Plautus: Captivi

ERGASILVS PARASITVS
HEGIO SENEX
LORARIVS
PHILOCRATES ADVLESCENS
TYNDARVS SERVVS
ARISTOPHONTES ADVLESCENS
PVER
PHILOPOLEMVS ADVLESCENS
STALAGMVS SERVVS

ERGASILUS PARASITE
HEGIO OLD MAN
FLOGGER
PHILOCRATES ADOLESCENT
TYNDARUS SLAVE
ARISTOPHONTES ADOLESCENT
BOY
PHILOPOLEMUS ADOLESCENT
STALAGMUS SLAVE

ARGVMENTVM

ARGUMENT

Captust in pugna Hegionis filius;
Alium quadrimum fugiens servus vendidit.
Pater captivos commercatur Aleos,
Tantum studens ut natum captum recuperet;
Et inibi emit olim amissum filium.
Is suo cum domino veste versa ac nomine
Vt amittatur fecit: ipsus plectitur;
Et is reduxit captum, et fugitavum simul,
Indicio cuius alium agnoscit filium.

Captured in battle is Hegio’s son;
A fugitive slave sold another, four years old.
Procures Aetolian captives, the father,
To recover his captured son, he is so intent;
Even there he buys his son long ago lost.
In company with his master, with garment and name exchanged
Verily he contrived that he be let go: he himself is punished;
Even he brought back the captive, and the runaway at once,
In whose disclosure he recognizes another as son

PROLOGVS

PROLOGUE

Hos quos videtis stare hic captivos duos,
~illi qui astant, hi stant ambo, non sedent;
hoc vos mihi testes estis me verum loqui.
senex qui hic habitat Hegio est huius pater.
sed is quo pacto serviat suo sibi patri,

these whom you see standing here, two captives,
~those who stand by—these both stand, they do not sit;
in this you are witnesses for me that I speak true.
the old man who dwells here is Hegio, the father of this one.
but in what manner he serves his own father as a slave,

5
id ego hic apud vos proloquar, si operam datis.
seni huic fuerunt filii nati duo;
alterum quadrimum puerum servos surpuit
eumque hinc profugiens vendidit in Alide
patri huius. iam hoc tenetis?

5
this I will proclaim here before you, if you give attention.
to this old man there were two sons born;
a slave snatched one, a four-year-old boy,
and, fleeing from here, sold him in Elis
to this one’s father. Do you grasp this now?

*** optume est.

*** Excellent.

10
negat hercle ille ultimus. accedito.
si non ubi sedeas locus est, est ubi ambules,
quando histrionem cogis mendicarier.

10
By Hercules, that fellow in the very back says no. Step closer.
If there is not a place where you may sit, there is a place where you may walk,
since you compel a histrion to mendicate.

ego me tua causa, ne erres, non rupturus sum.
vos qui potestis ope vestra censerier,

I, for your sake, so that you not err, am not about to break myself.
You who can be assessed by your own means,

15
accipite relicuom: alieno uti nil moror.
fugitivos ille, ut dixeram ante, huius patri
domo quem profugiens dominum abstulerat vendidit.
is postquam hunc emit, dedit eum huic gnato suo
peculiarem, quia quasi una aetas erat.

15
take the remainder: I do not care to make use of what is another’s.
he sold the fugitives, as I had said before, to this fellow’s father—
the one whom, as he was fleeing, he had carried off from his master’s house.
after he bought this one, he gave him to his own son
as a peculiar, because they were, as it were, of one age.

20
hic nunc domi servit suo patri, nec scit pater;
enim vero di nos quasi pilas homines habent.
rationem habetis, quo modo unum amiserit.
postquam belligerant Aetoli cum Aleis,
ut fit in bello, capitur alter filius:

20
here now at home he serves his own father, nor does the father know;
for indeed the gods hold us humans as if play-balls.
you have the account of how he lost the one.
after the Aetolians waged war with the Eleans,
as happens in war, the other son is captured:

25
medicus Menarchus emit ibidem in Alide.
coepit captivos commercari hic Aleos,
si quem reperire possit qui mutet suom,
illum captivom: hunc suom esse nescit, qui domist.
et quoniam heri indaudivit, de summo loco

25
the physician Menarchus bought him in the same place, in Elis.
this Aetolian began to commerce in captives,
if he might find anyone who would exchange his own,
that captive: he does not know that this one who is at home is his own.
and since yesterday he overheard, from a very high place

30
summoque genere captum esse equitem Aleum,
nil pretio parsit, filio dum parceret:
reconciliare ut facilius posset domum,
emit hosce e praeda ambos de quaestoribus.
hisce autem inter sese hunc confinxerunt dolum,

30
that an Alean eques of the highest lineage had been captured,
he spared nothing in price, so long as he might spare his son:
so that he could more easily reconcile him home,
he bought these two from the quaestors out of the booty.
but these here among themselves contrived this trick,

35
quo pacto hic servos suom erum hinc amittat domum.
itaque inter se commutant vestem et nomina;
illic vocatur Philocrates, hic Tyndarus:
huius illic, hic illius hodie fert imaginem.
et hic hodie expediet hanc docte fallaciam,

35
by what plan this servant may send his own master from here home.
and so they exchange clothing and names between themselves;
that one is called Philocrates, this one Tyndarus:
that one today bears the image of this one, this one of that one.
and this one today will skillfully disentangle this deception,

40
et suom erum faciet libertatis compotem,
eodemque pacto fratrem servabit suom
reducemque faciet liberum in patriam ad patrem,
imprudens: itidem ut saepe iam in multis locis
plus insciens quis fecit quam prudens boni.

40
and he will make his own master in possession of liberty,
and by the same pact he will preserve his brother
and will bring him back, free, to the fatherland, to his father,
unwitting: just as often already in many places
someone unknowing has done more good than a prudent man.

45
sed inscientes sua sibi fallacia
ita compararunt et confinxerunt dolum
itaque hi commenti, de sua sententia
ut in servitute hic ad suom maneat patrem:
ita nunc ignorans suo sibi servit patri;

45
but, unknowing, their own deceit for themselves
thus they have arranged and have fabricated the stratagem,
and so these men, having devised, by their own resolve,
that in servitude this man should remain with his own father:
thus now, unknowing, he serves his own father;

50
homunculi quanti sunt, quom recogito!
haec res agetur nobis, vobis fabula.
sed etiam est, paucis vos quod monitos voluerim.

50
how petty little men are, when I reflect!
this matter will be acted by us, a fable for you.
but there is also something which I would wish you, in a few words, to be warned of.

profecto expediet fabulae huic operam dare.
non pertractate facta est neque item ut ceterae:

Indeed, it will be expedient to give attention to this play.
It has not been thoroughly worked over, nor in the same way as the others:

55
neque spurcidici insunt versus, immemorabiles;
hic neque periurus leno est nec meretrix mala
neque miles gloriosus; ne vereamini,
quia bellum Aetolis esse dixi cum Aleis:
foris illic extra scaenam fient proelia.

55
nor are filthy, unmemorable verses in it;
here there is neither a perjured pimp nor an evil prostitute
nor a glorious (braggart) soldier; do not be afraid,
because I said that there is a war of the Aetolians with the Eleans:
outside there, beyond the scene, the battles will take place.

60
nam hoc paene iniquomst, comico choragio
conari desubito agere nos tragoediam.
proin si quis pugnam expectat, litis contrahat:
valentiorem nactus adversarium
si erit, ego faciam ut pugnam inspectet non bonam,

60
for this is almost iniquitous, with comic stage-gear,
for us to attempt all of a sudden to act a tragedy.
therefore if anyone expects a fight, let him contract litigation:
having got a more valiant adversary
if he shall, I will make it that he inspects a fight not a good one,

65
adeo ut spectare postea omnis oderit.
abeo. valete, iudices iustissimi
domi duellique duellatores optumi.

65
to such a degree that afterward all will hate to watch.
I depart. Farewell, most just judges,
the best duelers at home and in war.

ACTVS I

ACT ONE

I.i
ERGASILVS Iuventus nomen indidit Scorto mihi,
eo quia invocatus soleo esse in convivio.

I.i
ERGASILUS Youth has bestowed upon me the name “Scortus” (Harlot),
for this reason: because I am accustomed to be invoked at a banquet.

70
scio absurde dictum hoc derisores dicere,
at ego aio recte. nam scortum in convivio
sibi amator, talos quom iacit, scortum invocat.
estne invocatum an non <est? est> planissume;
verum hercle vero nos parasiti planius,

70
I know the deriders say this is absurdly said,
but I say rightly. For in a banquet the lover, when he throws the knucklebones,
invokes his harlot. Is it invoked or not <is it? it is> most plainly;
but, by Hercules, indeed we parasites more plainly,

75
quos numquam quisquam neque vocat neque invocat.
quasi mures semper edimus alienum cibum;
ubi res prolatae sunt, quom rus homines eunt,
simul prolatae res sunt nostris dentibus.
quasi, cum caletur, cocleae in occulto latent,

75
whom no one ever either calls or invokes.
like mice, we are always eating another’s food;
when the provisions are brought out, when men go to the country,
at once the brought-out provisions are at our teeth.
just as, when it is hot, snails lurk in hiding,

80
suo sibi suco vivont, ros si non cadit,
item parasiti rebus prolatis latent
in occulto miseri, victitant suco suo,
dum ruri rurant homines quos ligurriant.
prolatis rebus parasiti venatici

80
they live on their own juice for themselves, if dew does not fall,
likewise the parasites, when provisions are brought forth, lie hidden
in hiding, wretched, they subsist on their own juice,
while in the countryside men are “rural-ing,” those whom they might lick up.
with provisions brought out, the venatic (hunting) parasites

85
sumus, quando res redierunt, molossici
odiosicique et multum incommodestici.
et hic quidem hercle, nisi qui colaphos perpeti
potest parasitus frangique aulas in caput,
[vel] ire extra portam Trigeminam ad saccum licet.

85
we are, when the goods have returned, Molossian,
odious and very incommodious.
and here indeed, by Hercules, unless a parasite can endure cuffs and have pots smashed on his head,
[or] it is permitted to go outside the Trigeminan Gate to the sack.

90
quod mihi ne eveniat, non nullum periculum est.
nam postquam meus rex est potitus hostium—
ita nunc belligerant Aetoli cum Aleis;
nam Aetolia haec est, illic est captus in Alide,
Philopolemus, huius Hegionis filius

90
that it not befall me, there is no small peril.
for after my king got possession of the enemy—
thus now the Aetolians are waging war with the Eleans;
for this is Aetolia; there in Elis he was captured,
Philopolemus, son of this Hegio

95
senis, qui hic habitat, quae aedes lamentariae
mihi sunt, quas quotienscumque conspicio fleo;
nunc hic occepit quaestum hunc fili gratia
inhonestum et maxime alienum ingenio suo:
homines captivos commercatur, si queat

95
of the old man who lives here, the house which is to me a lamentation-house
which, whenever I catch sight of, I weep;
now he has begun this trade for his son’s sake,
dishonorable and most alien to his own nature:
he trades in captive men, if he can

100
aliquem invenire, suom qui mutet filium.
quod quidem ego nimis quam cupio *** ut impetret;
nam ni illum recipit, nihil est quo me recipiam.
<nam> nulla est spes iuventutis, sese omnis amant;
ille demum antiquis est adulescens moribus,

100
to find someone who would exchange for his son.
which indeed I exceedingly desire *** that he may obtain;
for unless he gets him back, there is nothing to which I can betake myself.
<for> there is no hope in the youth; they all love themselves;
he alone is a young man of ancient mores,

105
cuius numquam voltum tranquillavi gratiis.
condigne pater est eius moratus moribus.
nunc ad eum pergam.

105
whose countenance I have never calmed by courtesies.
as a father he has comported himself with condign morals.
now I shall proceed to him.

sed aperitur ostium,
unde saturitate saepe ego exii ebrius.

but the door is opened,
whence, with satiety, I have often gone out inebriated.

I.ii
HEGIO Advorte animum sis tu: istos captivos duos,

1.2
HEGIO Advert your mind, please, you: those two captives,

110
heri quos emi de praeda a quaestoribus,
eis indito catenas singularias
istas, maiores, quibus sunt iuncti, demito;
sinito ambulare, si foris si intus volent,
sed uti adserventur magna diligentia.

110
yesterday those whom I bought from the booty from the quaestors,
on them put these individual chains;
take off those larger ones by which they are joined;
allow them to walk, whether outside or inside they wish,
but see that they are kept with great diligence.

115
liber captivos avis ferae consimilis est:
semel fugiendi si data est occasio,
satis est, numquam postilla possis prendere.
LORARIVS Omnes profecto liberi lubentius
sumus quam servimus. HEG. Non videre ita tu quidem.

115
a freed captive is very similar to a wild bird:
if once an occasion for fleeing is given,
it is enough; after that you can never catch it.
LORARIVS All of us assuredly are more willing to be free than to serve. HEG. You, indeed, do not see it so.

120
LOR. Si non est quod dem, mene vis dem ipse—in pedes?
HEG. Si dederis, erit extemplo mihi quod dem tibi.
LOR. Avis me ferae consimilem faciam, ut praedicas.

120
LOR. If there is nothing I can give, do you want me to give myself—into my feet?
HEG. If you do give, I will at once have something to give to you.
LOR. I will make myself like a wild bird, as you predict.

HEG. Ita ut dicis: nam si faxis, te in caveam dabo.
sed satis verborumst. cura quae iussi atque abi.

HEG. Just so as you say: for if you do, I will put you in the cage.
But enough of words. See to what I have ordered and be off.

125
ego ibo ad fratrem ad alios captivos meos,
visam ne nocte hac quippiam turbaverint.
inde me continuo recipiam rursum domum.
ERG. Aegre est mi, hunc facere quaestum carcerarium
propter sui gnati miseriam miserum senem.

125
I will go to my brother, to my other captives,
I will see whether on this night they have disturbed anything.
from there I will immediately withdraw myself back home again.
ERG. It pains me, that this wretched old man makes a carceral livelihood on account of his own son’s misery.

130
sed si ullo pacto ille huc conciliari potest,
vel carnificinam hunc facere possum perpeti.
HEG. Quis hic loquitur? ERG. Ego, qui tuo maerore maceror,
macesco, consenesco et tabesco miser;
ossa atque pellis sum miser a macritudine;

130
but if by any means that fellow can be conciliated hither,
I can even endure to make this place a carnage‑house.
HEG. Who is speaking here? ERG. I—who am macerated by your mourning,
I grow meager, I grow senescent, and I waste away, poor wretch;
I am bones and skin, wretched, from leanness;

135
neque umquam quicquam me iuvat quod edo domi:
foris aliquantillum etiam quod gusto, id beat.
HEG. Ergasile, salve. ERG. Di te bene ament, Hegio.

135
nor ever does anything that I eat at home please me:
but outside, even what little I sample, that cheers.
HEG. Ergasilus, greetings. ERG. May the gods love you well, Hegio.

HEG. Ne fle. ERG. Egone illum non fleam? egon non defleam
Talem adulescentem?

HEG. Do not weep. ERG. I should not weep for him? I should not bewail
such an adolescent?

HEG. Semper sensi, filio

HEG. I have always perceived, my son

140
meo te esse amicum, et illum intellexi tibi.
ERG. Tum denique homines nostra intellegimus bona,
quom quae in potestate habuimus, ea amisimus.
ego, postquam gnatus tuos potitust hostium,
expertus quanti fuerit nunc desidero.

140
that you are a friend to my son, and I understood that he was to you.
ERG. Then at last we humans understand our goods,
when the things we had in our power, we have lost.
I, after your son fell into the power of the enemies,
having experienced of how great value he was, now long for him.

145
HEG. Alienus cum eius incommodum tam aegre feras,
quid me patrem par facerest, cui ille est unicus?
ERG. Alienus ego? alienus illi?

145
HEG. Since you, an alien, bear his misfortune so grievously,
what would it make me, his father, do in equal measure, to whom he is the only son?
ERG. Alien, I? alien to him?

aha, Hegio,
numquam istuc dixis neque animum induxis tuom;
tibi ille unicust, mi etiam unico magis unicus.

aha, Hegio,
you have never said that nor brought your mind to it;
to you he is unique; to me he is, even beyond an only, more unique.

