Phormio: Act the Third: Scene III
ANT. (to himself). I expectGeta's arrival presently.--But see!Yonder's my uncle with my father.--Ah!How do I dread his influence!
GETA. I'll to them.Oh, good Sir Chremes! (Going up.)CHREM. Save you, save you, Geta!
GETA. I'm glad to see you safe arriv'd.
CHREM. I thank you.
GETA. How go affairs?
CHREM. A world of changes here,As usual at first coming home again.GETA. True. Have you heard of Antipho's affair?
CHREM. The whole.
GETA (to DEMIPHO). Did you inform him, Sir?--'Tis monstrous, Chremes,To he so shamefully impos'd upon!
DEM. 'Twas on that point I was just talking with him.
GETA. And I too, having turn'd it in my thoughts,Have found, I think, a remedy.
DEM. How, Geta?What remedy?
GETA. On leaving you, by chanceI met with Phormio.
CHREM. Who is Phormio?
GETA. The girl's solicitor.
CHREM. I understand.
GETA. I thought within myself, "suppose I found him!"And taking him aside, "Now prithee, Phormio,Why don't you try to settle this affairBy fair means rather than by foul?" said I."My master is a generous gentleman,And hates to go to law. For I assure youHis other friends advis'd him, to a man,To turn this girl directly out o' doors."
GETA. "The law, you think, will give you damagesIf he attempts to turn her out.--Alas!He has good counsel upon that.--I' faith,You'll have hot work if you engage with him;He's such an orator!--But ev'n supposeThat you should gain your lawsuit, after allThe trial is not for his life, but money."Perceiving him a little wrought upon,And soften'd by this style of talking with him,"Come now," continued I, "we're all alone.Tell me, what money would you take in handTo drop your lawsuit, take away the girl,And trouble us no farther!"ANT. (behind). Is he mad?
GETA. --"For I am well convinc'd, that if your termsAre not extravagant and wild indeed,My master's such a worthy gentleman,You will not change three words between you."
DEM. WhoCommission'd you to say all this?
CHREM. Nay, nay,Nothing could be more happy to effectThe point we labor at.
ANT. (behind). Undone!
CHREM. (to GETA). Go on.
GETA. At first he rav'd.
DEM. Why, what did he demand?
GETA. Too much: as much as came into his head.
CHREM. Well, but the sum?
GETA. He talk'd of a great talent.
DEM. Plague on the rascal! what! has he no shame?
GETA. The very thing I said to him.--"SupposeHe was to portion out an only daughter,What could he give her more?--He profits little,Having no daughter of his own; since oneIs found to carry off a fortune from him."--But to be brief, and not to dwell uponAll his impertinences, he at lastGave me this final answer.--"From the first,I wish'd," said he, "as was indeed most fit,To wed the daughter of my friend myself.For I was well aware of her misfortune;That, being poor, she would be rather givenIn slavery, than wedlock, to the rich.But I was forc'd, to tell you the plain truth,To take a woman with some little fortune,To pay my debts: and still, if DemiphoIs willing to advance as large a sumAs I'm to have with one I'm now engag'd to.There is no wife I'd rather take than her."
ANT. (behind). Whether through malice or stupidity,He is rank knave or fool, I can not tell.DEM. (to GETA). What, if he owes his soul?
GETA. "I have a farm,"Continued he, "that's mortgag'd for ten minae."
DEM. Well, let him take her then: I'll pay the money.
GETA. "A house for ten more."
DEM. Huy! huy! that's too much.
CHREM. No noise! demand those ten of me.
GETA. "My wifeMust buy a maid; some little furnitureIs also requisite; and some expenseTo keep our wedding: all these articles,"Continues he, "we'll reckon at ten minae."
DEM. No; let him bring a thousand writs against me.I'll give him nothing. What! afford the villainAn opportunity to laugh at me?
CHREM. Nay, but be pacified! I'll pay the money.Only do you prevail upon your sonTo marry her whom we desire.
ANT. (behind). Ah me!Geta, your treachery has ruin'd me.
