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Amphitryon
Amphitryon
Translated by A。R。 Waller； M。A。
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Amphitryon
PREFACE
Amphitryon was played for the first time in Paris； at the Theatre du
Palais…Royal； January 13； 1668。 It was successfully received； holding the
boards until the 18th of March； when Easter intervened。 After the re…
opening of the theatre； it was played half a dozen times more the same
year； and continued to please。
The first edition was published in 1668。
Note： It is perhaps hardly necessary to refer the reader to Amphitryon；
by Plautus； the comedy upon which Moliere's charming play was； in the
main； based。 The rendering attempted here can give but a faint reflection
of the original； for hardly any comedy of Moliere's loses more in the
process of translation。
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Amphitryon
PROLOGUE
MERCURY； on a cloud； NIGHT； in a chariot drawn by two horses
MERC。 Wait！ Gentle Night； deign to stay awhile： Some help is needed
from you。 I have two words to say to you from Jupiter。
NIGHT。 Ah！ Ah！ It is you； Seigneur Mercury！ Who would have
thought of you here； in that position？
MERC。 Well； feeling tired； and not being able to fulfil the different
duties Jupiter ordered me； I quietly sat down on this cloud to await your
coming。
NIGHT。 You jest； Mercury： you do not mean it； does it become the
Gods to say they are tired？
MERC。 Are the Gods made of iron？
NIGHT。 No； but one must always have a care for divine decorum。
There are certain words the use of which debases this sublime quality； and
it is meet that these should be left to men； because they are unworthy。
MERC。 You speak at your ease； fair lady； from a swiftly rolling chariot；
in which； like a dame free from care； you are drawn by two fine horses
wherever you like。 But it is not the same with me。 Such is my miserable
fate that I cannot bear the poets too great a grudge for their gross
impertinence in having； by an unjust law； which they wish to retain in
force； given a separate conveyance to each God； for his own use； and left
me to go on foot： me； like a village messenger； though； as everyone knows；
I am the famous messenger of the sovereign of the Gods； on the earth and
in the heavens。 Without any exaggeration； I need more than any one else
the means of being carried about； because of all the duties he puts upon
me。
NIGHT。 What can one do？ The poets do what pleases them。 It is not
the only stupidity we have detected in these gentlemen。 But surely your
irritation against them is wrong； for the wings at your feet are a friendly
gift of theirs。
MERC。 Yes； but does going more quickly tire oneself less？
NIGHT。 Let us leave the matter； Seigneur Mercury； and learn what is
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wanted。 MERC。 Jupiter； as I have told you； wishes the dark aid of your
cloak for a certain gallant adventure； which a new love affair has furnished
him。 His custom is not new to you； I believe： often does he neglect the
heavens for the earth； and you are not ignorant that this master of the Gods
loves to take upon himself the guise of man to woo earthly beauties。 He
knows a hundred ingenious tricks to entrap the most obdurate。 He has felt
the darts of Alcmene's eyes； and； whilst Amphitryon； her husband；
commands the Theban troops on the plains of Boeotia； Jupiter has taken
his form； and assuaged his pains； in the possession of the sweetest of
pleasures。 The condition of the couple is propitious to his desire： Hymen
joined them only a few days ago； and the young warmth of their tender
love suggested to Jupiter to have recourse to this fine artifice。 His
stratagem proved successful in this case； but with many a cherished object
a similar disguise would not be of any use： it is not always a sure means of
pleasing； to adopt the form； of a husband。
NIGHT。 I admire Jupiter； and I cannot imagine all the disguises which
come into his head。
MERC。 By these means he wishes to taste all sorts of conditions： that
is the act of a God who is not a fool。 However mortals may regard him； I
should think very meanly of him if he never quitted his redoubtable mien；
and were always in the heavens； standing upon his dignity。 In my opinion；
there is nothing more idiotic than always to be imprisoned in one's
grandeur； above all； a lofty rank becomes very inconvenient in the
transports of amorous ardour。 Jupiter； no doubt； is a connoisseur in
pleasure； and he knows how to descend from the height of his supreme
glory。 So that he can enter into everything that pleases him； he entirely
casts aside himself； and then it is no longer Jupiter who appears。
NIGHT。 I could overlook seeing him step down from his sublime stage
to that of men； since he wishes to enter into all the transports which their
natures can supply； and join in their jests； if； in the changes which take his
fancy； he would confine himself to nature。 But I do not think it fitting to
see Jupiter as a bull； a serpent； a swan； or what not； and it does not
astonish me that it is sometimes talked about。
MERC。 Let all the busybodies talk； such changes have their own
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charms and surpass people's understanding。 The God knows what he does
in this affair as in everything else： in the movements of their tender
passions； animals are not so loutish as one might think。
NIGHT。 Let us return to the lady whose favours he enjoys。 If； by his
stratagem； his pursuit is successful； what more can he wish？ What can I
do？
MERC。 He wishes that you would slacken the pace of your horses； to
satisfy the passion of his amorous heart； and so make of a delightful night
the longest night of all； that you would give him more time for his
transports； and retard the birth of day since it will hasten the return of him
whose place he occupies。
NIGHT。 Really the employment which the great Jupiter reserves for
me is a worthy one！ The service he requires of me passes under a very
respectable name。
MERC。 You are somewhat old…fashioned for a young goddess！ Such
an employment is not debasing except among people of mean birth。 When
one has the happiness of belonging to lofty rank； whatever one does is
always right and good； things change their names to suit what one may be。
NIGHT。 You know more about such matters than I do； I will trust to
your enlightened views and accept this employment。
MERC。 Come； come； now； Madam Night； a little gently； I beseech you。
The world gives you the reputation of not being so scrupulous。 In a
hundred different climes you are made the confidant of many gallant
adventures； and； if I may speak candidly； we do not owe each other
anything。
NIGHT。 Let us cease these reproaches and remain what we are。 Let us
not give men cause to laugh by telling each other the truth。
MERC。 Adieu。 I am going there to play my part in this business；
promptly to strip myself of the form of Mercury and to take in its place the
figure of Amphitryon's valet。
NIGHT。 I am going to keep station in this hemisphere with my sombre
train。
MERC。 Good day； Night。
NIGHT。 Adieu； Mercury。
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（Mercury descends from his cloud to the earth； and Night goes away in
her chariot。）
END OF THE PROLOGUE。
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ACT I
SCENE I