The Step-Mother: Act the Fourth: Scene VI
PHID. (to PHILUMENA within). I'm angry with you--'fore Heaven, veryangry,Philumena!--You've acted shamefully.Though you indeed have some excuse for't, seeingYour mother urg'd you to't; but she has none.
LACH. You're come upon us in good time, Phidippus;Just in the time we wanted you.PAM. What answer shall I give them! how explain? (Aside.)
LACH. Inform your daughter, Sostrata will henceInto the country; so PhilumenaNeed not dread coming home again.
PHID. Ah, friend!Your wife has never been in fault at all:All this has sprung from my wife Myrrhina.The case is alter'd. She confounds us, Laches.
PAM. So that I may not take her home again,Confound affairs who will! (Aside.)
PHID. I, Pamphilus,Would fain, if possible, make this alliancePerpetual between our families.But if you can not like it, take the child.PAM. He knows of her delivery. Confusion! (Aside.)
LACH. The child! what child?
PHID. We've got a grandson, Laches.For when my daughter left your house, she wasWith child, it seems, although I never knew itBefore this very day.
LACH. 'Fore Heav'n, good news!And I rejoice to hear a child is born,And that your daughter had a safe delivery.But what a woman is your wife, Phidippus?Of what a disposition? to concealSuch an event as this? I can't expressHow much I think she was to blame.
PAM. Although my mind was in suspense before,My doubts all vanish now. I'll ne'er recall her,Since she brings home with her another's child. (Aside.)LACH. There is no room for choice now, Pamphilus.
PAM. Confusion! (Aside.)
LACH. We've oft wish'd to see the dayWhen you should have a child to call you father.That day's now come. The Gods be thank'd!
PAM. Undone! (Aside.)
LACH. Recall your wife, and don't oppose my will.
PAM. If she had wish'd for children by me, father,Or to remain my wife, I'm very sureShe never would have hid this matter from me:But now I see her heart divorc'd from me,And think we never can agree hereafter,Wherefore should I recall her?
LACH. A young womanDid as her mother had persuaded her.Is that so wonderful? and do you thinkTo find a woman without any fault?--Or is't because the men are ne'er to blame? (Ironically.)
PHID. Consider with yourselves then, gentlemen,Whether you'll part with her, or call her home.What my wife does, I can not help, you know.Settle it as you please, you've my consent,But for the child, what shall be done with him?
LACH. A pretty question truly! come what may,Send his own bantling home to him of course,That we may educate him.
PAM. When his ownFather abandons him, I educate him?
LACH. What said you? how! not educate him, say you?Shall we expose him rather, Pamphilus?What madness is all this?--My breath and blood!I can contain no longer. You oblige meTo speak, against my will, before Phidippus:Think you I'm ignorant whence flow those tears?Or why you're thus disorder'd and distress'd?First, when you gave as a pretense, you could notRecall your wife from reverence to your mother,She promis'd to retire into the country.But now, since that excuse is taken from you,You've made her private lying-in another.You are mistaken if you think me blindTo your intentions--That you might at lastBring home your stray affections to your wife,How long a time to wean you from your mistressDid I allow? your wild expense upon herHow patiently I bore? I press'd, entreated,That you would take a wife. 'Twas time, I said.At my repeated instances, you married,And, as in duty bound to do, complied:But now your heart is gone abroad againAfter your mistress, whom to gratify,You throw this wanton insult on your wife.For I can plainly see you are relaps'dInto your former life again.
LACH. You.And 'tis base in you to invent false causesOf quarrel with your wife, that you may liveIn quiet with your mistress, having putThis witness from you. This your wife perceiv'd.For was there any other living reasonWherefore she should depart from you?
PHID. He's right,That was the very thing.
PAM. I'll take my oath'Twas none of those that you have mention'd.
LACH. Ah!Recall your wife: or tell me why you will not.PAM. 'Tis not convenient now.
LACH. Take home the child then;For he at least is not in fault. I'll seeAbout the mother afterward.
PAM. (to himself). Ev'ry wayI am a wretch, nor know I what to do:My father has me in the toils, and I,By struggling to get loose, am more entangled.I'll hence, since present I shall profit little.For I believe they'll hardly educateThe child against my will; especiallySeeing my step-mother will second me. (Exit.
HarperHow much I think she was to blame.Colman 1768
Words in this poem
- angry a.
- Troublesome; vexatious; rigorous. [See Anger.]
- 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,]
- laches n.
- Neglect; negligence; remissness; neglect to do a thing at the proper time; delay to assert a claim. [OF. lachesse, fr. lache lax, indolent, F. lâche, ultimately fr. L. laxus loose, lax. See Lax.]
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- undone a.
- Not done or performed; neglected. [Pref. un- not + done.]
- hereafter adv.
- In time to come; in some future time or state. [AS. hræfter.]
- wherefore adv.
- For which reason; so; -- used relatively. [Where + for.]
- 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.]
- oblige v. t.
