| II. 8.Table of Contents | Scene 8.Table of Contents |
| | enter Euclio from forum carrying a small package and a few forlorn flowers. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Volui animum tandem confirmare hodie meum, ut bene me haberem filiai nuptiis. venio ad macellum, rogito pisces: indicant caros; agninam caram, caram bubulam, vitulinam, cetum, porcinam: cara omnia. atque eo fuerunt cariora, aes non erat. abeo iratus illinc, quoniam nihil est qui emam. | Now I did want to be hearty to-day, and do the handsome thing for daughter's wedding, yes I did. Off I go to the market—ask for fish! Very dear! And lamb dear... and beef dear... and veal and tunny and pork... everything dear, everything! Yes, and all the dearer for my not having any money! It just made me furious, and seeing I couldn't buy anything, I up and left. |
| ita illis impuris omnibus adii manum. deinde egomet mecum cogitare intervias occepi: festo die si quid prodegeris, profesto egere liceat, nisi peperceris. postquam, hanc rationem ventri cordique edidi, accessit animus ad meam sententiam, quam minimo sumptu filiam ut nuptum darem. | That's how I circumvented 'em, the whole dirty pack of 'em. Then I began to reason things out with myself as I walked along. "Holiday feasting makes everyday fasting," says I to myself, "unless you economize." After I'd put the case this way to my stomach and heart, my mind supported my motion to cut down daughter's wedding expenses just as much as possible. |
| nunc tusculum emi hoc et coronas floreas: haec imponentur in foco nostro Lari, ut fortunatas faciat gnatae nuptias. sed quid ego apertas aedis nostras conspicor? et strepitust intus. numnam ego compilor miser? | Now I've bought a little frankincense here and some wreaths of flowers: we'll put 'em on the hearth in honour of our Household God, so that he may bless daughter's marriage. (looking toward house) Eh! What's my door open for? A clattering inside, too! Oh. mercy on us! It can't be burglars, can it? |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Aulam maiorem, si pote, ex vicinia pete: haec est parva, capere non quit. | (within, to an attendant) See if you can't get a bigger pot from one of the neighbours: this here's a little one: it won't hold it all. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ei mihi, perii hercle. aurum rapitur, aula quaeritur.5 Apollo, quaeso, subveni mi atque adiuva, confige sagittis fures thensaurarios, si cui in re tali iam subvenisti antidhac. sed cesso prius quam prorsus perii currere? | Oh, my God! my God! I'm ruined! They're taking my gold! They're after my pot! Oh, oh, Apollo, help me, save me! Shoot your arrows through them, the treasure thieves, if you've ever helped a man in such a pinch before! But I must rush in before they ruin me entirely! [exit Euclio. |
| III. 2.Table of Contents | Scene 2.Table of Contents |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Redi. quo fugis nunc? tene, tene. | (going into street) Come back! Where are you running to now? Stop him, stop him! |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Quid, stolide, clamas? | What are you yelling for, stupid? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quia ad tris viros iam ego deferam nomen tuom. | Because I am going to report your name to the police this instant. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Quam ob rem? | Why? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quia cultrum habes. | Well, you carry a knife. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Cocum decet. | And so a cook should. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid comminatu's mihi? | And how about your threatening me? |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Istud male factum arbitror, quia non latus fodi. | It's a pity I didn't jab it through you, I'm thinking. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Homo nullust te scelestior qui vivat hodie neque quoi ego de industria amplius male plus libens faxim. | There isn't a more abandoned villain than you on the face of the earth, or one I'd be gladder to go out of my way to punish more, either. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Pol etsi taceas, palam id quidem est: res ipsa testist; ita fustibus sum mollior magis quam ullus cinaedus. sed quid tibi nos tactiost, mendice homo? | Good Lord! That's evident enough, even if you didn't say so: the facts speak for themselves. I've been clubbed till I'm looser than any fancy dancer. Now what did you mean by laying hands on me, you beggar? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quae res? etiam rogitas? an quia minus quam aequom erat feci? | What's that? You dare ask me? Didn't I do my duty by you—is that it? (lifts cudgel) |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Sine, at hercle cum magno malo tuo, si hoc caput sentit. | (backing away) All right: but by gad, you'll pay heavy for it, or I'm a numskull. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Pol ego haud scio quid post fuat: tuom nunc caput sentit. sed in aedibus quid tibi meis nam erat negoti me absente, nisi ego iusseram? volo scire. | Hm! I don't know anything about the future of your skull, but (chuckling and tapping his cudgel) it must be numb now. (savagely) See here, what the devil were you doing in my house without my orders while I was gone? That's what I want to know. