The Portable Roman Reader (Portable Library) by Various Page A

farther end of the street?
    ANTIPHO: ‘Tis he himself: I can’t stand my ground.
    GETA: Ah! what are you doing? Where are you going, Antipho? Stay I say.
    ANTIPHO: I know myself and my offence: I leave my Phany and my life to your care. (Antipho goes)

ACT I, SCENE V
    (Phædria and Geta)
    PHÆDRIA: What’s to be done now, Geta?
    GETA: You’ll have a chiding now; but hanging will be my lot, if I’m not mistaking: but what we just now here advis’d Antipho to do, we must do ourselves, Phædria.
    PHÆDRIA: Leave out must; and command me what to do.
    GETA: Do you remember what you say‘d, at the beginning of this enterprise, as a defence necessary to be made, that their cause was just, plain, binding, and the fairest that could be?
    PHÆDRIA: I remember.
    GETA: Ah! now we have need of it indeed, or, if we cou’d have it, a better, and more subtle one.
    PHÆDRIA: I’ll take care about it.
    GETA: Now go you up to him first: I’ll lie ready to relieve you, if you shall happen to want auxiliaries.
    PHÆDRIA: Come on.

ACT I, SCENE VI
    (Demipho, Geta, and Phædria)
    DEMIPHO (to himself, not seeing them): Is it so, is Antipho marry’d without my consent? Shou’d not my authority—but I wave authority—shou’d not he have fear’d my displeasure at least? Is he not asham’d? Audacious act! O! Geta, thou tutor!
    GETA (aside to Phædria): He’s out at last.
    DEMIPHO (to himself, not seeing them ) : I wonder what they’ll say to me, or what excuse they’ll find.
    GETA (aside to Phædria): I’ve found one already: look you for another.
    DEMIPHO (to himself, not seeing them) : Will he excuse himself by saying, “I did it against my will, the law compell’d me?” I hear him, and allow it to be so.
    GETA (aside): Well say’d.
    DEMIPHO (to himself) : But knowingly, without speaking a word, to give up his cause to his adversaries! Did the law compel him to that too?
    PHÆDRIA (aside to Geta): That strikes home.
    GETA (aside to Phædria) : I’ll find an excuse for that: leave it to me.
    DEMIPHO (to himself): I know not what to do, because this has happen‘d, beyond my expectation or belief: I’m so provok’d, that I am scarcely capable of thinking: ev‘ry one therefore, in the heighth of his prosperity, should then think within himself how he cou’d bear adversity; let him always, as he returns home, consider thus, I may meet with dangers, losses, a disobedient son, a dead wife, or a sick daughter, and these are misfortunes common to all men, there’s nothing new or strange in either of them, therefore whatever happens beyond his expectation he should account as gain.
    GETA (aside to Phædria): O! Phædria, ‘tis scarcely to be believ’d how much wiser I am than my master: I have consider’d of all the inconveniences which can happen to me, if my master shou’d return, I concluded that I should be condemn’d to perpetual imprisonment to grind there, to be well drubbed, to be fettered, or sentenced to work in the fields; neither of which wou’d be new or strange to me; therefore whatever happens beyond my expectation I shall account as gain: but why don’t you go up to the old gentleman, and speak him fair?
    DEMIPHO (to himself) : There’s Phædria my brother’s son, I see, coming this way.
    PHÆDRIA: Uncle, your servant.
    DEMIPHO: Your servant: but where’s Antipho?
    PHÆDRIA: I’m glad to see you safe return’d.
    DEMIPHO: I believe you: but give me an answer to what I ask.
    PHÆDRIA: He’s very well; and he’s not far off; but are all things as you’d have ‘em?
    DEMIPHO: I wish they were.
    PHÆDRIA: What’s the matter?
    DEMIPHO: Do you ask, Phædria? Ye’ve patch’d up a fine marriage here in my absence.
    PHÆDRIA: 0, what, are you angry with him for that?
    GETA (to himself): He manages him dextrously!
    DEMIPHO: Ought I not to be angry with him? I wish he’d come into my presence, that he may see now how he has provok’d a good-natured father by his offence.
    PHÆDRIA: But he has done nothing,