- To attach, as by a bond. [OF. obligier, F.obliger, L. obligare; ob (see Ob-) + ligare to bind. See Ligament, and cf. Obligate.]
- patiently adv.
- In a patient manner.
- invent v. t.
- To come or light upon; to meet; to find. [L. inventus, p. p. of invenire to come upon, to find, invent; pref. in- in + venire to come, akin to E. come: cf. F. inventer. See Come.]
- depart v. i.
- To part; to divide; to separate. [OE. departen to divide, part, depart, F. départir to divide, distribute, se départir to separate one's self, depart; pref. dé- (L. de) + partir to part, depart,]
- convenient a.
- Fit or adapted; suitable; proper; becoming; appropriate. [L. conveniens, -entis, suitable, p.pr. of convenire to be suitable, to come. See Convene, v. i.]
- harper n.
- A player on the harp; a minstrel. [AS. hearpere.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Step-Mother: Act the Fourth: Scene VI 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 Step-Mother: Act the Fourth: Scene VI, in The Comedies of Terence (1765), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #22695, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/terence-comedies/the-step-mother-act-the-fourth-scene-vi.html, id L25877.
Form and metre
The Step-Mother: Act the Fourth: Scene VI is 119 lines in 27 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.
- 8 AA-- lachesA · wasA · it · day
- 15 --AA-- father · sure · meA · meA · hereafter · her
- 20 AB--B---C-AC--D---EEEF-D-F youA · pamphilusB · blood · me · phidippusB · tears · distress'd · not · motherC · country · youA · anotherC · blind · last · wifeD · mistress · her · entreated · saidE · marriedE · compliedE · againF · gratify · wifeD · relaps'd · againF
- 21 A-----A youA · causes · live · put · perceiv'd · reason · youA
- 26 -----A-A way · do · i · entangled · little · educateA · especially · exitA
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 |
|---|---|---|
| PHID. (to PHILUMENA within). I'm angry with you--'fore Heaven, very | 17 | ·········/˘···//˘ |
| angry, | 2 | /˘ |
| Philumena!--You've acted shamefully. | 11 | ·····/˘···· |
| Though you indeed have some excuse for't, seeing | 11 | ··˘/··˘/·/˘ |
| Your mother urg'd you to't; but she has none. | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| LACH. You're come upon us in good time, Phidippus; | 12 | ············ |
| Just in the time we wanted you. | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| PAM. What answer shall I give them! how explain? (Aside.) | 13 | ··/˘·····˘/˘/ |
| LACH. Inform your daughter, Sostrata will hence | 11 | ·˘/·/˘····· |
| Into the country; so Philumena | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Need not dread coming home again. | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| PHID. Ah, friend! | 3 | ··· |
| Your wife has never been in fault at all: | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| All this has sprung from my wife Myrrhina. | 10 | ·········· |
| The case is alter'd. She confounds us, Laches. | 11 | ···/˘·˘/·/˘ |
| PAM. So that I may not take her home again, | 11 | ·········˘/ |
| Confound affairs who will! (Aside.) | 8 | ˘/˘/··˘/ |
| PHID. I, Pamphilus, | 5 | ····· |
| Would fain, if possible, make this alliance | 11 | ···/˘˘··˘/˘ |
| Perpetual between our families. | 11 | ˘/˘˘··/˘/˘˘ |
| But if you can not like it, take the child. | 10 | ·········· |
| PAM. He knows of her delivery. Confusion! (Aside.) | 13 | ·····˘/˘˘/˘˘/ |
| LACH. The child! what child? | 5 | ····· |
| PHID. We've got a grandson, Laches. | 8 | ····/·/˘ |
| For when my daughter left your house, she was | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| With child, it seems, although I never knew it | 10 | ·······/·· |
| Before this very day. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| LACH. 'Fore Heav'n, good news! | 5 | ····· |
| And I rejoice to hear a child is born, | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| And that your daughter had a safe delivery. | 11 | ···/˘···˘/˘ |
| But what a woman is your wife, Phidippus? | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| Of what a disposition? to conceal | 10 | ····˘/˘·˘/ |
| Such an event as this? I can't express | 10 | ··˘/····˘/ |
| How much I think she was to blame. | 8 | ········ |
| PAM. Although my mind was in suspense before, | 11 | ·······˘/·· |
| My doubts all vanish now. I'll ne'er recall her, | 11 | ···/˘···˘/· |
| Since she brings home with her another's child. (Aside.) | 12 | ······˘/˘·˘/ |
| LACH. There is no room for choice now, Pamphilus. | 11 | ··········· |
| PAM. Confusion! (Aside.) | 6 | ·˘/˘˘/ |
| LACH. We've oft wish'd to see the day | 8 | ········ |
| When you should have a child to call you father. | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| That day's now come. The Gods be thank'd! | 8 | ········ |
| PAM. Undone! (Aside.) | 5 | ·˘/˘/ |
| LACH. Recall your wife, and don't oppose my will. | 11 | ·˘/····˘/·· |
| PAM. If she had wish'd for children by me, father, | 12 | ······/˘··/˘ |
| Or to remain my wife, I'm very sure | 10 | ··˘/···/˘· |