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Tace ergo. quia venimus coctum ad nuptias. | Well then, shut up. We came to cook for the wedding, that's all. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid tu, malum, curas, utrum crudum an coctum ego edim, nisi tu mi es tutor? | And how does it concern you, curse you, whether I eat my food cooked or take it raw—unless you are my guardian? |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Volo scire, sinas an non sinas nos coquere his cenam? | Are you going to let us cook dinner here or not? That's what I want to know. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Volo scire ego item, meae domi mean salva futura? | Yes, and I want to know whether my things at home will be safe? |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Utinam mea mihi modo auferam, quae adtuli, salva: me haud paenitet, tua ne expetam. | All I hope is I can get safe away with my own things that I brought there. That'll do for me: don't worry about my hankering for anything you own. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Scio, ne doce, novi. | (incredulous) I know. You needn't go on. I quite understand. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Quid est qua prohibes nunc gratia nos coquere hic cenam? quid fecimus, quid diximus tibi secus quam velles? | Why won't you let us cook dinner here now? What have we done? What have we said that you didn't like? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Etiam rogitas, sceleste homo, qui angulos in omnis mearum aedium et conclavium mihi pervium facitis? ibi ubi tibi erat negotium, ad focum si adesses, non fissile auferres caput: merito id tibi factum est. | A pretty question, you villainous rascal, with your making a public highway of every nook and cranny in my whole house! If you had stayed by the oven where your business lay, you wouldn't be carrying that cloven pate: it serves you right. |
| adeo ut tu meam sententiam iam noscere possis si ad ianuam huc accesseris, nisi iussero, propius, ego te faciam miserrimus mortalis uti sis. scis iam meam sententiam. | (with forced composure) Now further, just to acquaint you with my sentiments in the matter,—you come any nearer this door without my permission, and I will make you the most forlorn creature in God's world. Now you know my sentiments. [exit into house. |
| Cong. | Cong. |
| Quo abis? redi rursum. ita me bene amet Laverna, uti te iam, nisi reddi mihi vasa iubes, pipulo te his differam ante aedis. quid ego nunc agam? ne ego edepol veni huc auspicio malo. nummo sum conductus: plus iam medico merce dest opus. | (calling after him) Where are you off to? Come back! So help me holy Mother of Thieves, but I'll soon make it warm for you, the way I'll rip up your reputation in front of the house here, if you don't have my dishes brought back! (as Euclio closes the door) Now what? Oh, hell! It certainly was an unlucky day when I came here! Two shillings for the job, and now it'll take more than that to pay the doctor's bill. |
| III. 5.Table of Contents | Scene 5.Table of Contents |
| | enter Megadorus. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Narravi amicis multis consilium meum de condicione hac. Euclionis filiam laudant. sapienter factum et consilio bono. | (not seeing Euclio) Well, I've told a number of friends of my intentions regarding this match. They were full of praise for Euclio's daughter. Say it's the sensible thing to do, a fine idea. |
| nam meo quidem animo si idem faciant ceteri opulentiores, pauperiorum filias ut indotatas ducant uxores domum, et multo fiat civitas concordior, et invidia nos minore utamur quam utimur, et illae malam rem metuant quam metuont magis, et nos minore sumptu simus quam sumus. | Yes, for my part I'm convinced that if the rest of our well-to-do citizens would follow my example and marry poor men's daughters and let the dowries go, there would be a great deal more unity in our city, and people would be less bitter against us men of means than they are, and our wives would stand in greater awe of marital authority than they do, and the cost of living would be lower for us than it is. |
| in maximam illuc populi partem est optimum; in pauciores avidos altercatio est, quorum animis avidis atque insatietatibus neque lex neque sutor capere est qui possit modum. namque hoc qui dicat "quo illae nubent divites dotatae, si istud ius pauperibus ponitur?" | It's just the thing for the vast majority of the people; the fight comes with a handful of greedy fellows so stingy and grasping that neither law nor cobbler can take their measure. And now supposing some one should ask: "Who are the rich girls with dowries going to marry, if you make this rule for the poor ones?" |