150
HEG. Laudo, malum cum amici tuom ducis malum.
nunc habe bonum animum. ERG. Eheu, huic illud dolet,
quia nunc remissus est edendi exercitus.

150
HEG. I commend (you), since you take your friend’s ill as your own ill.
now have good courage. ERG. Alas, that pains him, because now the army of eating has been dismissed.

HEG. Nullumne interea nactu's, qui posset tibi
remissum quem dixti imperare exercitum?

HEG. Have you found no one in the meantime, who could
command for you the army which you said was dismissed?

155
ERG. Quid credis? fugitant omnes hanc provinciam,
quoi optigerat postquam captust Philopolemus tuos.
HEG. Non pol mirandum est fugitare hanc provinciam.

155
ERG. What do you suppose? All are shunning this province,
to whom it had fallen by lot, after your Philopolemus was captured.
HEG. Not, by Pollux, is it a thing to marvel at, to shun this province.

multis et multigeneribus opus est tibi
militibus: primumdum opus est Pistorensibus;

you have need of soldiers many and of many genera:
first of all there is need of the Bakers;

160
eorum sunt aliquot genera Pistorensium:
opus Paniceis est, opus Placentinis quoque;
opus Turdetanis, opust Ficedulensibus;
iam maritumi omnes milites opus sunt tibi.
ERG. Vt saepe summa ingenia in occulto latent;

160
of these there are several kinds of the Bakers:
there is need of the Panicei (millet-bread men), need of the Placentini (cake-men) as well;
need of the Turdetani (thrush-men), need of the Ficedulenses (fig-pecker-men);
now all the maritime soldiers are needful for you.
ERG. How often the highest talents lie hidden in concealment;

165
hic qualis imperator nunc privatus est.
HEG. Habe modo bonum animum, nam illum confido domum
in his diebus me reconciliassere.
nam eccum hic captivom adulescentem <intus> Aleum,
prognatum genere summo et summis ditiis:

165
this man—what a commander!—now is a private citizen.
HEG. Only keep good courage, for I trust that within these days I shall have reconciled him to me at home.
for look, here is a young Elean captive ,
born from the highest lineage and with the highest riches:

170
hoc illum me mutare confido pote.
ERG. Ita di deaeque faxint. sed num quo foras
vocatus <es> ad cenam?

170
By this I am confident I can change him.
ERG. So may the gods and goddesses bring it about. But have you been called anywhere out
have you been invited <es> to dinner?

HEG. Nusquam, quod sciam.
sed quid tu id quaeris? ERG. Quia mi est natalis dies;
propterea te vocari ad te ad cenam volo.

HEG. Nowhere, so far as I know.
but why are you asking that? ERG. Because it is my natal day;
therefore I want you to be invited to dinner at your place.

175
HEG. Facete dictum. sed si pauxillo potes
contentus esse. ERG. Ne perpauxillum modo,
nam istoc me assiduo victu delecto domi;
age sis, roga emptum: nisi qui meliorem adferet
quae mi atque amicis placeat condicio magis,

175
HEG. Wittily said. but if you can with a very little
be content. ERG. Nay, with a very very little only,
for with that assiduous victual I am delighted at home;
come on, please, ask to have purchases made: unless someone brings
a condition which may please me and my friends more,

180
quasi fundum vendam, meis me addicam legibus.
HEG. Profundum vendis tu quidem, haud fundum, mihi.
sed si venturu's, temperi.

180
as if I were selling an estate, I will bind myself by my own laws.
HEG. You’re selling me a depth, not an estate.
but if you’re going to come, come in good time.

ERG. Em, vel iam otium est.
HEG. I modo, venare leporem: nunc irim tenes;
nam meus scruposam victus commetat viam.

ERG. There—now there is leisure.
HEG. Go on, hunt the hare: now you hold the rainbow;
for my living traverses a stony road.

185
ERG. Numquam istoc vinces me, Hegio, ne postules:
cum calceatis dentibus veniam tamen.
HEG. Asper meus victus sane est. ERG. Sentisne essitas?

185
ERG. Never with that will you beat me, Hegio; do not demand it:
yet I will come with my teeth shod.
HEG. My fare is indeed rough. ERG. Do you feel the hunger-pangs?

HEG. Terrestris cena est. ERG. Sus terrestris bestia est.
HEG. Multis holeribus.

HEG. The dinner is terrestrial. ERG. The swine is a terrestrial beast.
HEG. With many vegetables.

ERG. Curato aegrotos domi.

ERG. Take care of the sick at home.

190
numquid vis? HEG. Venias temperi. ERG. Memorem mones.—
HEG. Ibo intro atque intus subducam ratiunculam,
quantillum argenti mi apud trapezitam siet.

190
do you want anything? HEG. Come in good time. ERG. You admonish one who remembers.—
HEG. I will go inside and within draw up a little reckoning,
how small an amount of silver there may be for me with the money-changer.

ad fratrem, quo ire dixeram, mox ivero.—

to my brother, to whom I had said I would go, I will go soon.—

ACTVS II

ACT 2

II.i
LORARII Si di immortales id voluerunt, vos hanc aerumnam exsequi,

2.1
LORARII If the immortal gods have willed this, that you undergo this hardship,

195
decet id pati animo aequo: si id facietis, levior labos erit.
domi fuistis, credo, liberi:
nunc servitus si evenit, ei vos morigerari mos bonust
et erili imperio eamque ingeniis vostris lenem reddere.
indigna digna habenda sunt, erus quae facit.

195
it befits you to endure that with an even mind: if you do so, the labor will be lighter.
you were, I suppose, free at home:
now, if servitude has come about, good custom is for you to be compliant to it
and to the master’s command, and to render it gentle by your own wits.
unworthy things must be held as worthy, whatever the master does.

200
CAPTIVI Oh oh oh. 200a
LOR. Eiulatione haud opus est, oculis haud lacrimantibus:
in re mala animo si bono utare, adiuvat.
TYNDARVS At nos pudet, quia cum catenis sumus. LOR. At pigeat postea
nostrum erum, si vos eximat vinculis,
aut solutos sinat, quos argento emerit.

200
CAPTIVES Oh oh oh. 200a
LASH. There is no need for ululation, nor for eyes to be weeping:
in a bad case, if you use a good spirit, it helps.
TYNDARUS But we are ashamed, because we are in chains. LASH. But
let our master be sorry later, if he takes you from the bonds,
or lets loose those whom he has bought with silver.

205
TYND. Quid a nobis metuit? scimus nos
nostrum officium quod est, si solutos sinat.
LOR. At fugam fingitis: sentio quam rem agitis.

205
TYND. What does he fear from us? We know
our duty, what it is, if he should allow us unbound.
LOR. But you feign flight: I perceive what business you are about.

PHILOCRATES Nos fugiamus? quo fugiamus? L. In patriam.

PHILOCRATES Are we to flee? whither are we to flee? L. Into the fatherland.

P. Apage, haud
nos id deceat,
fugitivos imitari. LOR. Immo edepol, si erit occasio, haud dehortor.

P. Away with it, by no means
does it befit us,
to imitate fugitives. LOR. Nay, by Pollux, if there is an occasion, I do not dissuade.

210
TYND. Vnum exorare vos sinite nos. LOR. Quidnam id est?
TYND. Vt sine hisce arbitris
atque vobis nobis detis locum loquendi.

210
TYND. Allow us to beg one thing of you. LOR. What, then, is that?
TYND. That, without these arbiters and without you, you grant to us a place for speaking.

LOR. Fiat. abscedite hinc: nos concedamus huc.
sed brevem orationem incipisse.

LOR. So be it. Withdraw from here: let us step aside over here.
but begin a brief oration.

215
TYND. Em istuc mihi certum erat. concede huc. 215a
LOR. Abite ab istis. TYND. Obnoxii ambo
vobis sumus propter hanc rem, quom quae volumus nos
copia est ~ ea facitis nos compotes.

215
TYND. There— that was certain to me. Step over here. 215a
LOR. Go away from those. TYND. We are both obliged
to you on account of this matter, since the things we want are
in copious supply to us ~ you make us possessors of them.

PHIL. Secede huc nunciam, si videtur, procul,
ne arbitri dicta nostra arbitrari queant

PHIL. Withdraw over here now, if it seems good, at a distance,
lest the arbiters be able to arbitrate our words

220
neu permanet palam haec nostra fallacia.
nam doli non doli sunt, nisi astu colas,
sed malum maxumum, si id palam provenit.
nam si erus mihi es tu atque ego me tuom esse servom assimulo,
tamen viso opust, cauto est opus, ut hoc sobrie sineque arbitris

220
nor let this our deception remain in the open.
for stratagems are not stratagems, unless you cultivate them with astuteness,
but a very great evil, if it comes to light publicly.
for if you are my master and I simulate myself to be your slave,
still it must be seen to, there is need of caution, that this be done soberly and without witnesses

225
accurate agatur, docte et diligenter;
tanta incepta res est: haud somniculose hoc
agendum est. TYND. Ero ut me voles esse. PHIL. Spero.

225
let it be carried out accurately, learnedly and diligently;
so great a matter has been undertaken: this is not to be done somnolently.
TYND. I shall be as you will have me be. PHIL. I hope so.

TYND. Nam tu nunc vides pro tuo caro capite
carum offerre <me> meum caput vilitati.

TYND. For you now see that, for your dear head,
I am offering my own dear head to cheapness.

230
PHIL. Scio. TYND. At scire memento, quando id quod voles habebis;
nam fere maxima pars morem hunc homines habent: quod sibi volunt,
dum id impetrant, boni sunt;
sed id ubi iam penes sese habent,
ex bonis pessimi et fraudulentissimi

230
PHIL. I know. TYND. But remember it, when you will have what you wish;
for almost the greatest part of men have this custom: what they want for themselves,
while they impetrate it, they are good;
but when they already have it in their own possession,
from good they are the worst and most fraudulent

235
fiunt: nunc ut mihi te volo esse autumo.
[quod tibi suadeam, suadeam meo patri.]
PHIL. Pol ego si te audeam, meum patrem nominem:
nam secundum patrem tu es pater proximus.
TYND. Audio.

235
they become: now I aver that I want you to be, for me, as I wish.
[what I advise you, I would advise to my own father.]
PHIL. By Pollux, if I dared, I would name you my father:
for next to my father, you are the nearest father.
TYND. I hear.

PHIL. Et propterea saepius te uti memineris moneo:

PHIL. And therefore I advise you to remember more often to make use of me:

240
non ego erus tibi, sed servos sum; nunc obsecro te hoc unum—
quoniam nobis di immortales animum ostenderunt suom,
ut qui erum me tibi fuisse atque esse conservom velint,
quom antehac pro iure imperitabam meo, nunc te oro per precem—
per fortunam incertam et per mei te erga bonitatem patris,

240
I am not a master to you, but a servant; now I beseech you this one thing—
since the immortal gods have shown us their disposition,
as those who would have it that I have been your master and that I am your fellow-servant,
whereas before I used to command by my right, now I beg you by entreaty—
by uncertain fortune and by my father’s benevolence toward you,

245
perque conservitium commune, quod hostica evenit manu,
ne me secus honore honestes quam quom servibas mihi,
atque ut qui fueris et qui nunc sis meminisse ut memineris.
TYND. Scio quidem me te esse nunc et te esse me. PHIL. Em istuc si potes
memoriter meminisse, inest spes nobis in hac astutia.

245
and through the common co-servitude, which befell by a hostile hand,
do not honor me otherwise in honor than when you were serving me,
and remember to remember who you have been and who you are now.
TYND. I do indeed know that I am you now and that you are me. PHIL. There—if you can remember that by memory, there is hope for us in this stratagem.

250

II.ii
HEGIO Iam ego revertar intro, si ex his quae volo exquisivero.
ubi sunt isti quos ante aedis iussi huc produci foras?
PHIL. Edepol tibi ne in quaestione essemus cautum intellego,
ita vinclis custodiisque circum moeniti sumus.

2.2
HEGIO I will now return inside, if I shall have ascertained from these the things I want.
Where are those whom I ordered to be brought out here before the house?
PHIL. By Pollux, I understand that it has been provided that we not be under interrogation by you,
so fortified round about with fetters and guards are we.

HEG. Qui cavet ne decipiatur, vix cavet, cum etiam cavet;

HEG. He who takes care not to be deceived, scarcely takes care, even when he takes care;

255
etiam cum cavisse ratus est, saepe is cautor captus est.
an vero non iusta causa est, ut vos servem sedulo,
quos tam grandi sim mercatus praesenti pecunia?
PHIL. Neque pol tibi nos, quia nos servas, aequomst vitio vortere,
neque te nobis, si abeamus hinc, si fuat occasio.

255
even when he has thought he has taken precautions, often that cautious man has been captured.
or truly is there not a just cause that I should keep you diligently,
you whom I have bought for so large a sum in ready money?
PHIL. Nor, by Pollux, is it fair for you, because you keep us under guard, to turn it to a fault against us,
nor for us against you, if we should go away from here, should there be an occasion.

260
HEG. Vt vos hic, itidem illic apud vos meus servatur filius.
PHIL. Captus est? HEG. Ita.

260
HEG. As you are here, so likewise there among you my son is kept.
PHIL. Is he taken? HEG. Yes.

PHIL. Non igitur nos soli ignavi fuimus.
HEG. Secede huc. nam sunt quae ex te solo scitari volo.

PHIL. So then we were not the only cowards.
HEG. Withdraw here; for there are things which I wish to inquire of you alone.

quarum rerum te falsilocum mi esse nolo. PHIL. Non ero
quod sciam. si quid nescibo, id nescium tradam tibi.

I do not want you to speak falsely to me about these matters. PHIL. I will not
so far as I know. If I do not know anything, I will hand it over to you as unknown.

265
TYND. Nunc senex est in tostrina, nunc iam cultros attinet.
ne id quidem, involucrum inicere, voluit, vestem ut ne inquinet.
sed utrum strictimne adtonsurum dicam esse an per pectinem,
nescio; verum, si frugist, usque admutilabit probe.

265
TYND. Now the old man is in the barber’s, now already the razors are on him.
Not even this—throwing on a wrapper—did he want, so as not to soil his garment.
But whether I should say he is going to be tonsured close or by the comb,
I do not know; but, if he has any sense, he’ll crop him right down properly.

HEG. Quid tu? servosne esse an liber mavelis, memora mihi.

HEG. And you? Would you rather be a slave or free? Tell me.

270
PHIL. Proxumum quod sit bono quodque a malo longissume,
id volo; quamquam non multum fuit molesta servitus,
nec mihi secus erat quam si essem familiaris filius.
TYND. Eugepae, Thalem talento non emam Milesium,
nam ad sapientiam huius *** nimius nugator fuit.

270
PHIL. What is nearest to the good and what farthest by far from the bad, that I want; although servitude was not very troublesome, nor was it otherwise for me than if I were a household intimate’s son.
TYND. Bravo, I would not buy Thales the Milesian for a talent, for as to this man’s wisdom, *** was an excessive trifler.

275
ut facete orationem ad servitutem contulit.
HEG. Quo de genere natust illic Philocrates? PHIL. Polyplusio:
quod genus illi est unum pollens atque honoratissumum.

275
how wittily he turned the speech to servitude.
HEG. Of what stock is that Philocrates there born? PHIL. Of Polyplusium:
which race there is the one powerful and most honored.

H. Quid ipsus hic? quo honore est illic? P. Summo, atque ab summis viris.

H. What about this man himself? In what honor is he there? P. In the highest, and by the highest men.

HEG. [Tum igitur ei cum in Aleis tanta gratia est, ut praedicas,]

HEG. [Then therefore, since he has such favor in Elis, as you proclaim,]

280
quid divitiae, suntne opimae? PHIL. Vnde excoquat sebum senex.
HEG. Quid pater, vivitne?

280
what about the wealth—are they opulent? PHIL. Whence the old man renders tallow.
HEG. What of the father—does he live?

PHIL. Vivom, cum inde abimus, liquimus;
nunc vivat<ne> necne, id Orcum scire oportet scilicet.
TYND. Salva res est, philosophatur quoque iam, non mendax modo est.
HEG. Quid erat ei nomen?

PHIL. We left him alive when we went away from there;
now whether he lives or not, that of course Orcus ought to know.
TYND. All is well; he even philosophizes now—he is not merely a liar.
HEG. What was his name?

