Poenulus, or The Young Carthaginian (1262-1294)

Who’ll be for embracing me in the next place?

Now am I happy! Now with this delight do I allay the miseries of many a year.

We hardly seem to believe this.

I’ll tell you something to make you believe it the more:

why, it was your nurse who recognized me first.

Prithee, where is she?

She’s at his house.

Pray, why does it please you to clasp his neck so long,

before he has betrothed you to me?

Dear one, much longed-for, blessings on you!

Do leave off your salutations!

I will leave off.

And you the other one.[*]

I don’t want that;[*] you torment me to death!

Let us each clasp the other in our arms,

than whom is there anything on earth more happy?

Blessings befall the deserving.

(Pointing to HANNO.) At last his wishes are realized!

O Apelles! O Zeuxis[*] the painter! why did you die too soon? Would that you could paint a subject after this! For I don’t care for other common painters to be treating subjects of this description.

Gods and Goddesses all! I return you deservedly extreme thanks,

for having blest me with this gladness so supreme and with these joys so great; as my daughters have returned to me and into my possession.

My father, your own piety has clearly come to our aid.

Kinsman, take care and keep it in memory that you’ve betrothed your elder daughter to me—

I remember it.

The portion, too, that you promised.

If I don’t take full revenge for that mina which I gave to the Procurer, then really may the townspeople make a butt of me! This most rascally fellow even brought me to his house to breakfast. He himself went away out of doors, and left me as his chamberlain[*] in the house. When neither the Procurer nor these women came back, nor anything was given me to eat,

for the best part of the breakfast I took a pledge[*], and came out of doors. This way I’ll pay him. I’ll touch up the rascally Procurer in the military way of payment[*]. He did get hold of a person for him to bamboozle out of a mina of silver! But I wish that my mistress would now come in my way while thus enraged. Then, by my troth, with my fists I’d make her quite black all over;

I’d cover her so with swarthiness, that she should be much more swarthy than the Egyptians, or than those who carry the buckets[*] at the games in the Circus.

Do hold me fast, please, my love; I sadly fear the kites; this is an evil animal—lest perchance he may carry me off, your chick.

I cannot clasp you fast enough, my father!