![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Act 2! The two slaves have moved off-screen, and now Cleostrata enters, with her handmaiden Pardalisca, to do a little song and dance number to her neighbor about how much her husband sucks. One of the ways you can tell this is a Roman adaptation of Greek comedy, and not just a direct translation of Greek comedy, is that a free citizen woman is wandering around on the street.
Act 2, Scene I
CLEOSTRATA: Lock up the pantry, and hand me my signet ring*. I’m going over next door to my neighbor. If my husband wants me for anything, make him go fetch me there.
PARDALISCA: The old man ordered that dinner be prepared for him.
CLEOSTRATA: Hush! Be quiet, and I’m going; I’ll neither prepare it nor cook today.
When he turned himself from me and my son,
for the sake of his passion and love,
that disgrace of a man,
by the hunger of that man,
by the thirst of that man,
I avenge myself by wicked word, by wicked deed on that lover.
By Pollux, I will justly squeeze him with harsh words;
I will from this point cultivate his life as he deserves,
as grain for Acheron,**
the pursuer of disgrace,
the abode of iniquity.
Now I’ll complain about my luck to my neighbor here.
But the door rattled, and look at her! She’s coming outside herself.
By Pollux, perhaps I came by at a bad time.
MYRRHINA: Come along, companions, over to my house.*** Hello, you two; does anyone hear these things I’m saying? I will be here, if my husband or anyone seeks me. For when I’m alone in the house, sleep plays tricks with my hands. Didn’t I tell you to bring me a distaff?^
CLEOSTRATA: Good day, Myrrhina.
MYRRHINA: Good day, by Castor. But why are you in tears, love?
CLEOSTRATA: This is customary for all who are poorly wed. It’s always the same whether I’m at home or outdoors, this distressing matter, so now I’ve come to you.
MYRRHINA: And by Pollux, I’m here for you. But what is it that’s paining your soul now? For what is painful for you is an equal sadness for me.
CLEOSTRATA: By Castor, I believe it, for I love no neighbor for her worth more than I do you; nor is there anyone who I’d want the care from more than you.
MYRRHINA: I love you, and so I wait to find out what’s going on.
CLEOSTRATA: There’s disrespect shown towards me at home, in the worst way.
MYRRHINA: Oho! What is it? Tell me the very thing, I beg you, for by Pollux it’s not enough for my heart to accept your worries.
CLEOSTRATA: My husband holds me in shame by the worst method, and there’s no way for me get justice for it.
MYRRHINA: That’s a marvel, if you’re truly shouting it in public, since men can’t get their marital rights.
CLEOSTRATA: Why, he demands my little maid from me, full of ingratitude, she who belongs to me, who was brought up at my expense, to give her to his own steward; but he’s lusting after her himself.
MYRRHINA: I beg you, be quiet.
CLEOSTRATA: But surely it’s allowed to speak here and now; it’s just us.
MYRRHINA: So it is. How can she remain yours? For it’s not permitted to keep any private property secretly from a husband, and what one owns, a part of it is properly his, unless one hides it away from the man or finds it dishonorably. I estimate that whatever is yours, it is all his.
CLEOSTRATA: Even you say all these things in opposition to your own friend.
MYRRHINA: Please be quiet, fool, and be a listener for me. I don’t want you to be hostile to him. Whether he falls in love, or does what he wishes, when nothing is lacking for you at home.
CLEOSTRATA: Are you really sane? Since you’re even speaking against your own interests in this.
MYRRHINA: You’re unwise; you should always avoid getting that word from your husband.
CLEOSTRATA: Which word?
MYRRHINA: Divorce!
CLEOSTRATA: Sh! Be quiet.
MYRRHINA: What is it?
CLEOSTRATA: Him!
MYRRHINA: Who is it? Who do you see?
CLEOSTRATA: Look, my husband is coming. I’m going inside; hurry up and go home, dear.
MYRRHINA: I’m doing it, I’m going.
CLEOSTRATA: Since there’ll soon be more leisure for me and for you, I’ll speak with you then. Goodbye!
MYRRHINA: Goodbye!
---
* To stamp the seal on the doors, so that she’d know if anyone opened it while she was out.
** Or, as my notes helpfully suggest, “as hell-fodder.”
*** While the English use of “you” for singular and plural obscures it somewhat, in this passage Myrrhina uses the plural when talking to Cleostrata. Which strikes me as unusual, given that while Pardalisca is also there, she’s a slave, and I wouldn’t expect another citizen woman to address her at all; the book merely notes that Cleostrata would be expected to go about in public with a maid, which...isn’t what I needed explanation on, book, thanks.