PHIL. Thensaurochrysonicochrysides.

285
HEG. Videlicet propter divitias inditum id nomen quasi est.
PHIL. Immo edepol propter avaritiam ipsius atque audaciam.
[nam ille quidem Theodoromedes fuit germano nomine.]
HEG. Quid tu ais?

285
HEG. Evidently that name was, as it were, given on account of his riches.
PHIL. Nay, by Pollux, on account of his own avarice and audacity.
[for indeed he was Theodoromedes by his true name.]
HEG. What do you say?

tenaxne pater est eius? PHIL. Immo edepol pertinax;
quin etiam ut magis noscas: Genio suo ubi quando sacruficat,

Is his father tight-fisted? PHIL. Nay rather, by Pollux, pertinacious;
nay even, that you may know the more: whenever he sacrifices to his Genius,

290
ad rem divinam quibus est opus, Samiis vasis utitur,
ne ipse Genius surripiat: proinde aliis ut credat vide.
HEG. Sequere hac me igitur. eadem ego ex hoc quae volo exquaesivero.

290
for the divine rite, for which there is need, he uses Samian vessels,
lest his very Genius purloin them: accordingly, see whether he would trust others.
HEG. Follow me this way then. I will have inquired from this fellow the same things that I want.

Philocrates, hic fecit, hominem frugi ut facere oportuit.
nam ego ex hoc quo genere gnatus sis scio, hic fassust mihi;

Philocrates, he has done, as it behooved a frugal man to do.
for I from this man know of what lineage you were born; he has confessed to me;

295
haec tu eadem si confiteri vis, tua <ex> re feceris:
quae tamen scio scire me ex hoc. TYND. Fecit officium hic suom,
cum tibi est confessus verum, quam<quam> volui sedulo
meam nobilitatem occultare et genus et divitias meas,
Hegio; nunc quando patriam et libertatem perdidi,

295
If you are willing to confess these same things, you will have acted for your own interest:
which, however, I know that I know from this man. TYND. This man did his duty,
when he confessed the truth to you, quam<quam> I earnestly wished
to hide my nobility and my lineage and my riches,
Hegio; now, since I have lost my fatherland and my liberty,

300
non ego istunc me potius quam te metuere aequom censeo.
vis hostilis cum istoc fecit meas opes aequabiles;
memini, cum dicto haud audebat: facto nunc laedat licet.
sed viden? fortuna humana fingit artatque ut lubet:
me, qui liber fueram, servom fecit, e summo infimum;

300
I do not deem it equitable that I should fear that fellow rather than you.
Hostile force, along with that one, has made my means equal to his;
I remember, when at a word he dared not; now let him injure by deed, if he wills.
But do you see? human Fortune fashions and straitens as it pleases:
me, who had been free, it has made a slave, from the highest the lowest;

305
qui imperare insueram, nunc alterius imperio obsequor.
et quidem si, proinde ut ipse fui imperator familiae,
habeam dominum, non verear ne iniuste aut graviter mi imperet.
Hegio, hoc te monitum, nisi forte ipse non vis, voluerim.

305
who had been accustomed to command, now I comply with another’s command.
and indeed, if, just as I myself was commander of the household,
I should have a master, I would not fear that he would command me unjustly or harshly.
Hegio, this I would wish you to be admonished of, unless perhaps you yourself do not wish it.

HEG. Loquere audacter. TYND. Tam ego fui ante liber quam gnatus tuos,

HEG. Speak boldly. TYND. I was before just as free as your son,

310
tam mihi quam illi libertatem hostilis eripuit manus,
tam ille apud nos servit, quam ego nunc hic apud te servio.
est profecto deus, qui quae nos gerimus auditque et videt:
is, uti tu me hic habueris, proinde illum illic curaverit;
bene merenti bene profuerit, male merenti par erit.

310
a hostile hand has snatched freedom from me as from him,
just so he serves among us as I now here serve with you.
there is assuredly a god, who both hears and sees the things we do:
as you shall have treated me here, so accordingly he will have cared for him there;
to one who merits well he will have benefited well; to one who merits ill he will be equal.

315
quam tu filium tuom, tam pater me meus desiderat.
HEG. Memini ego istuc. sed faterin eadem quae hic fassust mihi?

315
as much as you desire your son, so my father desires me.
HEG. I remember that. But do you confess the same things which this man has confessed to me?

TYND. Ego patri meo esse fateor summas divitias domi
meque summo genere gnatum. sed te optestor, Hegio,
ne tuom animum avariorem faxint divitiae meae:

TYND. I confess that my father has the highest riches at home,
and that I was born of the highest lineage. But I adjure you, Hegio,
lest my riches make your mind more avaricious:

320
ne patri, tam etsi sum unicus, decere videatur magis,
me saturum servire apud te sumptu et vestitu tuo
potius quam illi, ubi minime honestumst, mendicantem vivere.
HEG. [Ego virtute deum et maiorum nostrum dives sum satis.]
non ego omnino lucrum omne esse utile homini existimo:

320
lest it seem more becoming to my father—though I am his only son—that I, well-supplied, should serve with you at your expense for upkeep and clothing,
rather than, for him, to live begging where it is least honorable.
HEG. [I am rich enough by the virtue of the gods and of our ancestors.]
I do not at all esteem every lucre to be useful to a man.

325
scio ego, multos iam lucrum lutulentos homines reddidit;
est etiam ubi profecto damnum praestet facere quam lucrum.
odi ego aurum: multa multis saepe suasit perperam.
nunc hoc animum advorte, ut ea quae sentio pariter scias.
filius meus illic apud vos servit captus Alide:

325
I know, lucre has already rendered many men muddy;
there is even where indeed it is preferable to make a loss rather than a profit.
I hate gold: it has often persuaded many to many things amiss.
now turn your mind to this, so that you may equally know the things I perceive.
my son there among you serves, captured at Elis:

330
eum si reddis mihi, praeterea unum nummum ne duis;
et te et hunc amittam hinc. alio pacto abire non potes.
TYND. Optumum atque aequissumum oras optumusque hominum es homo.

330
If you give him back to me, besides do not give even a single coin;
and I will let both you and this man go from here. In no other way can you depart.
TYND. You ask for what is best and most equitable, and you are the best man of men.

sed is privatam servitutem servit illi an publicam?
HEG. Privatam medici Menarchi. TYND. Pol is quidem huius est cliens.

but does he serve a private servitude to him, or a public one?
HEG. Private, of the physician Menarchus. TYND. By Pollux, he indeed is this man's client.

335
tam hoc quidem tibi in proclivi quam imber est quando pluit.
HEG. Fac is homo ut redimatur. TYND. Faciam.

335
this, indeed, is as easy for you as a rain-shower is when it rains.
HEG. Have this man redeemed. TYND. I will.

sed te id oro, Hegio—
HEG. Quid vis, dum ab re ne quid ores, faciam. TYND. Ausculta, tum scies.
ego me amitti, donicum ille huc redierit, non postulo.

but this I beg you, Hegio—
HEG. What do you want? So long as you ask nothing off the matter, I will do it. TYND. Listen, then you’ll know.
I do not demand that I be released until he has returned here.

verum quaeso ut aestumatum hunc mihi des, quem mittam ad patrem,

but please give me this man at an estimate, whom I may send to my father,

340
ut is homo redimatur illi. HEG. Immo alium potius misero
hinc, ubi erunt indutiae, illuc, tuom qui conveniat patrem,
qui tua quae tu iusseris mandata ita ut velis perferat.
TYND. At nihil est ignotum ad illum mittere: operam luseris.

340
so that that man may be ransomed for him. HEG. Nay, rather I will send another
from here to there, when there will be a truce, who may meet your father,
who may deliver your mandates—those which you shall have ordered—just as you wish.
TYND. But there is no point in sending someone unknown to him: you will have wasted your labor.

hunc mitte, hic transactum reddet omne, si illuc venerit.

send this man; he will render everything transacted, if he comes there.

345
nec quemquam fideliorem neque cui plus credat potes
mittere ad eum nec qui magis sit servos ex sententia,
neque adeo cui suom concredat filium hodie audacius.
ne vereare, meo periclo huius ego experiar fidem,
fretus ingenio eius, quod me esse scit erga se benevolum.

345
nor can you send to him anyone more faithful, nor anyone in whom he would place more credit,
nor one who is more a servant to your mind,
nor indeed one to whom he would more boldly entrust his own son today.
do not fear; at my peril I will assay this man’s fidelity,
relying on his nature, because he knows that I am benevolent toward him.

350
HEG. Mittam equidem istunc aestumatum tua fide, si vis. TYND. Volo;
quam citissime potest, tam hoc cedere ad factum volo.
HEG. Num quae causa est quin, si ille huc non redeat, viginti minas
mihi des pro illo?

350
HEG. I will indeed send that fellow appraised on your faith, if you wish. TYND. I wish it;
as quickly as it can, I want this to proceed to the deed.
HEG. Is there any reason why, if he does not return here, you should not give me twenty minas
for him?

TYND. Optuma immo. HEG. Solvite istum nunciam,
atque utrumque. TYND. Di tibi omnis omnia optata offerant,

TYND. Excellent, rather. HEG. Release that fellow now, at once,
and both. TYND. May all the gods offer to you all your desired things,

355
cum me tanto honore honestas cumque ex vinclis eximis.
hoc quidem haud molestumst, iam quod collus collari caret.
HEG. Quod bonis bene fit beneficium, gratia ea gravida est bonis.

355
since you honor me with so great an honor and also release me from chains.
This indeed is by no means troublesome, now that the neck is free of a collar.
HEG. A benefit that is well done for the good—its gratitude is gravid with good things for the good.

nunc tu illum si illo es missurus, dice monstra praecipe
quae ad patrem vis nuntiari. vin vocem huc ad te? TYND. Voca.

now you, if you are going to send that man there, say, demonstrate, prescribe
what you wish to be announced to his father. do you wish me to call him here to you? TYND. Call.

360

II.iii
HEG. Quae res bene vortat mihi meoque filio
vobisque, volt te novos erus operam dare
tuo veteri domino, quod is velit, fideliter.
nam ego te aestumatum huic dedi viginti minis,
hic autem te ait mittere hinc velle ad patrem,

2.3
HEG. May this matter turn out well for me and my son and for you all; your new master wishes you to give service to your former master, whatever he may wish, faithfully.
for I delivered you to this man appraised at twenty minae, but this man says he wants to send you from here to the father,

365
meum ut illic redimat filium, mutatio
inter me atque illum ut nostris fiat filiis.
PHIL. Vtroque vorsum rectumst ingenium meum,
ad te atque ad illum; pro rota me uti licet:
vel ego huc vel illuc vortar, quo imperabitis.

365
that there he may redeem my son, that an exchange between me and him may be made for our sons.
PHIL. My disposition is right in either direction, toward you and toward him; you may use me like a wheel:
either I will turn here or there, wherever you shall command.

370
HEG. Tute tibi tuopte ingenio prodes plurumum,
cum servitutem ita fers ut ferri decet.
sequere. em tibi hominem.

370
HEG. You, by your very own ingenuity, profit yourself the most,
since you bear servitude as it is fitting to be borne.
Follow. Here you have the man.

TYND. Gratiam habeo tibi,
quom copiam istam mi et potestatem facis,
ut ego ad parentes hunc remittam nuntium,

TYND. I am grateful to you,
since you make that opportunity and authority for me,
that I may send back this messenger to my parents,

375
qui me quid rerum hic agitem et quid fieri velim
patri meo, ordine omnem rem, illuc perferat.
nunc ita convenit inter me atque hunc, Tyndare,
ut te aestumatum in Alidem mittam ad patrem,
si non rebitas huc, ut viginti minas

375
who may convey there to my father what business I am doing here and what I wish to be done,
the whole matter, in order.
now thus it is agreed between me and this man, Tyndarus,
that I send you estimated to Elis to my father,
if you do not come back here, that twenty minas

380
dem pro te. PHIL. Recte convenisse sentio.
nam pater expectat aut me aut aliquem nuntium,
qui hinc ad se veniat. TYND. Ergo animum advortas volo
quae nuntiare hinc te volo in patriam ad patrem.

380
that I may pay on your behalf. PHIL. I perceive that it has been rightly agreed.
for my father is expecting either me or some messenger,
who may come to him from here. TYND. Therefore I want you to turn your mind
to what I want you to announce from here to your father back home.

PHIL. Philocrates, ut adhuc locorum feci, faciam sedulo,

PHIL. Philocrates, as I have done thus far, I will do it sedulously,

385
ut potissimum quod in rem recte conducat tuam,
id petam idque persequar corde et animo atque viribus.
TYND. Facis ita ut te facere oportet. nunc animum advortas volo:
omnium primum salutem dicito matri et patri
et cognatis et si quem alium benevolentem videris;

385
that, as the most important thing, whatever rightly conduces to your interest,
I may seek that and pursue it with heart and mind and strength.
TYND. You are doing just as you ought to do. Now I want you to turn your attention:
first of all, say greetings to mother and father
and to the kinsfolk, and if you see any other benevolent person;

390
me hic valere et servitutem servire huic homini optumo,
qui me honore honestiorem semper fecit et facit.
PHIL. Istuc ne praecipias, facile memoria memini tamen.
TYND. Nam equidem, nisi quod custodem habeo, liberum me esse arbitror.

390
that I am well here and am serving servitude to this best man,
who has always made me, and makes me, more honorable by honor.
PHIL. Do not give that precept; I easily remember it by memory nonetheless.
TYND. For indeed, except that I have a custodian, I reckon myself to be free.

dicito patri, quo pacto mihi cum hoc convenerit

tell my father by what pact it has been agreed between me and this man

395
de huius filio. PHIL. Quae memini, mora mera est monerier.
TYND. Vt eum redimat et remittat nostrum huc amborum vicem.

395
about this man’s son. PHIL. What I remember—being reminded is mere delay.
TYND. That he may ransom him and send him back here on behalf of us both.

PHIL. Meminero. H. At quamprimum pote: istuc in rem utriquest maxime.
PHIL. Non tuom tu magis videre quam ille suom gnatum cupit.

PHIL. I shall remember. H. But as soon as possible: that is greatly in the interest of both.
PHIL. You do not more wish to see your own son than he longs for his own.

HEG. Meus mihi, suos cuique est carus. PHIL. Numquid aliud vis patri

HEG. Mine is dear to me; to each man his own is dear. PHIL. Is there anything else you wish, father?

400
nuntiari? TYND. Me hic valere et—tute audacter dicito,
Tyndare—inter nos fuisse ingenio haud discordabili,
neque te commeruisse culpam—neque me adversatum tibi—
beneque ero gessisse morem in tantis aerumnis tamen;
neque med umquam deseruisse te neque factis neque fide,

400
to be announced? TYND. That I am well here and—do you yourself boldly say it, Tyndarus—
that between us there has been no discordant disposition,
and that you have not incurred a blame—nor that I have opposed you—
and that I have well complied with my master, nevertheless, in such great hardships;
and that I have never deserted you, neither in deeds nor in faith,

405
rebus in dubiis egenis. haec pater quando sciet,
Tyndare, ut fueris animatus erga suom gnatum atque se,
numquam erit tam avarus, quin te gratiis emittat manu ~
et mea opera, si hinc rebito, faciam ut faciat facilius.
nam tua opera et comitate et virtute et sapientia

405
in doubtful needy circumstances. When father learns these things,
Tyndareus, how you have been minded toward his own son and himself,
he will never be so avaricious as not to manumit you gratis, as a favor, ~
and by my efforts, if I return from here, I will bring it about that he does it more readily.
for by your efforts, and your comity and virtue and wisdom

410
fecisti ut redire liceat ad parentis denuo,
cum apud hunc confessus es et genus et divitias meas:
quo pacto emisisti e vinclis tuom erum tua sapientia.
PHIL. Feci ego ista ut commemoras, et te meminisse id gratum est mihi.
merito tibi ea evenerunt a me; nam nunc, Philocrates,

410
you have made it so that it is permitted to return to my parents anew,
since before this man you confessed both my lineage and my riches:
by what method your wisdom released your master from fetters.
PHIL. I did those things as you recount, and it is pleasing to me that you remember it.
deservedly those things befell you from me; for now, Philocrates,

415
si ego item memorem quae me erga multa fecisti bene,
nox diem adimat; nam quasi servos meus esses, nihilo setius
<tu> mihi obsequiosus semper fuisti. HEG. Di vostram fidem,
hominum ingenium liberale. ut lacrumas excutiunt mihi.