| She never would have hid this matter from me: | 10 | ·/····/˘·· |
| But now I see her heart divorc'd from me, | 10 | ······˘/·· |
| And think we never can agree hereafter, | 11 | ···/˘·˘/˘/˘ |
| Wherefore should I recall her? | 7 | /˘··/·· |
| LACH. A young woman | 5 | ···/˘ |
| Did as her mother had persuaded her. | 10 | ···/˘·˘/˘· |
| Is that so wonderful? and do you think | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| To find a woman without any fault? | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| --Or is't because the men are ne'er to blame? (Ironically.) | 13 | ··········˘/˘ |
| PHID. Consider with yourselves then, gentlemen, | 11 | ·˘/˘·˘/·/˘˘ |
| Whether you'll part with her, or call her home. | 10 | ·········· |
| What my wife does, I can not help, you know. | 10 | ·········· |
| Settle it as you please, you've my consent, | 10 | /˘······˘/ |
| But for the child, what shall be done with him? | 10 | ·········· |
| LACH. A pretty question truly! come what may, | 11 | ··/˘/˘/˘··· |
| Send his own bantling home to him of course, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| That we may educate him. | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| PAM. When his own | 4 | ···· |
| Father abandons him, I educate him? | 11 | /˘˘/˘··/˘·· |
| LACH. What said you? how! not educate him, say you? | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Shall we expose him rather, Pamphilus? | 10 | ··˘/·/˘··· |
| What madness is all this?--My breath and blood! | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| I can contain no longer. You oblige me | 11 | ··˘/·/˘·˘/· |
| To speak, against my will, before Phidippus: | 11 | ··········· |
| Think you I'm ignorant whence flow those tears? | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| Or why you're thus disorder'd and distress'd? | 10 | ····˘/˘·˘/ |
| First, when you gave as a pretense, you could not | 11 | ······˘/··· |
| Recall your wife from reverence to your mother, | 11 | ˘/···/˘··/˘ |
| She promis'd to retire into the country. | 11 | ·/˘·˘/···/˘ |
| But now, since that excuse is taken from you, | 11 | ····˘/·/˘·· |
| You've made her private lying-in another. | 11 | ···/˘/˘·˘/˘ |
| You are mistaken if you think me blind | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| To your intentions--That you might at last | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| Bring home your stray affections to your wife, | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| How long a time to wean you from your mistress | 11 | ·········/˘ |
| Did I allow? your wild expense upon her | 11 | ··˘/··˘/··· |
| How patiently I bore? I press'd, entreated, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| That you would take a wife. 'Twas time, I said. | 10 | ·········· |
| At my repeated instances, you married, | 11 | ··˘/˘/˘˘·/˘ |
| And, as in duty bound to do, complied: | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| But now your heart is gone abroad again | 10 | ······˘/˘/ |
| After your mistress, whom to gratify, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| You throw this wanton insult on your wife. | 10 | ···/˘/···· |
| For I can plainly see you are relaps'd | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| Into your former life again. | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| LACH. You. | 2 | ·· |
| And 'tis base in you to invent false causes | 11 | ······˘/·/˘ |
| Of quarrel with your wife, that you may live | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| In quiet with your mistress, having put | 10 | ·/˘··/˘/˘· |
| This witness from you. This your wife perceiv'd. | 10 | ·/˘·····˘/ |
| For was there any other living reason | 11 | ···/˘/˘/˘/˘ |
| Wherefore she should depart from you? | 8 | /˘··˘/·· |
| PHID. He's right, | 3 | ··· |
| That was the very thing. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| PAM. I'll take my oath | 5 | ····· |
| 'Twas none of those that you have mention'd. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| LACH. Ah! | 2 | ·· |
| Recall your wife: or tell me why you will not. | 11 | /·········· |
| PAM. 'Tis not convenient now. | 7 | ···˘/˘· |
| LACH. Take home the child then; | 6 | ······ |
| For he at least is not in fault. I'll see | 10 | ·········· |
| About the mother afterward. | 8 | ···/˘/˘˘ |
| PAM. (to himself). Ev'ry way | 7 | ··˘/··· |
| I am a wretch, nor know I what to do: | 10 | ·········· |
| My father has me in the toils, and I, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| By struggling to get loose, am more entangled. | 11 | ·/˘·····˘/˘ |
| I'll hence, since present I shall profit little. | 11 | ···/˘··/˘/˘ |
| For I believe they'll hardly educate | 10 | ··˘/·/˘/˘· |
| The child against my will; especially | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| Seeing my step-mother will second me. (Exit. | 11 | /··/˘·/˘·/˘ |
| Harper | 2 | /˘ |
| How much I think she was to blame. | 8 | ········ |
| Colman 1768 | 2 | /˘ |
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