§1001bEho tu, factum est abs te sedulo §1002Pro fratre. §1002bMi vir, non mihi narras? §1002cAt— §1002dQuid, "at?" §1003Non opus est dicto. §1003bTibi quidem: at scito huic opus est. §1004In Lemno— §1004bHem, quid ais? §1004cNon taces? §1004dclam te— §1004eHei mihi. §1005Uxorem duxit. §1005bMi homo, Di melius duint. §1006Sic factum est. §1006bPerii misera. §1006cEt inde filiam §1007Suscepit iam unam, dum tu dormis. §1007bQuid agimus? §1008Pro Di immortales, facinus indignum, et malum. §1009Hoc actum est. §1009bAn quicquam hodie est factum indignius? §1010Qui mihi ubi ad uxores ventum est tum fiunt senes. §1011Demipho, te appello; nam me cum hoc ipso distaedet loqui. §1012Haecine erant itiones crebrae, et mansiones diutinae §1013Lemni? haecine erat ea quae nostros fructus minuebat vilitas? §1014Ego, Nausistrata, esse in hac re culpam meritam non nego; §1015Sed ea quin sit ignoscenda. §1015bVerba fiunt mortuo. §1016Nam neque negligentia tua, neque odio id fecit tuo. §1017Vinolentus fere abhinc annos quindecim mulierculam §1018Eam compressit, unde haec nata est: neque postilla unquam attigit. §1019Ea mortem obiit, e medio abiit, qui fuit in re hac serupulus. §1020Quamobrem te oro, ut alia facta tua sunt, aequo animo hoc feras.
Phormio: "Aha, you have acted indeed diligently for your brother." Nausistrata: "My husband, do you not tell me?" Chremes: "But—" Nausistrata: "What, 'but'?" Chremes: "There is no need of speaking." Phormio: "For you indeed; but know that there is need for her." "In Lemnos—" Chremes: "Ah, what are you saying?" Demipho: "Will you not be silent?" Phormio: "secretly from you—" Chremes: "Woe to me." Phormio: "he married a wife." Nausistrata: "My good man, may the gods grant better things." Phormio: "So it was done." Nausistrata: "I am ruined, miserable woman." Phormio: "And from her a daughter he has already begotten, while you were sleeping." Chremes: "What do we do?" Nausistrata: "O immortal gods, a shameful and wicked deed!" Phormio: "This business is finished." Nausistrata: "Has anything more shameful been done today?" "Who, when they come to their wives, then become old men." "Demipho, I appeal to you; for it wearies me to speak with this very man." "Were these those frequent journeys, and long stays in Lemnos? Was this that cheapness which was diminishing our profits?" Demipho: "I, Nausistrata, do not deny that there is deserved blame in this matter;" "but it is not such as should not be forgiven." Phormio: "Words are spoken to a dead man." Demipho: "For neither from neglect of you, nor from hatred of you did he do this." "Drunk, about fifteen years ago, a poor young woman he violated, from whom this girl was born; nor after that did he ever touch her." "She died, departed from the world, which was the obstacle in this matter." "Therefore I pray you, as your other deeds are, that you bear this with an even mind." Nausistrata: "Why should I with an even mind?
§1021Quid ego aequo animo? Cupio misera in hac re iam defungier.
I desire, miserable woman, to be rid of this matter now." "But what should I hope?
§1022Sed quid sperem? aetate porro minus peccaturum putem? §1023Iam tum erat senex, senectus si verecundos facit. §1024An mea forma atque aetas nunc magis expetenda est, Demipho? §1025Quid mihi nunc affers quamobrem exspectem aut sperem porro non fore? §1026Exsequias Chremeti quibus est commodum ire hem tempus est. §1027Sic dabo: age nunc, age, Phormionem qui volet lacessito. §1028Faxo tali eum mactatum atque hic est infortunio. §1029Redeat sane in gratiam: iam supplici satis est mihi: §1030Habet haec ei quod dum vivat usque ad aurem ogganniat. §1031At meo merito, credo: quid ego nunc commemorem, Demipho, §1032Singulatim qualis ego in hunc fuerim? §1032bNovi aeque omnia §1033Tecum. §1033bMeritone hoc meo videtur factum? §1033cMinime gentium; §1034Verum, quando iam accusando fieri infectum non potest, §1035Ignosce: orat; confitetur; purgat: quid vis amplius? §1036Enimvero prius quam haec dat veniam, mihi prospiciam et Phaedriae. §1037Heus, Nausistrata, prius quam huic respondes temere, audi. §1037bQuid est? §1038Ego minas triginta per fallaciam ab illo abstuli; §1039Eas dedi tuo gnato; is pro sua amica lenoni dedit. §1040Hem, quid ais? §1040bAdeone hoc indignum tibi videtur, filius §1041Homo adolescens si habet unam amicam, tu uxores duas?