415
if I likewise were to recount the many things you have done well toward me,
night would take away the day; for, as if you were my slave, nonetheless
<you> have always been obsequious to me. HEG. By your faith, gods,
the liberal nature of men. how they shake tears out of me.

videas corde amare inter se. quantis <lautus> laudibus

you may see them love one another from the heart. with how great <lavish> lauds

420
suom erum servos collaudavit. TYND. Pol istic me haud centesimam
partem laudat quam ipse meritust ut laudetur laudibus.
HEG. Ergo cum optume fecisti, nunc adest occasio
bene facta cumulare, ut erga hunc rem geras fideliter.

420
his servant has highly praised his own master. TYND. By Pollux, that fellow does not praise me the hundredth part as much as he himself has deserved to be lauded with laudations.
HEG. Therefore, since you have done most excellently, now the occasion is at hand to cumulate good deeds, so that you may manage the matter faithfully toward this man.

PHIL. Magis non factum possum velle, quam opera experiar persequi;

PHIL. I can no more wish it left un-done, than I will try to pursue it by works;

425
id ut scias, Iovem supremum testem laudo, Hegio,
me infidelem non futurum Philocrati. HEG. Probus es homo.
PHIL. Nec me secus umquam ei facturum quicquam quam memet mihi.

425
so that you may know this, I call supreme Jove as witness, Hegio,
that I will not be unfaithful to Philocrates. HEG. You are a worthy man.
PHIL. Nor will I ever do anything to him otherwise than I to myself.

TYND. Istaec dicta te experiri et operis et factis volo;
et, quo minus dixi quam volui de te, animum advortas volo,

TYND. I want you to experience these sayings both in work and in deeds;
and I want you to advert your mind to the fact that I said less about you than I wished,

430
atque horunc verborum causa caveto mi iratus fuas;
sed, te quaeso, cogitato hinc mea fide mitti domum
te aestimatum, et meam esse vitam hic pro te positam pignori,
ne tu me ignores, quom extemplo meo e conspectu abscesseris,
quom me servom in servitute pro ted hic reliqueris,

430
and on account of these words take care that you not be angry at me;
but, I beg you, think that you are being sent home from here on my faith,
you appraised, and that my life is set here as a pledge in place of you,
do not ignore me, when straightway you have departed from my sight,
when you have left me, a slave, in servitude here for you,

435
tuque te pro libero esse ducas, pignus deseras
neque des operam pro me ut huius reducem facias filium;
[scito te hinc minis viginti aestumatum mittier.]
fac fidelis sis fideli, cave fidem fluxam geras:
nam pater, scio, faciet quae illum facere oportet omnia;

435
and do not count yourself as free, do not desert the pledge,
nor fail to give effort on my behalf to bring back this man’s son;
[know that you are being sent from here appraised at twenty minae.]
see that you are faithful to the faithful; beware of bearing a faith in flux:
for the father, I know, will do all the things which it behooves him to do.

440
serva tibi in perpetuom amicum me, atque hunc inventum inveni.
haec per dexteram tuam te dextera retinens manu
opsecro, infidelior mihi ne fuas quam ego sum tibi.
tu hoc age.

440
keep me as a friend for yourself perpetually, and consider this find as found.
these things, by your right hand, holding you with my right hand
I beseech, do not be more unfaithful to me than I am to you.
see to this.

tu mihi erus nunc es, tu patronus, tu pater,
tibi commendo spes opesque meas. PHIL. Mandavisti satis.

you are now my master to me, you my patron, you my father,
to you I commend my hopes and my resources. PHIL. You have instructed enough.

445
satin habes, mandata quae sunt facta si refero? TYND. Satis.
PHIL. Et tua et tua huc ornatus reveniam ex sententia.

445
are you satisfied, if I report that the mandates have been done? TYND. Enough.
PHIL. And, both yours and yours, I will return here adorned, to your satisfaction.

numquid aliud? TYND. Vt quam primum possis redeas. PHIL. Res monet.

anything else? TYND. That you may return as soon as possible. PHIL. The matter admonishes.

HEG. Sequere me, viaticum ut dem a trapezita tibi,
eadem opera a praetore sumam syngraphum. TYND. Quem syngraphum?

HEG. Follow me, so that I may give you traveling-money from the banker,
at the same time I will take a syngraph from the praetor. TYND. What syngraph?

450
HEG. Quem hic ferat secum ad legionem, hinc ire huic ut liceat domum.
tu intro abi. T. Bene ambulato.—P. Bene vale.

450
HEG. Which he may carry with him to the legion, so that from here it may be permitted to him to go home.
you go inside. T. Walk well.—P. Fare well.

H. Edepol rem meam
constabilivi, quom illos emi de praeda a quaestoribus;
expedivi ex servitute filium, si dis placet.
at etiam dubitavi, hos homines emerem an non emerem, diu.

H. By Pollux, I have firmly established my business,
when I bought those men out of the spoils from the quaestors;
I have extricated my son from servitude, if it pleases the gods.
and yet I even hesitated, whether I should buy these men or not, for a long time.

455
servate istum sultis intus, servi, ne quoquam pedem
ecferat sine custodela. <iam> ego apparebo domi;
ad fratrem modo captivos alios inviso meos,
eadem percontabor, ecquis hunc adulescentem noverit.
sequere tu, te ut amittam; ei rei primum praevorti volo.—

455
keep that fellow inside, if you please, slaves, so that he may not set a foot
anywhere without a guard. <now> I will make preparations at home;
I’ll just go to my brother to visit my other captives,
I’ll inquire the same, whether anyone knows this young man.
you, follow, so that I may let you go; I want first to turn to that matter.—

460

ACTVS III

ACT 3

III.i
ERGASILVS Miser homo est, qui ipse sibi quod edit quaerit et id aegre invenit,
sed ille est miserior, qui et aegre quaerit et nihil invenit;
ille miserrimust, qui cum esse cupit, tum quod edit non habet.
nam hercle ego huic die, si liceat, oculos effodiam libens,
ita malignitate oneravit omnis mortalis mihi;

3.1
ERGASILVS A wretched man is he who seeks for himself what he eats and finds it with difficulty,
but he is more wretched who both seeks it with difficulty and finds nothing;
he is most wretched, who, when he wishes to be, then does not have what he eats.
for by Hercules, I would gladly gouge out this day’s eyes, if it were permitted,
so, by its meanness, it has laden all mortals, as far as I’m concerned, with miserliness;

465
neque ieiuniosiorem neque magis ecfertum fame
vidi nec quoi minus procedat quidquid facere occeperit,
ita venter gutturque resident esurialis ferias.
ilicet parasiticae arti maximam malam crucem,
ita iuventus iam ridiculos inopesque ab se segregat.

465
I have seen neither anyone more fasting nor more stuffed with hunger, nor one for whom whatever he has begun to do proceeds less,
so the belly and the gullet sit idle on a hungry holiday.
straightway, for the parasitic craft, the very worst cross,
so the youth now segregates from itself the ridiculous and the indigent.

470
nil morantur iam Lacones unisubselli viros,
plagipatidas, quibus sunt verba sine penu et pecunia:
eos requirunt, qui libenter, quom ederint, reddant domi;
ipsi obsonant, quae parasitorum ante erat provincia,
ipsi de foro tam aperto capite ad lenones eunt

470
they now no longer regard Laconians, men of the single-bench,
whipping-boys, who have words without pantry and money:
they look for those who gladly, when they have eaten, repay at home;
they themselves do the marketing, which before was the province of parasites,
they themselves from the forum, with so bare a head, go to the pimps

475
quam in tribu aperto capite sontes condemnant reos;
neque ridiculos iam terrunci faciunt, sese omnes amant.
nam uti dudum hinc abii, accessi ad adulescentes in foro.
'salvete' inquam.

475
just as in the tribe they condemn guilty defendants with head uncovered;
nor do they now value the ridiculous at a farthing, they all love themselves.
for as just now I went away from here, I approached the young men in the forum.
'greetings,' I say.

'quo imus una' inquam 'ad prandium?' atque illi tacent.
'quis ait "hoc" aut quis profitetur?' inquam. quasi muti silent,

'where are we going together' I say 'for lunch?' and they are silent.
'who says "this" or who professes?' I say. as if mute, they are silent,

480
neque me rident. 'ubi cenamus?' inquam. atque illi abnuont.

480
nor do they laugh at me. 'where do we dine?' I say. and they shake their heads in refusal.

dico unum ridiculum dictum de dictis melioribus,
quibus solebam menstruales epulas ante adipiscier:
nemo ridet; scivi extemplo rem de compecto geri;
ne canem quidem irritatam voluit quisquam imitarier,

I utter one ridiculous dictum from among my better dicta,
with which I used to acquire the monthly banquets before:
no one laughs; I knew at once the matter was being conducted by compact;
not even a dog, provoked, did anyone wish to imitate,

485
saltem, si non arriderent, dentes ut restringerent.
abeo ab illis, postquam video me sic ludificarier;
pergo ad alios, venio ad alios, deinde ad alios: una res.
omnes <de> compecto rem agunt, quasi in Velabro olearii.

485
at least, if they would not smile, that they should bare their teeth.
I go away from them, after I see that I am being made sport of thus;
I proceed to others, I come to others, then to others: the same thing.
all of them act the matter by compact, like oil-dealers in the Velabrum.

nunc redeo inde, quoniam me ibi video ludificarier.

now I return from there, since I see that I am being made a laughing-stock there.

490
item alii parasiti frustra obambulabant in foro.
nunc barbarica lege certumst ius meum omne persequi:
qui consilium iniere, quo nos victu et vita prohibeant,
is diem dicam, irrogabo multam, ut mihi cenas decem
meo arbitratu dent, cum cara annona sit. sic egero.

490
likewise other parasites were strolling about in vain in the Forum.
now by barbaric law it is certain I shall pursue all my right:
those who have entered into a counsel to prohibit us from victuals and life,
against them I will name a day, I will impose a mulct, that they give me ten dinners
at my arbitration, since the grain-price is dear. thus I will act.

495
nunc ibo ad portum hinc: est illic mi una spes cenatica;
si ea decolabit, redibo huc ad senem ad cenam asperam.—

495
now I will go to the port from here: there I have one hope of dinner;
if that falls away, I will return here to the old man for a harsh dinner.—

III.ii
HEGIO Quid est suavius, quam bene rem gerere,
bono publico, sic ut ego feci heri,
cum emi hosce homines: ubi quisque vident,

3.2
HEGIO What is sweeter than to conduct affairs well,
for the public good, just as I did yesterday,
when I bought these men here: whenever anyone sees,

500
eunt obviam gratulanturque eam rem.
ita me miserum restitando
retinendoque lassum reddiderunt:
vix ex gratulando miser iam eminebam.
tandem abii ad praetorem; ibi vix requievi:

500
they come to meet me and congratulate me on that matter.
thus, by stopping me and holding me back,
they made me, poor wretch, weary:
I, poor man, was hardly getting free from the congratulating.
at last I went away to the praetor; there I scarcely found rest:

505
rogo syngraphum, datur mi ilico; dedi Tyndaro: ille abiit domum.
inde ilico praevortor domum, postquam id actum est;
eo protinus ad fratrem, mei ubi sunt alii captivi.
rogo, Philocratem ex Alide ecquis hominum
noverit: tandem hic exclamat, eum sibi esse sodalem;

505
I request the syngraph; it is given to me on the spot; I gave it to Tyndarus: he went home.
then straightway I turn aside home, after that was done;
from there forthwith I go to my brother, where my other captives are.
I ask whether anyone among men knows Philocrates from Elis:
at last this man cries out that he is his comrade;

510
dico eum esse apud me; hic extemplo orat obsecratque,
eum sibi ut liceat videre:
iussi ilico hunc exsolvi. nunc tu sequere me,
ut quod me oravisti impetres, eum hominem uti convenias.— 514-515

510
I say that he is with me; this man immediately prays and beseeches,
that it be permitted him to see him:
I ordered this man to be released forthwith. Now you follow me,
so that what you entreated me you may obtain, that you may meet that man.— 514-515

III.iii
TYNDARVS Nunc illud est, cum me fuisse quam esse nimio mavelim:

3.3
TYNDARUS Now it is that, when I would by far rather have been than be:

516
nunc spes opes auxiliaque a me segregant spernuntque se.
hic illest dies, cum nulla vitae meae salus sperabilest,
neque ~ exilium exitio est neque adeo spes, quae mi hunc aspellat metum,
nec subdolis mendaciis mihi usquam mantellum est meis,

516
now hopes, resources, and aids separate themselves from me and scorn me.
this is the day when no salvation of my life is to be hoped for,
nor ~ is exile a destruction nor indeed a hope that might drive off this fear for me,
nor anywhere is there a mantle for me in my crafty mendacities,

520
[nec sycophantiis nec fucis ullum mantellum obviam est]
neque deprecatio perfidiis meis nec male factis fuga est,
nec confidentiae usquam hospitium est nec deverticulum dolis:
operta quae fuere aperta sunt, patent praestigiae,
omnis res palam est, neque de hac re negotium est,

520
[neither by sycophancies nor by cosmetics is there any mantle to meet it]
nor is there deprecation for my perfidies, nor escape from my misdeeds,
nor anywhere is there hospitality for confidence, nor a by-road for deceits:
the things that were covered are laid bare, the prestidigitations lie open,
everything is in the open, and about this matter there is no business,

525
quin male occidam oppetamque pestem eri vicem meamque.
perdidit me Aristophontes hic qui venit modo intro: ~
is me novit, is sodalis Philocrati et cognatus est.
neque iam Salus servare, si volt, me potest, nec copia est,
nisi si aliquam corde machinor astutiam.

525
nay rather, let me die badly and meet destruction for my master’s sake and my own.
Aristophontes, who just came in here, has ruined me: ~
he knows me; he is Philocrates’ comrade and a kinsman.
nor now can Salus save me, if she wishes, nor is there any means,
unless I machinate some stratagem in my heart.

530
quam, malum? quid machiner? quid comminiscar?

530
what, the devil? what shall I contrive? what shall I devise?

maxumas
nugas ineptus incipisso. haereo.

the greatest
nonsense, inept, I am about to commence. I am stuck.

III.iv
HEGIO Quo illum nunc hominem proripuisse foras se dicam ex aedibus?
TYND. Nunc enim vero ego occidi: eunt ad te hostes, Tyndare.
quid loquar?

3.4
HEGIO Where am I to say that fellow has now snatched himself outdoors from the house?
TYND. Now indeed I am slain: the enemies are coming to you, Tyndarus.
what shall I say?

quid fabulabor? quid negabo aut quid fatebor?

What shall I fable? what shall I deny or what shall I confess?

535
mihi res omnis in incerto sita est. quid rebus confidam meis?
utinam te di prius perderent, quam periisti e patria tua,
Aristophontes, qui ex parata re imparatam omnem facis.

535
for me my whole business is set in uncertainty. In what should I confide regarding my affairs?
would that the gods had destroyed you sooner, before you perished from your fatherland,
Aristophontes, you who from a prepared affair make the whole thing unprepared.

occisa est haec res, nisi reperio atrocem mi aliquam astutiam.
HEG. Sequere. em tibi hominem.

this affair is slain, unless I find for myself some atrocious stratagem.
HEG. Follow. Here’s the man for you.

adi, atque adloquere. TYND. Quis homo

go, and address him. TYND.
Which man

540
est me hominum miserior?
ARISTOPHONTES Quid istuc est quod meos te dicam fugitare oculos, Tyndare,
proque ignoto me aspernari, quasi me numquam noveris?
equidem tam sum servos quam tu, etsi ego domi liber fui,
tu usque a puero servitutem servivisti in Alide.

540
is there anyone among men more wretched than I?
ARISTOPHONTES What is this, that I should say you are shunning my eyes, Tyndare,
and spurning me as a stranger, as if you had never known me?
For my part I am just as much a slave as you, though I was free at home,
while you ever since boyhood have served in servitude in Elis.

