CURTAIN
ACT II
SOPHRONINE: Divine Socrates, I cannot believe my luck: how can it be that Aglaea whose father died in extreme poverty has such a considerable dowry?
SOCRATES: I already told you; she had more than she knew. I knew her father"s resources better than she. May it suffice you both to enjoy a fortune you deserve; as for myself, I owe the dead a secret as well as the living.
SOPHRONINE: I have only one fear; it"s that that priest of Ceres, over whom you"ve preferred me will avenge Aglaea"s refusals on you. He"s a man really to be feared.
SOCRATES: Eh! What can be feared when one is doing one"s duty? I know the rage of my enemies. I know all their slanders; but when one only tries to do good to men and when one does not offend heaven, one can fear nothing, neither during life, nor after death.
SOPHRONINE: Nothing is more true; but I would die of sorrow if the happiness I owe you allowed your enemies to force you to put your heroic constancy to use.
AGLAEA: (entering) My benefactor, my father, man above all men, I embrace your knees.
Second me, Sophronine, it"s he, it"s Socrates who is marrying us at the expense of his fortune, who is paying my dowry, who is depriving himself of the greatest share of his wealth for us. No. We won"t suffer it; we won"t be rich at this price. The more grateful our heart, the more we must imitate the n.o.bility of his.
SOPHRONINE: Like Aglaea, I am throwing myself at your feet. I am seized as she is.
We feel your benefactions equally. We love you too much, Socrates, to abuse it. Look at us as your children. But don"t let your children be an expense to such a degree. Your friendship is the greatest of treasures; it"s the only one that we want. What! You are not rich and you are doing what the powerful on earth don"t do! If we were to accept your benefits we would be unworthy of them.
SOCRATES: Rise, children. You are making me too weak. Listen, mustn"t we respect the will of the dead? Aglaea, your father whom I regarded as the better part of myself, didn"t he order me to treat you as my own daughter? I am obeying him. I would be betraying his friendship and confidence if I did less. I accepted his testament, and I will execute it. The little that I am giving you is useless to my old age which is without needs. Finally, as I have a duty to obey my friend, you must obey your father. It is I who in his sacred name order you not to overwhelm me with sorrow by refusing me. But retire; I observe Xantippe. I have my reasons for begging you to avoid her at this time.
AGLAEA: Ah. What cruel orders you give us.
(Aglaea and Sophronine exit)
XANTIPPE (entering) Truly, you"ve just made a fine masterpiece! My word, my dear husband, it"s necessary to prevent you. See, if you please, these stupidities.
I promised Aglaea to the priest Anitus who has much credit among the great. I promised Sophronine to that big business woman, Drixa who has great credit among the people, and you marry the two dummies to each other to make me break my word. It"s not enough you are endowering them with the greatest share of your wealth. Twenty thousand drachmas, just G.o.ds! Twenty thousand drachmas! Aren"t you ashamed? With what will you live at the age of seventy? Who will pay for your doctors when you become ill; your lawyers when you have a law suit? Finally, what will I do when this trickster, this hypocrite, Anitus and his party that you could have won over to yourself conspire to persecute you, as they"ve done so many times? Heaven confound philosophers and philosophy, and my stupid friendship for you! You meddle to direct others when you need to be led about. You argue endlessly and you have no common sense. If you weren"t the best man in the world, you would be the most ridiculous and unbearable. Listen: Only one word will work. Instantly break off this impertinent bargain and do what your wife wishes.
SOCRATES: My dear Xantippe, it"s quite well to speak and with moderation; but listen to me in your turn. I didn"t propose this marriage. Sophronine and Aglaea love each other and are worthy of each other. I"ve already given you all the wealth that I could grant you under the laws. I am giving almost all which remains to me to the daughter of my friend.
The little I am keeping will suffice for me. I have neither doctors to pay, because I am sober, nor lawyers, because I have no debts. With regard to the philosophy for which you reproach me it teaches me how to suffer the indignities of Anitus and your reproaches. To love you despite your temper. (he leaves)
XANTIPPE: The old fool! I have to respect him despite himself, for after all, there"s I don"t know what of grandeur in his folly. The calm of his extravagances enrages me. It"s useless for me to scold him; I waste my efforts. I"ve been screaming at him for thirty years, and when I"ve really screamed he overawes me and I am really confounded. Could he have something in his soul superior to mine?
DRIXA: (entering) Well, Madam Xantippe! See how you are mistress in your own house! Fie!
