The Andrian: Act the Third: Scene IV
SIMO. This too where's he that knows you would not swearWas your contrivance?DAVUS. My contrivance! what, Sir?
SIMO. While in the house, forsooth, the midwife gaveNo orders for the Lady in the straw:But having issued forth into the street,Bawls out most lustily to those within.--Oh Davus, am I then so much your scorn?Seem I so proper to be play'd upon,With such a shallow, barefac'd, imposition?You might at least, in reverence, have us'dSome spice of art, wer't only to pretendYou fear'd my anger, should I find you out.DAVUS. I' faith now he deceives himself, not I. (Aside.)
SIMO. Did not I give you warning? threaten too,In case you play'd me false? But all in vain:For what car'd you?--What! think you I believeThis story of a child by Pamphilus?DAVUS. I see his error: Now I know my game. (Aside.)
SIMO. Why don't you answer?
DAVUS. What! you don't believe it!As if you had not been informed of this? (Archly.)
SIMO. I been inform'd?
DAVUS. What then you found it out? (Archly.)
SIMO. D'ye laugh at me?
DAVUS. You must have been inform'd:Or whence this shrewd suspicion?
SIMO. Whence! from you:Because I know you.
DAVUS. Meaning, this was doneBy my advice?SIMO. I not know you?
DAVUS. For if I do but speak, immediatelyYou think yourself impos'd on.----
SIMO. Falsely, hey?
DAVUS. So that I dare not ope my lips before you.
SIMO. All that I know is this; that nobodyHas been deliver'd here.
DAVUS. You've found it out?Yet by-and-by they'll bring the bantling here,And lay it at our door. Remember, Sir,I give you warning that will be the case;That you may stand prepar'd, nor after say,'Twas done by Davus's advice, his tricks!I would fain cure your ill opinion of me.
SIMO. But how d'ye know?
DAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so.Besides a thousand things concur to leadTo this conjecture. In the first place, sheProfess'd herself with child by Pamphilus:That proves a falsehood. Now that she perceivesA nuptial preparation at our house,A maid's dispatch'd immediately to bringA midwife to her, and withal a child;You too they will contrive shall see the child,Or else the wedding must proceed.
SIMO. How's this?Having discover'd such a plot on foot,Why did you not directly tell my son?
DAVUS. Who then has drawn him from her but myself?For we all know how much he doted on her:But now he wishes for a wife. In fine,Leave that affair to me; and you meanwhilePursue, as you've begun, the nuptials; whichThe Gods, I hope, will prosper!
SIMO. Get you in.Wait for me there, and see that you prepareWhat's requisite. (Exit DAVUS.He has not wrought upon meTo yield implicit credit to his tale,Nor do I know if all he said be true.But, true or false, it matters not: to meMy Son's own promise is the main concern.Now to meet Chremes, and to beg his daughterIn marriage with my son. If I succeed,What can I rather wish, than to beholdTheir marriage-rites to-day? For since my sonHas given me his word, I've not a doubt,Should he refuse, but I may force him to it:And to my wishes see where Chremes comes.
HarperSIMO. I been inform'd?DAVUS. What then you found it out?Colman 1768SIMO. Inform'd?DAVUS. What then you found it out yourself?
HarperDAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so.Besides a thousand things concur to leadTo this conjecture. In the first place, sheProfess'd herself with child by Pamphilus:That proves a falsehood. Now that she perceivesA nuptial preparation at our house,A maid's dispatch'd immediately to bringColman 1768DAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so.Besides a thousand different things concurTo lead to this conjecture. First, GlyceriumProfess'd herself with child by Pamphilus:That proves a falsehood. Now as she perceivesA nuptial preparation at our house,
Words in this poem 16
- forsooth v. t.
- To address respectfully with the term forsooth.
- lustily adv.
- In a lusty or vigorous manner.
- informed a.
- Unformed or ill-formed; deformed; shapeless.
- archly adv.
- In an arch manner; with attractive slyness or roguishness; slyly; waggishly.
- shrewd a.
- Inclining to shrew; disposing to curse or scold; hence, vicious; malicious; evil; wicked; mischievous; vexatious; rough; unfair; shrewish. [Originally the p. p. of shrew, v.t.]
- nobody n.
- No person; no one; not anybody. [No, a. + body.]
- bantling n.
