton thoughts, and at the same time hinting
to the young lover that he must make his way to the bosom of his
mistress, like Jupiter to Danaë, in a shower of gold. Oh the
avarice of harlots!”]

[Footnote 81: _A poor creature of a mortal_)--Ver. 591.
“Homuncio.” He uses this word the better to contrast his abject
nature as a poor mortal with the majesty of Jupiter. St. Augustin
refers to this passage. The preceding line is said by Donatus to
be a parody on a passage by Ennius.]

[Footnote 82: _Take this fan_)--Ver. 595. As to the fans of the
ancients, see the Trinummus of Plautus, l. 252, and the Note to
the passage in Bohn’s Translation. See also the Amours of Ovid, B.
iii., El. 2, l. 38.]

[Footnote 83: _Chattered aloud_)--Ver. 600. This line bears a
strong resemblance to two lines found in Anstey’s new Bath Guide:

“And how the young ladies all set up their clacks,
All the while an old woman was rubbing their backs.”]

[Footnote 84: _I slily looked askance_)--Ver. 601. This way of
looking aside, “limis,” is mentioned in the Miles Gloriosus of
Plautus, where Milphidippa tells Acroteleutium to look at the
Captain sideways, “Aspicito limis,” l. 1217; also in the
Bacchides, l. 1131. Those familiar with the works of Hogarth will
readily call to mind the picture of Bedlam in the Rake’s Progress,
whore the young woman is looking askance through her fan at the
madman in his cell.]

[Footnote 85: _Through the fan_)--Ver. 602. This shows that the
fan was probably one made of thin boards, and not of feathers.]

[Footnote 86: _So short-lived_)--Ver. 605. Colman has the
following Note here: “Short indeed, considering the number of
incidents, which, according to Chærea’s relation, are crowded into
it. All the time allowed for this adventure is the short space
between the departure of Thais and Thraso and the entrance of
Chærea; so that all this variety of business of sleeping, bathing,
ravishing, &c., is dispatched during the two soliloquies of
Antipho and Chærea, and the short Scene between Chremes and
Pythias. The truth is, that a very close adherence to the unities
often drives the Poet into as great absurdities as the perfect
violation of them.”]

[Footnote 87: _Took off her golden jewels_)--Ver. 627. This was
probably because it was contrary to the laws of Athens for a
Courtesan to appear with gold or jewels in the street. Madame
Dacier suggests another reason, in which there is some force,
although it is ridiculed by Cooke. Thais may have supposed that
the Captain, when irritated, might not have scrupled to take them
away from her. Indeed, nothing would be more probable, than that
he would be ready to take them by way of security for the return
of the slave, whom he had thus, to no purpose, presented to her.
In reference to the preceding line, we may remark that it was not
customary among the Greeks for females of good character to appear
at table with strangers.]

[Footnote 88: _While I was going_)--Ver. 629. Donatus remarks that
here the Poet artfully finds a reason to bring Phædria back again;
as he at first with equal art sent him out of the way, to give
probability to those incidents necessary to happen in his
absence.]

[Footnote 89: _At a distance_)--Ver. 640. “Extremâ lineâ.” There
have been many suggestions offered for the origin of this
figurative expression. Some suggest that it alludes to the last or
lowest stage of the supposed ladder of love; others that it refers
to the first or elementary line traced by the student, when
beginning to learn the art of painting. It is however more
generally thought to be a metaphor taken from the chariot-races in
the Circus, where, in going round the turning-place, he who was
nearest was said “currere in primâ lineâ;” the next, “in secundâ;”
and so on to the last, who took the widest range, and was said to
run “in extremâ lineâ.”]

[Footnote 90: _In party-colored clothes_)--Ver. 683. It was the
custom to dress Eunuchs in party-colored clothes of bright hue.
Most probably it was from them that the “motley” descended to the
fools and buffoons of the Middle Ages.]

