 | The Self-Tormentor |  |
SCENE II.
Enter MENEDEMUS.Mene.
to himself.]
Sure I'm by nature form'd for misery
Beyond the rest of humankind, or else
'Tis a false saying, though a common one,
“That time assuages grief.” For ev'ry day
My sorrow for the absence of my son
Grows on my mind: the longer he's away,
The more pine after him.
Chremes.
But he's come forth.
[seeing Menedemus.
Yonder he stands. I'll go and speak with him.
Good morrow, neighbour! I have news for you;
Such news, as you'll be overjoy'd to hear.
Mene.
Of my son, Chremes?
Chremes.
He's alive and well.
Mene.
Where?
Chremes.
At my house.
Mene.
My son?
Chremes.
Your son.
Mene.
Come home?
Chremes.
Come home.
Mene.
My dear boy come? my Clinia?
Chremes.
He.
Mene.
Away then! prithee, bring me to him.
Chremes.
Hold!
He cares not you should know of his return,
And dreads your sight because of his late trespass.
Is now augmented.
Mene.
Did not you inform him
The bent of my affections?
Chremes.
Not I.
Mene.
Wherefore, Chremes?
Chremes.
Because 'twould injure both yourself and him
To seem of such a poor and broken spirit.
Mene.
I cannot help it. Too long, much too long,
I've been a cruel father.
Chremes.
Ah, my friend,
You run into extremes; too niggardly,
Or, too profuse; imprudent either way.
First, rather than permit him entertain
A mistress, who was then content with little,
And glad of any thing, you drove him hence:
Wereon the girl was forc'd, against her will,
To grow a common gamester for her bread:
And now she can't be kept without much cost,
You'd squander thousands. For to let you know
How admirably Madam's train'd to mischief,
How finely form'd to ruin her admirers,
Than half a score of women at her tail,
Laden with cloaths and jewels.—If she had
A Prince to her gallant, he could not bear
Such wild extravagance: much less can You.
Mene.
Is She within too?
Chremes.
She within? Ay, truly.
I've found it to my cost: for I have given
To her and her companions but one supper;
And to give such another would undo me.
For, not to dwell on other circumstances,
Merely to taste, and smack, and spirt about,
What quantities of wine has she consum'd!
This is too rough, she cries; some softer, pray!
I have pierc'd every vessel, ev'ry cask;
Kept ev'ry servant running to and fro:
All this ado, and all in one short night!
What, Menedemus, must become of you,
Whom they will prey upon continually?
Now, afore heaven, thinking upon this,
Mene.
Why, let him have his will;
Waste, consume, squander; I'll endure it all,
So I but have him with me.
Chremes.
If resolv'd
To take that course, I hold it of great moment
That he perceive not you allow of this.
Mene.
What shall I do then?
Chremes.
Any thing, much rather
Than what you mean to do: at second hand
Supply him; or permit his slave to trick you;
Though I perceive they're on that scent already,
And privately contriving how to do't.
There's Syrus, and that little slave of your's
In an eternal whisper: the young men
Consulting too together: and it were
Better to lose a Talent by these means,
Than on your plan a Mina: for at present
Money is not the question, but the means
To gratify the youth the safest way.
For if he once perceives your turn of mind,
Than part from him; ah, Menedemus, what
A window to debauchery you'll open!
Nay, life itself will grow a burthen to you;
For too much liberty corrupts us all.
Whatever comes into his head, he'll have;
Nor think, if his demand be right or wrong.
You, on your part, to see your wealth and son
Both wreck'd, will not be able to endure.
You'll not comply with his demands; whereon
He falls to his old fence immediately,
And knowing where your weak part lies, will threaten
To leave you instantly.
Mene.
'Tis very like.
Chremes.
Now on my life I have not clos'd my eyes,
Nor had a single wink of sleep this night,
For thinking how I might restore your son.
Mene.
Give me your hand: and let me beg you, Chremes,
Continue to assist me!
Willingly.
Mene.
D'ye know, what I would have you do at present?
Chremes.
What?
Mene.
Since you have found out they meditate
Some practice on me, prithee, urge them on
To execute it quickly: for I long
To grant his wishes, long to see him strait.
Chremes.
Let me alone. I must lay hold of Syrus,
And give him some encouragement.—But see!
Some one, I know not who, comes forth: In, in,
Lest they perceive that we consult together!
I have a little business too in hand.
Simus and Crito, our two neighbours here,
Have a dispute about their boundaries;
And they've referr'd it to my arbitration.
I'll go and tell them, 'tis not in my power
To wait on them, as I propos'd, to-day.
I will be with you presently.
Mene.
Pray do.
[Exit Chremes.
Gods! that the nature of mankind is such,
To see, and judge of the affairs of others,
Because that, in our own concerns, we feel
Too much the influence of joy or sorrow?
How much more wisely does my neighbour here
Consult for me, than I do for myself!
Chremes
returning.]
I've disengag'd myself, that I might be
At leisure to attend on your affairs.
[Exit Menedemus.
Menedemus comes out of his house at day-break to return to his work; for he has already declared that he will allow himself no respite. This is well conducted. Dacier.
Terence discovers uncommon judgment in preserving his characters. Menedemus, when he hears of good news, immediately enquires, if they relate to his son, thinking nothing else worthy his notice. Patrick.
These repetitions are very natural. There is a passage very like this in the fourth act of the Captivi of Plautus.
Chremes takes Bacchis for Clinia's mistress, and his own son is her real gallant. This jeu de theatre is admirable. Dacier.
Satrapes si siet amator. Satrapes is originally a Hebrew word, but in use too among the Persians, who gave this title to the governours of their provinces; who were generally very rich, and so many petty kings in the eastern nations. Patrick.
Pytissando. Pytissare is a word originally Greek, and is, what we call, a verb of imitation, for its sound very much resembles the noise made by the action of spirting wine out of the mouth. Patrick.
Here we have, drawn in lively colours, the picture of a man hasty in running from one extreme to another. This gives occasion to the expedient offered by Chremes, which comes in very naturally, and insensibly leads to the remaining part of the plot. Patrick.
Hedelin obstinately contends from this passage, that neither Chremes, nor any of his family went to bed the whole night; the contrary of which is evident, as Menage observes, from the two next scenes. For why should Syrus take notice of his being up so early, if he had known that he had never retired to rest? or would Chremes have reproached Clitipho for his behaviour the night before, had the feast never been interrupted? Eugraphius's interpretation of these words is natural and obvious; who explains them to signify that the anxiety of Chremes to restore Clinia to Menedemus broke his rest.
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