- A young or small child; an infant. [Slightly contemptuous or depreciatory.] [Prob. for bandling, from band, and meaning a child wrapped in swaddling bands; or cf. G. bäntling a bastard, fr. bank bench. Cf. Bastard, n.]
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- concur v. i.
- To run together; to meet. [L. concurrere to run together, agree; con- + currere to run. See Current.]
- withal adv.
- With this; with that. [With + all.]
- 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,]
- doted a.
- Stupid; foolish.
- meanwhile n.
- The intervening time; as, in the meantime (or mean time).
- prosper v. t.
- To favor; to render successful. [F. prospérer v. i., or L. prosperare, v. i., or L. prosperare, v. t., fr. prosper or prosperus. See Prosperous.]
- implicit a.
- Infolded; entangled; complicated; involved. [L. implicitus, p. p. of implicare to entwine, entangle, attach closely: cf. F. implicite. See Implicate.]
- harper n.
- A player on the harp; a minstrel. [AS. hearpere.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Andrian: Act the Third: Scene IV 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, The Andrian: Act the Third: Scene IV, in The Comedies of Terence (1765), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #22695, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/terence-comedies/the-andrian-act-the-third-scene-iv.html, id L25732.
Form and metre
The Andrian: Act the Third: Scene IV is 101 lines in 23 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 88%).
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.
- 2 ---A-AA---- gave · straw · street · withinA · scorn · uponA · impositionA · us'd · pretend · out · aside
- 10 AA youA · youA
- 18 -A-----BBA so · leadA · she · pamphilus · perceives · house · bring · childB · childB · proceedA
- 21 ---A--A-------- in · prepare · davus · meA · tale · true · meA · concern · daughter · succeed · behold · son · doubt · it · comes
- 22 -A--A- harper · inform'dA · out · — · inform'dA · yourself
- 23 -A--BCD--A--BCD harper · soA · lead · she · pamphilusB · perceivesC · houseD · bring · — · soA · concur · glycerium · pamphilusB · perceivesC · houseD
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SIMO. This too where's he that knows you would not swear | 12 | /˘·········· |
| Was your contrivance? | 5 | ··˘/˘ |
| DAVUS. My contrivance! what, Sir? | 8 | ···˘/˘·· |
| SIMO. While in the house, forsooth, the midwife gave | 12 | /˘····˘/·/·· |
| No orders for the Lady in the straw: | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| But having issued forth into the street, | 10 | ·/˘/˘····· |
| Bawls out most lustily to those within. | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| --Oh Davus, am I then so much your scorn? | 10 | ·········· |
| Seem I so proper to be play'd upon, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| With such a shallow, barefac'd, imposition? | 12 | ···/˘····˘/˘ |
| You might at least, in reverence, have us'd | 10 | ·····/˘˘·· |
| Some spice of art, wer't only to pretend | 10 | ·····/˘·˘/ |
| You fear'd my anger, should I find you out. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| DAVUS. I' faith now he deceives himself, not I. (Aside.) | 14 | ······˘/˘/··˘/ |
| SIMO. Did not I give you warning? threaten too, | 12 | /˘·····/˘/˘· |
| In case you play'd me false? But all in vain: | 10 | ·········· |
| For what car'd you?--What! think you I believe | 10 | ········˘/ |
| This story of a child by Pamphilus? | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| DAVUS. I see his error: Now I know my game. (Aside.) | 14 | ·····/˘·····˘/ |
| SIMO. Why don't you answer? | 7 | /˘···/˘ |
| DAVUS. What! you don't believe it! | 8 | ·····˘/· |
| As if you had not been informed of this? (Archly.) | 12 | ······˘/··/˘ |
| SIMO. I been inform'd? | 6 | /˘··˘/ |
| DAVUS. What then you found it out? (Archly.) | 10 | ········/˘ |
| SIMO. D'ye laugh at me? | 6 | /˘···· |
| DAVUS. You must have been inform'd: | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Or whence this shrewd suspicion? | 7 | ····˘/˘ |
| SIMO. Whence! from you: | 5 | /˘··· |
| Because I know you. | 5 | ····· |
| DAVUS. Meaning, this was done | 7 | ··/˘··· |
| By my advice? | 4 | ··˘/ |
| SIMO. I not know you? | 6 | /˘···· |
| DAVUS. For if I do but speak, immediately | 11 | ········˘/˘ |
| You think yourself impos'd on.---- | 7 | ··˘/˘/· |
| SIMO. Falsely, hey? | 5 | /˘/˘· |
| DAVUS. So that I dare not ope my lips before you. | 13 | ············· |
| SIMO. All that I know is this; that nobody | 12 | /˘·······/·· |