[Footnote 91: _With a speckled complexion_)--Ver. 689. “Colore
stellionino;” probably having spots or freckles on his face like a
“stellio” or “lizard.”]

[Footnote 92: _Have done a service to her_)--Ver. 722. Though some
would have “illi” here to refer to the damsel, and others again to
Phædria, it is pretty clear that Madame Dacier is right in
suggesting that Thais is the person meant.]

[Footnote 93: _Casket with the tokens_)--Ver. 752. It was the
custom with the ancients when they exposed their children, to
leave with them some pledge or token of value, that they might
afterward be recognized by means of them. The catastrophes of the
Curculio, the Rudens, and other Plays of Plautus, are brought
about by taking advantage of this circumstance. The reasons for
using these tokens will be stated in a future Note.]

[Footnote 94: _Is a foreigner_)--Ver. 758. And therefore the more
unlikely to obtain redress from an Athenian tribunal. See the
Andria, l. 811, and the Note to the passage.]

[Footnote 95: _And his maniple_)--Ver. 775. We learn from the
Fasti of Ovid, B. iii., l. 117-8, that in early times the Roman
armies carried bundles or wisps of hay upon poles by way of
standards. “A long pole used to bear the elevated wisps, from
which circumstance the manipular soldier derives his name.” It
appears from this passage, and from other authors, that to every
troop of one hundred men a “manipulus” or wisp of hay (so called
from “manum implere,” to “fill the hand,” as being “a handful”),
was assigned as a standard, and hence in time the company itself
obtained the name of “manipulus,” and the soldier, a member of it,
was called “manipularis.” The “centurio,” or “leader of a
hundred,” was the commanding officer of the “manipulus.”]

[Footnote 96: _With a dish-clout_)--Ver. 776. “Peniculo.” This
word meant a sponge fastened to a stick, or the tail of a fox or
an ox, which was used as dusters or dish-clouts are at the present
day for cleaning tables, dishes, or even shoes. See the Menæchmi
of Plautus, ver. 77 and 391.]

[Footnote 97: _Be behind the second rank_)--Ver. 780. “Post
principia.” The Captain, with that discretion which is the better
part of valor, chooses the safest place in his army. The
“principes” originally fought in the van, fronting the enemy, and
behind them were the “hastati” and the “triarii.” In later times
the “hastati” faced the enemy, and the “principes” were placed in
the middle, between them and the “triarii;” but though no longer
occupying the front place, they still retained the name. Thraso,
then, places himself behind the middle line.]

[Footnote 98: _Pyrrhus used to proceed_)--Ver. 782. He attempts to
defend his cowardice by the example of Pyrrhus, the powerful
antagonist of the Romans, and one of the greatest generals of
antiquity. He might have more correctly cited the example of
Xerxes, who, according to Justin, did occupy that position in his
army.]

[Footnote 99: _I could very much_)--Ver. 785. Although Vollbehr
gives these words to Gnatho, yet, judging from the context, and
the words “ex occulto,” and remembering that Thais and Chremes are
up at the window, there is the greatest probability that these are
really the words of Thais addressed aside to Chremes.]

[Footnote 100: _You gallows-bird_)--Ver. 797. “Furcifer;”
literally, “bearer of the furca.”]

[Footnote 101: _As befits gallant soldiers_)--Ver. 814. Beaumont
and Fletcher not improbably had this scene in view in their
picture of the mob regiment in Philaster. The ragged regiment
which Shakspeare places under the command of Falstaff was not very
unlike it, nor that which owned the valiant Bombastes Furioso as
its Captain.]

[Footnote 102: _At Antipho’s_)--Ver. 839. Madame Dacier here
observes that Chærea assigns very natural reasons for not having
changed his dress; in which the art of Terence is evident, since
the sequel of the Play makes it absolutely necessary that Chærea
should appear again before Thais in the habit which he wore while
in the house.]