HEG. Edepol minime miror, si te fugitat aut oculos tuos,

HEG. By Pollux, I am by no means amazed, if he keeps fleeing you or your eyes,

545
aut si te odit, qui istum appelles Tyndarum pro Philocrate.
TYND. Hegio, hic homo rabiosus habitus est in Alide,
ne tu quod istic fabuletur auris immittas tuas.
nam istic hastis insectatus est domi matrem et patrem,
et illic isti qui insputatur morbus interdum venit.

545
or if he hates you, you who call this man “Tyndarus” in place of Philocrates.
TYND. Hegio, this man has been held rabid in Elis;
do not you lend your ears to what that fellow over there babbles.
For that fellow at home has chased with spears his mother and father,
and that disease which is spat upon comes to that man sometimes.

550
proin tu ab istoc procul recedas. HEG. Vltro istum a me. A. Ain, verbero?
me rabiosum atque insectatum esse hastis meum memoras patrem,
et eum morbum mi esse, ut qui me opus sit insputarier?

550
so you step back far from that fellow. HEG. Of my own accord, I’ll keep that one away from me. A. You say so, you whipping-post?
you mention that I am rabid and that my father was chased with spears,
and that I have that disease, such that I need to be spat upon?

HEG. Ne verere, multos iste morbus homines macerat,
quibus insputari saluti fuit atque is profuit.

HEG. Do not fear, that disease macerates many men,
for whom being spat upon was for health, and it profited.

555
ARIST. Quid tu autem? etiam huic credis? HEG. Quid ego credam huic?

555
ARIST. But what about you? Do you even believe this fellow? HEG. Why should I believe this man?

ARIST. Insanum esse me?
TYND. Viden tu hunc, quam inimico voltu intuetur? concedi optumumst,
Hegio: fit quod tibi ego dixi, gliscit rabies, cave tibi.
HEG. Credidi esse insanum extemplo, ubi te appellavit Tyndarum.

ARIST. That I am insane?
TYND. Do you see him, how with an inimical face he gazes? It’s best to withdraw, Hegio: what I told you is coming to pass; the rabies is waxing—beware for yourself.
HEG. I believed him to be insane straightway, when he addressed you as Tyndarus.

TYND. Quin suom ipse interdum ignorat nomen neque scit qui siet.

TYND. Nay, he himself sometimes is ignorant of his own name, nor knows who he is.

560
HEG. At etiam te suom sodalem esse aibat. TYND. Haud vidi magis.
et quidem Alcumeus atque Orestes et Lycurgus postea
una opera mihi sunt sodales qua iste.

560
HEG. But he was also saying that you were his comrade. TYND. Not in the least.
and indeed Alcmaeon and Orestes and Lycurgus, for that matter,
are just as much my comrades as that fellow is.

ARIST. At etiam, furcifer,
male loqui mi audes? non ego te novi? HEG. Pol planum id quidem est,
non novisse, qui istum appelles Tyndarum pro Philocrate.

ARIST. And moreover, gallows-bird, do you dare to speak ill to me? Do I not know you? HEG. By Pollux, that indeed is plain, that you do not know, you who call this fellow Tyndarus instead of Philocrates.

565
quem vides, eum ignoras: illum nominas quem non vides.
ARIST. Immo iste eum sese ait, qui non est, esse, et qui vero est, negat.
TYND. Tu enim repertu's, Philocratem qui superes veriverbio.

565
whom you see, him you ignore; him you name whom you do not see.
ARIST. Nay rather, this fellow says that he himself, who is not, is, and he denies that the one who truly is, is.
TYND. For you, indeed, have been found out—you who surpass Philocrates in word-quibbling.

ARIST. Pol ego ut rem video, tu inventu's, vera vanitudine
qui convincas. sed quaeso hercle, agedum aspice ad me. TYND. Em.

ARIST. By Pollux, as I see the matter, you are found out, who convict by true vanity;
but please, by Hercules, come now, look at me. TYND. There!

570
ARIST. Dic modo:
tun negas te Tyndarum esse? T. Nego, inquam. A. Tun te Philocratem
esse ais?

570
ARIST. Just say:
do you then deny that you are Tyndarus? T. I deny it, I say. A. Do you then say that you are Philocrates
?

TYND. Ego, inquam. ARIST. Tune huic credis? HEG. Plus quidem
quam tibi aut mihi.

TYND. I, I say. ARIST. Do you then believe him? HEG. More indeed
than you or me.

nam ille quidem, quem tu hunc memoras esse, hodie hinc abiit Alidem
ad patrem huius. ARIST. Quem patrem, qui servos est? T. Et tu quidem
servos es, liber fuisti, et ego me confido fore,

for that man indeed, whom you recall this man to be, today went away from here to Elis, to this man’s father. ARIST. What father, he who is a slave? T. And you indeed are a slave; you were free; and I am confident that I shall be,

575
si huius huc reconciliasso in libertatem filium.
ARIST. Quid ais, furcifer? tun te gnatum <esse> memoras liberum?

575
if I restore this man's son here to freedom.
ARIST. What are you saying, gallows-bird? Do you claim that you yourself were born free?

TYND. Non equidem me Liberum, sed Philocratem esse aio. A. Quid est?
ut scelestus, Hegio, nunc iste <te> ludos facit.

TYND. I, for my part, do not say that I am free, but that I am Philocrates. A. What is it? See how, Hegio, this scoundrel is now making sport of <you>.

nam is est servos ipse, neque praeter se umquam ei servos fuit.

for he himself is a slave, and apart from himself he has never had a slave.

580
TYND. Quia tute ipse eges in patria nec tibi qui vivas domist,
omnis inveniri similis tui vis; non mirum facis:
est miserorum, ut malevolentes sint atque invideant bonis.
ARIST. Hegio, vide sis, ne quid tu huic temere insistas credere.
atque, ut perspicio, profecto iam aliquid pugnae edidit.

580
TYND. Because you yourself are needy in your fatherland, nor have you at home anyone for whom to live,
you want everyone to be found like yourself; you do nothing marvelous:
it is of the wretched, that they be malevolent and envy the good.
ARIST. Hegio, see, please, that you do not rashly persist in believing this fellow.
and, as I perceive, assuredly he has already put on some bit of a fight.

585
filium tuom quod redimere se ait, id ne utiquam mihi placet.
TYND. Scio te id nolle fieri; efficiam tamen ego id, si di adiuvant.
illum restituam huic, hic autem in Alidem me meo patri.

585
that he says he will ransom your son—that by no means pleases me.
TYND. I know you do not want that done; nevertheless I will effect it, if the gods aid.
I will restore that one to this man, and this one, for his part, will take me to Elis, to my father.

propterea ad patrem hinc amisi Tyndarum. ARIST. Quin tute is es:
neque praeter te in Alide ullus servos istoc nominest.

therefore I sent Tyndarus from here to my father. ARIST. Why, you yourself are he:
nor, besides you, in Elis is any slave by that name.

590
TYND. Pergin servom me exprobrare esse, id quod vi hostili optigit?
ARIST. Enim iam nequeo contineri. T. Heus, audin quid ait?

590
TYND. Do you persist in reproaching me for being a slave—something that befell by hostile force?
ARIST. For indeed now I cannot be contained. T. Hey, do you hear what he says?

quin fugis?
iam illic hic nos insectabit lapidibus, nisi illunc iubes
comprehendi. ARIST. Crucior.

why don’t you flee?
right now that fellow here will harry us with stones, unless you order that one
to be apprehended. ARIST. I am excruciated.

TYND. Ardent oculi: fit opus, Hegio;
viden tu illi maculari corpus totum maculis luridis?

TYND. The eyes burn: there is need, Hegio;
do you see his whole body maculated with livid spots?

595
atra bilis agitat hominem. ARIST. At pol te, si hic sapiat senex,
pix atra agitet apud carnificem tuoque capiti inluceat.
TYND. Iam deliramenta loquitur, laruae stimulant virum.

595
black bile agitates the man. ARIST. But by Pollux, as for you, if this old man be wise,
may black pitch torment you at the executioner’s, and blaze upon your head.
TYND. Now he speaks delirium; specters goad the man.

hercle qui, si hunc comprehendi iusseris, sapias magis.
ARIST. Crucior, lapidem non habere me, ut illi mastigiae

by Hercules indeed, if you order this man to be apprehended, you would be wiser.
ARIST. I am in torment that I do not have a stone, so that to that whip-worthy rascal

600
cerebrum excutiam, qui me insanum verbis concinnat suis.
TYND. Audin lapidem quaeritare? ARIST. Solus te solum volo,
Hegio.

600
I’ll shake his brain out, he who makes me insane with his words.
TYND. Do you hear him looking for a stone? ARIST. You alone I alone want,
Hegio.

HEG. Istinc loquere, si quid vis, procul. tamen audiam.
TYND. Namque edepol si adbites propius, os denasabit tibi
mordicus.

HEG. Speak from there, if you want anything, from afar; nevertheless I will hear.
TYND. For indeed, by Pollux, if you come nearer, he will bite your nose off
with his teeth.

ARIST. Neque pol me insanum, Hegio, esse creduis

ARIST. Nor, by Pollux, do you believe me insane, Hegio

605
neque fuisse umquam, neque esse morbum quem istic autumat.
verum si quid metuis a me, iube me vinciri: volo,
dum istic itidem vinciatur. TYND. Immo enim vero, Hegio,
istic, qui volt, vinciatur.

605
that there has neither ever been, nor is there, any malady which that fellow there avers.
But if you fear anything from me, order me to be bound: I am willing,
provided that that fellow there likewise be bound. TYND. Nay indeed, Hegio,
let that fellow there, whoever wishes, be bound.

ARIST. Tace modo. ego te, Philocrates
false, faciam ut verus hodie reperiare Tyndarus.

ARIST. Hush now. I will make you, Philocrates, false,
so that today you may be found the true Tyndarus.

610
quid mi abnutas? TYND. Tibi ego abnuto? A. Quid agat, si absis longius?

610
why do you refuse me? TYND. Do I refuse you? A. What is he to do, if you are farther away?

HEG. Quid ais? quid si adeam hunc insanum? TYND. Nugas.

HEG. What do you say? what if I go to this insane man? TYND. Nonsense.

ludificabitur,
garriet quoi neque pes umquam neque caput compareat.
ornamenta absunt: Aiacem, hunc cum vides, ipsum vides.

he will be made a laughing-stock,
he will gabble what will never have foot nor head appear.
the ornaments are absent: Ajax—when you see this man, you see the man himself.

615
HEG. Nihili facio. tamen adibo. TYND. Nunc ego omnino occidi,
nunc ego inter sacrum saxumque sto, nec quid faciam scio.

615
HEG. I make nothing of it. nevertheless I will approach. TYND. Now I am utterly slain,
now I stand between the altar and the stone, nor do I know what I should do.

HEG. Do tibi operam, Aristophontes, si quid est quod me velis.
ARIST. Ex me audibis vera quae nunc falsa opinare, Hegio.
sed hoc primum, me expurigare tibi volo, me insaniam

HEG. I give you my attention, Aristophontes, if there is anything you want of me.
ARIST. From me you will hear truths which now you suppose false, Hegio.
but this first: I want to clear myself to you, that I am insane

620
neque tenere neque mi esse ullum morbum, nisi quod servio.
at ita me rex deorum atque hominum faxit patriae compotem,
ut istic Philocrates non magis est quam aut ego aut tu. H. Eho dic mihi,
quis illic igitur est? ARIST. Quem dudum dixi a principio tibi.

620
that I neither am out of my senses nor have any disease, except that I serve (am in servitude).
but so may the king of gods and men make me a partaker of my fatherland,
that that fellow there is no more Philocrates than either I or you. H. Hey tell me,
who then is he there? ARIST. The one whom I told you a little while ago from the beginning.

hoc si secus reperies, nullam causam dico quin mihi

if you find this otherwise, I say there is no cause why for me

625
et parentum et libertatis apud te deliquio siet.
H. Quid tu ais? T. Me tuom esse servom et te meum erum.

625
and let both my parents and my liberty be forfeit to you.
H. What do you say? T. That I am your slave and you my master.

H. Haud istuc rogo.
fuistin liber? TYND. Fui.

H. I do not ask that.
were you free? TYND. I was.

ARIST. Enim vero non fuit, nugas agit.
TYND. Qui tu scis? an tu fortasse fuisti meae matri obstetrix,
qui id tam audacter dicere audes?

ARIST. Indeed, truly, he was not; he talks nonsense.
TYND. How do you know? Or were you perhaps my mother’s midwife,
that you dare to say that so boldly?

ARIST. Puerum te vidi puer.

ARIST. I saw you as a boy, boy.

630
TYND. At ego te video maior maiorem: em rursum tibi.
meam rem non cures, si recte facias. num ego curo tuam?

630
TYND. But I see you, elder, the elder: there, back at you.
Do not care for my affair, if you would do rightly. Do I care for yours?

HEG. Fuitne huic pater Thensaurochrysonicochrysides?
ARIST. Non fuit, neque ego istuc nomen umquam audivi ante hunc diem.
Philocrati Theodoromedes fuit pater.

HEG. Was this man’s father Thensaurochrysonicochrysides?
ARIST. He was not, nor have I ever heard that name before this day.
Theodoromedes was Philocrates’ father.

TYND. Pereo probe.

TYND. I perish, good and proper.

635
quin quiescis? <i> dierectum cor meum, ac suspende te.
tu sussultas, ego miser vix asto prae formidine.
HEG. Satin istuc mihi exquisitum est, fuisse hunc servom in Alide
neque esse hunc Philocratem?

635
why don’t you be quiet? <i> my heart is set straight, and hold yourself up.
you keep shuddering; I, poor wretch, scarcely stand for dread.
HEG. Is that sufficiently ascertained for me, that this fellow was a slave in Elis
and that this man is not Philocrates?

A. Tam satis quam numquam hoc invenies secus.
sed ubi is nunc est? HEG. Vbi ego minime atque ipsus se volt maxume.

A. Quite enough, as you will never find this otherwise.
but where is he now? HEG. Where I least would have it, and where he himself most wishes to be.

640
sed vide sis. ARIST. Quin exploratum dico et provisum hoc tibi.

640
but look, please. ARIST. Indeed, I say this has been ascertained and seen to for you.

643
HEG. Certon? ARIST. Quin nihil, inquam, invenies magis hoc certo certius.
Philocrates iam inde usque amicus fuit mihi a puero puer.

643
HEG. For certain? ARIST. Why, nothing, I say, will you find more certain than this, more certain than certain.
Philocrates has been my friend from way back—my boyhood friend since I was a boy.

HEG. Tum igitur ego deruncinatus, deartuatus sum miser

HEG. Then therefore I, poor wretch, was planed down, disjointed

641
huius scelesti techinis, qui me ut lubitum est ductavit dolis.
sed qua faciest tuos sodalis Philocrates? ARIST. Dicam tibi:

641
by the machinations of this wicked man, who led me as it pleased him by deceits.
but what in appearance is your comrade Philocrates? ARIST. I will tell you:

646
macilento ore, naso acuto, corpore albo, oculis nigris,
subrufus aliquantum, crispus, cincinnatus. HEG. Convenit.
TYND. Vt quidem hercle in medium ego hodie pessume processerim.

646
with a gaunt face, a sharp nose, a white body, black eyes,
somewhat reddish, crisp, curly, ringleted. HEG. It matches.
TYND. How indeed, by Hercules, I have come forth into the midst most badly today.

vae illis virgis miseris, quae hodie in tergo morientur meo.

Woe to those wretched rods, which today will die on my back.

650
HEG. Verba mihi data esse video. TYND. Quid cessatis, compedes,
currere ad me meaque amplecti crura, ut vos custodiam?
HEG. Satin med illi hodie scelesti capti ceperunt dolo?

650
HEG. I see that words have been given to me. TYND. Why do you delay, shackles, to run to me and embrace my legs, so that I may guard you?
HEG. Have, then, those wicked captives today captured me by a trick?

illic servom se assimulabat, hic sese autem liberum.
nuculeum amisi, retinui pignori putamina.

there he was pretending to be a slave, here, however, to be a free man.
I have lost the kernel; I have kept the shells as a pledge.

655
ita mihi stolido sursum versum os sublevere offuciis.
hic quidem me numquam irridebit. Colaphe, Cordalio, Corax,
ite istinc, ecferte lora.