How cowardly to allow oneself to be governed by one"s husband! This cursed Socrates has carried off this handsome boy whose fortune I wanted to make! The traitor! He will pay me for that!
XANTIPPE: My poor Madame Drixa, don"t be angry with my husband. I am sufficiently angry with him. He"s an imbecile, I know that very well.
But at bottom, he"s got the best heart in the world. There"s no malice in him. He commits every possible stupidity without intending any trickery and with so much integrity that it"s disarming. Anyway, he"s headstrong like a mule. I"ve spent my life torturing him; I"ve even beaten him sometimes. Not only have I been unable to correct him, I haven"t even been able to anger him. What do you expect me to do?
DRIXA: I will avenge myself, I tell you. I notice under the porticoes his good friend Anitus and some of ours. Let me alone.
XANTIPPE: My G.o.d! I fear that all these folks may play my husband some trick.
Let"s go quickly to warn him. for after all, one cannot help loving him.
(Exit Xantippe)
DRIXA: Our insults are alike, respected Anitus. You are betrayed like me.
This dishonest man, Socrates, is giving almost all his wealth to Aglaea only to drive you to despair. You must exact an exemplary vengeance.
ANITUS: That"s indeed my intention; heaven is concerned in it. Since he disdains me, this man doubtless scorns the G.o.ds. Accusations have already been brought against him; you must help me to renew them.
We"ll put him in danger of his life. Then I will offer him my protection on the condition that he gives me Aglaea and surrenders your handsome Sophronine to you. That way we will fulfill all our duties. He will be punished by the fright we have given him. I will obtain my mistress and you shall have your lover.
DRIXA: You speak like wisdom itself. Some divinity must inspire you. Instruct us: what must be done?
ANITUS: The judges will soon pa.s.s here to go to the Tribunal; Melitus is at their head.
DRIXA: But that Melitus is a little pedant; an evil man who is your enemy.
ANITUS: Yes, but he"s even more an enemy of Socrates. He"s a hypocritical rogue who maintains the rights of the Areopagus against me. But we will join together when it"s a question of ruining those false wise men who are capable of enlightening the people about our conduct.
Listen, my dear Drixa, you are devout.
DRIXA: Yes, a.s.suredly, my lord. I love money and pleasure with all my heart, but as regards devotion, I will give place to no one.
ANITUS: Go take some devout people with you and when the judges pa.s.s by, scream out against impiety.
TERPANDRE: Will there be something to gain by it? We are ready.
ACROS: Yes. But what kind of impiety?
ANITUS: All types. You have only to accuse him boldly of not believing in the G.o.ds. That"s the quickest way.
DRIXA: Oh! Let me do it.
ANITUS: You will be perfectly seconded. Go under these porticoes; stir up your friends. Meanwhile, I am going to instruct some newsmongers of the controversy, some hack scribblers who often come to dine with me. They are very despicable people, I admit. But, when they are carefully directed, on occasion, they can do harm. All means must be used to make the good cause triumph. Go, my dear friends. Commend yourselves to Ceres. You will shout on my given signal. It"s the sure way of gaining hearers, and especially to live happily on earth.
(They leave; Nonoti, Ch.o.m.os and Bertios enter)
ANITUS: Tireless, Nonoti, deep Ch.o.m.os, fastidious Bertios; have you prepared against this evil Socrates the little works I ordered?
NONOTI: I have labored, Milord; he won"t recover from it.
Ch.o.m.oS: I have demonstrated the truth against him. He is confounded.
BERTIOS: I said only one word in my paper: he is ruined.
ANITUS: Take care, Nonoti. I forbade you to be prolix. You are naturally boring; you could try the patience of the court.
NONOTI: Milord, I"ve written only a page. There I prove that the soul is an infused quintessence; that tails are given to animals to shoo flies; that love works miracles, and that consequently Socrates is an enemy of the state who must be exterminated.
ANITUS: You couldn"t draw a better conclusion. Go bring your accusation to the second judge, who is an excellent philosopher. I will answer for it.
You will soon defeat your enemy Socrates.
NONOTI: Milord, I am not his enemy. I am only annoyed that he"s got too great a reputation, and all that I am doing is for the glory of Ceres, and the good of the country.
ANITUS: Go, I tell you. Hurry up. Well, wise Ch.o.m.os, what have you done?
Ch.o.m.oS: Milord, not having found anything to reprove in Socrates" writings, I"ve adroitly accused him of thinking contrary to what he says. I point out the venom in what he says.