| quo lubeant, nubant, dum dos ne fiat comes. hoc si ita fiat, mores meliores sibi parent, pro dote quos ferant, quam nunc ferunt, ego faxim muli, pretio qui superant equos, sint viliores Gallicis cantheriis. | Why, anyone they please, let 'em marry, provided their dowry doesn't go along with 'em. In that case, instead of bringing their husbands money, they'd bring them better behaved wives than they do at present. Those mules of theirs that cost more than horses do now—they'd be cheaper than Gallic geldings by the time I got through. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ita me di amabunt ut ego hunc ausculto lubens. nimis lepide fecit verba ad parsimoniam. | (aside) God bless my soul, how I do love to hear him talk! Those thoughts of his about economizing—beautiful, beautiful! |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Nulla igitur dicat "equidem dotem ad te adtuli maiorem multo quam tibi erat pecunia; enim mihi quidem aequomst purpuram atque aurum dari, ancillas, mulos, muliones, pedisequos, salutigerulos pueros, vehicla qui vehar." | Then you wouldn't hear them saying: "Well, sir, you never had anything like the money I brought you, and you know it. Fine clothes and jewellery, indeed! And maids and mules and coachmen and footmen and pages and private carriages—well, if I haven't a right to them!" |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ut matronarum hic facta pernovit probe. moribus praefectum mulierum hunc factum velim. | (aside) Ah, he knows 'em, knows 'em through and through, these society dames! Oh, if he could only be appointed supervisor of public morals—the women's! |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Nunc quoquo venias plus plaustrorum in aedibus videas quam ruri, quando ad villam veneris. sed hoc etiam pulchrum est praequam ubi sumptus petunt. | Wherever you go nowadays you see more wagons in front of a city mansion than you can find around a farmyard. That's a perfectly glorious sight, though, compared with the time when the tradesmen come for their money. |
| stat fullo, phyrgio, aurifex, lanarius; caupones patagiarii, indusiarii, flammarii, volarii, carinarii; stant manulearii, stant10 murobatharii, propolae linteones, calceolarii; sedentarii sutores diabathrarii, solearii astant, astant molocinarii;11 strophiarii astant, astant semul sonarii. | The cleanser, the ladies' tailor, the jeweller, the woollen worker—they're all hanging round. And there are the dealers in flounces and underclothes and bridal veils, in violet dyes and yellow dyes, or muffs, or balsam scented foot-gear; and then the lingerie people drop in on you, along with shoemakers and squatting cobblers and slipper and sandal merchants and dealers in mallow dyes; and the belt makers flock around, and the girdle makers along with 'em. |
| iam hosce absolutes censeas: cedunt, petunt treceni, cum stant thylacistae in atriis textores limbularii, arcularii. ducuntur, datur aes. iam absolutos censeas, cum incedunt infectores corcotarii, aut aliqua mala crux semper est, quae aliquid petat. | And now you may think you've got them all paid off. Then up come weavers and lace men and cabinet-makers—hundreds of 'em—who plant themselves like jailers in your halls and want you to settle up. You bring 'em in and square accounts. "All paid off now, anyway," you may be thinking, when in march the fellows who do the saffron dyeing—some damned pest or other, anyhow, eternally after something. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Compellarem ego illum, ni metuam ne desinat memorare mores mulierum: nunc sic sinam. | (aside) I'd hail him, only I'm afraid he'd stop talking about how the women go on. No, no, I'll let him be. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Ubi nugivendis res soluta est omnibus, ibi ad postremum cedit miles, aes petit. itur, putatur ratio cum argentario, miles inpransus astat, aes censet dari. ubi disputata est ratio cum argentario, etiam ipsus ultro debet argentario. spes prorogatur militi in alium diem. | When you've got all these fellows of fluff and ruffles satisfied, along comes a military man, bringing up the rear, and wants to collect the army tax. You go and have a reckoning with your banker, your military gentleman standing by and missing his lunch in the expectation of getting some cash. After you and the banker have done figuring, you find you owe him money too, and the military man has his hopes postponed till another day. |
| haec sunt atque aliae multae in magnis dotibus. incommoditates sumptusque intolerabiles nam quae indotata est, ea in potestate est viri; dotatae mactant et malo et damno viros sed eccum adfinem ante aedes. quid agis, Euclio? | These are some of the nuisances and intolerable expenses that big dowries let you in for, and there are plenty more. Now a wife that doesn't bring you a penny—a husband has some control over her; it's the dowered ones that pester the life out of their husbands with the way they cut up and squander. (seeing Euclio) But there's my new relative in front of the house! How are you, Euclio? |
| III. 6.Table of Contents | Scene 6.Table of Contents |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Nimium lubenter edi sermonem tuom. | Gratified, highly gratified with your discourse—I devoured it. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| An audivisti? | Eh? you heard? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Usque a principio omnia. | Every word of it. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Tamen meo quidem animo aliquanto facias rectius, si nitidior sis filiai nuptus. | (looking him over) But I say, though, I do think it would be a little more in keeping, if you were to spruce up a bit for your daughter's wedding. