The Eunuch: Act the Fifth: Scene X
PHAED. O heavenly powers!What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me!But where's my brother?
CHAER. I dare believe you are; and trust me, brother,Naught can be worthier of your love than Thais:Our family are all much bounden to her.
PHAED. So! you'd need sing her praise to me!
THRASO. Confusion!As my hope dies, my love increases. GnathoYour help! my expectation's all in you.
THRASO. Accomplish this;By pray'r, by purchase, that I still may haveSome little share in Thais.
GNAT. A hard task!
THRASO. Do but incline to do't, you can, I know.Effect it, and demand whatever gift,Whate'er reward you please, it shall be yours.
GNAT. If I accomplish this,I claim, that you agree to throw your doors,Present or absent, always open to me;A welcome, uninvited guest forever.
THRASO. I pawn my honor as the pledge.
PHAED. What voice is that? Oh, Thraso!
THRASO. Gentlemen,Good-day!
PHAED. Perhaps you're not acquainted yetWith what has happen'd here?
PHAED. Why thenDo I behold you in these territories?
PHAED. Depend on naught but this!Captain, I give you warning, if, henceforth,I ever find you in this street, althoughYou tell me, "I was looking for another,I was but passing through," expect no quarter.GNAT. Oh fie! that is not handsome.
PHAED. I have said it.
GNAT. You can not be so rude.
PHAED. It shall be so.
GNAT. First grant me a short hearing: if you likeWhat I propose, agree to't.
PHAED. Let us hear!
GNAT. Do you retire a moment, Thraso! (THRASO retires.) First,I must beseech you both, most firmly think,That I, whate'er I do in this affair,For my own sake I do it: but if thatLikewise advantage you, not to agreeIn you were folly.PHAED. What is't you propose?
GNAT. I think you should admit the Captain, asYour rival.
GNAT. Nay consider!Phaedria, you live at a high rate with her,Revel, and feast, and stick at no expense.Yet what you give's but little, and you know'Tis needful Thais should receive much moreNow to supply your love without your cost,A fitter person, one more form'd, can't beThan Thraso is: first, he has wherewithalTo give, and gives most largely: a fool too,A dolt, a block, that snores out night and day;Nor can you fear she'll e'er grow fond of him;And you may drive him hence whene'er you please.PHAED. What shall we do? (To CHAEREA.)
GNAT. Moreover this; the whichI hold no trifle, no man entertainsMore nobly or more freely.
PHAED. I beginTo think we've need of such a fool.
GNAT. Well judg'd! and let me beg one favor more;Admit me of your family!--I haveRoll'd this stone long enough.
GNAT. And you, Sirs, in return,Shall pledge me in the Captain; eat him; drink him:And laugh at him.
CHAER. A bargain!
PHAED. 'Tis his due.
GNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, approach!
THRASO. Pray now,How stands the case?
GNAT. Alas! they knew you not!But when I drew your character, and prais'dYour worth, according to your deeds and virtues,I gain'd my point.
THRASO. 'Tis well: I'm much oblig'd;I ne'er was any where, in all my life,But all folks lov'd me dearly.
GNAT. Did not ISay he had all the Attic elegance?
HarperPHAED. O heavenly powers!What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me!But where's my brother?CHAER. Here he is.PHAED. I'm happy.Colman 1768PHAED. Good heavens!What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me!But where's my brother?CHAER. Here.PHAED. I'm quite transported.
HarperAs my hope dies, my love increases. GnathoYour help! my expectation's all in you.Colman 1768As my hope dies, my passion gathers strength.Gnatho, your help! my only hope's in you.
HarperPHAED. What is't you propose?GNAT. I think you should admit the Captain, asYour rival.PHAED. How? admit him?GNAT. Nay consider!Phaedria, you live at a high rate with herColman 1768PHAED. What are your proposals?GNAT. I think, 'twere not imprudent to admitThe Captain, as your rival.PHAED. How!Admit him, say you?GNAT. Nay reflect a little.Phaedria, you live at a high rate with Thais
HarperAdmit me of your family!--I haveRoll'd this stone long enough.Colman 1768Admit me into your fraternity!I've roll'd this stone too long.
HarperGNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, approach!THRASO. Pray now,Colman 1768GNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, come forward!THRASO. Well!
HarperBut all folks lov'd me dearly.GNAT. Did not ISay he had all the Attic elegance?Colman 1768But all folks lov'd me most exceedingly.GNAT. There, did I not assure you, gentlemen,
Words in this poem
- wondrous adv.
- In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
- bounden a.
- Bound; fastened by bonds. [Old. p. p. of bind.]
- 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,]
- henceforth adv.
- From this time forward; henceforward.
- expect v. t.