655
so for me, the stolid one, they lifted my upturned face with their shams.
this fellow at least will never deride me. Colaphe, Cordalio, Corax,
go from there, bring out the straps.

III.v
COLAPHVS Num lignatum mittimur?
HEG. Inicite huic manicas *** mastigiae.
TYND. Quid hoc est negoti?

3.5
COLAPHUS Are we being sent to get firewood?
HEG. Put manacles *** on this scoundrel.
TYND. What is this business?

quid ego deliqui? HEG. Rogas,

What delinquency have I committed? HEG. You ask,

660
sator sartorque scelerum, et messor maxume?
TYND. Non occatorem dicere audebas prius?
nam semper occant prius quam sariunt rustici.

660
sower and weeder of crimes, and greatest reaper?
TYND. You didn’t dare to say “harrower” first?
for rustics always harrow before they weed.

HEG. At ut confidenter *** mihi contra astitit.
TYND. Decet innocentem servom atque innoxium

HEG. But how confidently *** stood facing me.
TYND. It befits an innocent servant and an innoxious one

665
confidentem esse, suom apud erum potissimum.
HEG. Adstringite isti sultis vehementer manus.
TYND. Tuos sum, tu has quidem vel praecidi iube.

665
to be confident, most of all before his own master.
HEG. Bind that fellow’s hands very tightly, if you will.
TYND. I am yours; do you indeed even order these to be cut off.

sed quid negoti est, quam ob rem suscenses mihi?
HEG. Quia me meamque rem, quod in te uno fuit,

but what business is it, for what reason are you angry at me?
HEG. Because me and my business, so far as it lay in you alone,

670
tuis scelestis falsidicis fallaciis
deartuasti dilaceravisti atque opes
confecisti omnes, res ac rationes meas:
ita mi exemisti Philocratem fallaciis.
illum esse servom credidi, te liberum;

670
by your wicked, lying fallacies
you have disjointed, torn to pieces, and used up
all my resources, my affairs and accounts:
so by fallacies you have taken Philocrates away from me.
I believed that man to be a slave, you a free man;

675
ita vosmet aiebatis itaque nomina
inter vos permutastis. TYND. Fateor, omnia
facta esse ita ut <tu> dicis, et fallaciis
abiisse eum abs te mea opera atque astutia;
an, obsecro hercle te, id nunc suscenses mihi?

675
so you yourselves were saying, and thus you interchanged names among yourselves.
TYND. I confess, all has been done just as you say, and by deceits
he has gotten away from you through my effort and astuteness;
or, I beseech you by Hercules, are you now angry with me for that?

680
HEG. At cum cruciatu maxumo id factumst tuo.
TYND. Dum ne ob male facta, peream, parvi aestumo.
si ego hic peribo, ast ille ut dixit non redit,
at erit mi hoc factum mortuo memorabile,
<me> meum erum captum ex servitute atque hostibus

680
HEG. But it was done with your greatest torment.
TYND. So long as I do not perish on account of ill-deeds, I reckon it of little account.
if I perish here, but he, as he said, does not return,
yet this deed will be memorable to me when dead,
<me> I rescued my master, captured, from servitude and from the enemies

685
reducem fecisse liberum in patriam ad patrem,
meumque potius me caput periculo
praeoptavisse, quam is periret, ponere.
HEG. Facito ergo ut Acherunti clueas gloria.
TYND. Qui per virtutem, periit, at non interit.

685
to have made him, brought back and free, into his fatherland to his father,
and that I preferred rather to set my own head to peril
than that he should perish, to stake it.
HEG. Then make it so that you be renowned with glory in Acheron.
TYND. He who through virtue has perished has perished, yet does not perish.

690
HEG. Quando ego te exemplis pessumis cruciavero
atque ob sutelas tuas te morti misero,
vel te interiisse vel periisse praedicent;
dum pereas, nihil intererit: dicant vivere.
TYND. Pol si istuc faxis, haud sine poena feceris,

690
HEG. When I have excruciated you with the worst torments and, for your stitch‑ups, sent you to death,
let them proclaim either that you have gone to ruin or perished;
so long as you perish, it will not matter: let them say you live.
TYND. By Pollux, if you do that, you will not have done it without penalty,

695
si ille huc rebitet, sicut confido affore.
ARIST. Pro di immortales, nunc ego teneo, nunc scio
quid hoc sit negoti. meus sodalis Philocrates
in libertate est ad patrem in patria.

695
if he returns back here, as I am confident he will be present.
ARIST. O immortal gods, now I grasp it, now I know
what this business is: my comrade Philocrates
is at liberty, gone to his father in the fatherland.

bene est,
nec quisquam est mihi, aeque melius cui velim.

it is well,
nor is there anyone for me to whom I would wish equally well.

700
sed hoc mihi aegre est, me huic dedisse operam malam,
qui nunc propter me meaque verba vinctus est.
HEG. Votuin te quicquam mi hodie falsum proloqui?
TYND. Votuisti.

700
but this is grievous to me, that I have rendered this man ill service,
who now on account of me and my words is bound.
HEG. Did you vow to me today to utter anything false?
TYND. You vowed.

HEG. Cur es ausus mentiri mihi?
TYND. Quia vera obessent illi quoi operam dabam:

HEG. Why have you dared to lie to me?
TYND. Because the truths would harm him to whom I was giving my service:

705
nunc falsa prosunt. HEG. At tibi oberunt. TYND. Optumest.

705
now falsehoods are useful. HEG. But they will harm you. TYND. That’s best.

at erum servavi, quem servatum gaudeo,
cui me custodem addiderat erus maior meus.
sed malene id factum arbitrare? HEG. Pessume.

but I preserved the master, whom preserved I rejoice,
to whom my elder master had assigned me as custodian.
but do you reckon that done ill? HEG. Most badly.

TYND. At ego aio recte, qui abs te sorsum sentio.

TYND. But I say rightly, since I think apart from you.

710
nam cogitato, si quis hoc gnato tuo
tuos servos faxit, qualem haberes gratiam?
emitteresne necne eum servom manu?
essetne apud te is servos acceptissimus?

710
for consider, if any one of your slaves were to do this for your son,
what gratitude would you have? would you manumit that slave or not?
would that slave be most acceptable with you?

responde. HEG. Opinor. TYND. Cur ergo iratus mihi es?

answer. HEG. I think so. TYND. Why then are you angry with me?

715
HEG. Quia illi fuisti quam mihi fidelior.
TYND. Quid? tu una nocte postulavisti et die
recens captum hominem, nuperum novicium,
te perdocere ut melius consulerem tibi,
quam illi, quicum una <a> puero aetatem exegeram?

715
HEG. Because you were more faithful to him than to me.
TYND. What? Did you, in a single night and day,
demand that a man freshly captured, a recent novice,
be thoroughly taught by me so that I might look out better for you
than for him with whom I had spent my life together from boyhood?

720
HEG. Ergo ab eo petito gratiam istam. ducite,
ubi ponderosas crassas capiat compedes.
inde ibis porro in latomias lapidarias.

720
HEG. Therefore ask that favor from him. Lead him,
where he may take on ponderous, thick fetters.
From there you will go on into the lapidary stone-quarries.

ibi quom alii octonos lapides effodiunt, nisi
cotidiano sesquiopus confeceris,

there, when others dig out eight stones, unless
you complete a daily task-and-a-half,

725
Sescentoplago nomen indetur tibi.
ARIST. Per deos atque homines ego te obtestor, Hegio,
ne tu istunc hominem perduis. HEG. Curabitur;
nam noctu nervo vinctus custodibitur,
interdius sub terra lapides eximet:

725
The name Six-Hundred-Lashes will be assigned to you.
ARIST. By gods and men I adjure you, Hegio,
do not destroy that man. HEG. It will be attended to;
for by night, bound in the shackle, he will be kept under guard,
by day he will extract stones underground:

730
diu ego hunc cruciabo, non uno absolvam die.
ARIST. Certumne est tibi istuc? HEG. Non moriri certius.

730
for a long time I will torture this man; I will not finish in one day.
ARIST. Are you sure of that? HEG. Not even dying is more certain.

abducite istum actutum ad Hippolytum fabrum,
iubete huic crassas compedes impingier;
inde extra portam ad meum libertum Cordalum

lead this man off straightaway to Hippolytus the smith,
order thick fetters to be clapped onto him;
then from there, outside the gate, to my freedman Cordalus

735
in lapicidinas facite deductus siet:
atque hunc me velle dicite ita curarier,
ne qui deterius huic sit quam cui pessume est.
TYND. Cur ego te invito me esse salvom postulem?
periclum vitae meae tuo stat periculo.

735
see to it he is led down into the stone-quarries:
and say that I want this man to be handled thus,
that it not be worse for him than for him to whom it is worst.
TYND. Why should I, you being unwilling, demand that I be safe?
the peril of my life stands upon your peril.

740
post mortem in morte nihil est quod metuam mali.
etsi pervivo usque ad summam aetatem, tamen
breve spatium est perferundi quae minitas mihi.
vale atque salve, etsi aliter ut dicam meres.
tu, Aristophontes, de me ut meruisti, ita vale;

740
after death, in death there is nothing of evil that I should fear.
even if I live on right up to the highest age, nevertheless
there is a brief span for bearing what you menace me with.
farewell and hail, though you deserve that I speak otherwise.
you, Aristophontes, as you have deserved from me, so fare;

745
nam mihi propter te hoc optigit. HEG. Abducite.
TYND. At unum hoc quaeso, si huc rebitet Philocrates,
ut mi eius facias conveniundi copiam.

745
for on account of you this has befallen me. HEG. Lead him away.
TYND. But this one thing I beg, if Philocrates comes back here,
that you afford me the opportunity of convening with him.

HEG. Periistis, nisi hunc iam e conspectu abducitis.
TYND. Vis haec quidem hercle est, et trahi et trudi simul.—

HEG. You are finished, unless you at once lead this man away from my sight.
TYND. This indeed, by Hercules, is violence—to be both dragged and shoved at the same time.—

750
HEG. Illic est abductus recta in phylacam, ut dignus est.
ego illis captivis aliis documentum dabo,
ne tale quisquam facinus incipere audeat.
quod absque hoc esset, qui mihi hoc fecit palam,
usque offrenatum suis me ductarent dolis.

750
HEG. There he has been led off straight into the guardhouse, as he deserves.
I will give those other captives a document—a lesson—
so that no one may dare to begin such a deed.
But for this—he who did this to me openly—
they would keep on leading me, bridled, by their own wiles.

755
nunc certum est nulli posthac quicquam credere.
satis sum semel deceptus. speravi miser
ex servitute me exemisse filium:
ea spes elapsa est. perdidi unum filium,
puerum quadrimum quem mihi servos surpuit,

755
now it is certain to trust no one with anything hereafter.
I have been enough once deceived. Wretched, I hoped
that I had redeemed my son out of servitude:
that hope has slipped away. I have lost one son,
a four-year-old boy whom a slave stole from me,

760
neque eum servom umquam repperi neque filium;
maior potitus hostium est. quod hoc est scelus?
quasi in orbitatem liberos produxerim.

760
nor have I ever found either that slave or the son;
the elder has fallen into the enemies’ power. what wickedness is this?
as though I had brought forth children into orphanhood.

sequere hac. reducam te ubi fuisti. neminis
miserere certum est, quia mei miseret neminem.—

Follow this way. I will lead you back where you were. No one
will I pity, it is certain, since no one pities me.—

765
ARIST. Exauspicavi ex vinclis. nunc intellego
redauspicandum esse in catenas denuo.—

765
ARIST. I have auspicated out from shackles. Now I understand
it must be re-auspicated into chains anew.—

ACTVS IV

ACT 4

IV.i
ERGASILVS Iuppiter supreme, servas me measque auges opes,
maximas opimitates opiparasque offers mihi,
laudem lucrum, ludum iocum, festivitatem ferias,

IV.i
ERGASILVS Jupiter supreme, you preserve me and you increase my wealth,
you offer me the greatest rich bounties and sumptuous plenty,
laud and lucre, sport and joke, festivity and holidays,

770
pompam penum, potationis saturitatem, gaudium,
nec cuiquam homini supplicare *** nunc certum est mihi;
nam vel prodesse amico possum vel inimicum perdere,
ita hic me amoenitate amoena amoenus oneravit dies.
sine sacris hereditatem sum aptus effertissimam.

770
a pomp of provisions, a saturation of potation, joy,
nor to supplicate to any man *** now it is resolved for me;
for I can either profit a friend or destroy an enemy,
thus this pleasant day has pleasantly loaded me with pleasant pleasantness.
without sacred rites I am apt for an inheritance crammed to the brim.

775
nunc ad senem cursum capessam hunc Hegionem, cui boni
tantum affero quantum ipsus a dis optat, atque etiam amplius.
nunc certa res est, eodem pacto ut comici servi solent
coniciam in collum pallium, primo ex med hanc rem ut audiat;
speroque me ob hunc nuntium aeternum adepturum cibum.

775
now let me take up my course to the old man, this Hegio, to whom of good
I bring as much as he himself desires from the gods, and even ampler.
now the matter is certain: in the same fashion as comic slaves are wont
I will fling the pallium round my neck, so that first he may hear this matter from me;
and I hope that on account of this message I shall obtain eternal food.

780

IV.ii
HEGIO Quanto in pectore hanc rem meo magis voluto,
tanto mi aegritudo auctior est in animo.
ad illum modum sublitum os esse mi hodie!
neque id perspicere quivi.

4.2
HEGIO The more I revolve this matter in my breast,
so much the more is my distress augmented in my mind.
To that degree my face today has been smeared!
nor could I perceive that.

quod cum scibitur, <tum> per urbem inridebor.

which, when it is known, <then> through the city I shall be derided.

785
cum extemplo ad forum advenero, omnes loquentur:
'hic illest senex doctus, quoi verba data sunt.'
sed Ergasilus estne hic, procul quem video?
conlecto quidem est pallio. quidnam acturust?

785
when at once I shall have come to the forum, all will speak:
'here he is, that learned old man, to whom words were given.'
but is Ergasilus here, whom I see from afar?
he is indeed gathered up in his cloak. what is he about to do?

ERG. Move aps te moram atque, Ergasile, age hanc rem.

ERG. Remove delay from yourself, and, Ergasilus, do this business.

790
eminor interminorque, ne mi obstiterit obviam
nisi quis satis diu vixisse sese homo arbitrabitur.
nam qui obstiterit, ore sistet. HEG. Hic homo pugilatum incipit.

790
I threaten and threaten again, let no one stand in my way to meet me
unless some man judges that he has lived long enough.
for whoever blocks me will be stopped short by his mouth. HEG. This man is starting a boxing match.

ERG. Facere certumst. proinde ita omnes itinera insistant sua,
ne quis in hanc plateam negoti conferat quicquam sui.

ERG. I am determined to do it. Accordingly, let everyone keep to his own routes,
so that no one bring anything of his business into this street.

795
nam meus est ballista pugnus, cubitus catapultast mihi,
umerus aries, tum genu quemque icero ad terram dabo,
dentilegos omnes mortales faciam, quemque offendero.
HEG. Quae illaec eminatiost nam? nequeo mirari satis.

795
for my fist is a ballista, my elbow is a catapult to me,
my shoulder a battering-ram; then with my knee I will strike each and cast him to the ground,
I will make all mortals tooth-gatherers, whoever I run into.
HEG. What is that menacing, then? I cannot marvel enough.

ERG. Faciam ut huius diei locique meique semper meminerit.

ERG. I will make it so that he always remembers this day and place and me.

800
[Qui mihi in cursu opstiterit, faxo vitae is extemplo opstiterit suae.]
HEG. Quid hic homo tantum incipissit facere cum tantis minis?
ERG. Prius edico, ne quis propter culpam capiatur suam:
continete vos domi, prohibete a vobis vim meam.
HEG. Mira edepol sunt, ni hic in ventrem sumpsit confidentiam.

800
[Whoever has stood in my course, I will see to it that he has at once stood in the way of his own life.]
HEG. What is this man beginning to do with such great menaces?
ERG. First I proclaim, lest anyone be seized on account of his own fault:
keep yourselves at home, ward off my force from yourselves.
HEG. By Pollux, these things are wondrous, unless this fellow has taken confidence into his belly.

