Amphitryon, or Jupiter in Disguise (425-499)

for what I did alone by myself, and when not another person was present in the tent, that, he certainly will never be able this day to tell me. (Aloud.) If you are Sosia, when the armies were fighting most vigorously, what were you doing in the tent? If you tell me that, I’m vanquished.

There was a cask of wine; from it I filled an earthen pot [*].

He has got upon the track.

That I drew full of pure wine, just as it was born from the mother grape.

It’s a wonder if this fellow wasn’t lying hid inside of that earthen pot. It is the fact, that there I did drink an earthen pot full of wine.

Well—do I now convince you by my proofs that you are not Sosia?

Do you deny that I am?

Why should I not deny it, who am he myself?

By Jupiter I swear that I am he, and that I do not say false.

But by Mercury, I swear that Jupiter does not believe you; for I am sure that he will rather credit me without an oath than you with an oath.

Who am I, at all events, if I am not Sosia? I ask you that.

When I choose not to be Sosia, then do you be Sosia; now, since I am he, you’ll get a thrashing, if you are not off hence, you fellow without a name.

Upon my faith, for sure, when I examine him and recollect my own figure, just in such manner as I am (I’ve often looked in a glass[*]):, he is exactly like me. He has the broad-brimmed hat and clothing just the same; he is as like me as I am myself. His leg, foot, stature, shorn head, eyes, nose, even his lips,

cheeks, chin, beard, neck—the whole of him. What need is there of words? If his back is marked with scars, than this likeness there is nothing more like. But when I reflect, really, I surely am the same person that I always was. My master I know, I know our I house; I am quite in my wits and senses. I’m not going to I obey this fellow in what he says; I’ll knock at the door.

Whither are you betaking yourself?

Home.

If now you were to ascend the chariot of Jove and fly away from here, then you could hardly be able to escape destruction.

Mayn’t I be allowed to deliver the message to my mistress that my master ordered me to give?

If you want to deliver any message to your own mistress; this mistress of mine I shall not allow you to approach. But if you provoke me, you’ll be just now taking hence your loins broken.

In preference, I’ll be off. (Aside.) Immortal Gods, I do beseech your mercy. Where did I lose myself? Where have I been transformed? Where have I parted with my figure? Or have I left myself behind there, if perchance I have forgotten it? For really this person has possession of all my figure, such as it formerly was. While living, that is done for me, which no one will ever do for me when dead[*].

I’ll go to the harbour, and I’ll tell my master these things as they have happened—unless even he as well shall not know me, which may Jupiter grant, so that this day, bald, with shaven crown, I may assume the cap of freedom[*].

Well and prosperously has this affair gone on for me; from the door have I removed the greatest obstacle,

so that it may be allowed my father to embrace her in security. When now he shall have reached his master, Amphitryon there, he will say that the servant Sosia has repulsed himself from the door here; and then the other will suppose that he is telling him a lie, and will not believe that he has come here as he had ordered him.

Both of them and the whole household of Amphitryon I will fill with mistakes and distraction, even until my father shall have had full enjoyment of her whom he loves; then at last all shall know what has been done. In the end Jupiter shall restore Alcmena

to the former affection of her husband. For Amphitryon will just now be beginning a quarrel with his wife, and will be accusing her of incontinence; then will my father change for her this strife into tranquillity. Now, inasmuch as yet I’ve said but little about Alcmena,

this day will she bring forth two sons, twins; the one will be born in the tenth month after he was begotten, the other in the seventh month[*]; of these the one is the son of Amphitryon[*], the other of Jupiter. But of the younger son the father is the superior,

of the elder the inferior. (To the AUDIENCE.) Now do you comprehend this how it is? But for the sake of the honor[*] of this Alcmena, my father will take care that it shall happen at one birth, so that in one travail she may complete her double pangs, and not be laid under suspicion of unchastity,

and that the clandestine connexion may remain concealed. Although, as I have said just now, Amphitryon shall still know all the matter in the end. What then? No one surely will impute it to Alcmena as a disgrace; for it does not seem that a God is acting justly

to permit his own offences and his own faultiness to fall upon a mortal. I’ll cut short my talk: the door makes a noise. See, the counterfeit Amphitryon is coming out of doors, and together with him Alcmena, the wife that he has taken the loan of.

Kindly fare you well, Alcmena; take care, as you are doing, of our common interest,