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Act 3 · Amphitryon; or, Jupiter in Disguise

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  Act three of Amphi Trion or Jupiter in Disguise by Titus Machus Platos, translated
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  by Henry Thomas Riley. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are
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  in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox
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  dot org. Act three, Scene one, Enter Jupiter. I am that
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  Ampha Tryon, whose servant Sosia is the same that becomes Mercury when there is
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  occasion, I, who dwell on the highest story, who sometimes, when
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  it pleases me, become Jupiter. But hither soon as ever I turn my
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  steps, I become Ampha Tryon that moment, and I change my garb.
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  Now hither am I come for the sake of a compliment to you, that
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  they may not leave this comedy incomplete? I have come as well to bring
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  assistance to Alcmena, whom guiltless woman her husband Ampha Tryon is accusing of dishonor
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  for what I myself have brought about. If that, undeservedly should fall as
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  an injury upon her in her innocence, it would be my blame. Now,
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  as I have already begun, I'll again pretend that I am amph try
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  on, and this day will I introduce extreme confusion into this household. Then
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  afterwards, at last I'll cause the matter to be disclosed, and to alcmena
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  timely aid will I bring, and will cause that at one berth she shall
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  bring forth without pangs, both the child which she is pregnant by her husband
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  and that with which she is pregnant by myself. I have ordered Mercury forthwith
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  to follow me if I should wish to give him any commands. Now will
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  I accost her? He stands apart. Scene two, enter al Camena from
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  the house. I cannot remain in the house that I should be thus accused
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  by my husband of dishonor, incontinence and disgrace. He cries aloud that things
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  which have been done have really not been done, and of things which have
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  not been done, and of which I have not been guilty. He accuses
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  me and supposes that I shall treat it with indifference. By Heavens, I
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  will not do so, nor will I allow myself to be falsely charged with
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  dishonor. But rather I'll either leave him or make him give satisfaction, and
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  swear as well that he wishes unsaid. The things which he is alleged against
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  me in my innocence jubiter apart, this must be done by me, which
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  she requires to be done, if I wish for her to receive me into
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  her company as loving her. Since that which I have done, that same
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  conduct has proved to the detriment of Amphetrion, and since my love has already
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  created trouble for him who was really guiltless, Why now his wrath and his
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  resentment towards her shall fall on me. That I am not accused. And
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  lo I see him who just now was accusing wretched me of incontinence and dishonor
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  jubiter advancing wife, I would discourse with you. She turns from him.
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  I turn yourself away. Such is my disposition. I always hate to look
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  upon my enemies. Heyday, enemies. Indeed, it is so, I
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  speak the truth. Unless you are going to allege that this is falsely said
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  as well, Jupiter offering to embrace her. You are too angry, I
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  mean, not repulsing him. Can't you keep your hands off? For surely
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  if you were wise or quite in your senses with her, whom you deem
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  and pronounced to be unchaste, you would neither hold discourse in mirth or in
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  seriousness, and less indeed, you were more foolish than the most foolish.
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  If I did say so, not a bit the more are you so?
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  Nor do I think you so? And therefore have I returned hither that I
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  might excuse myself to you, For never has anything proved more grievous to my
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  feelings. And when I heard that you were angry with me, why did
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  you charge me? You will say, I'll tell you by my troth,
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  not that I deemed you to be unchaste, But I was trying your feelings,
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  what you would do and in what manner you would bring yourself to bear
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  it. Really, I said these things to you just now in jest,
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  for the sake of the joke. Do but ask Sosia this, But why
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  don't you bring here my kinsman now Craty's whom you said just now that you
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  would bring as a witness that you had not come here. If anything was
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  said in joke, it isn't right for you to take it in earnest.
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  I know how much this has pained me at heart. Prithee Alkmenna, taking
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  her hand by your right hand, I do entreat you grant me pardon,
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  forgive me. Don't be angry by my virtue? Have I rendered these accusations
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  vain? Since then I assume conduct that's unchased. I would wish to avoid
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  imputations of unchastity. Fare you well keep your own property to yourself, return
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  me mine. Do you order any maids to be my attendants? Are you
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  in your senses? If you don't order them, then let me go alone.
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  Chastity shall I take as my attendant going stay at your desire? I'll
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  give my oath that I believe my wife to be chaste. If in that
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  I deceive you, then the Supreme Jupiter, do I entreat that thou wilt
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  ever be angered against Ampha? Tryon? Oh, rather, may he prove
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  propitious. I trust that it will be so, For before you have I
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  taken a truthful oath. Now then you are not angry. I am not.
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  You act properly. For in the life of mortals many things of this
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  nature come to pass, And now they take their pleasures again, they meet
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  with hardships, quarrels intervene again. Do they become reconciled? But if perchance
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  any quarrels of this nature happened between them. When again they have become reconciled
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  twofold, more loving are they between themselves than they were before at the first.
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  You ought to have been careful not to say so. But if you
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  excuse yourself to me for the same, it must be put up with.
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  But bid the sacred vessels to be got ready for me, that I may
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  fulfill all those vows which I made when with the army. In case I
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  should return safe home, I'll take care of that. Jupiter to a servant,
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  call out Sosia, hither, let him fetch Lefaro, the pilot that
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  was on board my ship, to breakfast with us. Aside, he shall
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  be fooled this day, so as to go without his breakfast. I shall
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  drag andfha try on hence by the throat ikemena aside, it's surprising what he
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  can be arranging alone in secrecy with himself. But the door opens Saussia's coming
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  out Scene three. Enter Sysia from the house Infatron, omire, any way
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  you have need of me, Come on me your commands. I will aby
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  very opportunally. Are you here? Has peace been made then between you two?
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  Since I see you in good humor, I am delighted. It is
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  a pleasure to myself. And so does it seem becoming for a trusty servant
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  to conduct himself just as his superiors are? So should he be likewise by
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  their countenances. He should fashion his own countenance. If his superiors are grave,
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  let him be grave. If they rejoice, let him be merry.
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  But come answer me, Have you too now come to a reconciliation? You
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  are laughing at me, who know full well that these things were just now
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  said by me in joke? In joke? Did you say it? For
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  my part? I suppose that it was said seriously and in truthfulness. Still,
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  I've made my excuses, and peace has been made. Tis very good.
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  I shall now perform the sacrifice indoors and the vows which I have made.
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  So I suppose do you invite hither in my name Blefaro the pilots from
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  the ship, so that when the sacrifice has been performed, he may breakfast
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  with me. I shall be here again while you'll be thinking that I'm here,
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  return here directly exit Sisia. Do you wish for anything else but that
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  I should go indoors now that the things that are requisite may be got ready,
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  go then, and take care that everything is prepared as soon as possible.
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  Why come indoors whenever you please. I'll take care that there shall not
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  be any delay. You say, well, and just as befits an attentive
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  wife, Alkamena goes into the house Scene four Jupiter alone. Now both of
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  these, both servant and mistress, are the pair of them deceived in taking
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  me to be Ampha Tryon? Intregiously? Do they err? Now you im
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  mortal Sosia, take you care and be at hand for me. You hear
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  what I say, although you are not present here, Take care that you
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  contrive to drive away Ampha try On on his arrival just now by some means
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  or other from the house. I wish him to be cajoled while with this
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  borrow'd wife, I now indulge myself. Please take care that this is attended
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  to just in such way as you know that I desire and that you assist
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  me. But to myself I am offering sacrif goes into Amphitryon's house and of Act three