t packed him off. Yes, and then Amphitryon will
think he is lying, and never came here as he ordered.

erroris ambo ego illos et dementiae 470
complebo atque omnem Amphitruonis familiam,
adeo usque, satietatem dum capiet pater
illius quam amat. igitur demum omnes scient
quae facta. denique Alcumenam Iuppiter
rediget antiquam coniugi in concordiam.

I'll muddle up the pair of them, bedevil them completely,
and Amphitryon's whole household, too, and keep it up till
my father has his fill of her whom he loves: then all shall
know the truth, but not before. And finally Jupiter will
renew the former harmony between Alcmena and her spouse.

nam Amphitruo actutum uxori turbas conciet
atque insimulabit eam probri; tum meus pater
eam seditionem illi in tranquillum conferet.
nunc de Alcumena dudum quod dixi minus,
hodie illa pariet filios geminos duos 480

For you see, Amphitryon, will be raging at his wife shortly,
and accusing her of playing him false: then my father will
step in and quell the riot. Now about Alcmena--something I
left unsaid a while ago--now she shall bring forth twin
sons,

alter decumo post mense nascetur puer
quam seminatust, alter mense septumo;
eorum Amphitruonis alter est, alter Iovis:
verum minori puero maior est pater,
minor maiori. iamne hoc scitis quid siet?

one being a ten months' boy, the other a seven. One is
Amphitryon's child, the other Jove's: the younger boy,
however, has the greater father, and vice versa. You see
how it is now, do you?

sed Alcumenae huius honoris gratia
pater curavit uno ut fetu fieret,
uno ut labore absolvat aerumnas duas[15]. (488)
quamquam, ut iam dudum dixi, resciscet tamen 49l
Amphitruo rem omnem. quid igitur? nemo id probro
profecto ducet Alcumenae; nam deum
non par videtur facere, delictum suom
suamque ut culpam expetere in mortalem ut sinat.

But out of consideration for Alcmena here, my father has
provided that there shall be only one parturition: he
intends to make one labour suffice for two. But Amphitryon,
though, as I told you some time since, will be informed of
the whole affair. But what of that? Certainly no one will
hold Alcmena guilty: no, no, it would seem highly unbecomin