 | Phormio |  |
SCENE VI.
Enter DEMIPHO at another part of the Stage.Dem.
How's this? A wife! what, Antipho! and ne'er
Ask my consent?—nor my authority—
Or, grant we pass authority, not dread
My wrath at least?—To have no sense of shame?
—Oh, impudence!—Oh, Geta, rare adviser!
Get.
Geta at last.
Dem.
What they will say to me,
Or what excuse they will devise, I wonder.
Get.
Oh, we have settled that already: Think
Of something else.
Dem.
Will he say this to me,
—“Against my will I did it”—Forc'd by law”—
—I hear you: I confess it.
Very well.
Dem.
But conscious of the fraud, without a word
In answer or defence, to yield the cause
Tamely to your opponents—did the law
Force you to that too?
Phæ.
That's home.
Get.
Give me leave!
I'll manage it.
Dem.
I know not what to do:
This stroke has come so unawares upon me,
Beyond all expectation, past belief.
—I'm so enrag'd, I can't compose my mind
To think upon it.—Wherefore ev'ry man,
When his affairs go on most swimmingly,
Ev'n then it most behoves to arm himself
Returning ever let him look to meet;
His son in fault, wife dead, or daughter sick—
All common accidents, and may have happen'd;
That nothing shou'd seem new or strange. But if
Aught has fall'n out beyond his hopes, all that
Let him account clear gain.
Get.
Oh, Phædria,
'Tis wonderful, how much a wiser man
I am than my old master. My misfortunes
I have consider'd well.—At his return
Doom'd to grind ever in the mill, beat, chain'd,
Or set to labour in the fields; of these
Nothing will happen new. If aught falls out
Beyond my hopes, all that I'll count clear gain.
—But why delay t'accost th'old gentleman,
And speak him fair at first?
[Phædria goes forward.
Dem.
Methinks I see
My nephew Phædria.
Phæ.
My good Uncle, welcome!
Dem.
Your servant!—But where's Antipho?
Phæ.
I'm glad
To see you safe—
Dem.
Well, well!—But answer me.
He's well: hard by.—But have affairs turn'd out
According to your wishes?
Dem.
Wou'd they had!
Phæ.
Why, what's the matter?
Dem.
What's the matter, Phædria?
You've clapp'd up a fine marriage in my absence.
Phæ.
What! are you angry with him about That?
Get.
Well counterfeited!
Dem.
Shou'd I not be angry?
Let me but set eyes on him, he shall know
That his offences have converted me
From a mild father to a most severe one.
Phæ.
He has done nothing, Uncle, to offend you.
Dem.
See, all alike! the whole gang hangs together:
Know one, and you know all.
Phæ.
Nay, 'tis not so.
Dem.
One does a fault, the other's hard at hand
To bear him out: when t'other slips, he's ready:
Each in their turn!
Get.
I'faith th'old gentleman
Has blunder'd on their humours to a hair.
Dem.
If 'twere not so, you'd not defend him, Phædria.
Phæ.
If, Uncle, Antipho has done a wrong
Or to his interest, or reputation,
I am content he suffer, as he may:
Has laid a snare for inexperienced youth,
And triumph'd o'er it; can you lay the blame
On us, or on the judges, who oft take
Thro' envy from the rich, or from compassion
Add to the poor?
Get.
Unless I knew the cause,
I shou'd imagine this was truth he spoke.
Dem.
What judge can know the merits on your side,
When you put in no plea; as he has done?
Phæ.
He has behav'd like an ingenuous youth.
When he came into court, he wanted pow'r
To utter what he had prepar'd, so much
He was abash'd by fear and modesty.
Get.
Oh brave!—But why, without more loss of time,
Don't I accost th'old man? [going up.]
My master, welcome!
I am rejoic'd to see you safe return'd.
Dem.
What! my good master Governor! your slave!
The prop! the pillar of our family!
To whom, at my departure hence, I gave
My son in charge.
Get.
I've heard you for some time
Accuse us all quite undeservedly,
And me, of all, most undeservedly.
A slave the laws will not allow to plead;
Nor can he be an evidence.
Dem.
I grant it.
Nay more—the boy was bashful—I allow it.
—You but a slave.—But if she had been prov'd
Ever so plainly a relation, why
Needed he marry her? and why not rather
Give her, according to the law, a portion,
And let her seek some other for a husband?
Why did he rather bring a beggar home?
Get.
'Twas not the thought, but money that was wanting.
Dem.
He might have borrow'd it.
Get.
Have borrow'd it!
Easily said.
Dem.
If not to be had else,
On interest.
Get.
Nay, now indeed you've hit it.
Who wou'd advance him money in your life?
Dem.
Well, well, it shall not, and it cannot be,
As wife a single day. There is no cause.
—Wou'd I might see that fellow, or cou'd tell
Where he resides!
Get.
What, Phormio!
Dem.
The girl's Patron.
Get.
He shall be with you strait.
Dem.
Where's Antipho?
Phæ.
Abroad.
Dem.
Go, Phædria; find him, bring him here.
Phæ.
I'll go directly.
[Exit.
Get.
aside.]
Ay, to Pamphila.
[Exit.
Quamobrem omnes, &c. This passage is quoted by Tully in the third book of his Tusculan Questions, and the maxim contained in these lines was a favourite principle among the Stoicks. But I cannot help thinking that the introduction of it in this place has commonly been considered too seriously; and I have scarce any doubt but that Terence intended it as a stroke of character. Commentators, in general, are never so happy as when they light upon a sentence in a classick author, which they can extol as a lesson of sound morality: but in dramatick writings we are not merely to confine ourselves to the consideration of what is said, but who says it. Donatus, in his preface to this play, says “that it is founded on passions almost too high for Comedy; but that the Poet contrives to temper every circumstance by his art.” In the present instance, the old gentleman is indeed in a violent passion, but his anger is so managed throughout the scene, that it becomes truly comick: And Donatus very properly refers us to a similar passage in the Brothers, where Demea in like manner delivers moral precepts, which are in like manner turned into ridicule, and archly parodied by the impudent slave.
By this proposal Terence artfully prepares us for the imposition of Phormio, who extorts money from the old gentleman on this very foundation. Donatus.
Alexander ab Alexandro, Genial. Dier. L. I. takes notice of an antient decree of Senate, derived to the Romans from a law of Solon, in which, in order to provide against young men borrowing money during the life of their fathers, it was ordained, that in case of non-payment, the lender should have no remedy at law. The mischief meant to be guarded against by this decree was, that left the sons of rich men, being involved in debt, should be tempted to extricate themselves by dishonourable means, or even to hasten the death of a parent. Westerhovius. Patrick.
| Phormio | |