ACT III
(_Half an hour has elapsed._)
ENTER _Cleareta_ AND _Philaenium_ FROM THEIR HOUSE.
_Cle._
Nequeon ego ted interdictis facere mansuetem meis? an ita tu es animata, ut qui matris expers imperio sies?
Have I no power to make you submit when I prohibit a thing? Can it be that you feel inclined to rid yourself of your mother’s authority?
_Phil._
Ubi piem Pietatem, si istoc more moratam tibi postulem placere, mater, mihi quo pacto praecipis?[14] (507)
How should I be showing myself duteous to Filial Duty, mother, if I tried to please you by practising such practices and doing as you prescribe?
_Cle._
Hocine est pietatem colere. matris imperium minuere? (509)
Is this regarding filial duty, to lessen a mother’s authority?
_Phil._
Neque quae recte faciunt culpo neque quae delinquont amo. 510
I don’t find fault with mothers that do right, and I don’t like ones that do wrong.
_Cle._
Satis dicacula es amatrix.
A glib enough little hussy!
_Phil._
Mater, is quaestus mihi est: lingua poscit, corpus quaerit; animus orat, res monet.
(_lightly_) All in my profession, mother: tongue asks, body teases; fancy prompts, circumstances suggest.
_Cle._
Ego te volui castigare, tu mi accusatrix ades.
I intended to scold you, and here you are turning on me!
_Phil._
Neque edepol te accuso neque id me facere fas existimo. verum ego meas queror fortunas, cum illo quem amo prohibeor.
Oh, no! I’m not turning on you: I don’t think that would be right. But I do think it’s a cruel fate to be kept away from the man I love.
_Cle._
Ecqua pars orationis de die dabitur mihi?
Am I to get some share of the speechmaking before nightfall?
_Phil._
Et meam partem loquendi et tuam trado tibi; ad loquendum atque ad tacendum tute habeas portisculum. quin pol si reposivi remum, sola ego in casteria ubi quiesco, omnis familiae causa consistit tibi. 520
I give you my share and your own, too: you can be boatswain yourself and give the signal for talking and keeping still. But goodness me, if I once lay down the oar, I, and stay by myself resting in the rowers’ room, the progress of this whole household stops short, you see.
_Cle._
Quid ais tu, quam ego unam vidi mulierem audacissimam? quotiens te votui Argyrippum filium Demaeneti compellare aut contrectare, conloquive aut contui? quid dedit? quid ad nos iussit deportari? an tu tibi verba blanda esse aurum rere, dicta docta pro datis? ultro amas, ultro expetessis, ultro ad te accersi iubes illos qui dant, eos derides; qui deludunt, deperis.
Look here! Of all the impudent young misses I have ever seen! How many times have I forbidden you to have communication or contact or chitchat with Demaenetus’s son, Argyrippus, or to cast your eyes on him? What has he given us? What has he had sent us? Do you think pretty speeches are gold pieces, witty words presents? You make love to him yourself, run after him yourself, have him called yourself. Men that give you things you treat with contempt; those that trifle with you you dote on.
an te id exspectare oportet, si quis promittat tibi te facturum divitem, si moriatur mater sua? ecastor[15] nobis periclum magnum et familiae portenditur, 530 dum eius exspectamus mortem, ne nos moriamur fame. nunc adeo nisi mi huc argenti adfert viginti minas, ne ille ecastor hunc trudetur largus lacrumarum foras. hic dies summust quo est[16] apud me inopiae excusatio.
Have you any business waiting for it to happen, if a man does promise to make you rich, if his mother dies? Mercy me, while we wait for her to die, up looms a big risk of ourselves and our household dying of starvation! Now let me tell you this: unless he brings me eighty pounds, I swear to goodness that fellow shall be bundled out of the house, liberal as he is--of tears! This is the last day I accept pleas of poverty.
_Phil._
Patiar, si cibo carere me iubes, mater mea.
Tell me to do without food, mother dear, and I’ll endure that.
_Cle._
Non voto ted amare qui dant quoia amentur gratia.
I have nothing to say against your loving men who give you something to be loved for.
_Phil._
Quid si hic animus occupatust, mater, quid faciam? mone.
What if my heart isn’t free, mother? What then? Advise me.
_Cle._
Em, meum caput contemples si quidem ex re consultas tua.
Look! Consider these grey hairs of mine, if you really have any regard for your own good.
_Phil._
Etiam opilio qui pascit, mater, alienas ovis, 539,540 aliquam habet peculiarem, qui spem soletur suam. sine me amare unum Argyrippum animi causa, quem volo.
Even the shepherd that pastures other peoples’ sheep has some ewe lamb of his very own, mother, one that he builds happy hopes on. Do let me love Argyrippus alone, the man I want, just for love’s sake.
_Cle._
Intro abi, nam te quidem edepol nihil est impudentius.
Inside with you! Why, mercy on us, a more shameless minx than you really can’t exist.
_Phil._
Audientem dicto, mater, produxisti filiam.
(_tearfully_) You’ve trained ... your ... daughter ... to ... be obedient ... mother. [EXIT _Philaenium_ INTO HOUSE, FOLLOWED BY _Cleareta._
III. 2.