and pray be sparing of yourself; you see that now your months are completed. It’s necessary for me to go away from here; but the offspring that shall be born do you bring up Do you bring up: Tollito. It was a custom among the ancients for the new-born child to be laid on the ground, upon which it was taken up by the father, or such other person as intended to stand in the place of a parent to it. If it was not taken up, it was disowned, and left to starve. For this reason Jupiter makes this request of Alcmena..ALCMENAWhat business is this, my husband, since you thus suddenly leave your home?JUPITERBy my troth, ’tis not that I am wearied of you or of my home; but when the chief commander is not with the army,that is sooner done which ought not to be done than that which needs to be done.MERCURY(aside.)This is a very clever counterfeit, who really is my own father. (To the AUDIENCE.) Do you observe him, how blandly he smoothes the lady over.ALCMENAI’ faith, I find by experience how much you value your wife. JUPITERIf there is no one among women whom I love so much, are you satisfied?MERCURY(aside.)Verily, upon my faith, if Juno only knew that you were giving your attention to such matters, I’d warrant that you’d rather beYou’d rather be: Edepol nae illa si istis rebus ne sciat operam dare, Ego faxim ted Amphitryonem malis esse quam Jovem. This passage has been differently rendered by Richter. He says that illa, she, refers to Alcmena, and not to Juno, as has been generally imagined, and that Mercury says these words aside, and, turning to the Audience, remarks, that if he were only to tell Alcmena that Jupiter is not the real Amphitryon, he would wish himself the real one, in preference to being Jupiter, and losing the lady. The translation in the text seems, however, to convey the real meaning of the passage. Probably, when using the word illa, as applying to Juno, ha slily points upwards to the heavens. Amphitryon than Jupiter.ALCMENAI would rather that I should find it so by experience, than that it should be told me. You leave me before the spot in the bed where.you have been lying has well grown warm. Yesterday, in the middle of the night, you came, and now you are going away. Is this your pleasure?MERCURY(aside.)I’ll approach, and address her, and play second fiddle to my father. (He approaches ALCMENA.) Never, upon my faith, do I believe that any mortal did so. distractedly love his wife as he distractedly dotes upon you.JUPITERScoundrel!—don’t I know you of old? Won’t you be off out of my sight? What business have you in this matter, whip-knave? or why your muttering? Whom this very instant, with this walking-stick, I’ll—(Shakes his stick over his head.)ALCMENAOh don’t. JUPITEROnly make a whisper.MERCURY(aside.)My first attempt at playing second fiddle had almost come to an unfortunate conclusion.JUPITERBut as to what you say, my wife, you ought not to be angry with me. I came away privately from the army: these moments I stole for you, that you the first might know from me the first, how I had managed the common interests. All this have I related to you. If I had not loved you very much, I should not have done so.MERCURY(aside.)Isn’t he doing just as I said? In her alarm, he is smoothing her down.JUPITERThat the army then mayn’t find it out, I must return there privately, lest they should say that I have preferred my wife before the common interests.ALCMENABy your departure you set your wife in tears.JUPITERBe quiet; don’t spoil your eyes: I’ll return very shortly. ALCMENAThat very shortly is a long time.JUPITERI do not with pleasure leave you here, or go away from you.ALCMENAI am sensible of it; for, the night that you have come to me, on the same you go away.(She embraces him.)JUPITERWhy do you hold me? It is time to go: I wish to depart from the city before it dawns. Now, Alcmena, this goblet which has been given me there on account of my valour,from which king Pterelas used to drink, he whom I slew with my own hand, the same I present to you.(Presents to her the goblet.)ALCMENA(taking the goblet.)You do as you are wont in other things. By heavens, it is a noble gift; like him who gave the gift.MERCURYAye, a noble gift; just like her to whom it has been given as a gift.JUPITERWhat, still going on? Can’t I, you scoundrel, make an end of you? ALCMENAAmphitryon, there’s a dear, don’t be angry Don’t be angry: It has been justly remarked that the amiable and interesting character of Alcmena is not unlike that of Desdemona, in Shakspeare’s Othello. with Sosia on my account.