The circumstance of a female officiating as a medical attendant is of some importance. Caius Hyginus, a learned Spaniard, and the freedman of Augustus Cæsar, mentions in his “Mythological Fables” an ancient Athenian law, prohibiting women from the practice of physic: this prohibition was productive of great inconvenience in many cases, and afterwards repealed; when free women were suffered to practise midwifery. To ascertain the date of this repeal, would afford us some guide to fix on the times, when the scenes described in this play were supposed to happen, and the manners of which both Menander and Terence meant to portray.
[NOTE 140.]
Glycera.
I have taken the liberty of following the example of Bernard, Echard, and most of the French translators, in softening the word Glycerium, which, to an English ear, sounds masculine enough for the name of Cæsar or of Alexander. But, for a female’s name,
——“Why, it is harder, Sirs, than Gordon,
Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp?
Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek,
That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp.”
Milton.
[NOTE 141.]
Mysis.—For, girl or boy, he has given orders, that the child shall be brought up.
Nam quod peperisset jussit tolli.