Act 3
NICOMACO, CLEANDRO.
Ni. Cleandro, oh Cleandro?
Cle. Sir.
Ni. Come down, come down, I tell you. What are you doing inside the house all day? Aren't you ashamed that you burden this young girl? In these carnival days, your peers usually go out to see the masks or play football. You are one of those men who can't do anything, and you seem neither dead nor alive to me.
Cle. I don't enjoy those things, and I never did. I prefer to be alone rather than with those companies. And I was actually happy staying at home now, seeing you here, so that if you needed anything, I could do it.
Ni. Oh, look who's talking! You're a good son, aren't you? I don't need to have you around all day. I have two servants and a steward, so I don't have to give you orders.
Cle. For God's sake. It's not like I do what I do for nothing.
Ni. I don't know why you do it. But I do know that your mother is crazy, and she will ruin this house. You would do better to protect yourself.
Cle. Either her or someone else.
Ni. Who else?
Cle. I don't know.
Ni. It's good that you don't know. But what do you think about these matters concerning Clizia?
Cle. You see, we end up talking about it.
Ni. What are you saying? Speak up so that I can understand you.
Cle. I'm saying that I don't know what to say about it.
Ni. Don't you think your mother is being stubborn by not wanting Clizia to marry Pirro?
Cle. I don't understand it.
Ni. I'm clear. You've taken her side; there's something else behind this, not just fairy tales. But it seems that she would be fine with Eustachio, wouldn't she?
Cle. I don't know, and I don't understand it.
Ni. What the hell do you understand then?
Cle. Not that.
Ni. You certainly understood well enough to bring Eustachio to Florence and hide him so that I don't see him, and to set traps to ruin this wedding. But both you and him, I'll throw you in jail; I'll give Sofronia her dowry back, and I'll send her away. Because I want to be the master of my own house, and everyone else can shut their ears. And I want this wedding to take place tonight, or if I have no other choice, I'll set fire to this house. I'll wait for your mother here, to see if I can reach an agreement with her. But if I can't, I still want my honor, and I won't have ducks leading the geese to drink. So, go, if you desire your own good and peace in this house, and plead with her to do as I say. You'll find her at church, and I'll wait for you and her here at home. And if you see that scoundrel Eustachio, tell him to come to me; otherwise, he won't fare well.
Cle. I'll go.
[III. 2]
CLEANDRO alone.
Oh, the misery of those who love! How I pass my time with so many anxieties! I know well that anyone who loves something as beautiful as Clizia has many rivals who cause endless pains. But I never imagined that one's rival could be their own father. While many young men have found remedies in their fathers, I find the foundation and cause of my misfortune in mine. And if my mother favors me, it is not to support me but to undermine my father's plans. Therefore, I cannot reveal my true feelings boldly, for she would immediately believe that I had made the same arrangements with Eustachio as my father did with Pirro. And if she believed this, driven by her conscience, she would let the water flow downhill without any further concern. I would be utterly ruined, and I would be so disheartened that I wouldn't believe I could go on living. I see my mother coming out of the church. I want to go and speak with her, understand her thoughts, and see what remedies she has prepared against my father's schemes.
[III. 3]
Cleandro, SOFRONIA.
Cle. God save you, my mother.
Sofr. Oh, Cleandro, are you coming from home?
Cle. Yes, madam.
Sofr. Have you been there all this time since I left you?
Cle. I have.
Sofr. Where is Nicomaco?
Cle. He's at home, and he hasn't left for any reason.
Sofr. Let him be, for God's sake. One thinks about food, and the other about wine. Did you tell him anything?
Cle. A mountain of insults, and it seems like the devil possessed him. He wants to throw Eustachio and me into prison; he wants to return your dowry and kick you out; and he threatens, not only that but also to set the house on fire. He has ordered me to find you and persuade you to agree to these marriages; otherwise, he won't do anything for you.
Sofr. What do you say?
Cle. I say what you say, for I love Clizia like a sister, and it would break my heart to see her fall into the hands of Pirro.
Sofr. I don't know how you love her, but I tell you this: if I believed that taking her away from Nicomaco and giving her to you would solve everything, I wouldn't hesitate. But I think Eustachio wants her for himself, and I wish your love for your future wife (who will be given to you soon) could be erased.
Cle. You're right in your thinking, and that's why I beg you to do everything possible to prevent these marriages. And when there's no other choice but to give her to Eustachio, let it be so. But when it's possible, it would be better (in my opinion) to leave her as she is because she's still young, and time is not running out for her. The heavens might lead her to find her relatives, and if they were noble, they would be grateful to you for not marrying her off to a servant or a peasant.