- To wait for; to await. [L. expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex + out spectare to look at. See Spectacle.]
- propose v. i.
- To speak; to converse.
- needful a.
- Full of need; in need or want; needy; distressing.
- fitter n.
- A little piece; a flitter; a flinder.
- nobly adv.
- Of noble extraction; as, nobly born or descended.
- folks n.
- In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
- harper n.
- A player on the harp; a minstrel. [AS. hearpere.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Eunuch: Act the Fifth: Scene X 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 Eunuch: Act the Fifth: Scene X, in The Comedies of Terence (1765), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #22695, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/terence-comedies/the-eunuch-act-the-fifth-scene-x.html, id L25785.
Form and metre
The Eunuch: Act the Fifth: Scene X is 140 lines in 39 stanzas. This poem did not settle on a metre of its own; the book it comes from is in iambic pentameter.
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.
- 26 -AA return · himA · himA
- 34 -ABCA---BC-- harper · powersA · meB · brotherC · isA · happy · — · heavens · meB · brotherC · here · transported
- 35 --A--A harper · gnatho · youA · — · strength · youA
- 36 ---A------A---- harper · propose · as · rivalA · him · consider · her · — · proposals · admit · rivalA · how · you · little · thais
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 |
|---|---|---|
| PHAED. O heavenly powers! | 7 | ··/˘˘/˘ |
| What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me! | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| But where's my brother? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| CHAER. I dare believe you are; and trust me, brother, | 12 | ···˘/·····/˘ |
| Naught can be worthier of your love than Thais: | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Our family are all much bounden to her. | 10 | //˘···/˘·· |
| PHAED. So! you'd need sing her praise to me! | 10 | ·˘········ |
| THRASO. Confusion! | 5 | ··˘/˘ |
| As my hope dies, my love increases. Gnatho | 11 | ······˘/˘·· |
| Your help! my expectation's all in you. | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| THRASO. Accomplish this; | 6 | ··˘/˘· |
| By pray'r, by purchase, that I still may have | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Some little share in Thais. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| GNAT. A hard task! | 4 | ···· |
| THRASO. Do but incline to do't, you can, I know. | 12 | ····˘/······ |
| Effect it, and demand whatever gift, | 10 | ˘/··˘/·/˘· |
| Whate'er reward you please, it shall be yours. | 11 | ˘˘/˘/······ |
| GNAT. If I accomplish this, | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| I claim, that you agree to throw your doors, | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| Present or absent, always open to me; | 11 | ˘/·/˘/·/˘·· |
| A welcome, uninvited guest forever. | 11 | ·/˘·˘/˘·˘/˘ |
| THRASO. I pawn my honor as the pledge. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| PHAED. What voice is that? Oh, Thraso! | 9 | ·˘······· |
| THRASO. Gentlemen, | 5 | ··/˘˘ |
| Good-day! | 2 | ·· |
| PHAED. Perhaps you're not acquainted yet | 10 | ·˘˘/··˘/˘· |
| With what has happen'd here? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| PHAED. Why then | 3 | ··· |
| Do I behold you in these territories? | 11 | ··˘/···/˘·˘ |
| PHAED. Depend on naught but this! | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| Captain, I give you warning, if, henceforth, | 10 | /˘···/˘·// |
| I ever find you in this street, although | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| You tell me, "I was looking for another, | 11 | ·····/˘·˘/˘ |
| I was but passing through," expect no quarter. | 11 | ···/˘·˘/·/˘ |
| GNAT. Oh fie! that is not handsome. | 8 | ······/˘ |
| PHAED. I have said it. | 5 | ····· |
| GNAT. You can not be so rude. | 7 | ······· |
| PHAED. It shall be so. | 5 | ····· |
| GNAT. First grant me a short hearing: if you like | 11 | ······/˘··· |
| What I propose, agree to't. | 7 | ··˘/˘/· |
| PHAED. Let us hear! | 4 | ···· |
| GNAT. Do you retire a moment, Thraso! (THRASO retires.) First, | 15 | ···˘/·/˘····˘/· |
| I must beseech you both, most firmly think, | 10 | ··˘/···/˘· |
| That I, whate'er I do in this affair, | 11 | ··˘˘/····˘/ |
| For my own sake I do it: but if that | 10 | ·········· |
| Likewise advantage you, not to agree | 10 | /·˘/˘···˘/ |
| In you were folly. | 5 | ···/˘ |
| PHAED. What is't you propose? | 6 | ····˘/ |
| GNAT. I think you should admit the Captain, as | 11 | ·····˘/·/˘· |
| Your rival. | 3 | ·/˘ |
| GNAT. Nay consider! | 5 | ··˘/˘ |
| Phaedria, you live at a high rate with her, | 10 | ·········· |
| Revel, and feast, and stick at no expense. | 10 | /˘······˘/ |
| Yet what you give's but little, and you know | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| 'Tis needful Thais should receive much more | 9 | ·/˘··˘/·· |
