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    21 views13 pages

    Menander - Perikeiromene

    Uploaded by

    gwegheffwey22e3

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 13
    The Arbitration ‘You area fool, Smikrines. I'll quote you the whole speech from the Auge'* if you still don't see it. [SoPHRONE sees it, and dances with ‘SMI 's a shocking story. ‘ONESIMOS: It's the greatest piece of luck ever! smuxaines: If your story’s true, then the child . . The end of the play is missing, but there cannot have been much nore, Perhaps Charisios appeared, was reconciled with his father-in-law, and invited everyone into his house to celebrate, The Rape of the Locks! [Perikeiromene] Introductory Note to The Rape of the Locks The date of the play is quite uncertain, and a good deal ofits lost. But the confusion engendered by a combination of and variations upon beewen cher the toens whith eventually seve th re 10s oT ff be of the Leche Cee CHARACTERS i MISAPPREHENSION, a divine being nay also have appeared in the play: but they do tot appear in ine hand, islefttows. ACT ONE SCENE: a street in Corinth. There are two houses, one belonging to ‘Myrrhine, the other to Polemon. Pataikos’s house may have been shown, but itis nowhere necessary tothe action as we have it ‘The beginning of the play is lost, A divine Prologue is necessary in this play, to give the audience the information they require: the whole action depends on the fact thatthe characters do not know all the facts, but the audience must know them. The divinity seleced by Menander is Ignorance or Mis apprehension. We clearly have most of her speech: its missing opening lines would have explained about Pataikos’s wife’s death in. childbirth, the xpesin ofthe hots, and thes covery by ax od women. ‘tis clear from the speech that this isa ‘postponed prologue’, thats, itis not the opening scene ofthe play. The most likely explanation of the missing scene is that it showed the meeting and greeting between Glykera and ‘Moschion, with Sosias seeing it and reporting it to Polemon, who in a fury cats of the gir’s hair, possibly off stage. It then allows Menander to make a neat dramatic point, by demonstrating to the audience, via the prologue speech, that they have been under a misapprehension too. rt lis a forbidden relationship. For he's ich and always drinking, and 107" casa ‘The Rape of the Locks she’s young and pretty ~and the chap she was being left with is not reliable. ‘Wel, the od woman died, and not long ago the soldier bought away. . DA ‘what was happening, He's told you the sequel, how he marched | off, saying he'd like word with her ‘when it was convenient’, and ‘she burst into tears there, quite upset because she wasn't free to greet her own brother. Al chis Str und Drang has been stired up with an eye to future | developments, to put him [pointing for towering fury, He's not cally ke that, but Hed him on, to get the ‘process of discovery started, and to ensure that these young people ‘eventually find their family. So if anyone here was shocked at the scene and thought it ‘disgusting’, just think again! When a god's at work, even evil tums to good, in the very act. Goodbye, Ladies and Gentlemen. Be kind to us ~ and pay attention to whats coming. [BxitmisarPrenenston, left. Enter sostas, right. sosins: Our swaggering rufhan ofanhour ago, our Mighty Warrior OLEMON’s house] in a keep me on the trot. [Baer Dons,fom Poem’ 'shouse, speaking back over her shoulder. She decsnetseesostas port satllgosndsee adam. {Ske moves towards Myrrkine’s house.) sostas [cside|: I's Doris! How she’s grown, how well she looks. These women ie he i ofiey, that’s quite clear I'll be on my [Hc gos inte rousmow's howe] bonis: : No one about. Better knock. [Does so] Any gitl who gets involved with a soldier has my sympathy. No respect for the law, 108. ‘The Rape of the Locks not of of them, You can't tnist them an inch. What my poor aistress is sufferitig ~ done nothing to deserve it, either. [Knocks again] Door! sostas entering from Polemon’s house and carrying cloak]: He'll be pleased to heat she’s in tears now. That's just whathe wanted. [He 1 goes off, right.) ponis| [as door is opened}: Please tell . . Some seventy lines are missing, fees a Chi ae rom Polemon’s house to take refuge in Myrrhine’s. At the end ofthe ac, ‘Daos is fai speech. «.. boys. Here comes 2 crowd of young lads, prety mesry 380 ACT TWO [Enter moscu10N and D405, right.) MOSCHTON: Many’s the time, Daos, you've told me tales that ‘weren't true. You're an abominable liar! If you're trying to gammon me now — aos: Whip me immediately, if Tam. Mosci10N: Not enough! DAOS: Then declare war, and give meno quarter. Butifit is true, and ‘you find the girl in the house, what about me then? I managed the whole thing for you, Moschion; [persuaded her to come here (and it took some talking to do it); and I persuaded your mother to take herin nd to make all provision youcould desire How shallstand oreo Then think, Daos! What sort of life most appeals to ‘you? Consider carefully, then tell me.* pAos: Bea mill manager, perhaps? MOSCHION [aside]: He'll go to a mill, all right the treadmill, AOS: No manual labour, now. Don’t suggest it. MoscHION: I fancy making you Minister for Hellenic Affairs, or CO ofa regiment. AOS: Hub! They'll promptly cut my throat in an army camp, ifI'm ‘caught stealing.> ‘MOSCHION: But you'll be able to let out contracts and make a large profit. DAos: P'd rather keep a general store, Moschion, or have astallin the ‘market and sell cheese. I've no desire to be rich, none at all, But shopkeeping would suit me, and give me more pleasure, Moscnton: What dreadfal idea! You know the old saying, ‘Thope aos: To havea full belly, that’s what like. And Isay P've earned it for the services I've mentioned. ‘tthe goddamned fve-rar gener 110 vet must. It's my job now to chather up, and tocock | The Rape of the Locks MoscHION: You goin first, Daos, go on. Spy out the lie of the land— ‘what Glykera’s doing, where my mother is, how they’re likely to receive me. You're a smart chap, I don’t need to spell it out for you. aos: I'm on my way. [He goes into Myrrhine’s house.) ‘MoscHION: I'll walk up and down in front of the house and wait for AOS [emerging from the house]: Moschion! She's bathed, and sitting there, allready. MoscHION: The darling! aos: Your mother's bustling about, busy with thisand that. Lunch is ready, and by the look of things, I'd say they're waiting for Mascition: Well, 've known for years now thatI'm attractive! Did % you tell them I was here? persuaded her to come? DAos: [told you that I persuaded her to come? Inever did! I'd never tell you allie, sir.7 ‘The Rape of the Locks JscHton: Then you didn’t tell me ten minutes ago that you had Ge "pended Mother eth gil in, for my sake? aos: yyousee. . . Yes, Idid say that, [remember now, 2. mosen | And that you thought she was doing it for me? ‘Oh, [can't say that, But I was trying to persuade her — i aro [grimly]: Lsee. Come here. ©, aos [neroouly]: Where? Not far, Thope. moscuron: You'llfind out. ©. paos: Tell you what, sir, I — (MoscHton grabs him] now, just a MOscHION: Now yout tlling AOS: Try it out, You know the situation, of course. She's left her home and her lover, I tell you no lie, If you want her blings make some sense. "8 tactics, go in—and behave! MoscHION: While you take off? 4350 aos sarcastically]: Well, of course! You can see how well provided | am with foreign currency . . sat : you come in, you could be of some assistance to me. SY paos: Illbe ghd to, si. =.” moscuron: Right, you win. [He goes into Myrthine’s house.]

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