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Pro re nitorem et gloriam pro copia qui habent, meminerunt sese unde oriundi sient. neque pol, Megadore, mihi neque quoiquam pauperi opinione melius res structa est domi. | (whining) Folks with the wherewithal and means to let 'em spruce up and look smart remember who they are. My goodness, Megadorus! I haven't got a fortune piled up at home (peers slyly under cloak) any more than people think, and no other poor man has, either. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Immo est quod satis est, et di faciant ut siet plus plusque et istuc sospitent quod nunc habes. | (genially) Ah well, you've got enough, and heaven make it more and more, and bless you in what you have now. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Illud mihi verbum non placet "quod nunc habes." tam hoc scit me habere quam egomet. anus fecit palam. | (turning away with a start) "What you have now!" I don't like that phrase! He knows I have this money just as well as I do! The old hag's been blabbing! |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Quid tu te solus e senatu sevocas? | (pleasantly) Why that secret session over there? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Pol ego ut te accusem merito meditabar. | (taken aback) I was—damme sir,—I was framing the complaint against you that you deserve. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Quid est? | What for? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid sit me rogitas? qui mihi omnis angulos furum implevisti in aedibus misero mihi, qui mi intro misti in aedis quingentos coquos, cum senis manibus, genere Geryonaceo; | What for, eh? When you've filled every corner of my house with thieves, confound it! When you've sent cooks into my house by the hundred and every one of 'em a GeryonianC with six hands apiece! |
| quos si Argus servet qui oculeus totus fuit, quem quondam Ioni Iuno custodem addidit, is numquam servet. praeterea tibicinam, quae mi interbibere sola, si vino scatat, Corinthiensem fontem Pirenam potest. tum obsonium autem— | Why, Argus, who had eyes all over him and was set to guarding Io once by Juno, couldn't ever keep watch on those fellows, not if he tried. And that music girl besides! She could take the fountain of Pirene at Corinth and drink it dry, all by herself, she could,—if it ran wine. Then as for the provisions— |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Pol vel legioni sat est. etiam agnum misi. | Bless my soul! Why, there's enough for a regiment. I sent you a lamb, too. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quo quidem agno sat scio magis curiosam12 nusquam esse ullam beluam. | Yes, and a more shearable beast than that same lamb doesn't exist, I know that. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Volo ego ex te scire qui sit agnus curio. | I wish you would tell me how the lamb is shearable. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quia ossa ac pellis totust, ita cura macet. quin exta inspicere in sole ei vivo licet: ita is pellucet quasi lanterna Punica. | Because it's mere skin and bones, wasted away till it's perfectly—(tittering) sheer. Why, why, you put that lamb in the sun and you can watch its inwards work: it's as transparent as a PunicD lantern. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Caedundum conduxi ego illum. | (protestingly) I got that lamb in myself to be slaughtered. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Tum tu idem optumumst loces efferendum; nam iam, credo, mortuost. | (dryly) Then you'd best put it out yourself to be buried, for I do believe it's dead already. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Potare ego hodie, Euclio, tecum volo. | (laughing and clapping him on the shoulder) Euclio, we must have a little carouse to-day, you and I. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Non potem ego quidem hercle. | (frightened) None for me, sir, none for me! Carouse! Oh my Lord! |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| At ego iussero cadum unum vini veteris a me adferrier. | But see here, I'll just have a cask of good old wine brought over from my cellars. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Nolo hercle, nam mihi bibere decretum est aquam. | No, no! I don't care for any! The fact is I am resolved to drink nothing but water. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Ego te hodie reddam madidum, si vivo, probe, tibi cui decretum est bibere aquam. | (digging him in the ribs) I'll get you properly soaked to-day, on my life I will, you with your "resolved to drink nothing but water." |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Scio quam rem agat: ut me deponat vino, eam adfectat viam, post hoc quod habeo ut commutet coloniam. ego id cavebo, nam alicubi abstrudam foris. ego faxo et operam et vinum perdiderit simul. | (aside) I see his game! Trying to fuddle me with his wine, that's it, and then give this (looking under cloak) a new domicile! (pauses) I'll take measures against that: yes. I'll secrete it somewhere outside the house. I'll make him throw away his time and wine together. |
| Mega. | Mega. |