[Footnote 103: _Pick daintily about_)--Ver. 935. He seems here to
reprehend the same practice against which Ovid warns his fair
readers, in his Art of Love, B. iii. l. 75. He says, “Do not first
take food at home,” when about to go to an entertainment.
Westerhovius seems to think that “ligurio” means, not to “pick
daintily,” but “to be fond of good eating;” and refers to the
Bacchides of Plautus as portraying courtesans of the “ligurient”
kind, and finds another specimen in Bacchis in the
Heautontimorumenos.]

[Footnote 104: _This advantage_)--Ver. 970. Donatus here observes
that the Poet introduces Laches, as he has Parmeno just before, in
a state of perfect tranquillity, that their sudden change of
feeling may be the more diverting to the Audience.]

[Footnote 105: _For some occasion_)--Ver. 999. We learn from
Donatus that Menander was more explicit concerning the resentment
of Laches against Thais, on account of her having corrupted
Phædria.]

[Footnote 106: _As I knew_)--Ver. 1003. She enjoyed it the more,
knowing that the old man had nothing to fear, as he had just heard
the fiction which she had imparted to Parmeno. Donatus observes
that the terror of Laches accounts for his sudden consent to the
union of Chærea with Pamphila; for though he could not settle the
matter any other way with credit, he was glad to find that his son
had made an unequal match rather than endangered his life. Colman,
however, observes with considerable justice: “I think Chærea
apologizes still better for this arrangement in the Scene with
Thais at the opening of this Act, where he says that he is
confident of obtaining his father’s consent, provided Pamphila
proves to be a citizen; and, indeed, the match between them is
rather a reparation of an injury done to her than a degradation of
himself.”]

[Footnote 107: _In return for that present of yours_)--Ver. 1022.
By the present she means Chærea in the disguise of the Eunuch.]

[Footnote 108: _Through betrayal of myself_)--Ver. 1023. Which
betrays itself by its own squeaking.]

[Footnote 109: _Hercules served Omphale_)--Ver. 1026. He alludes
to the story of Omphale, Queen of Lydia, and Hercules. Being
violently in love with her, the hero laid aside his club and
boar’s skin, and in the habit of a woman plied the spindle and
distaff with her maids. See a curious story of Omphale, Hercules,
and Faunus, in the Fasti of Ovid, B. ii. l. 305. As to the
reappearance of Thraso here, Colman has the following remarks:
“Thraso, says Donatus, is brought back again in order to be
admitted to some share in the good graces of Thais, that he may
not be made unhappy at the end of the Play; but surely it is an
essential part of the poetical justice of Comedy to expose
coxcombs to ridicule and to punish them, though without any
shocking severity, for their follies.”]

[Footnote 110: _With a slipper_)--Ver. 1027. He doubtless alludes
to the treatment of Hercules by Omphale; and, according to Lucian,
there was a story that Omphale used to beat him with her slipper
or sandal. On that article of dress, see the Notes to the
Trinummus of Plautus, l. 252.]

[Footnote 111: _To the patronage of my father_)--Ver. 1038. It was
the custom at Athens for strangers, such as Thais was, to put
themselves under the protection (in clientelam) of some wealthy
citizen, who, as their patron, was bound to protect them against
injury. An exactly parallel case to the present is found in the
Miles Gloriosus of Plautus, l. 799, where the wealthy
Periplecomenus says, “Habeo, eccillam, meam clientam, meretricem
adolescentulam.” “Why, look, I have one, a dependent of mine,
a courtesan, a very young woman.”]

[Footnote 112: _Been rolling that stone_)--Ver. 1084. Donatus
thinks that he alludes to the story of Sisyphus, who, in the
Infernal Regions, was condemned eternally to roll a stone up a
hill, which, on arriving at the summit, immediately fell to the
bottom.]

[Footnote 113: _Make him over to you_)--Ver. 1086. “Vobis
propino.” The word “propino” was properly applied to the act of
tasting a cup of wine, and then handing it to another; he means
that he has had his taste of the Captain, and is now ready to hand
him over to them.]