Sofr. You speak wisely. I had also thought about it, but the rage of this old man frightens me. Nevertheless, so many things are swirling in my head that I believe something will go wrong with all his plans. I want to go home because I see Nicomaco lurking around the door. You go to the church and tell Eustachio to come home and not be afraid of anything.
Cle. I will do so.
[III. 4]
NICOMACO, SOFRONIA.
Ni. I see my wife returning; I want to tease her a little and see if kind words do me any good. Oh, my girl, do you have to be so sad when you see your hopes? Stay with me for a moment.
Sofr. Let me go.
Ni. Stop, I say.
Sofr. I don't want to. You seem crazy.
Ni. I will follow you.
Sofr. Have you lost your mind?
Ni. Mad, because I love you too much.
Sofr. I don't want you to love me.
Ni. That cannot be.
Sofr. You're killing me. Ugh, you're annoying!
Ni. I wish you would speak the truth.
Sofr. Believe me.
Ni. Oh, look at me, my love.
Sofr. I'm looking at you, and I can also smell you. You know what? Well, do you please me?
Ni. Alas! She has noticed. Damn that lazybones who put her before me!
Sofr. Where did these smells that you know so well come from, you crazy old man?
Ni. Someone passed by here earlier selling them; I bought some, and the scent stuck to me.
Sofr. He has already come up with a lie. Aren't you ashamed of what you've been doing for the past year? You always hang out with these young men, go to the tavern, and hide in women's houses. And where there's gambling, you spend recklessly. What good examples you set for your son!
Ni. Ah, my wife, don't say so many bad things all at once! Save something for tomorrow. But isn't it reasonable for you to do things my way instead of me doing them your way?
Sofr. Yes, when it comes to honorable things.
Ni. Isn't it honorable to marry a young girl?
Sofr. Yes, when she marries well.
Ni. Won't she be well off with Pirro?
Sofr. No.
Ni. Why?
Sofr. For the reasons I have told you before.
Ni. I understand these matters better than you do. But if I can persuade Eustachio not to want her?
Sofr. And if I can persuade Pirro not to want her either?
Ni. From now on, let each of us try; and whoever succeeds in their plans, wins.
Sofr. I agree. I'll go home to talk to Pirro, and you'll talk to Eustachio, as I see him leaving the church.
Ni. So be it.
[III. 5]
EUSTACHIO, NICOMACO.
Eust. Since Cleandro told me to go home and not worry, I want to be cheerful and go.
Ni. I wanted to give this scoundrel a letter of insults, but I won't be able to since I have to beg him. Eustachio?
Eust. Yes, master.
Ni. When were you in Florence?
Eust. Last night.
Ni. You took so long to show yourself again; where have you been?
Eust. I will tell you. Yesterday morning, I started feeling unwell, and I had a headache. I had a sore throat, and it seemed like I had a fever. And since these are suspicious times of plague, I strongly suspected it. Last night, I came to Florence and stayed at the inn, but I didn't want to reveal myself in order to avoid causing harm to you or your family, if indeed it was them. But by God's grace, everything has passed, and I feel fine.
Ni. I have to pretend to believe you. You did well. Are you completely healed now?
Eust. Yes, sir.
Ni. Good. I'm glad you're here. You know about the dispute between my wife and me regarding giving Clizia in marriage. She wants to give her to you, and I would like to give her to Pirro.
Eust. So, do you prefer Pirro over me?
Ni. No, I prefer you over him. Listen a moment: what do you want with a wife? You're already thirty-eight years old, and a young girl doesn't suit you. It's reasonable that after being with you for a few months, you should seek someone younger than you, and you would live in despair. Besides, I couldn't trust you anymore. You would lose your business, become poor, and both you and her would be begging.
Eust. In this land, a man with a beautiful wife cannot be poor, and one can be generous with both fire and wife to everyone, because the more you give, the more you have left.
Ni. So, you want to enter into this kinship to displease me?
Eust. No, I want to do it to please myself.
Ni. Well then, go inside. I was foolish to think I would get a pleasant response from this villain. I will treat you differently. Arrange to settle the accounts and leave with God, and consider yourself the greatest enemy I have, and that I will do the worst I can to you.
Eust. I don't care about any of that, as long as I have Clizia.
Ni. You will face the gallows.
[III. 6]
PIRRO, NICOMACO.
Pir. Before I do what you want, I would let myself be flayed.
Ni. That's good. Pirro remains faithful. What's the matter with you? Who are you fighting against, Pirro?
Pir. I'm now fighting against the same person you are always fighting against.
Ni. What does she say? What does she want?
Pir. She begs me not to take Clizia as my wife.
Ni. What did you tell her?
Pir. I told her I would let myself be killed before I rejected her.
