…
ΣΜΙΚΡΙΝΗΣ
ἂν μὴ κατάξω τὴν κεφαλήν σου, Σωφρόνη,1062
κάκιστ’ ἀπολοίμην. νουθετήσεις καὶ σύ με;
προπετῶς ἀπάγω τὴν θυγατέρ’, ἱερόσυλε γραῦ;
ἀλλ’ ἦ περιμένω καταφαγεῖν τὴν προῖκά μου1065
τὸν χρηστὸν αὐτῆς ἄνδρα καὶ λόγους λέγω
περὶ τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ; ταῦτα συμπείθεις με σύ;
οὐκ ὀξυλαβῆσαι κρεῖττον; οἰμώξει μακρά,
ἂν ἔτι λαλῇς τι. κρίνομαι πρὸς Σωφρόνην;
μετάπεισον αὐτήν, ὅταν ἴδῃς. οὕτω τί μοι1070
ἀγαθὸν γένοιτο Σωφρόνη γάρ, οἴκαδε
ἀπιών—τὸ τέλμ’ εἶδες παριοῦσ’; ἐνταῦθά σε
τὴν νύκτα βαπτίζων ὅλην ἀποκτενῶ,
κἀγώ σε ταὔτ’ ἐμοὶ φρονεῖν ἀναγκάσω
καὶ μὴ στασιάζειν.1075
notes
Act 5
Only one section of the last act of the play is preserved well enough for comprehensible reading. The fragmentary remains of the beginning of this act do not make it possible to determine even who is on stage, to say nothing of advances in the plot. In the first part of the legible script, SMIKRINES bursts on to the stage, ranting at his elderly slave woman, Sophrone. Sophrone never speaks, but she is visually important in performing these scenes.
1062: Throughout this scene, SMIKRINES addresses Sophrone, but she responds only visually.
1069: SMIKRINES is responding angrily to Sophrone’s visual responses to his rant. In this line, Sophrone is visually indicating that she is castigating SMIKRINES, to which he responds incredulously, possibly also trying to get some or all of the audience on his side.
1070 αὐτήν: refers to PAMPHILE, as SMIKRINES angrily suggests that Sophrone should try to convince his daughter. Sophrone indicates visually that she is not about to do this.
1071 γένοιτο: was (and remains to this day, in the demotic Greek phrase μη γένοιτο) associated generically with divine imprecations (“God willing…” “God forbid…” and so on).
1072 ἀπιών: > ἀπεῑμι “go away” masc. nom. sing. part. act. τέλμ’: ;= τέλμα. παριοῦσ’: = παριοῦσα
vocabulary
κατάγνυμι κατάξω: to break
νουθετέω νουθετήσω: to admonish
προπετῶς: hastily, prematurely
ἀπάγω: to carry off, take away
ἱερόσυλος -ον: sacrilegious
γραῦς γραός ἡ: old woman
περιμένω: to wait for
κατεσθίω κατέδομαι κατέφαγον: to eat up, devour
προίξ προῖκος ἡ: gift, dowry
χρηστός -ή -όν: useful, worthy
συμπείθω: to persuade
ὀξυλαβέω -ήσω -ησα: seize an opportunity
οἰμώζω οἰμώξομαι: to wail, lament
μεταπείθω μεταπείσω μετάπεισα: to persuade
τέλμα -ατος τό: pond
βαπτίζω: to dip, plunge
ἀναγκάζω ἀναγκάσω: to force, compel
στασιάζω: to raise a rebellion
translation
Act 5
SMIKRINES
(entering with SOPHRONE, the nurse, arguing heatedly)
I SWEAR, SOPHRONE, IF I DON’T BASH YOUR SKULL IN, I’LL EXPLODE!
(SOPHRONE silently responds, moving as if to physically confront Smikrines, stopped only by the 6ft. distance)
OH, OH I SEE! You, too, huh?!
(In a whiny, mocking voice, using his hands to mimic chattering people)
C’mon, everybody, let’s scold Smikrines!
(SOPHRONE gestures to audience as if asking for them to intercede or scold him with her.
SMIKRINES back to “inside” angry voice)
(1065) You think I’m taking my daughter away too hastily? Making a bad call? Hah! What am I supposed to do? Sit around while her- her
(heavily sarcastic)
“WORTHY” husband devours her- MY dowry?
Just sit and cry and complain?
Huh?
That’s what I should do?
(SOPHRONE nods vigorously, gestures as if to begin speaking.)
Oh, I swear! If you keep blabbering on, you’ll regret it! Do you hear me?
(SOPHRONE looks out at the audience and gestures as if saying “Can you believe this guy?”)
Oh, what? You’re judging me? Fine. Fine! (1070) You try persuading Pamphile!
(SOPHRONE reacts viscerally, “Oh hell no”)
(They’ve reached the door, but SMIKRINES keeps lecturing)
That does it! You saw that pond back there? Keep it up and you’re going in it. Yeah that’s right! I’ll drown you in it! At night! You better wizen up (1075)
(knocks on door, but not really paying attention to it)
and stop disagreeing with me
(knocks again)!