| Now to supply your love without your cost, | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| A fitter person, one more form'd, can't be | 10 | ·/˘/˘····· |
| Than Thraso is: first, he has wherewithal | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| To give, and gives most largely: a fool too, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| A dolt, a block, that snores out night and day; | 10 | ·········· |
| Nor can you fear she'll e'er grow fond of him; | 10 | ·········· |
| And you may drive him hence whene'er you please. | 11 | ··········· |
| PHAED. What shall we do? (To CHAEREA.) | 9 | ·˘······· |
| GNAT. Moreover this; the which | 7 | ·˘/˘··· |
| I hold no trifle, no man entertains | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| More nobly or more freely. | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| PHAED. I begin | 4 | ··˘/ |
| To think we've need of such a fool. | 8 | ········ |
| GNAT. Well judg'd! and let me beg one favor more; | 11 | ········/˘· |
| Admit me of your family!--I have | 10 | ˘/···/˘˘·· |
| Roll'd this stone long enough. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| GNAT. And you, Sirs, in return, | 7 | ·····˘/ |
| Shall pledge me in the Captain; eat him; drink him: | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| And laugh at him. | 4 | ···· |
| CHAER. A bargain! | 4 | ··/˘ |
| PHAED. 'Tis his due. | 4 | ···· |
| GNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, approach! | 10 | ········˘/ |
| THRASO. Pray now, | 4 | ···· |
| How stands the case? | 4 | ···· |
| GNAT. Alas! they knew you not! | 7 | ·˘/···· |
| But when I drew your character, and prais'd | 10 | ·····/˘˘·· |
| Your worth, according to your deeds and virtues, | 11 | ··˘/˘····/˘ |
| I gain'd my point. | 4 | ···· |
| THRASO. 'Tis well: I'm much oblig'd; | 8 | ······˘/ |
| I ne'er was any where, in all my life, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| But all folks lov'd me dearly. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| GNAT. Did not I | 4 | ···· |
| Say he had all the Attic elegance? | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| PHAED. O heavenly powers! | 7 | ··/˘˘/˘ |
| What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me! | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| But where's my brother? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| CHAER. Here he is. | 4 | ···· |
| PHAED. I'm happy. | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| PHAED. Good heavens! | 4 | ··/˘ |
| What wondrous things has Parmeno just told me! | 11 | ·/˘········ |
| But where's my brother? | 5 | ···/˘ |
| CHAER. Here. | 2 | ·· |
| PHAED. I'm quite transported. | 6 | ···˘/˘ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| As my hope dies, my love increases. Gnatho | 11 | ······˘/˘·· |
| Your help! my expectation's all in you. | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| As my hope dies, my passion gathers strength. | 10 | ·····/˘/˘· |
| Gnatho, your help! my only hope's in you. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| PHAED. What is't you propose? | 6 | ····˘/ |
| GNAT. I think you should admit the Captain, as | 11 | ·····˘/·/˘· |
| Your rival. | 3 | ·/˘ |
| PHAED. How? admit him? | 5 | ··˘/· |
| GNAT. Nay consider! | 5 | ··˘/˘ |
| Phaedria, you live at a high rate with her | 10 | ·········· |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| PHAED. What are your proposals? | 7 | ····˘/˘ |
| GNAT. I think, 'twere not imprudent to admit | 11 | ·····˘/˘·˘/ |
| The Captain, as your rival. | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| PHAED. How! | 2 | ·· |
| Admit him, say you? | 5 | ˘/··· |
| GNAT. Nay reflect a little. | 7 | ··˘/·/˘ |
| Phaedria, you live at a high rate with Thais | 10 | ·········· |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| Admit me of your family!--I have | 10 | ˘/···/˘˘·· |
| Roll'd this stone long enough. | 6 | ····˘/ |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| Admit me into your fraternity! | 10 | ˘/····˘/˘˘ |
| I've roll'd this stone too long. | 6 | ······ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| GNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, approach! | 10 | ········˘/ |
| THRASO. Pray now, | 4 | ···· |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| GNAT. Thraso, whene'er you please, come forward! | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| THRASO. Well! | 3 | ··· |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| But all folks lov'd me dearly. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| GNAT. Did not I | 4 | ···· |
| Say he had all the Attic elegance? | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
| But all folks lov'd me most exceedingly. | 10 | ······˘/˘˘ |
| GNAT. There, did I not assure you, gentlemen, | 11 | ·····˘/·/˘˘ |
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