Page:Comedies of Publius Terentius Afer (1870).djvu/117

 Act IV. So. 2. HEAUTONTIMORUMENOS. 99

Cli. But that knocks up my marriage — knocks it up —

You understand not, Syrus, what you say —

How can I meet my father on this plea,

A mistress following me!

Syr. Why not?

Cli. But how ? what pretext frame?

Syr. Oh! none at all.

No pretexts: tell the truth.

Cli. What do you say?

Syr. Say that you love Antiphila to wife,

Say that he loves — and Bacchis is the mistress.

Cli. Not a bad plot, and easy to be done,

And then to bid my father hold his tongue,

And not to blurt to him.

Syr. Quite contrary:

Go tell him the true tale.

Cli. Syrus, you are mad or drunk; you but betray him.

How would that make him safe?

Syr. Ah! 'tis my cue —

My palm of victory! I hug myself

In admiration of my own astuteness.

Cunning is power — go and tell him the truth,

And so deceive them both. When your old man

Tells our old man, Bacchis is his son's mistress,

He'll not believe it.

Cli. Ah! but you knock my marriage on the head.

When Chremes thinks that Bacchis is my love,

Will he grant me his daughter? But it seems

You fight for Cli.tipho — nor care for me.

Syr. Confound you — do you think I want an age

To do my work — one day will do for me —

Just time to get the money — and no more!

H 2