Eunuchus; or, The Eunuch (573-611)

Do you ask? That I might see, hear, and be in company with her whom I loved, Antipho. Is that a slight motive, or a poor reason? I was presented to the woman.

She, as soon as she received me, joyfully took me home to her house and intrusted the damsel—

To whom? To you?

To me.

In perfect safety, at all events.

She gave orders that no male was to come near her, and commanded me not to stir away from her; that I was to remain alone with her in the inner apartments.[*] Looking bashfully on the ground, I nodded assent.

Poor fellow!

I am going out, said she, to dinner.

She took her maids with her; a few novices of girls[*] remained, to be about her. These immediately made preparations for her to bathe. I urged them to make haste. While preparations were being made, the damsel sat in a room looking up at a certain painting,[*] in which was represented how Jove[*] is said once to have sent a golden shower into the bosom of Danaë.

I myself began to look at it as well, and as he had in former times played the like game, I felt extremely delighted that a God should change himself into money, and slily come through the tiles of another person’s house, to deceive the fair one by means of a shower. But what God was this? He who shakes the most lofty temples of heaven with his thunders.

Was I, a poor creature of a mortal,[*] not to do the same? Certainly, I was to do it, and without hesitation. While I was thinking over these matters with myself, the damsel meantime was fetched away to bathe; she went, bathed, and came back; after which they laid her on a couch. I stood waiting to see if they gave me any orders. One came up, Here, Dorus, said she, take this fan,[*] and let her have a little air in this fashion, while we are bathing;

when we have bathed, if you like, you may bathe too. With a demure air I took it.

Really, I should very much have liked to see that impudent face of yours just then, and what figure a great donkey like you made, holding a fan!

Hardly had she said this, when all, in a moment, betook themselves off: away they went to bathe, and chattered aloud;[*] just as the way is when masters are absent.

Meanwhile, sleep overtook the damsel; I slily looked askance[*] through the fan;[*] this way (showing how): at the same time I looked round in all directions, to see whether all was quite safe. I saw that it was. I bolted the door.

What then?

Eh? What then, you simpleton?

I own I am.

Was I to let slip the opportunity offered me, so excellent, so short-lived,[*] so longed for, so unexpected.

In that case, i’faith, I really should have been the person I was pretending to be.

Troth, you certainly are in the right; but, meantime, what has been arranged about the club-entertainment?

All’s ready.

You are a clever hand; but where? At your house?

No, at Discus’s, our freedman.

That’s a long way off.

Then let’s make so much the greater haste.[*]

Change your dress.[*]

Where am I to change it? I’m at a loss; for at present I’m an exile from home; I’m afraid of my brother,

lest he should be in-doors: and then again of my father, lest he should have returned from the country by this.

Let’s go to my house; there is the nearest place for you to change.