Lucius Seneca - Yale Required Reading - Collected Works (Vol. 2)

Geta . You are kind, sir, to think so.

Dem. ( aside. ) Getting on by degrees—I’ll first make the lower classes my own.

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Enter Æschinus , from the house of Micio .

Æsch. ( to himself. ) They really are killing me while too intent on performing the nuptials with all ceremony; the whole day is being wasted in their preparations.

Dem. Æschinus! how goes it?

Æsch. Ha, my father! are you here?

Dem. Your father, indeed, both by affection and by nature; as I love you more than my very eyes; but why don’t you send for your wife?

Æsch. So I wish to do ; but I am waiting for the music-girl 90and people to sing the nuptial song.

Dem. Come now, are you willing to listen to an old fellow like me?

Æsch. What is it ?

Dem. Let those things alone, the nuptial song, the crowds, the torches, 91 and the music-girls, and order the stone wall in the garden 92here to be pulled down with all dispatch, and bring her over that way; make but one house of the two ; bring the mother and all the domestics over to our house.

Æsch. With all my heart, kindest father.

Dem. ( aside. ) Well done! now I am called “kind.” My brother’s house will become a thoroughfare; he will be bringing home a multitude, incurring expense in many ways: what matters it to me? I, as the kind Demea , shall get into favor. Now then, bid that Babylonian 93pay down his twenty minæ. ( To Syrus. ) Syrus, do you delay to go and do it?

Syr. What am I to do ?

Dem. Pull down the wall : and you, Geta , go and bring them across.

Geta . May the Gods bless you, Demea, as I see you so sincere a well-wisher to our family.

Geta and Syrus go into Micio’s house.

Dem. I think they deserve it. What say you, Æschinus, as to this plan?

Æsch. I quite agree to it.

Dem. It is much more proper than that she, being sick and lying-in, should be brought hither through the street.

Æsch. Why, my dear father, I never did see any thing better contrived.

Dem. It’s my way; but see, here’s Micio coming out.

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Enter Micio , from his house.

Mic. ( speaking to Geta, within. ) Does my brother order it? Where is he? ( To Demea. ) Is this your order, Demea?

Dem. Certainly, I do order it, and in this matter, and in every thing else, wish especially to make this family one with ourselves, to oblige, serve, and unite them.

Æsch. Father, pray let it be so.

Mic. I do not oppose it.

Dem. On the contrary, i’ faith, it is what we ought to do: in the first place, she is the mother of his wife ( pointing to Æschinus ).

Mic. She is. What then?

Dem. An honest and respectable woman.

Mic. So they say.

Dem. Advanced in years.

Mic. I am aware of it.

Dem. Through her years, she is long past child-bearing; there is no one to take care of her; she is a lone woman.

Mic. ( aside. ) What can be his meaning?

Dem. It is right you should marry her; and that you, Æschinus , should use your endeavors to effect it.

Mic. I, marry her, indeed?

Dem. You.

Mic. I?

Dem. You, I say.

Mic. You are trifling!

Dem. Æschinus , if you are a man, he’ll do it.

Æsch. My dear father——

Mic. What, ass! do you attend to him?

Dem. ’Tis all in vain; it can not be otherwise.

Mic. You are mad!

Æsch. Do let me prevail on you, my father.

Mic. Are you out of your senses? Take yourself off. 94

Dem. Come, do oblige your son.

Mic. Are you quite in your right mind? Am I, in my five-and-sixtieth year, to be marrying at last? A decrepit old woman too? Do you advise me to do this?

Æsch. Do; I have promised it. 95

Mic. Promised, indeed; be generous at your own cost, young man.

Dem. Come, what if he should ask a still greater favor?

Mic. As if this was not the greatest!

Dem. Do comply.

Æsch. Don’t make any difficulty.

Dem. Do promise.

Mic. Will you not have done?

Æsch. Not until I have prevailed upon you.

Mic. Really, this is downright force. 96

Dem. Act with heartiness, Micio.

Mic. Although this seems to me 97to be wrong, foolish, absurd, and repugnant to my mode of life, yet, if you so strongly wish it, be it so.

Æsch. You act obligingly.

Dem. With reason I love you; but——

Mic. What?

Dem. I will tell you, when my wish has been complied with.

Mic. What now? What remains to be done ?

Dem. Hegio here is their nearest relation; he is a connection of ours and poor; we ought to do some good for him.

Mic. Do what?

Dem. There is a little farm here in the suburbs, which you let out; let us give it him to live upon.

Mic. But is it a little one?

Dem. If it were a large one, still it ought to be done; he has been as it were a father to her; he is a worthy man, and connected with us; it would be properly bestowed. In fine, I now adopt that proverb which you, Micio, a short time ago repeated with sense and wisdom—it is the common vice of all, in old age, to be too intent upon our own interests. This stain we ought to avoid: it is a true maxim, and ought to be observed in deed.

Mic. What am I to say to this? Well then, as he desires it ( pointing to Æschinus ), it shall be given him .

Æsch. My father!

Dem. Now, Micio, you are indeed my brother, both in spirit and in body.

Mic. I am glad of it.

Dem. ( aside. ) I foil him at his own weapon. 98

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Enter Syrus , from the house.

Syr. It has been done as you ordered, Demea.

Dem. You are a worthy fellow. Upon my faith,—in my opinion, at least,—I think Syrus ought at once to be made free.

Mic. He free! For what reason?

Dem. For many.

Syr. O my dear Demea! upon my word, you are a worthy man! I have strictly taken care of both these sons of yours, from childhood; I have taught, advised, and carefully instructed them in every thing I could.

Dem. The thing is evident; and then besides all this, to cater for them , secretly bring home a wench, prepare a morning entertainment; 99these are the accomplishments of no ordinary person.

Syr. O, what a delightful man!

Dem. Last of all, he assisted to-day in purchasing this Music-wench—he had the management of it; it is right he should be rewarded; other servants will be encouraged thereby : besides, he ( pointing to Æschinus ) desires it to be so.

Mic. ( to Æschinus. ) Do you desire this to be done?