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heart； too deserving of death； since it has offended an adorable being； will
be happy if； in descending into the place of shades； my death appeases
your anger； and； after this wretched day； it leaves in your soul no
impression of hatred in remembering my love！ This is all I ask as a
sovereign favour。
ALC。 Ah！ Cruel husband。
JUP。 Speak； Alcmene； speak。
ALC。 Must I still keep some kindness for you； who insult me by so
many indignities？
JUP。 Whatever resentment an outrage causes us； can it hold out against
the remorse of a heart deeply in love？
ALC。 A heart full of passion would rather expose itself to a thousand
deaths； than offend the object beloved。
JUP。 The more one loves； the easier it is
ALC。 No； do not speak to me any longer about it； you deserve my
hatred。
JUP。 You hate me then？
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ALC。 I make every effort to do so； and it annoys me to feel that all
your insults do not yet carry my vengeance so far as yield to it。
JUP。 But why this violence； since I offer to kill myself to satisfy your
revenge？ Pronounce the sentence and immediately I will obey。
ALC。 It is impossible to wish for another's death if hatred be absent。
JUP。 I cannot live unless you abandon the wrath that overwhelms me；
and unless you grant me the favour of a pardon which I beg at your feet。
Decide to do one or the other quickly： to punish； or to absolve。
ALC。 Alas！ The only resolution I can take is but too clearly apparent。
My heart has too plainly betrayed me； for me to wish to maintain this
anger： is it not to say we pardon； when we say we cannot hate？
JUP。 Ah； charming Alcmene； overwhelmed with delight I must。。。
ALC。 Forbear： I hate myself for such weakness。
JUP。 Go； Sosie； make haste； a sweet joy fills my soul。 See what
officers of the army you can find； and ask them to dine with me。 （Softly
aside。） Mercury can fill his post； while he is away from here。
SCENE VII
CLEANTHIS； SOSIE
SOS。 Come！ Now； you see； this couple； Cleanthis。 Will you follow
their example； and let us also make peace？ Indulge in some slight
reconciliation？
CLE。 For the sake of your lovely mug； Oh yes！ I will； and no mistake。
SOS。 What？ You will not？
CLE。 No。
SOS。 It doesn't matter to me。 So much the worse for you。
CLE。 Well； well； come back。
SOS。 No； not； likely！ I shall not do anything of the kind； I shall be
angry。 I turn now。
CLE。 Go away； you villain； let me alone； one gets tired now and then
of being an honest woman。
END OF THE SECOND ACT
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ACT III
SCENE I
AMPHITRYON
Yes； so doubt fate hides him purposely from me； at last am I tired of
trying to find him。 I do not know anything that can be more cruel than my
lot。 In spite of all my endeavours； I cannot find him whom I seek； all those
I do not seek I find。 A thousand tiresome bores； who do not think they are
so； drive me mad with their congratulations on our feats of arms； although
they know little of me。 In the cruel embarrassment and anxiety that
troubles me； they all burden me with their attentions； and their rejoicings
make my uneasiness worse。 In vain I try to pass them by； to flee from their
persecutions； their killing friendship stops me on all sides； whilst I reply to
the ardour of their expressions by a nod of the head； I mutter under my
breath a hundred curses on them。 Ah！ How little we are flattered by praise；
honour and all that a great victory brings； when inwardly we suffer keen
sorrow！ How willingly would I exchange all this glory to have peace of
mind！ At every turn my jealousy twits me with my disgrace； the more my
mind ponders over it； the less can I unravel its miserable confusion。 The
theft of the diamonds does not astonish me； seals may be tampered with
unperceived； but my most cruel torment is that she insists I gave the gift to
her personally yesterday。 Nature oftentimes produces resemblances； which
some impostors have adopted in order to deceive； but it is inconceivable
that； under these appearances； a man should pass himself off as a husband；
there are a thousand differences in a relationship such as this which a wife
could easily detect。 The marvellous effects of Thessalian magic have at all
times been renowned； but I have always looked upon as idle tales the
famous stories everyone talks of。 It would be a hard fate if I； after so
glorious a victory elsewhere； should be compelled to believe them at the
cost of my own honour。 I will question her again upon this wretched
mystery； and see if it is not a silly fancy that has taken advantage of her
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Amphitryon
disordered brain。 O righteous Heaven； may this thought be true； and may
she even have lost her senses； so that I may be happy！
SCENE II
MERCURY； AMPHITRYON
MERC。 Since love does not offer me any pleasure here； I will at least
enjoy myself in another way； and enliven my dismal leisure by putting
Amphitron out of all patience。 This may not be very charitable in a God；
but I shall not bother myself about that； my planet tells me I am somewhat
given to malice。
AMPH。 How is it that the door is closed at this hour？
MERC。 Hullo！ Gently； gently！ Who knocks？
AMPH。 I。
MERC。 Who； I？
AMPH。 Ah！ Open。
MERC。 What do you mean by 'open'？ Who are you； pray； to make
such a row； and speak like that？
AMPH。 So？ You do not know me？
MERC。 No； nor have I the least wish to。
AMPH。 Is every one losing his senses today？ Is the malady spreading？
Sosie！ Hullo； Sosie！
MERC。 Come； now！ Sosie： that is my name； are you afraid I shall
forget it？
AMPH。 Do you see me？
MERC。 Well enough。 What can possess your arm to make such an
uproar？ What do you want down there？
AMPH。 I； you gallows…bird！ What do I want？
MERC。 What do you not want then？ Speak； if you want to be
understood。
AMPH。 Listen； you villain： I will come up with a stick to make you
understand； and give you a fine lesson。 How dare you speak to me like
that？
MERC。 Softly； softly！ If you make the least attempt to create an uproar；
I shall send you down some messengers who will annoy you。
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AMPH。 Oh Heavens！ Did anyone ever conceive such insolence？ And
from a servant； from a beggar？
MERC。 Come； now！ What is the matter？ Have you gone over
everything correctly？ Have your big eyes taken everything in？ He glares；
so savage he looks！ If looks could bite； he would have torn me to shreds
by now。
AMPH。 I tremble at what you are bringing upon yourself with all this
impudent talk。 What a frightful storm you are brewing for yourself！ What
a tempest of blows will storm down on your back！
MERC。 If you do not soon disappear from here； my friend； you may
come in for some mauling。
AMPH。 Ah！ You villain； you shall know to your confusion what it is
for a valet to attack his master。
MERC。 You； my master？
AMPH。 Yes； rascal。 Do you dare to say you do not recognise me？
MERC。 I do not recognise any other master than Amphitryon。
AMPH。 And who； besides myself； may this Amphitryon be？
MERC。 Amphitryon？
AMPH。 Certainly。
MERC。 Ah！ What an illusion！ Come； tell me in what decent tavern you
have addled your brain？
AMPH。 What？ Again？
MERC。 Was it a feast…day wine？
AMPH。 Heavens！
MERC。 Was it old or new？
AMPH。 What insults！
MERC。 New goes to one's head； if drunk without water。
AMPH。 Ah！ I shall tear your tongue out soon。
MERC。 Pass on； my dear friend； believe me； no one here will listen to
you。 I respect wine。 Go away； make yourself scarce； and leave Amphitryon
to the pleasures which he