| Has been deliver'd here. | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| DAVUS. You've found it out? | 6 | ······ |
| Yet by-and-by they'll bring the bantling here, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| And lay it at our door. Remember, Sir, | 10 | ····/·˘/˘· |
| I give you warning that will be the case; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| That you may stand prepar'd, nor after say, | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| 'Twas done by Davus's advice, his tricks! | 9 | ·····˘/·· |
| I would fain cure your ill opinion of me. | 11 | ······˘/˘·· |
| SIMO. But how d'ye know? | 6 | /˘···· |
| DAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so. | 9 | ······˘/· |
| Besides a thousand things concur to lead | 10 | ˘/·/˘·˘/·· |
| To this conjecture. In the first place, she | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| Profess'd herself with child by Pamphilus: | 10 | ˘/˘/······ |
| That proves a falsehood. Now that she perceives | 10 | ···/····˘/ |
| A nuptial preparation at our house, | 10 | ·/˘·˘/˘·/· |
| A maid's dispatch'd immediately to bring | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘˘·· |
| A midwife to her, and withal a child; | 10 | ·/····˘/·· |
| You too they will contrive shall see the child, | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| Or else the wedding must proceed. | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| SIMO. How's this? | 4 | /˘·· |
| Having discover'd such a plot on foot, | 10 | /˘˘/˘····· |
| Why did you not directly tell my son? | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| DAVUS. Who then has drawn him from her but myself? | 12 | ···········/ |
| For we all know how much he doted on her: | 11 | ·······/˘·· |
| But now he wishes for a wife. In fine, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Leave that affair to me; and you meanwhile | 10 | ··˘/····/· |
| Pursue, as you've begun, the nuptials; which | 10 | ˘/··˘/·/˘· |
| The Gods, I hope, will prosper! | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| SIMO. Get you in. | 5 | /˘··· |
| Wait for me there, and see that you prepare | 10 | ········˘/ |
| What's requisite. (Exit DAVUS. | 8 | ·/˘˘/˘·· |
| He has not wrought upon me | 7 | ······· |
| To yield implicit credit to his tale, | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘··· |
| Nor do I know if all he said be true. | 10 | ·········· |
| But, true or false, it matters not: to me | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| My Son's own promise is the main concern. | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| Now to meet Chremes, and to beg his daughter | 10 | ········/˘ |
| In marriage with my son. If I succeed, | 10 | ·/˘·····˘/ |
| What can I rather wish, than to behold | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| Their marriage-rites to-day? For since my son | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Has given me his word, I've not a doubt, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Should he refuse, but I may force him to it: | 11 | ··˘/······· |
| And to my wishes see where Chremes comes. | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| SIMO. I been inform'd? | 6 | /˘··˘/ |
| DAVUS. What then you found it out? | 8 | ········ |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| SIMO. Inform'd? | 4 | /˘˘/ |
| DAVUS. What then you found it out yourself? | 10 | ········˘/ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| DAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so. | 9 | ······˘/· |
| Besides a thousand things concur to lead | 10 | ˘/·/˘·˘/·· |
| To this conjecture. In the first place, she | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| Profess'd herself with child by Pamphilus: | 10 | ˘/˘/······ |
| That proves a falsehood. Now that she perceives | 10 | ···/····˘/ |
| A nuptial preparation at our house, | 10 | ·/˘·˘/˘·/· |
| A maid's dispatch'd immediately to bring | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘˘·· |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| DAVUS. I've heard so, and believe so. | 9 | ······˘/· |
| Besides a thousand different things concur | 10 | ˘/·/˘/˘·˘/ |
| To lead to this conjecture. First, Glycerium | 11 | ····˘/˘···· |
| Profess'd herself with child by Pamphilus: | 10 | ˘/˘/······ |
| That proves a falsehood. Now as she perceives | 10 | ···/····˘/ |
| A nuptial preparation at our house, | 10 | ·/˘·˘/˘·/· |
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