STICHUS1;

OR, THE PARASITE REBUFFED.

THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT.

[Supposed to have been written by Priscian the Grammarian.] An old man (Senex) rebukes his daughters because they are so (Tam) persevering in thus (Ita) adhering to their husbands, brothers, poor and abroad, and in not deserting them. And, on the other hand (Contra), he is softened down by prudent words to allow them to retain (Habere) those whom they have already got. Enriched with wealth, their husbands (Viri) come back from beyond the sea; each one retains his own (Suam) wife, and to Stichus a holiday is given.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

Enter PHILUMENA and PAMPHILA.

PHIL. Sister, I think that Penelope was wretched from her very soul, who was so long deprived of her husband; for from our own fortunes, whose husbands are absent from us, we judge of her feelings; for whose affairs, still, in their absence, both night and day, sister, as is becoming, we are ever anxious. PAM. 'Tis right that we should do our duty; and we do not that any further than affection bids us.

PHIL. But, sister, step this way a moment; I want to speak about the affairs of my husband.

PAM. Ain't they prospering, pray

?

PHIL. I hope and wish so, indeed. But, sister, at this am I vexed, that your and my father, one who is esteemed as espe

Stichus) Plautus has named this Play "Stichus," from the servant, who is one of the characters in it, though not the principal one, as Gelasimus, the Parasite, certainly occupies that place.

cially honorable among all his fellow-citizens, should be now acting the part of a dishonorable man; who is undeservedly doing so great an injustice to our absent husbands, and is wishing to separate us from them. These things, sister, render me tired of existence; these things are a care and a vexation to me. (She sheds tears.)

PAM. Weep not, sister, nor do that to your feelings which your father is threatening to do. 'Tis to be hoped1 that he will act more righteously. I know him well; he says these things in jest ; and he would not earn for himself the mountains of the Persians, which are said to be of gold, to do that of which you are in dread. Still, if he does do it, it befits you by no means to be angry; nor will it happen without some reason. For this is the third year since our husbands have been away from home.

PHIL. 'Tis as you say; while, in the meantime, they may be living, and may be well, they do not make us acquainted where they are, what they are doing, whether they are doing well, neither do they return.

PAM. And do you, sister, regret this, that they do not observe their duty, whereas you do yours?

PHIL. Troth, I do. PAM. Hold your peace, if you please; take care, please, that I hear not that same thing from you in future.

PHIL. And why, pray? PAM. Because, i' faith, in my opinion, 'tis proper for all prudent people to observe and to do their duty. For that reason, sister, although you are the older, I advise you to remember your duty; and if they are unjust and act otherwise to us than is right, then, i' faith, in exactly the same degree, that there may be no further mischief, it befits us studiously to remember our duty by all means in our power.

PHIL. 'Tis good; I'm silenced. PAM. But do take care and remember it.

PHIL. I do not wish, sister, to be thought to be unmindful of my husband; nor has he thrown away the distinction that

1 'Tis to be hoped)-Ver. 22. "Spes est." Literally, "there is a hope." 2 Said to be of gold)—Ver. 25. No doubt, as the Persians were from an early period noted for their wealth and grandeur, it was a common notion with the people of Europe that they had " mountains of gold."

3 May be well)-Ver. 31. After "valeant" in this line, a comma, and not a colon, seems more reconcileable to the meaning of the passage.

he conferred upon me. For, by my troth, his kindness is pleasing and delightful to me; and, really, this choice of mine is not now irksome to me, nor is there any reason why I should wish to abandon this match. But, in fine, 'tis placed in our father's power; that must be done by us which our relatives enjoin.

PAM. I know it, and in thinking of it I am overwhelmed with grief; for already has he almost disclosed his sentiments. PHIL. Let us consider, then, what is necessary for us to do.

SCENE II.

Enter ANTIPHO from his house, speaking at the door to his SERVANTS.

ANT. The man in condition of a servant who always waits to be told his duty, and doesn't remember to do it of his own accord, that servant, I say, is not of a deserving character. You remember well on each returning Calends to ask for your allotment of provisions2; why, then, do you less remember to do what is necessary to do about the house? Now, therefore, if, when I return, the furniture shall not be set for me, each piece in its proper place, I'll be putting you in mind with a bull's hide remembrancers. Not human beings seem to be living with me, but pigs. Take care, if you please, that my house is clean, when I return home. I shall soon be back home; I'm going to her house, to see my eldest daughter. If any one should enquire for me, call me thence, some of you; or- I shall be here soon myself.

PHIL. (aside). What are we to do, sister, if our father shall resolve against us?

1 In our father's power)-Ver. 53. By the law of the Twelve Tables at Rome, females were never "sui juris," but under a perpetual guardianship; and even marriage did not entirely exempt them from parental authority, unless they had been emancipated from it before. Among the Greeks also, parents exercised great authority in disposing of their daughters in marriage.