CHREM. She's put away on my account: 'tis justThat I should pay the money.
GETA. "Let me know,"Continues he, "as soon as possible,Whether they mean to have me marry her;That I may part with t'other, and be certain.For t'other girl's relations have agreedTo pay the portion down immediately."
CHREM. He shall be paid this too immediately.Let him break off with her, and take this girl!DEM. Aye, and the plague go with him!
CHREM. LuckilyIt happens I've some money here; the rentsOf my wife's farms at Lemnos. I'll take that; (to DEMIPHO)And tell my wife that you had need of it. (Exeunt.
HarperDEM. No; let him bring a thousand writs against me.Colman 1768DEM. No; let him bring ten thousand writs against me.
Words in this poem
- expect v. t.
- To wait for; to await. [L. expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex + out spectare to look at. See Spectacle.]
- presently adv.
- At present; at this time; now.
- thank n.
- A expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment expressive of a sense of favor or kindness received; obligation, claim, or desert, or gratitude; -- now generally used in the plural. [AS. Þanc, Þonc, thanks, favor, thought; akin to OS. thank favor, pleasure, thanks, D. & G. dank thanks, Icel. Þ\'94kk, Dan. tak, Sw. tack, Goth. Þagks thanks; -]
- solicitor n.
- One who solicits. [F. soliciteur, L. solicitator.]
- prithee interj.
- A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I.
- generous a.
- Of honorable birth or origin; highborn. [F. généreux, fr. L. generous of noble birth, noble, excellent, magnanimous, fr. genus birth, race: cf. It. generoso. See 2d Gender.]
- lawsuit n.
- An action at law; a suit in equity or admiralty; any legal proceeding before a court for the enforcement of a claim.
- undone a.
- Not done or performed; neglected. [Pref. un- not + done.]
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- knave n.
- A boy; especially, a boy servant. Wyclif. [OE., boy, servant, knave, AS. cnafa boy, youth; cf. AS. cnapa boy, youth, D. kna, G. knabe boy, knappe esquire, Icel. knapi, Sw. knape esquire, knäfvel knave.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- luckily adv.
- In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately; -- used in a good sense; as, they luckily escaped injury. [From Lucky.]
- exeunt
- They go out, or retire from the scene; as, exeunt all except Hamlet. See 1st Exit. [L., 3d pers. pl. pres. of exire to go out.]
- harper n.
- A player on the harp; a minstrel. [AS. hearpere.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Phormio: Act the Third: Scene III is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Comedies of Terence, Project Gutenberg ebook #22695; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Terence, Phormio: Act the Third: Scene III, in The Comedies of Terence (1765), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #22695, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/terence-comedies/phormio-act-the-third-scene-iii.html, id L25901.
Form and metre
Phormio: Act the Third: Scene III is 125 lines in 44 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 86%).
See other poems in iambic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 6 A-A hereA · again · affairA
- 16 ----A-A- him · phormio · affair · i · gentlemanA · you · manA · doors
- 17 A--BA---B----- damagesA · alas · faith · himB · supposeA · all · money · upon · himB · alone · hand · girl · farther · mad
- 29 ----------A---A---- suppose · daughter · little · one · him · upon · last · first · fit · myself · misfortuneA · given · rich · truth · fortuneA · demipho · sum · to · her
- 37 A-A meA · villain · meA
- 39 AA meA · meA
- 44 -A-A harper · meA · — · meA
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| ANT. (to himself). I expect | 7 | ··˘/·˘/ |
| Geta's arrival presently.--But see! | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘˘·· |
| Yonder's my uncle with my father.--Ah! | 10 | /˘·/˘··/˘· |