805
vae misero illi, cuius cibo iste factust imperiosior.
ERG. Tum pistores scrofipasci, qui alunt furfuribus sues,
quarum odore praeterire nemo pistrinum potest:
eorum si quoiusquam scrofam in publico conspexero,
ex ipsis dominis meis pugnis exculcabo furfures.

805
woe to that poor wretch, by whose food this fellow has been made more imperious.
ERG. Then the bakers, the sow-feeders, who nourish their pigs with bran,
by whose smell no one can pass the bakehouse:
if I catch sight of any one of theirs’ sow in public,
out of the masters themselves I will beat the bran with my fists.

810
HEG. Basilicas edictiones atque imperiosas habet:
satur homost, habet profecto in ventre confidentiam.
ERG. Tum piscatores, qui praebent populo pisces foetidos,
qui advehuntur quadrupedanti crucianti cantherio,
quorum odos subbasilicanos omnes abigit in forum,

810
HEG. He has basilican and imperious edicts:
he’s sated, the man is; he truly has confidence in his belly.
ERG. Then the fishermen, who furnish the people with fetid fish,
which are carried in by a quadrupedally-plodding, tormenting nag,
whose odor drives all the sub-basilicans into the forum,

815
eis ego ora verberabo surpiculis piscariis,
ut sciant, alieno naso quam exhibeant molestiam.
tum lanii autem, qui concinnant liberis orbas oves,
qui locant caedundos agnos et duplam agninam danunt,
qui petroni nomen indunt verveci sectario,

815
I will beat their faces with fishmongers’ little skewers,
so that they may know what annoyance they exhibit to another man’s nose.
then the butchers, moreover, who make ewes bereft of their offspring,
who contract out lambs to be slaughtered and dole out double lamb-meat,
who put the Petron name upon a cut-up wether,

820
eum ego si in via petronem publica conspexero,
et petronem et dominum reddam mortales miserrumos.
HEG. Eugepae, edictiones aedilicias hic quidem habet,
mirumque adeost ni hunc fecere sibi Aetoli agoranomum.
ERG. Non ego nunc parasitus sum, sed regum rex regalior,

820
If I catch sight of that Petron on the public street,
I will render both Petron and his master the most miserable mortals.
HEG. Bravo! this fellow has aedilician edicts,
and it’s downright a wonder if the Aetolians haven’t made him their agoranomos.
ERG. I am not now a parasite, but a king of kings, more regal,

825
tantus ventri commeatus meo adest in portu cibus.
sed ego cesso hunc Hegionem onerare laetitia senem,
quo homine <hominum> adaeque nemo vivit fortunatior?
HEG. Quae illaec est laetitia, quam illic laetus largitur mihi?

825
such a convoy of provisions for my belly is at port—food.
but am I delaying to load this old man Hegio with joy,
than whom among men no one lives equally more fortunate?
HEG. What is that joy, which that fellow there, joyful, is lavishing upon me?

ERG. Heus ubi estis? ecquis <hic est? ecquis> hoc aperit ostium?

ERG. Hey, where are you? Is anyone <here? is anyone> opening this
door?

830
H. Hic homo ad cenam recipit se ad me. E. Aperite hasce ambas fores
prius quam pultando assulatim foribus exitium adfero.
H. Perlubet hunc hominem colloqui. Ergasile.

830
H. This man takes himself to dinner with me. E. Open these both doors
before, by pounding, I bring destruction to the doors into splinters.
H. It is most pleasing to talk with this man. Ergasilus.

E. Ergasilum qui vocat?
HEG. Respice. ERG. Fortuna quod tibi nec facit nec faciet, me iubes.

E. Who calls Ergasilus?
HEG. Look back. ERG. You bid me to do what Fortune neither does nor will do for you.

sed quis est? HEG. Respice ad me, Hegio sum. ERG. Oh mihi,

but who is it? HEG. Look at me, I am Hegio. ERG. Oh, me,

835
quantum est hominum optumorum optume, in tempore advenis.
HEG. Nescio quem ad portum nactus es ubi cenes, eo fastidis.
E. Cedo manum.

835
Best of the best of men, you arrive in time.
HEG. I don’t know to what port you have chanced, to dine there, that you disdain this one.
E. Give me your hand.

H. Manum? E. Manum, inquam, cedo tuam actutum. HEG. Tene.

H. The hand? E. The hand, I say, give me your
hand at once. HEG. Take it.

E. Gaude. H. Quid ego gaudeam? E. Quia ego impero, age gaude modo.

E. Rejoice. H. Why should I rejoice? E. Because I command it, come, just rejoice.

HEG. Pol maerores mi antevortunt gaudiis. ERG. [Noli irascier]

HEG. By Pollux, my sorrows anticipate my joys. ERG. [Do not be angry]

840
iam ego ex corpore exigam omnis maculas maerorum tibi.
gaude audacter. HEG. Gaudeo, etsi nil scio quod gaudeam.

840
now I will drive out from your body all the stains of sorrows for you.
rejoice boldly. HEG. I rejoice, although I know nothing at which to rejoice.

ERG. Bene facis. Iube—HEG. Quid iubeam? E. Ignem ingentem fieri.

ERG. You do well. Order—HEG. What should I order? E. That an immense fire be made.

H. Ignem ingentem? E. Ita dico, magnus ut sit. H. Quid?

H. A huge fire? E. So I say, that it be great. H.
What?

me, volturi,
tuan causa aedis incensurum censes? ERG. Noli irascier.

me, vulture,
do you suppose that for your sake I would set a house on fire? ERG. Do not be angry.

845
iuben an non iubes astitui aulas, patinas elui,
~ laridum atque epulas foveri foculis ferventibus?
alium pisces praestinatum abire? HEG. Hic vigilans somniat.

845
Do you order or do you not order that the pots be set in place, the dishes rinsed,
~ that bacon and banquets be kept warm on seething little hearths?
that another go off to secure fish in advance? HEG. This man, awake, dreams.

ERG. Alium porcinam atque agninam et pullos gallinaceos?
HEG. Scis bene esse, si sit unde. ERG. ~ Pernam atque ophthalmiam,

ERG. Anything else—pork and lamb and chickens?
HEG. You know living well is good, if there’s the means. ERG. ~ Ham and ophthalmia,

850
horaeum, scombrum et trygonum et cetum, et mollem caseum?
HEG. Nominandi istorum tibi erit magis quam edundi copia
hic apud me, Ergasile. ERG. Mean me causa hoc censes dicere?

850
halec, mackerel and trigone (stingray) and whale, and soft cheese?
HEG. You will have more supply for naming those than for eating them
here at my place, Ergasilus. ERG. Do you think you say this on my account?

HEG. Nec nihil hodie nec multo plus tu hic edes, ne frustra sis.
proin tu tui cottidiani victi ventrem ad me afferas.

HEG. Neither nothing today nor much more will you eat here, lest you be here to no purpose.
accordingly bring your belly to me for your quotidian victual.

855
ERG. Quin ita faciam, ut <tu>te cupias facere sumptum, etsi ego vetem.
H. Egone? E. Tune.

855
ERG. Why, I will do it in such a way that you yourself will desire to make the expense, even if I veto it.
H. I? E. You.

H. Tum tu mi igitur erus es. E. Immo benevolens.
vin te faciam fortunatum? HEG. Malim quam miserum quidem.

H. Then you are my master, then. E. Nay rather, benevolent.
Do you want me to make you fortunate? HEG. I’d prefer that to being miserable, indeed.

E. Cedo manum. H. Em manum. E. Di te omnes adiuvant.

E. Give me your hand. H. Here’s my hand. E. May all the gods aid you.

H. Nil sentio.
ERG. Non enim es in senticeto, eo non sentis. sed iube

H. I feel nothing.
ERG. For you are not in a bramble-patch; that’s why you don’t “feel.” But give the order

860
vasa tibi pura apparari ad rem divinam cito,
atque agnum afferri proprium pinguem. HEG. Cur? ERG. Vt sacrufices.

860
let pure vessels be prepared for you quickly for the divine rite,
and that a proper fat lamb be brought. HEG. Why? ERG. So that you may sacrifice.

H. Cui deorum? E. Mi hercle, nam ego nunc tibi sum summus Iuppiter,
idem ego sum Salus, Fortuna, Lux, Laetitia, Gaudium.
proin tu deum hunc saturitate facias tranquillum tibi.

H. To which of the gods? E. By Hercules, my dear, for I am now for you the supreme Jupiter,
likewise I am Salus, Fortune, Light, Laetitia, Gaudium.
accordingly make this god tranquil for yourself by satiety.

865
HEG. Esurire mihi videre. ERG. Mi quidem esurio, non tibi.
HEG. Tuo arbitratu, facile patior.

865
HEG. You seem to me to be hungry. ERG. Indeed, I am hungry myself, not you.
HEG. At your arbitration, I easily endure it.

ERG. Credo, consuetu's puer.
HEG. Iuppiter te dique perdant. E. Te hercle—mi aequom est gratias
agere ob nuntium; tantum ego nunc porto a portu tibi boni:
nunc tu mihi places.

ERG. I believe it, you’re accustomed, boy.
HEG. May Jupiter and the gods destroy you. E. You—by Hercules— it is fair for me to give thanks for the message; so much good I now carry to you from the port: now you please me.

HEG. Abi, stultu's, sero post tempus venis.

HEG. Be off, you're a fool; you come late, after the time.

870
ERG. Igitur olim si advenissem, magis tu tum istuc diceres;
nunc hanc laetitiam accipe a me, quam fero. nam filium
tuom modo in portu Philopolemum vivom, salvom et sospitem
vidi in publica celoce, ibidemque illum adulescentulum
Aleum una et tuom Stalagmum servom, qui aufugit domo,

870
ERG. Therefore, if I had arrived earlier, you would be saying that all the more then;
now receive from me this gladness which I bring. For your son
Philopolemus I just saw in the harbor, alive, safe and sound,
on a public dispatch-boat, and in the same place that adolescent
Aleus along with him, and your slave Stalagmus, who ran away from home,

875
qui tibi surripuit quadrimum puerum filiolum tuom.
HEG. Abi in malam rem, ludis me. ERG. Ita me amabit sancta Saturitas,
Hegio, itaque suo me semper condecoret cognomine,
ut ego vidi. H. Meum gnatum?

875
who surreptitiously stole from you your four-year-old boy, your little son.
HEG. Go to the bad place, you’re mocking me. ERG. So may holy Satiety love me,
Hegio, and so may she always honor me with her own cognomen,
that I saw him. H. My son?

E. Tuom gnatum et genium meum.
H. Et captivom illum Alidensem? E. Ma ton Apollon.

E. Your son—and my good Genius.
H. And that Elean captive? E. By Lord Apollo.

H. Et servolum

H. And the little slave-boy

880
meum Stalagmum, meum qui gnatum surripuit? ERG. Nai tan Koran.

880
my Stalagmus, the one who surreptitiously stole my son? ERG. Yes, by the Maiden.

H. Iam credo? E. Nai tan Prainesten. H. Venit?

H. Now I believe? E. Yes, by Praeneste. H. Has he come?

E.Nai tan Signian.
H. Certon? E. Nai ton Phrousinona.

E. Yes, by the Signian.
H. Surely? E. Yes, by the Frusino.

H. Vide sis. E. Nai ton Alatrion.
HEG. Quid tu per barbaricas urbes iuras?

H. Look, please. E. Yes, by Alatrium.
HEG. Why do you swear by barbaric cities?

ERG. Quia enim item asperae
sunt ut tuom victum autumabas esse. HEG. Vae aetati tuae.

ERG. Because indeed they are likewise harsh,
as you were averring your victuals to be. HEG. Woe to your age.

885
ERG. Quippe quando mihi nil credis, quod ego dico sedulo.
sed Stalagmus quoius erat tunc nationis, cum hinc abit?
HEG. Siculus.

885
ERG. Indeed, since you credit nothing of what I say, however sedulously I say it.
But Stalagmus—of what nation was he then, when he went away from here?
HEG. A Sicilian.

ERG. At nunc Siculus non est, Boius est, Boiam terit:
liberorum quaerundorum causa ei, credo, uxor datast.
HEG. Dic, bonan fide tu mi istaec verba dixisti? ERG. Bona.

ERG. But now he is not a Sicilian; he is a Boian; he treads Boia:
for the sake of getting children, I believe, a wife has been given to him.
HEG. Tell me, did you say these words to me in good faith? ERG.
Good.

890
HEG. Di immortales, iterum gnatus videor, si vera autumas.
ERG. Ain tu? dubium habebis etiam, sancte quom ego iurem tibi?
postremo, Hegio, si parva iuri iurandost fides,
vise ad portum.

890
HEG. Immortal gods, I seem born again, if you aver the truth.
ERG. Do you say so? Will you even hold it doubtful, sir, when I swear to you?
finally, Hegio, if there is little trust in an oath,
go look at the harbor.

HEG. Facere certumst. tu intus cura quod opus est.
sume, posce, prome quid vis.

HEG. It is certain: I will do it. You, inside, take care of what work is needed.
Take, demand, bring forth whatever you wish.

te facio cellarium.

I make you cellarer.

895
ERG. Nam hercle, nisi mantiscinatus probe ero, fusti pectito.
HEG. Aeternum tibi dapinabo victum, si vera autumas.
E. Vnde id? H. A me meoque gnato.

895
ERG. For, by Hercules, unless I have divined properly, let me be combed with a cudgel.
HEG. I will banquet you with victuals forever, if you assert the truth.
E. Whence is that? H. From me and from my son.

E. Sponden tu istud? H. Spondeo.
ERG. At ego tuom tibi advenisse filium respondeo.

E. Do you pledge that? H. I pledge.
ERG. But I answer that your son has arrived to you.

HEG. Cura quam optume potes.—

HEG. Take care as best you can.—

IV.iii
ERG. Bene ambula et redambula.

4.3
ERG. Walk well and walk back again.

900
illic hinc abiit, mihi rem summam credidit cibariam.
di immortales, iam ut ego collos praetruncabo tegoribus,
quanta pernis pestis veniet, quanta labes larido,
quanta sumini absumedo, quanta callo calamitas,
quanta laniis lassitudo, quanta porcinariis.

900
that fellow went away from here; he entrusted to me the whole provisioning business.
immortal gods, now how I will lop necks down to the hides,
what a plague will come upon the hams, what a blight upon the bacon,
what a devouring of the sow’s udder, what a calamity for the tripe,
what a weariness for the butchers, what for the porkmongers.

905
nam si alia memorem, quae ad ventris victum conducunt, morast.
nunc ibo, ut pro praefectura mea ius dicam larido,
et quae pendent indemnatae pernae, eis auxilium ut feram.—

905
for if I should recount other things which conduce to the belly's sustenance, it is a delay.
now I will go, so that, in accordance with my prefecture, I may pronounce law for the bacon,
and that I may bring aid to the hams which hang unindemnified.—

IV.iv
PVER Diespiter te dique, Ergasile, perdant et ventrem tuom,
parasitosque omnis, et qui posthac cenam parasitis dabit.

4.4
BOY May Diespiter and the gods destroy you, Ergasilus, and your belly,
and all parasites, and whoever hereafter will give dinner to parasites.

910
clades calamitasque, intemperies modo in nostram advenit domum.
quasi lupus esuriens <ille> metui ne in me faceret impetum.
ubi * * * impetum 912a
nimisque hercle ego illum male formidabam, ita frendebat dentibus.
adveniens deturbavit totum cum carne carnarium:
arripuit gladium, praetruncavit tribus tegoribus glandia;

910
Disaster and calamity, a tempest has just come into our house.
like a hungry wolf, I feared lest he make an attack upon me.
when * * * attack 912a
and by Hercules I was excessively afraid of him, so he was gnashing with his teeth.
on arriving he toppled the whole meat-rack along with the meat:
he seized a sword, he lopped off sausages from three skins;

915
aulas calicesque omnes confregit, nisi quae modiales erant.
cocum percontabatur, possentne seriae fervescere.
cellas refregit omnis intus reclusitque armarium.