[Footnote 114: _He quite deserves it_)--Ver. 1087. Cooke has the
following appropriate remark: “I can not think that this Play,
excellent as it is in almost all other respects, concludes
consistently with the manners of gentlemen; there is a meanness in
Phædria and Chærea consenting to take Thraso into their society,
with a view of fleecing him, which the Poet should have avoided.”]

* * * * *
* * * *

HEAUTONTIMORUMENOS;

THE SELF-TORMENTOR.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

CHREMES,[1] an old gentleman, living in the country.
MENEDEMUS,[2] an old gentleman, his neighbor.
CLINIA,[3] son of Menedemus.
CLITIPHO,[4] son of Chremes.
DROMO,[5] son of Clinia.
SYRUS,[6] servant of Clitipho.

SOSTRATA,[7] wife of Chremes.
ANTIPHILA,[8] a young woman beloved by Clinia.
BACCHIS,[9] a Courtesan, the mistress of Clitipho.
The Nurse of Antiphila.
PHRYGIA,[10] maid-servant to Bacchis.

_Scene._--In the country, near Athens; before the houses of CHREMES and MENEDEMUS.

THE SUBJECT.

CHREMES commands his wife, when pregnant, if she is delivered of a girl immediately to kill the child. Having given birth to a girl, Sostrata delivers her to an old woman named Philtera to be exposed. Instead of doing this, Philtera calls her Antiphila, and brings her up as her own. Clinia, the son of Menedemus, falls in love with her, and treats her as though his wife. Menedemus, on learning this, is very angry, and by his harsh language drives away his son from home. Taking this to heart, and in order to punish himself for his ill-timed severity, Menedemus, though now an aged man, fatigues himself by laboring at agricultural pursuits from morning till night. At the period when the Play commences, Clinia has just returned to Attica, but not daring to go to his father’s house, is entertained by Clitipho, the son of Chremes, who is the neighbor of Menedemus. Clitipho then sends for Antiphila, whose supposed mother has recently died, to come and meet her lover. On the same day, Chremes learns from Menedemus how anxious he is for his son’s return; and on hearing from his son of the arrival of Clinia, he defers informing Menedemus of it until the next day. Syrus, the servant who has been sent to fetch Antiphila, also brings with him Bacchis, an extravagant Courtesan, the mistress of Clitipho. To conceal the truth from Chremes, they represent to him that Bacchis is the mistress of Clinia, and that Antiphila is one of her maids. Next morning Chremes informs Menedemus of his son’s arrival, and of the extravagant conduct of his mistress, but begs that he will conceal from Clinia his knowledge of this fact. Bacchis requiring ten minæ, Syrus devises a plan for obtaining the money from Chremes, while the latter is encouraging him to think of a project against Menedemus. Syrus tells him a story, that the mother of Antiphila had borrowed a thousand drachmæ of Bacchis, and being dead, the girl is left in her hands as a pledge for the money. While these things are going on, Sostrata discovers in Antiphila her own daughter. In order to obtain the money which Bacchis persists in demanding, Syrus suggests to Chremes that it should be represented to Menedemus that Bacchis is the mistress of Clitipho, and that he should be requested to conceal her in his house for a few days; it is also arranged that Clinia shall pretend to his father to be in love with Antiphila, and to beg her as his wife. He is then to ask for money, as though for the wedding, which is to be handed over to Bacchis. Chremes does not at first approve of the plan suggested by Syrus; but he pays down the money for which he has been informed his daughter is a pledge in the hands of Bacchis. This, with his knowledge, is given to Clitipho, who, as Syrus says, is to convey it to Bacchis, who is now in the house of Menedemus, to make the latter more readily believe that she is his mistress. Shortly after this, the plot is discovered by Chremes, who threatens to punish Clitipho and Syrus. The Play concludes with Chremes giving his consent to the marriage of Clinia with Antiphila, and pardoning Clitipho, who promises to abandon the Courtesan, and marry. Unlike the other Plays of Terence and Plautus, the Plot of this Play extends over two days.

