 | The Lots |  |
SCENE IV.
Enter CLEOSTRATA, MYRRINA, CHALINUS in women's cloaths disguis'd like CASINA, OLYMPIO, and the two women slaves.Cha.
Where are you, you who aim at strict severity
Of morals, you philosopher? By Hercules!
'Tis over with you—Here, come here, approach.
[OMITTED]
Sta.
Yes, I'll go this way—'Twere a better omen
To have an o'ergrown puppy barking at me.
Cle.
What art thee doing here, my precious love,
My little dear! and why too in this dress?
Where is the stick, and where the cloak thee had'st?
Wom.
Lost in the battle both of them, I trow,
When he was making love to Casina.
Sta.
'Tis over with me!
353
What, shall we to bed?
'Tis I am Casina—
[discovering himself.
Sta.
Go and be hang'd,
You scoundrel you!—
Cha.
Do you not love me then?
Cle.
Why don't you answer me? Where is your cloak?
Sta.
Bacchant! A Bacchant! Yes, by Hercules!
You are a Bacchant, wife.
Wom.
He jokes on purpose.
'Tis not the feast of Bacchus now.
Sta.
'Tis true,
I had forgot—Yet notwithstanding that
You are a Bacchant.
Cle.
What d'you mean by Bacchant?
That cannot be—
Olym.
Yet you are in a fright,
By Castor's temple!
Sta.
I in a fright, d'you say?
Olym.
Don't tell a lye—The matter's very plain.
[OMITTED]
Sta.
And won't you hold your tongue?
Olym.
By Hercules!
I won't. Yourself most earnestly conjur'd me
To ask for Casina to be my wife.
Sta.
That was an instance of the love I bore you.
Cle.
Rather an instance of your love to her.
You're fairly caught.
Sta.
What, am I guilty then
Of what you say?
Cle.
And do you ask that question?
Sta.
If I've done so, I've been to blame, by Hercules!
354
Come in with me then; if you have forgot,
I will refresh your memory.
Sta.
By Hercules!
I think you rather are to be believ'd.
Forgive your husband then, my dear—Myrrina,
Intreat Cleostrata to pardon me.
If, from this time I e'er love Casina,
Or ever offer to seduce her more,
Or ever more attempt to do the like,
There is no cause, but you shall tuck me up,
And with your own hands scourge me heartily.
Myr.
'Tis my opinion that you should forgive him.
Cle.
I'll do as you would have me—And I pardon
This folly in you, the more willingly,
In order not to lengthen out the Comedy,
Too long already.
Sta.
You're not angry then?
Cle.
No, I am not.
Sta.
May I depend upon it?
Cle.
You may—
Sta.
And can there in the world be found
A wife more amiable than mine?
Cha.
Then take her.
Cle.
Return me then his stick and cloak.
Cha.
Here, take them.
Sta.
'Tis very well.
Cha.
They have, by Castor's temple!
Injur'd me most egregiously—I've had
Two husbands, yet am still in statu quo.
[Exeunt.
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