Heautontimorumenos; or, The Self-Tormenter (622-655)

Ha! my husband!

Ha! my wife !

I was looking for you.

Tell me what you want.

In the first place, this I beg of you, not to believe that I have ventured to do any thing contrary to your commands.

Would you have me believe you in this, although so incredible? Well, I will believe you.

This excuse portends I know not what offense.

Do you remember me being pregnant, and yourself declaring to me, most peremptorily, that if I should bring forth a girl, you would not have it brought up.

I know what you have done, you have brought it up.

Such is the fact, I’m sure: my young master has gained a loss[*] in consequence.

Not at all; but there was here an elderly woman of Corinth, of no indifferent character; to her I gave it

to be exposed.

O Jupiter! that there should be such extreme folly in a person’s mind.

Alas! what have I done ?

And do you ask the question?

If I have acted wrong, my dear Chremes, I have done so in ignorance.

This, indeed, I know for certain, even if you were to deny it, that in every thing you both speak and act ignorantly and foolishly: how many blunders you disclose in this single affair! For, in the first place, then, if

you had been disposed to obey my orders, the child ought to have been dispatched; you ought not in words to have feigned her death, and in reality to have left hopes of her surviving. But that I pass over; compassion, maternal affection, I allow it. But how finely you did provide for the future! What was your meaning? Do reflect. It’s clear, beyond a doubt, that your daughter was betrayed by you to this old woman,

either that through you she might make a living by her, or that she might be sold in open market as a slave. I suppose you reasoned thus: any thing is enough, if only her life is saved: what are you to do with those who understand neither law, nor right and justice? Be it for better or for worse, be it for them or against them, they see nothing except just what they please.

My dear Chremes, I have done wrong, I own; I am convinced. Now this I beg of you;

inasmuch as you are more advanced in years than I, be so much the more ready to forgive; so that your justice may be some protection for my weakness.

I’ll readily forgive you doing this, of course; but, Sostrata, my easy temper prompts you to do amiss. But, whatever this circumstance is, by reason of which this was begun upon, proceed to tell it.

As we women are all foolishly and wretchedly

superstitious, when I delivered the child to her to be exposed, I drew a ring from off my finger, and ordered her to expose it, together with the child; that if she should die, she might not be without[*] some portion of our possessions.

That was right; thereby you proved the saving of yourself and her.[*]

This is that ring.

Whence did you get it?

From the young woman whom Bacchis brought here with her.

Ha!

What does she say?