2 Allotment of provisions)—Ver. 60. The Greeks, it must be borne in mind, had no Calends (whence the proverb "ad Græcas Calendas," "to-morrow come never"); the Poet is here alluding to the Roman custom of distributing to the slaves their allowance of food on the Calends, or first day of every month.

3 Bull's hide remembrancer)—Ver. 63. "Monumentis bubulis." Literally, "with memorials of oxen." The thongs of the "scutica" and of the "flagellum" were generally made of bull's hide.

PAM. It befits us to submit to what he does whose power is the stronger. By entreating, not by opposing, I think we must use our endeavours. If with mildness we ask for favour, I trust to obtain it of him. Oppose him we cannot, without disgrace and extreme criminality; I will neither do that myself, nor will I give you the advice to do it, but rather that we should entreat him. I know our family1; he will yield to entreaty.

ANT. (speaking to himself). In the first place, in what manner I should make a beginning with them, about that I am in doubt; whether I should accost them in language couched in ambiguous terms, after this fashion, as though I had never pretended anything at all against them, or whether as though I had heard that they were deserving of some censure against them; whether I should rather try them gently or with threats. I know that there will be opposition; I know my daughters right well. If they should prefer to remain here rather than to marry afresh, why, let them do so. What need is there for me, the term of my life run out, to be waging war with my children, when I think that they don't at all deserve that I should do so? By no means; I'll have no disturbances. But I think that this is the best thing to be done by me; I'll do thus; I'll pretend as though they had themselves been guilty of some fault; I'll terribly terrify their minds this day by some ambiguous expressions; and then, after that, as I shall feel disposed, I'll disclose myself. I know that many words will be spoken; I'll go in. (Goes to the door of PHILUMENA's house.) But the door's

open.

PHIL. Why, surely the sound of my father's voice reached my ears.

PAM. I' troth, 'tis he; let's hasten to meet him with a kiss. (They both run to kiss him.)

PHIL. My father, my respects. ANT. And to you the same. Away this instant, and be off from me. (Removes her.) PHIL. One kiss. ANT. I've had enough of your kissing. PHIL. Prithee, father, why so?

1 I know our family)—Ver. 74. "Nostros." Literally, "ours," meaning "our people," our family."

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2 As though I had never pretended)—Ver. 77. Despite the ingenuity of Ritschel, this line seems to be in a corrupt state.

ANT. Because, as it is, the seasoning of your affection has reached my soul1.

PAM. Sit down here, father. (Points to a chair.) ANT. I'll not sit there; do you sit down; I'll sit on the bench2. (Sits on a bench.)

PAM. Wait till I fetch a cushion.

ANT. You take kind care of me; I'm nicely seated now as I am3.

PAM. Do let me, father. (Goes into the house.) ANT. What need is there?

PAM. There is need. (Coming out, and bringing a cushion.) ANT. I'll submit to you. (Arranging the cushion.) Yes, this does very well.

PAM. Why, daughters can never take too much care of their parent. Whom is it proper that we should esteem more dear than yourself? And then, in the next place, father, our husbands, for whom you have chosen that we should be the mothers of families.

ANT. You do as it is proper for good wives to do, in esteeming your husbands, though absent, just as though they were present.

PAM. 'Tis propriety, father, for us to highly honor those who have chosen us as companions for themselves.

ANT. Is there any other person here to listen with his ears to our conversation?

1 Has reached my soul)-Ver. 92. "Meæ animæ salsura evenit." Literally, “the salting has come forth to my soul." This phrase is rendered in Leverett's Lexicon, "I am dejected" or "I am in an ill humour." That, however, does not appear to be the meaning. The father has had kissing enough from his daughters, but he intends, as it would seem, to compliment them by comparing their kisses to salt, with its refreshing and vivifying powers; and when Philumena asks for one kiss more, he says, "No, as it is (ita) their refreshing power has reached my soul." Rost seems to be of this opinion, but he suggests that "animæ mea" are vocatives plural; in that case the passage would mean, "as it is, my loves," or 66 my delights, the refreshing salt of your affection has reached me." 2 On the bench)-Ver. 93. "Subsellium" generally means "a footstool," used by persons when sitting on a high seat. Here, however, it probably signifies "a bench," perhaps placed against the wall in the front of Philumena's house, where he was about to make a call.

3 Nicely seated now as I am)-Ver. 94. "Sat sic fultum est." Literally, "enough is it thus supported." She has brought out the cushion, and has placed it upon or at the back of the hard bench, which was perhaps something like our garden chair.

To listen with his ears)-Ver. 102. "Nostris dictis auceps auribus." Literally,