THE TITLE OF THE PLAY.

It is from the Greek of Menander. Performed at the Megalensian Games; Lucius Cornelius Lentulus and Lucius Valerius Flaccus being Curule Ædiles. Ambivius Turpio performed it. Flaccus, the freedman of Claudius, composed the music. The first time it was performed to the music of treble and bass flutes; the second time, of two treble flutes. It was acted three times; Marcus Juventius and Titus Sempronius being Consuls.[11]

HEAUTONTIMORUMENOS;

THE SELF-TORMENTOR.

THE SUMMARY OF C. SULPITIUS APOLLINARIS.

A severe father compels his son Clinia, in love with Antiphila, to go abroad to the wars; and repenting of what has been done, torments himself in mind. Afterward, when he has returned, unknown to his father, he is entertained at the house of Clitipho. The latter is in love with Bacchis, a Courtesan. When Clinia sends for his much-loved Antiphila, Bacchis comes, as though his mistress, and Antiphila, wearing the garb of her servant; this is done in order that Clitipho may conceal it from his father. He, through the stratagems of Syrus, gets ten minæ from the old man for the Courtesan. Antiphila is discovered to be the sister of Clitipho. Clinia receives her, {and} Clitipho, another woman, for his wife.

THE PROLOGUE.

Lest it should be a matter of surprise to any one of you, why the Poet has assigned to an old man[12] a part that belongs to the young, that I will first explain to you;[13] and then, the reason for my coming I will disclose. An entire Play from an entire Greek one,[14] the Heautontimorumenos, I am to-day about to represent, which from a two-fold plot[15] has been made but one. I have shown that it is new, and what it is: next I would mention who it was that wrote it, and whose in Greek it is, if I did not think that the greater part of you are aware. Now, for what reason I have learned this part, in a few words I will explain. {The Poet} intended me to be a Pleader,[16] not the Speaker of a Prologue; your decision he asks, {and} has appointed me the advocate; if this advocate can avail as much by his oral powers as he has excelled in inventing happily, who composed this speech which I am about to recite. For as to malevolent rumors spreading abroad that he has mixed together many Greek Plays while writing a few Latin ones, he does not deny that this is the case, and that he does not repent {of so doing}; and he affirms that he will do so again. He has the example of good {Poets}; after which example he thinks it is allowable for him to do what they have done. Then, as to a malevolent old Poet[17] saying that he has suddenly applied himself to dramatic pursuits, relying on the genius of his friends,[18] {and} not his own natural abilities; {on that} your judgment, your opinion, will prevail. Wherefore I do entreat you all, that the suggestions of our antagonists may not avail more than {those} of our favorers. Do you be favorable; grant the means of prospering to those who afford you the means of being spectators of new Plays; {those, I mean}, without faults: that he may not suppose this said in his behalf who lately made the public give way to a slave as he ran along in the street;[19] why should he take a madman’s part? About his faults he will say more when he brings out some other new ones, unless he puts an end to his caviling. Attend with favorable feelings; grant me the opportunity that I may be allowed to act a quiet Play[20] in silence; that the servant everlastingly running about, the angry old man, the gluttonous parasite, the impudent sharper, {and} the greedy procurer, may not have always to be performed by me with the utmost expense of voice, {and} the greatest exertion. For my sake come to the conclusion that this request is fair, that so some portion of my labor may be abridged. For nowadays, those who write new {Plays} do not spare an aged man. If there is any {piece} requiring exertion, they come running to me; but if it is a light one, it is taken to another Company. In the present one the style is pure. Do you make proof, what, in each character,[21] my ability can effect. If I have never greedily set a {high} price upon my skill, and have come to the conclusion that this is my greatest gain, as far as possible to be subservient to your convenience, establish in me a precedent, that the young may be anxious rather to please you than themselves.