Ni. Well said.
Pir. If I spoke well, I fear I have done wrong, because I have made an enemy of your wife, your son, and everyone else in the house.
Ni. It doesn't matter to you. Farewell and be at peace, and make fun of the saints.
Pir. Yes, but if you were to die, the saints would treat me poorly.
Ni. Don't worry, I will take such action that the saints will bother you little, and even if they wanted to, the authorities and laws would defend you, as long as I have the means to sleep with Clizia through your mediation.
Pir. I doubt that you can; I see you so inflamed against the woman.
Ni. I thought it would be best to end this madness once and for all, and let chance decide who gets Clizia, since the woman cannot be swayed.
Pir. What if luck goes against me?
Ni. I have hope in God that it won’t.
Pir. Oh, you crazy old man! He wants God to turn a blind eye to his dishonesty. I believe that if God gets involved in such matters, then Sofronia still hopes in God.
Ni. Let her hope, and even if fate goes against me, I have thought of a solution. Go, call her and tell her to come out with Eustachio.
Pir. Sofronia, come with Eustachio to the master.
[III. 7]
Sofr. Here I am, what's the matter again?
Ni. We must find a solution to this matter. You see, since they cannot agree, we must agree.
Sofr. Your fury is extraordinary. What isn't done today will be done tomorrow.
Ni. I want to do it today.
Sofr. Let it be done then. Here are both competitors. But how do you plan to proceed?
Ni. I have thought that since we cannot come to an agreement, we should leave it to chance.
Sofr. Leave it to chance?
Ni. We will put their names in one bag and the name of Clizia and a blank slip in another, and then draw one of their names first. Whoever gets Clizia will have her, and the other will have to be patient. What do you think? You're not answering?
Sofr. Very well, I agree.
Eust. Look at what you're doing.
Sofr. I am watching, and I know what I'm doing. Go inside, write the slips, and bring two bags. I want to get out of this trouble, or I will enter into even greater turmoil.
Eust. I will go.
Ni. This is how we will come to an agreement. Pray to God, Pirro, for yourself.
Pirro. For you.
Ni. You should pray for me. It would bring me great comfort if you were the one to have her.
Eust. Here are the bags and the slips.
Ni. Give them here. What does this one say? Clizia. And this one? It's blank. Very well. Put them in this bag here. What does this one say? Eustachio. And this one? Pirro. Fold it and put it in the other bag. Close it, keep your eyes on it, Pirro, so that nothing goes wrong; there are those who know how to cheat.
Sofr. Distrustful men are no good.
Ni. Those are just words: you know that only those who trust can be deceived. Whom do we want to draw?
Sofr. Draw whoever you want.
Ni. Come here, boy.
Sofr. It should be someone who is a virgin.
Ni. Whether a virgin or not, I haven't held back my hands. Draw one slip from this bag, as I have said certain prayers: "O Saint Apollonia, I pray to you and all the saints and holy advocates of matrimony, grant Clizia such grace that the slip of the one who will be more pleasing to us comes out of this bag." Draw in the name of God. Give it here. Oh, no, I'm dead! Eustachio.
Sofr. What's the matter? Oh God, perform this miracle so that he despairs.
Ni. Draw from the other one. Give it here. Blank. Oh! I am resurrected, we have won. Pirro, good fortune to you; Eustachio has dropped dead. Sofronia, since God has decided that Clizia belongs to Pirro, will you also accept it?
Sofr. I will.
Ni. Arrange for the wedding.
Sofr. You're in such a hurry; can't we postpone it until tomorrow?
Ni. No, no, no; don't you hear me? What? Do you want to plan some trick?
Sofr. Shall we behave like beasts? Doesn't she have to attend the joint Mass?
Ni. Another person can attend the Mass of the bean. Don't you know that forgiveness is given to those who confess afterward, just as to those who confessed earlier?
Sofr. I doubt she has the customary attire for women.
Ni. Use men's clothing. I want her to come tonight. It seems like you don't understand me.
Sofr. Damn it, bring her along. Let's go inside, and you deliver this message to the poor girl, who won't be wearing socks.
Ni. She'll be wearing pants. Let's go inside.
Eust. I don't want to come, as I want to find Cleander, so he can think if there is any remedy for this problem.
Canzone.
Whoever offends a woman
Unjustly or rightly, is foolish to believe
That he will find reward in her through pleas or tears;
As she descends into this mortal life,
With her soul already dead,
Pride, wit, and forgetfulness of forgiveness,
Deception and cruelty are her companions,
And they provide her with aid
To satisfy her desires in every venture.
And if harsh and wicked wrath
Moves her, or if jealousy takes hold, she sees;
And her mortal strength exceeds mortal strength.