| How do I dread his influence! | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| GETA. I'll to them. | 5 | ····· |
| Oh, good Sir Chremes! (Going up.) | 7 | ····/˘· |
| CHREM. Save you, save you, Geta! | 7 | ······· |
| GETA. I'm glad to see you safe arriv'd. | 10 | ········˘/ |
| CHREM. I thank you. | 4 | ···· |
| GETA. How go affairs? | 6 | ····˘/ |
| CHREM. A world of changes here, | 7 | ····/˘· |
| As usual at first coming home again. | 10 | ·/˘··/˘·˘/ |
| GETA. True. Have you heard of Antipho's affair? | 12 | ··········˘/ |
| CHREM. The whole. | 3 | ··· |
| GETA (to DEMIPHO). Did you inform him, Sir?--'Tis monstrous, Chremes, | 16 | ········˘/···/˘· |
| To he so shamefully impos'd upon! | 11 | ·······˘/·· |
| DEM. 'Twas on that point I was just talking with him. | 12 | ········/˘·· |
| GETA. And I too, having turn'd it in my thoughts, | 12 | ·····/˘····· |
| Have found, I think, a remedy. | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| DEM. How, Geta? | 4 | ···· |
| What remedy? | 4 | ·/˘˘ |
| GETA. On leaving you, by chance | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| I met with Phormio. | 5 | ····· |
| CHREM. Who is Phormio? | 5 | ····· |
| GETA. The girl's solicitor. | 8 | ····˘/˘˘ |
| CHREM. I understand. | 5 | ···˘/ |
| GETA. I thought within myself, "suppose I found him!" | 13 | ·······/˘/··· |
| And taking him aside, "Now prithee, Phormio, | 11 | ·/˘·˘/·/˘·· |
| Why don't you try to settle this affair | 10 | ·····/˘·˘/ |
| By fair means rather than by foul?" said I. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| "My master is a generous gentleman, | 11 | ·/˘··/˘˘/˘˘ |
| And hates to go to law. For I assure you | 11 | ········˘/· |
| His other friends advis'd him, to a man, | 10 | ·/˘·˘/···· |
| To turn this girl directly out o' doors." | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| GETA. "The law, you think, will give you damages | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| If he attempts to turn her out.--Alas! | 10 | ··˘/····˘/ |
| He has good counsel upon that.--I' faith, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| You'll have hot work if you engage with him; | 10 | ······˘/·· |
| He's such an orator!--But ev'n suppose | 10 | ···/˘˘··˘/ |
| That you should gain your lawsuit, after all | 10 | ·····/···· |
| The trial is not for his life, but money." | 11 | ·/˘······/˘ |
| Perceiving him a little wrought upon, | 10 | ˘/˘··/˘··· |
| And soften'd by this style of talking with him, | 11 | ·/˘····/˘·· |
| "Come now," continued I, "we're all alone. | 10 | ··˘/˘···˘/ |
| Tell me, what money would you take in hand | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| To drop your lawsuit, take away the girl, | 10 | ···/··˘/·· |
| And trouble us no farther!" | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| ANT. (behind). Is he mad? | 6 | ······ |
| GETA. --"For I am well convinc'd, that if your terms | 12 | ······˘/···· |
| Are not extravagant and wild indeed, | 10 | ··˘/˘˘··˘/ |
| My master's such a worthy gentleman, | 10 | ·/˘··/˘/˘˘ |
| You will not change three words between you." | 9 | ········· |
| DEM. Who | 2 | ·· |
| Commission'd you to say all this? | 8 | ˘/˘····· |
| CHREM. Nay, nay, | 3 | ··· |
| Nothing could be more happy to effect | 10 | /˘···/˘·˘/ |
| The point we labor at. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| ANT. (behind). Undone! | 5 | ···˘/ |
| CHREM. (to GETA). Go on. | 6 | ······ |
| GETA. At first he rav'd. | 6 | ······ |
| DEM. Why, what did he demand? | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| GETA. Too much: as much as came into his head. | 12 | ············ |
| CHREM. Well, but the sum? | 5 | ····· |
| GETA. He talk'd of a great talent. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| DEM. Plague on the rascal! what! has he no shame? | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| GETA. The very thing I said to him.--"Suppose | 12 | ···/˘·····˘/ |
