 | The Andrian |  |
SCENE THE LAST.
Enter DAVUS.Davus
entering.]
Where's Pamphilus?
Pam.
Oh Davus!
Davus.
Who's there?
Pam.
I.
Davus.
Oh Pamphilus!
Pam.
You know not my good fortune.
Davus.
Do you know my ill-fortune?
Pam.
To a tittle.
Davus.
'Tis after the old fashion, that my ills
Should reach your ears, before your joys reach mine.
Pam.
Glycerium has discover'd her relations.
Davus.
Oh excellent!
Char.
How's that?
[listening.
Pam.
Her father is
Our most near friend.
Davus.
Who?
Pam.
Chremes.
Davus.
Charming news!
Pam.
And I'm to marry her immediately.
Is this man talking in his sleep, and dreams
On what he wishes waking?
[listening.
Pa.
And moreover,
For the child, Davus—
Davus.
Ah, sir, say no more.
You're th'only fav'rite of the Gods.
Char.
I'm made
If this be true. I'll speak to them.
[comes forward.
Pam.
Who's there?
Charinus! oh, well met.
Char.
I give you joy.
Pam.
You've heard then—
Char.
Ev'ry word: and prithee now,
In your good fortune, think upon your friend.
Chremes is now your own; and will perform
Whatever you shall ask.
Pam.
I shall remember.
'Twere tedious to expect his coming forth:
Along with me then to Glycerium!
Davus, do you go home, and hasten them
To fetch her hence. Away, away!
Davus
I go.
[Exeunt Pam. and Char.
[Davus addressing the audience.
Wait not till they come forth: Within
Undone, 'twill be concluded.—Clap your hands!
Plaudite. All the old Tragedies and Comedies acted at Rome concluded in this manner. Donec Cantor vos Plaudite dicat, says Horace. Who the Cantor was is matter of dispute. Mons. Dacier thinks it was the whole Chorus; others suppose it to have been a single Actor; some the Prompter, and some the Composer.
Before the word Plaudite in all the old copies is an Ω, which has also given rise to several learned conjectures. It is most probable according to the notion of Madam Dacier, that this Ω, being the last Letter of the Greek Alphabet, was nothing more than the mark of the transcriber to signify the end, like the Latin word Finis in modern books: or it might, as Cook supposes, stand for Ωδος, Cantor, denoting that the following word Plaudite, was spoken by him.
Calliopius Recensui.] After Plaudite, in all the old copies of Terence, stand these two words: which signify, “I Calliopius have revised and corrected this piece.” And this proceeds from the custom of the old criticks, who carefully revised all manuscripts: and when they had read and corrected any work, certified the same by placing their names at the end of it. Dacier.
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