Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Sos, I have told you

Ten times already.---I'm at home, I say;

And I,---d'ye mark me? I, that self-fame Sofia,

Am here with you.---What think you? do I speak 30

Plain enough now, and to the purpose ?

[blocks in formation]

Feel very ill, and very miferable,

As you deferve, when I get home.---Come, follow me,

35

[blocks in formation]

Were never heard of---Knave!---But ev'ry lye

Your back shall answer.

Sos. Of all grievances

This is most grievous to a trusty servant ;
That, though he tell his master truth, the truth

He is beat out of by authority.

4

45

AMPH. How can this be, convince me, thou vilę

plague,

With arguments.---I fain would have explain'd,
How you can be at home, and yet be here,

Sos. Troth I'm both here and there.---Well may

one wonder !

E 3

50

Nor

Nor can it feem more strange to you than me.
AMPH. As how?

Sos. I say, it cannot feem more strange

To you than me; nor, as I hope for mercy,
Did I at first believe Me-Myself Sofia,

Till Sofia, t'other I-myself, convinc'd me.

55

He told diftinctly ev'ry thing that past

During our fojourn with the enemy :---
Then he has robb'd me of my very figure
Together with my name.---One drop of milk
Is not more like another than that I

60

Is like to Me: for when you fent me home,
Before 'twas day-break, from the port-

AMPH. What then?

Sos. I at the door was standing long before

I came there.

AMPH. Plague! what trifling stuff is this?

Have you your fenfes ?

[blocks in formation]

AMPH. Sure, fince he left me, he has been bewitch'd, And work'd on by ill hands.

Sos. Ill hands, I own;

For he has maul'd me with his fifts most sadly.

V. 67.-Work'd on by ill bands. Sos. Ill hands, I own.]
Huic homini nefcio quid eft mali malá objectum manu.
Sos. Fateor ; nam fum obtufus pugnis pessumè.

Mala manus, in the original, alludes to Sorcery, which gives a fair opportunity for Sofia to pun upon it. Turnebus, as quoted by Cooke, finds out a particular beauty in it; for he supposes, that the particular Sorcery is designed, which was practised by herbs, in which manual operation is more required than in charms by the incantation of verse. Agreeable to this refinement on our Author, we must suppose that obtufus pugnis signifies pounded: but AMPH. Who beat you ?

Sos. I-Myfelf beat Me-myself,

AMPH. Be fure you answer

70

I that am now at home.

Nothing but what I ask you.-First of all,

I willingly would learn, who is that Sofia ?

this expreffion is used by him generally, where no particular allusion can be supposed.

V. 69. I-myself, beat Me-myself.] The English idiom exactly answers to the Latins in this particular expression of Egomet and Memet; and I cannot help thinking it more forcible in either language than the plain pronoun I or Ego. It is remarkable, that throughout this scene we find it frequently used in this manner. Dryden was not aware of this, who makes Sofia say, "I beat Me." But indeed in this, and throughout the whole scene, he only tranflates Moliere almost literally.

It is but too common, in all imitations, where the circumstance is of itself comic, to endeavour to heighten it by throwing in unnecessary additions in the expression. The fimplicity of Plautus is, in this scene particularly, frittered away by Moliere ; and Dryden followed him so closely, that he forgot himself. He has even copied from the Frenchman the description which Sofia gives of his person, as he saw it in Mercury, though directly the opposite of what our countryman had given us of it from himself, as may be seen in the Note on V. 405. of Act I. Scene I. of this play. " I viewed myself, as in a mirrour, from head to "foot. He was handsome, of a noble air, lose and free in all " his motions." Dryden.

Des piés jusq' à la tête, il est comme moi fait ;
Beau, l'air noble, bien pris, les manières charmantes.

MOLIERE.

Compare this with the quotation from Dryden, in the abovementioned Note.

If our Author is to be blamed for fome wretched puns, what must we think of the following in Dryden? He makes Sofia say, -"That there was two I's, is as certain, as that I have two "Eyes in this head of mine."

Sos. Your fervant.

AMPH. In good footh I have one more

By you, than I could wish; nor ever had I,
Since I was born, another servant Sofia
Befides yourself.

Sos. But I do tell you now,

You'll find, when you go home, another Sofia
Besides myself; the son of Davus; sprung
From the fame father as myself; in form,

75

And age, the fame too with myself. In short, 80 You've here a double Sofia.

AMPH. Your account

Is wondrous strange !---But have you seen my wife? Sos. He would not let me come within the door.

AMPH. Who hinder'd you ?

Sos. That Sofia, He I spoke of,

Who maul'd me with his fifts.

AMPH. Who is that Sofia? 85

Sos. Myself, I fay: -how often must I tell you ?

AMPH. But what is't you are talking ?-Have you

not

Been sleeping all the while ?

Sos. No, not the leaft.

AMPH. Haply you faw, if any fuch you faw,

That Sofia in a dream.

Sos. I am not wont

१०

To dream o'er your commands.-Awake I saw him;

Awake I see you now; awake I'm talking;

And with his fifts just now did He awake

Maul Me awake.

AMPH. What He ?

Sos.

Sos. I tell you, Sofia,

That I-He-Prithee, don't you understand?
AMPH. How is it possible, that any one
Should understand such jargon as you jabber ?
Sos. But you will know him quickly.

That other Sofia.

AMPH. Who?

95

Sos. You'll know

AMPH. Follow me.-'Tis needful,

I should first fift this matter. - See that all things 100

Be brought from ship-board, as I order'd.

Sos. I am

Mindful and diligent t' obey your orders.
I have not drank up your authority
Together with my wine.

AMPH. Now would to heav'n, The fact may turn out different from your story! 105

[blocks in formation]

Enter ALCMENA attended by THESSALA.

ALC. How scanty are the pleasures in life's course, If plac'd in opposition to it's troubles ! For in the life of man to ev'ry one 'Tis thus allotted, thus it pleases heaven,

V. 105. The direction [They keep aloof] is inserted agreeable to the modern practice, the utility of which is sufficiently shewn by Mr. Colman in his first Note to his tranflation of the Andrian of Terence. Notwithstanding these directions, it is necessary that the reader should keep in mind the prodigious extent and breadth of the Roman Stage, (which according to Echard) was not less

than

« ElőzőTovább »