Page:Comedies of Publius Terentius Afer (1870).djvu/30

12

Sim. Do you employ your own intelligence

Of craftiness upon some other subject.

Dav. Kind words, I pray you, master.

Sim. Ah, you jeer,

I know you well: now don't be obstinate,

Nor say I did not warn you: eh, beware.

Dav. From what I see, my Davus, it is time

To wake and look about—from what I see

About the sentiments of this old man

This marriage threatens ruin to my master,

As well as unto me. Now, bother it,

I can't see whether I had better aid

My master Pamphilus, or master father.

If I leave Pamphilus the boy will die,

And if I leave him not, my back must smart.

I cannot see my way, Simo knows all,

And has his eyes on me, and watches me

Lest I should play a trick, and if he spy me

Devising one—off am I to the mill—

And to that am I tending otherwise.

This Andrian, whether wife or whether may,

Is heavy now by Pamphilus—and they

Outrageous are in wild audacity—

Madness, not gladness, better tells their state

They mean to rear the child, or boy or girl,

And feign a likely story—that she is

An Attican—a citizen of Athens.

There was a certain merchant—who they say