| He was to portion out an only daughter, | 11 | ···/˘··/˘/˘ |
| What could he give her more?--He profits little, | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| Having no daughter of his own; since one | 10 | /˘·/˘····· |
| Is found to carry off a fortune from him." | 11 | ···/˘··/˘·· |
| --But to be brief, and not to dwell upon | 10 | ·········· |
| All his impertinences, he at last | 10 | ·········· |
| Gave me this final answer.--"From the first, | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| I wish'd," said he, "as was indeed most fit, | 10 | ······˘/·· |
| To wed the daughter of my friend myself. | 10 | ···/˘····/ |
| For I was well aware of her misfortune; | 11 | ····˘/··˘/˘ |
| That, being poor, she would be rather given | 11 | ·/˘····/˘/˘ |
| In slavery, than wedlock, to the rich. | 10 | ·/˘˘·/···· |
| But I was forc'd, to tell you the plain truth, | 10 | ·········· |
| To take a woman with some little fortune, | 11 | ···/˘··/˘/˘ |
| To pay my debts: and still, if Demipho | 10 | ·········· |
| Is willing to advance as large a sum | 10 | ·/˘·˘/···· |
| As I'm to have with one I'm now engag'd to. | 11 | ········˘/· |
| There is no wife I'd rather take than her." | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| ANT. (behind). Whether through malice or stupidity, | 12 | ······/˘·˘/˘ |
| He is rank knave or fool, I can not tell. | 10 | ·········· |
| DEM. (to GETA). What, if he owes his soul? | 10 | ·········· |
| GETA. "I have a farm," | 6 | ······ |
| Continued he, "that's mortgag'd for ten minae." | 10 | ˘/˘··/˘··· |
| DEM. Well, let him take her then: I'll pay the money. | 12 | ··········/˘ |
| GETA. "A house for ten more." | 7 | ······· |
| DEM. Huy! huy! that's too much. | 6 | ······ |
| CHREM. No noise! demand those ten of me. | 9 | ···˘/···· |
| GETA. "My wife | 4 | ···· |
| Must buy a maid; some little furniture | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| Is also requisite; and some expense | 10 | ·/˘/˘˘··˘/ |
| To keep our wedding: all these articles," | 11 | ··/˘/˘··/˘˘ |
| Continues he, "we'll reckon at ten minae." | 10 | ˘/˘··/˘··· |
| DEM. No; let him bring a thousand writs against me. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| I'll give him nothing. What! afford the villain | 11 | ···/˘·˘/·/˘ |
| An opportunity to laugh at me? | 10 | ··˘/˘˘···· |
| CHREM. Nay, but be pacified! I'll pay the money. | 12 | ····/˘····/˘ |
| Only do you prevail upon your son | 10 | /˘··˘/···· |
| To marry her whom we desire. | 9 | ·/˘···˘/˘ |
| ANT. (behind). Ah me! | 5 | ····· |
| Geta, your treachery has ruin'd me. | 10 | ···/˘˘·/˘· |
| CHREM. She's put away on my account: 'tis just | 11 | ···˘/··˘/·· |
| That I should pay the money. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| GETA. "Let me know," | 5 | ····· |
| Continues he, "as soon as possible, | 10 | ˘/˘····/˘˘ |
| Whether they mean to have me marry her; | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| That I may part with t'other, and be certain. | 12 | ·····˘/˘··/˘ |
| For t'other girl's relations have agreed | 11 | ·˘/˘·˘/˘·˘/ |
| To pay the portion down immediately." | 11 | ···/˘·˘/˘˘˘ |
| CHREM. He shall be paid this too immediately. | 11 | ·······˘/˘˘ |
| Let him break off with her, and take this girl! | 10 | ·········· |
| DEM. Aye, and the plague go with him! | 8 | ········ |
| CHREM. Luckily | 4 | ·/˘˘ |
| It happens I've some money here; the rents | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Of my wife's farms at Lemnos. I'll take that; (to DEMIPHO) | 14 | ·············· |
| And tell my wife that you had need of it. (Exeunt. | 13 | ··········/˘˘ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| DEM. No; let him bring a thousand writs against me. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| DEM. No; let him bring ten thousand writs against me. | 12 | ······/˘···· |
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