Should I think that in future age he will sin less?" "He was already an old man then, if old age makes men respectful." "Is my beauty and age now more to be desired, Demipho?" "What do you bring to me now why I should expect or hope that in future it will not be?" Phormio: "For those who find it convenient to go to the funeral of Chremes, ah, it is time." "Thus I will pay them: come now, come, let anyone who wishes challenge Phormio." "I will make him afflicted with such misfortune as this man is." "Let him indeed return into favor; now I have enough of vengeance;" "this lady has something that she may snarl in his ear as long as he lives." Nausistrata: "But by my desert, I suppose; why should I now mention, Demipho, one by one, how I have been toward this man?" Demipho: "I know all things equally with you." Nausistrata: "Does this seem done by my desert?" Demipho: "Least of all;" "but, since by accusing it cannot now be made undone," "forgive him: he begs, he confesses, he clears himself; what more do you want?" Phormio: "But indeed, before she gives pardon, I will look out for myself and Phaedria." "Ho, Nausistrata, before you answer him rashly, listen." Nausistrata: "What is it?" Phormio: "I took away thirty minae from him by a trick;" "I gave them to your son; he gave them to a pimp for his mistress." Chremes: "Ah, what do you say?" Phormio: "Does this seem so shameful to you, if your son, a young man, has one mistress, while you have two wives?" "No shame at all!
§1042Nihil pudere! Quo ore illum obiurgabis? responde mihi. §1043Faciet ut voles. §1043bImmo, ut meam iam scias sententiam, §1044Neque ego ignosco neque promitto quicquam; neque respondeo, §1045Prius quam gnatum video: eius iudicio permitto omnia; §1046Quod is iubebit, faciam. §1046bMulier sapiens es, Nausistrata. §1047Satin tibi est? §1047bImmo vero pulchre discedo et probe, §1048Et praeter spem. §1048bTu tuum nomen die quod est. §1048cMihin? Phormio: §1049Vestrae familiae hercle amicus, et tuo summus Phaedriae. §1050Phormio, at ego ecastor posthac tibi quod potero et quae voles §1051Faciamque et dicam. §1051bBenigne dicis. §1051cPol meritum est tuum. §1052Vin primum hodie facere quod ego gaudeam, Nausistrata, §1053Et quod tuo viro oculi doleant? §1053bCupio. §1053cMe ad coenam voca. §1054Pol vero voco. §1054bEamus intro hinc. §1054cFiat: sed ubi est Phaedria, §1055Iudex noster? §1055bIam hic faxo aderit. §1055cVos valete et plaudite.
With what face will you reprove him? Answer me." Demipho: "He will do as you wish." Nausistrata: "Nay, that you may now know my decision, I neither forgive nor promise anything, nor do I answer, before I see my son: to his judgment I permit everything;" "what he commands, I will do." Phormio: "You are a wise woman, Nausistrata." Nausistrata: "Is it enough for you?" Phormio: "Nay, indeed, I depart beautifully and well, and beyond hope." Nausistrata: "You, tell your name, what it is." Phormio: "To me? Phormio;" "by Hercules, a friend of your family, and most intimate to your Phaedria." Nausistrata: "Phormio, indeed by Castor, hereafter what I can and what you wish I will both do and say for you." Phormio: "You speak kindly." Nausistrata: "By Pollux, it is your desert." Phormio: "Do you wish today first to do what may make me glad, Nausistrata, and what may make your husband's eyes ache?" Nausistrata: "I desire it." Phormio: "Invite me to dinner." Nausistrata: "By Pollux indeed, I invite you." Demipho: "Let us go inside from here." Nausistrata: "Let it be done; but where is Phaedria, our judge?" Phormio: "I will make him be here presently." "Farewell, and give us your applause."