^ I believe some of these lines are spoken to an off-stage or silent handmaiden, as Myrrhina would hardly be out and about alone for the same reason as Cleostrata.
Act 2, Scene I
CLEOSTRATA: Lock up the pantry, and hand me my signet ring*. I’m going over next door to my neighbor. If my husband wants me for anything, make him go fetch me there.
PARDALISCA: The old man ordered that dinner be prepared for him.
CLEOSTRATA: Hush! Be quiet, and I’m going; I’ll neither prepare it nor cook today.
When he turned himself from me and my son,
for the sake of his passion and love,
that disgrace of a man,
by the hunger of that man,
by the thirst of that man,
I avenge myself by wicked word, by wicked deed on that lover.
By Pollux, I will justly squeeze him with harsh words;
I will from this point cultivate his life as he deserves,
as grain for Acheron,**
the pursuer of disgrace,
the abode of iniquity.
Now I’ll complain about my luck to my neighbor here.
But the door rattled, and look at her! She’s coming outside herself.
By Pollux, perhaps I came by at a bad time.
MYRRHINA: Come along, companions, over to my house.*** Hello, you two; does anyone hear these things I’m saying? I will be here, if my husband or anyone seeks me. For when I’m alone in the house, sleep plays tricks with my hands. Didn’t I tell you to bring me a distaff?^
CLEOSTRATA: Good day, Myrrhina.
MYRRHINA: Good day, by Castor. But why are you in tears, love?
CLEOSTRATA: This is customary for all who are poorly wed. It’s always the same whether I’m at home or outdoors, this distressing matter, so now I’ve come to you.
MYRRHINA: And by Pollux, I’m here for you. But what is it that’s paining your soul now? For what is painful for you is an equal sadness for me.
CLEOSTRATA: By Castor, I believe it, for I love no neighbor for her worth more than I do you; nor is there anyone who I’d want the care from more than you.
MYRRHINA: I love you, and so I wait to find out what’s going on.
CLEOSTRATA: There’s disrespect shown towards me at home, in the worst way.
MYRRHINA: Oho! What is it? Tell me the very thing, I beg you, for by Pollux it’s not enough for my heart to accept your worries.
CLEOSTRATA: My husband holds me in shame by the worst method, and there’s no way for me get justice for it.
MYRRHINA: That’s a marvel, if you’re truly shouting it in public, since men can’t get their marital rights.
CLEOSTRATA: Why, he demands my little maid from me, full of ingratitude, she who belongs to me, who was brought up at my expense, to give her to his own steward; but he’s lusting after her himself.
MYRRHINA: I beg you, be quiet.
CLEOSTRATA: But surely it’s allowed to speak here and now; it’s just us.
MYRRHINA: So it is. How can she remain yours? For it’s not permitted to keep any private property secretly from a husband, and what one owns, a part of it is properly his, unless one hides it away from the man or finds it dishonorably. I estimate that whatever is yours, it is all his.
CLEOSTRATA: Even you say all these things in opposition to your own friend.
MYRRHINA: Please be quiet, fool, and be a listener for me. I don’t want you to be hostile to him. Whether he falls in love, or does what he wishes, when nothing is lacking for you at home.
CLEOSTRATA: Are you really sane? Since you’re even speaking against your own interests in this.
MYRRHINA: You’re unwise; you should always avoid getting that word from your husband.
CLEOSTRATA: Which word?
MYRRHINA: Divorce!
CLEOSTRATA: Sh! Be quiet.
MYRRHINA: What is it?
CLEOSTRATA: Him!
MYRRHINA: Who is it? Who do you see?
CLEOSTRATA: Look, my husband is coming. I’m going inside; hurry up and go home, dear.
MYRRHINA: I’m doing it, I’m going.
CLEOSTRATA: Since there’ll soon be more leisure for me and for you, I’ll speak with you then. Goodbye!
MYRRHINA: Goodbye!
---
* To stamp the seal on the doors, so that she’d know if anyone opened it while she was out.
** Or, as my notes helpfully suggest, “as hell-fodder.”
*** While the English use of “you” for singular and plural obscures it somewhat, in this passage Myrrhina uses the plural when talking to Cleostrata. Which strikes me as unusual, given that while Pardalisca is also there, she’s a slave, and I wouldn’t expect another citizen woman to address her at all; the book merely notes that Cleostrata would be expected to go about in public with a maid, which...isn’t what I needed explanation on, book, thanks.
^ I believe some of these lines are spoken to an off-stage or silent handmaiden, as Myrrhina would hardly be out and about alone for the same reason as Cleostrata.