915
he shattered all the pots and chalices, except those which were of modial measure.
he was inquiring of the cook whether the earthenware jars could come to a boil.
he broke open all the cellars inside and unclosed the cupboard.

adservate istunc, sultis, servi. ego ibo, ut conveniam senem,
dicam ut sibi penum alium adornet, siquidem sese uti volet;

Keep that fellow under guard, if you please, slaves. I will go, to meet the old man,
I will say that he should prepare another store of provisions for himself, since indeed he himself will wish to make use of it;

920
nam hic quidem, ut adornat, aut iam nihil est aut iam nihil erit.—

920
for this fellow here, the way he prepares it, either it is already nothing or already will be nothing.—

ACTVS V

ACT 5

V.i
HEGIO Iovi disque ago gratias merito magnas,
quom reducem tuo te patri reddiderunt
quomque ex miseriis plurimis me exemerunt,
~ quae adhuc te carens dum hic fui sustentabam,

V.i
HEGIO I give deservedly great thanks to Jove and to the gods,
since they have restored you, a homecomer, to your father,
and since they have taken me out from very many miseries,
~ which, lacking you, while I was here I was sustaining up to now,

925
quomque hunc conspicor in potestate nostra,
quomque huius reperta est fides firma nobis.
PHILOPOLEMVS Satis iam dolui ex animo, et cura me satis et lacrumis maceravi,
satis iam audivi tuas aerumnas, ad portum mihi quas memorasti.
hoc agamus. PHILOCRATES Quid nunc, quoniam tecum servavi fidem

925
and when I behold this man in our power,
and when his faith has been found firm for us.
PHILOPOLEMUS I have now grieved enough from the soul, and with care and with tears I have macerated myself enough,
I have now heard enough of your hardships, which you recounted to me at the harbor.
let us do this. PHILOCRATES What now, since with you I have kept faith

930
tibique hunc reducem in libertatem feci? HEG. Fecisti ut tibi,
Philocrates, numquam referre gratiam possim satis,
proinde ut tu promeritu's de me et filio. PHILOP. Immo potes,
pater, et poteris et ego potero, et di eam potestatem dabunt
ut beneficium bene merenti nostro merito muneres;

930
and have I made him for you, as a returnee, restored into freedom? HEG. You have done so,
Philocrates, such that I can never repay you thanks enough,
in proportion as you have merited of me and of my son. PHILOP. Nay, you can,
father, and you will be able, and I shall be able; and the gods will give that power
that you may, according to our merit, reward with a benefaction the well-deserving;

935
sicut nunc potes, pater mi, facere merito maxume.
HEG. Quid opust verbis? lingua nullast qua negem quidquid roges.

935
just as now you can, my father, to do most deservedly.
HEG. What need is there of words? There is no tongue with which I would deny whatever you ask.

PHILOCR. Postulo abs te, ut mi illum reddas servom, quem hic reliqueram
pignus pro me, qui mihi melior quam sibi semper fuit,
pro bene factis eius ut ei pretium possim reddere.

PHILOCR. I request from you, that you give back to me that slave whom I had left here as a pledge in my stead, who has always been better to me than to himself, so that for his good deeds I may be able to render him the price.

940
HEG. Quod bene fecisti referetur gratia id quod postulas;
et id et aliud, quod me orabis, impetrabis. atque te
nolim suscensere quod ego iratus ei feci male.
PHILOCR. Quid fecisti?

940
HEG. For the good you have done, gratitude shall be rendered; what you request;
and both that and anything else which you will beg of me, you shall obtain. And I would not wish
you to be angry that I, in anger, treated him badly.
PHILOCR. What have you done?

HEG. In lapicidinas compeditum condidi,
ubi rescivi mihi data esse verba. PHILOCR. Vae misero mihi,

HEG. I shut him up, fettered, in the stone-quarries,
where I learned that words had been given to me. PHILOCR. Woe to wretched me,

945
propter meum caput labores homini evenisse optumo.
HEG. At ob eam rem mihi libellam pro eo argenti ne duis:
gratiis a me, ut sit liber, ducito. PHILOCR. Edepol, Hegio,
facis benigne.

945
because of me, labors have befallen a most excellent man.
HEG. But for that reason do not give me a single coin of silver for him:
gratis from me, lead him off, that he may be free. PHILOCR. By Pollux, Hegio,
you act kindly.

sed quaeso, hominem ut iubeas arcessi. HEG. Licet.
ubi estis vos?

but I beg, that you order the man to be summoned. HEG. It is permitted.
where are you?

ite actutum, Tyndarum huc arcessite.

go at once, summon Tyndarus here.

950
vos ite intro. interibi ego ex hac statua verberea volo
erogitare, meo minore quid sit factum filio.
vos lavate interibi.

950
you go inside. in the meantime I want to exact from this whipping‑statue what has been done to my younger son.
you wash meanwhile.

PHILOP. Sequere hac, Philocrates, me intro.—
PHILOCR. Sequor.—

PHILOP. Follow this way, Philocrates, in with me.—
PHILOCR. I follow.—

V.ii
HEG. Age tu illuc procede, bone vir, lepidum mancupium meum.
STALAGMVS Quid me oportet facere, ubi tu talis vir falsum autumas?

V.ii
HEG. Come now, you go forward over there, good sir, my delightful chattel.
STALAGMUS What ought I to do, when you, such a man, assert a falsehood?

955
fui ego bellus, lepidus: bonus vir numquam, neque frugi bonae,
neque ero umquam, ne <erres>: spem ponas me bonae frugi fore.
HEG. Propemodum ubi loci fortunae tuae sint facile intellegis.
si eris verax, tua ex re, facies ex mala meliusculam.

955
I was pretty, lepid—never a good man, nor of good frugality,
nor will I ever be; do not err: lay down any hope that I will be frugal.
HEG. Pretty much you easily understand where your fortunes stand.
If you are veracious, to your own interest, you will make from a bad lot a somewhat better one.

recte et vera loquere, sed neque vere neque <tu> recte adhuc

Speak rightly and true things; but neither truthfully nor rightly have you as yet

960
fecisti umquam. STAL. Quod ego fatear, credin pudeat cum autumes?
HEG. At ego faciam ut pudeat, nam in ruborem te totum dabo.

960
you have ever done. STAL. Do you think I would be ashamed to admit what you aver?
HEG. But I will make it shame you, for I will put you wholly to the blush.

STAL. Eia, credo ego imperito plagas minitaris mihi.
tandem ista aufer <ac> dic quid fers, ut feras hinc quod petis.
HEG. Satis facundu's. sed iam fieri dicta compendi volo.

STAL. Hey, I suppose you menace me, an untrained man, with lashes.
at last take those things away <and> say what you bring, so that you may carry from here what you seek.
HEG. You are quite facund. but now I want the words to be made a compendium.

965
STAL. Vt vis fiat. HEG. Bene morigerus fuit puer, nunc non decet.
hoc agamus.

965
STAL. Let it be done as you wish. HEG. The boy was well-compliant, now it is not fitting.
let us do this.

iam animum advorte ac mihi quae dicam edissere.
[si eris verax, <ex> tuis rebus feceris meliusculas.]
STAL. Nugae istaec sunt. non me censes scire quid dignus siem?

now turn your mind and expound to me what I say.
[if you will be veracious, <ex> you will have made your affairs somewhat better.]
STAL. Those are trifles. Do you not reckon that I know what I am worthy of?

HEG. At ea subterfugere potis es pauca, si non omnia.

HEG. But you are able to evade a few of them, if not all.

970
STAL. Pauca effugiam, scio; nam multa evenient, et merito meo,
quia et fugi et tibi surripui filium et eum vendidi.
HEG. Cui homini? STAL. Theodoromedi in Alide Polyplusio,
sex minis.

970
STAL. I shall escape a few, I know; for many things will befall, and by my own desert,
because I both fled and surreptitiously stole your son from you and sold him.
HEG. To what man? STAL. To Theodoromedes in Elis, at Polyplusius,
for six minae.

HEG. Pro di immortales, is quidem huius est pater
Philocrati. STAL. Quin melius novi quam tu et vidi saepius.

HEG. By the immortal gods, that man is indeed the father of this Philocrates.
STAL. Why, I know him better than you and have seen him more often.

975
HEG. Serva, Iuppiter supreme, et me et meum gnatum mihi.
Philocrates, per tuom te genium obsecro, exi, te volo.

975
HEG. Preserve, Jupiter supreme, both me and my son for me.
Philocrates, by your own genius I implore you, come out; you I want.

V.iii
PHILOCRATES Hegio, assum. si quid me vis, impera. HEG. Hic gnatum meum
tuo patri ait se vendidisse sex minis in Alide.

5.3
PHILOCRATES Hegio, I am here. If you want anything of me, command. HEG. This man says he sold my son to your father for six minas in Elis.

PHILOCR. Quam diu id factum est? STAL. Hic annus incipit vicensimus.

PHILOCR. How long ago was that done? STAL. This year the twentieth begins.

980
PHILOCR. Falsa memorat. STAL. Aut ego aut tu. nam tibi quadrimulum
tuos pater peculiarem parvolo puero dedit.
PHILOCR.

980
PHILOCR. He relates falsehoods. STAL. Either I or you. for to you a four-year-old
your father gave a personal slave to the very small boy.
PHILOCR.

Quid erat ei nomen? si vera dicis, memoradum mihi.
STAL. Paegnium vocitatust, post vos indidistis Tyndaro.

What was his name? If you speak the truth, it ought to be remembered by me.
STAL. He was commonly called Paegnium; afterward you gave him the name Tyndarus.

PHILOCR. Cur ego te non novi? STAL. Quia mos est oblivisci hominibus

PHILOCR. Why do I not know you? STAL. Because it is the custom for men to forget

985
neque novisse cuius nihili sit faciunda gratia.
PHILOCR. Dic mihi, isne istic fuit, quem vendidisti meo patri,
qui mihi peculiaris datus est? STAL. Huius filius.

985
nor to know for whom—a man worth nothing—a favor must be done.
PHILOCR. Tell me, was it that one there, whom you sold to my father,
who was given to me as my peculiar (personal) slave? STAL. His son.

HEG. Vivitne is homo? STAL. Argentum accepi, nil curavi ceterum.
HEG. Quid tu ais?

HEG. Is that man alive? STAL. I took the silver; I cared for nothing else.
HEG. What do you say?

PHILOCR. Quin istic ipsust Tyndarus tuos filius,

PHILOCR. Why, that one there is Tyndarus himself, your son,

990
ut quidem hic argumenta loquitur. nam is mecum a puero puer
bene pudiceque educatust usque ad adulescentiam.
HEG. Et miser sum et fortunatus, si <vos> vera dicitis;
eo miser sum quia male illi feci, si gnatust meus.

990
as indeed this man speaks the evidences. for he, with me, from a boy as a boy,
was well and chastely brought up all the way to adolescence.
HEG. And I am both wretched and fortunate, if <you> speak true;
for that reason I am wretched because I did ill to him, if he is my son.

eheu, quom ego plus minusve feci quam <me> aequom fuit.

Alas, when I did more or less than was equitable for me.

995
quod male feci crucior; modo si infectum fieri possiet.
sed eccum incedit huc ornatus haud ex suis virtutibus.

995
I am excruciated for what I did ill; if only it could be made undone.
But look, here he advances hither, adorned not by his own virtues.

V.iv
TYNDARVS Vidi ego multa saepe picta, quae Acherunti fierent
cruciamenta, verum enim vero nulla adaeque est Acheruns
atque ubi ego fui, in lapicidinis. illic ibi demumst locus,

5.iv
TYNDARUS I have often seen many things painted, the torments that would be done in Acheron;
but in very truth there is no Acheron to equal the place where I have been—
in the stone-quarries. There, there at last is the place,

1000
ubi labore lassitudo est exigunda ex corpore.
nam ubi illo adveni, quasi patriciis pueris aut monerulae,
aut anites aut coturnices dantur, quicum lusitent,
itidem mi haec advenienti upupa, qui me delectem, datast.
sed erus eccum ante ostium, et erus alter eccum ex Alide

1000
where by labor lassitude is to be driven out from the body.
for when I came there, just as to patrician boys either little playthings,
or ducklings or quails are given, with whom they may play,
likewise to me on my arriving this hoopoe, that I might delight myself, was given.
but look, the master is here before the doorway, and look, the other master from Elis

1005
rediit. HEG. Salve, exoptate gnate mi. TYND. Hem, quid gnate mi?
attat, scio cur te patrem adsimules esse et me filium:
quia mi item ut parentes lucis das tuendi copiam.
PHILOCR. Salve, Tyndare.

1005
he has returned. HEG. Hail, my longed-for son. TYND. Hem, what, “my son”?
ah, I know why you pretend to be the father and me the son:
because to me too, as parents do, you give the opportunity of beholding the light. PHILOCR. Hail, Tyndarus.

T. Et tu, quoius causa hanc aerumnam exigo.
PHILOCR. At nunc liber in divitias faxo venies. nam tibi

T. And you too, for whose sake I am going through this hardship.
PHILOCR. But now, free, I’ll make sure you come into riches. for to you

1010
pater hic est; hic servos, qui te huic hinc quadrimum surpuit,
vendidit patri meo te sex minis, is te mihi
parvolum peculiarem parvolo puero dedit:
illic indicium fecit; nam hunc ex Alide huc reduximus.
TYND. Quid huius filium? PHILOCR. Intus eccum fratrem germanum tuom.

1010
here is your father; here the slave, who snatched you from him here when you were four,
sold you to my father for six minae; he
gave you, little, to me, a little boy, as my private (peculiar) property:
that man gave information; for we have brought this one back here from Elis.
TYND. What about this man’s son? PHILOCR. Behold him inside, your own full brother.

1015
[TYND. Quid tu ais? adduxtin illum huius captivom filium?
PHILOCR. Quin, inquam, intus hic est.

1015
[TYND. What do you say? Have you brought that captive son of his?
PHILOCR. Why, I say, he is inside here.

T. Fecisti edepol et recte et bene.
PHILOCR. Nunc tibi pater hic est: hic fur est tuos, qui parvom hinc te abstulit.
TYND. At ego hunc grandis grandem natu ob furtum ad carnificem dabo.

T. You have done it, by Pollux, both rightly and well.
PHILOCR. Now this man is your father: this man is your thief, who stole you away from here when you were little.
TYND. But I, grown, will hand over this grown-in-years fellow to the executioner for the theft.

PHILOCR. Meritus est. T. Ergo edepol <merito> meritam mercedem dabo.

PHILOCR. He has merited it. T. Therefore, by Pollux, <deservedly> I will give a deserved reward.

1020
sed <tu> dic oro: pater meus tune es? HEG. Ego sum, gnate mi.
TYND. Nunc demum in memoriam redeo, cum mecum recogito.]
nunc edepol demum in memoriam regredior, audisse me
quasi per nebulam, Hegionem meum patrem vocarier.
HEG. Is ego sum. PHILOCR. Compedibus quaeso ut tibi sit levior filius

1020
but you, say I beg: are you then my father? HEG. I am, my son.
TYND. Now at last I return into memory, when I reflect with myself.]
now, by Pollux, indeed at last I return into memory, that I heard,
as if through a mist, Hegio being called my father. HEG. I am he. PHILOCR. I beg that your son be lighter to you in his fetters

1025
atque huic gravior servos. HEG. Certum est principio id praevortier.
eamus intro, ut arcessatur faber, ut istas compedes
tibi adimam, huic dem.

1025
and that the slave be heavier for him. HEG. It is settled at the outset to turn to that.
let us go inside, that a smith may be summoned, that I may remove those fetters
from you and give them to him.

STAL. Quoi peculi nihil est, recte feceris.

STAL. For one who has no peculium (private funds), you will have done rightly.

CATERVA

CROWD

Spectatores, ad pudicos mores facta haec fabula est,
neque in hac subigitationes sunt neque ulla amatio

Spectators, this fable has been made for chaste morals,
nor are there any copulations in it nor any amatory affair

1030
nec pueri suppositio nec argenti circumductio,
neque ubi amans adulescens scortum liberet clam suom patrem.
huius modi paucas poetae reperiunt comoedias,
ubi boni meliores fiant. nunc vos, si vobis placet
et si placuimus neque odio fuimus, signum hoc mittite:

1030
neither a substitution of a boy nor a circumduction of silver,
nor where a loving adolescent frees a courtesan unbeknownst to his own father.
Poets find few comedies of this sort,
where good men become better. Now you, if it pleases you
and if we have pleased and have not been hateful, send this signal:

1035
qui pudicitiae esse voltis praemium, plausum date.

1035
you who wish to be the prize for pudicity, give applause.