| Ego, nisi quid me vis, eo lavatum, ut sacruficem. | (turning to go) Well, unless I can do something for you, I'll go take a bath and get ready to offer sacrifice. [exit into house. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Edepol, ne tu, aula, multos inimicos habes atque istuc aurum quod tibi concreditum est. nunc hoc mihi factu est optumum, ut ted auferam, aula, in Fidei fanum: ibi abstrudam probe. Fides, novisti me et ego te: cave sis tibi, ne in me mutassis nomen, si hoc concreduo. ibo ad te fretus tua, Fides, fiducia. | (paternally to object under cloak) God bless us both, pot, you do have enemies, ah yes, many enemies, you and the gold entrusted to you! As matters stand, pot, the best thing I can do for you is to carry you off to the shrine of Faith: I'll hide you away there, just as cosy! You know me, Faith, and I know you: don't change your name, mind, if I trust this to you. Yes, I'll go to you, Faith, relying on your faithfulness. [exit Euclio. |
| IV. 4.Table of Contents | Scene 4.Table of Contents |
| | a few moments elapse. then the sound of a scuffle down the street. re-enter Euclio dragging Strobilus. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| I foras, lumbrice, qui sub terra erepsisti modo, qui modo nusquam comparebas, nunc, cum compares, peris, ego pol te, praestrigiator, miseris iam accipiam modis. | Come! out, you worm! crawling up from under-ground just now! A minute ago you weren't to be found anywhere, and (grimly) now you're found you're finished! Oh-h-h-h, you felon! I'm going to give it to you, this very instant! (beats him) |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quae te mala crux agitat? quid tibi mecum est commerci, senex? quid me adflictas? quid me raptas? qua me causa verberas? | What the devil's got into you? What business have you got with me, old fellow? What are you pounding me for? What are you jerking me along for? What do you mean by battering me? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Verberabilissime, etiam rogitas, non fur, sed trifur? | (still pummelling him) Mean, eh? You batterissimo. You're not a thief: you're three thieves. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid tibi surrupui? | What did I steal from you? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Redde huc sis. | (threateningly) You kindly give it back. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid tibi vis reddam? | Back? What back? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Rogas? | A nice question! |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Nil equidem tibi abstuli. | I didn't take a thing from you, honestly. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| At illud quod tibi abstuleras cedo. ecquid agis? | Well, what you took dishonestly, then! Hand it over! Come, come, will you! |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid agam? | Come, come, what? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Auferre non potes. | You shan't get away with it. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid vis tibi? | What is it you want? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Pone. | Down with it! |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Id quidem pol te datare credo consuetum, senex. | Down with it, eh! Looks as if you'd downed too much of it yourself already, old boy. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Pone hoc sis, aufer cavillam, non ego nunc nugas ago. | Down with it, I tell you! None of your repartee! I'm not in the humour for trifling now. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid ego ponam? quin tu eloquere quidquid est suo nomine. non hercle equidem quicquam sumpsi nec tetigi. | Down with what? Come along, speak out and give it its name, whatever it is. Hang it all, I never took a thing nor touched a thing, and that's flat. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ostende huc manus. | Show me your hands. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Em tibi, ostendi, eccas. | (stretching them out) All right—there they are: have a look. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Video. age ostende etiam tertiam. | (dryly) I see. Come now, the third one: out with it. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Laruae hunc atque intemperiae insaniaeque agitant senem facisne iniuriam mihi? | (aside) He's got 'em! The old chap's mad, stark, staring mad! (to Euclio, virtuously) Now aren't you doing me an injury? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Fateor, quia non pendes, maximam atque id quoque iam fiet, nisi fatere. | I am, a hideous injury—in not hanging you. And I'll soon do that, too, if you don't confess. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid fatear tibi? | Confess what? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid abstulisti hinc? | What did you carry off from here? (pointing toward temple) |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Di me perdant, si ego tui quicquam abstuli nive adeo abstulisse vellem. | (solemnly) May I be damned, if I carried off a thing of yours. (aside) Likewise if I didn't want to. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Agedum, excutedum pallium. | Come on, shake out your cloak. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Tuo arbitratu. | (doing so) Anything you say. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ne inter tunicas habeas. | Um! probably under your tunic. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Tempta qua lubet. | (cheerfully) Feel anywhere you please. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Vah, scelestus quam benigne: ut ne abstulisse intellegam. novi sycophantias. age rusum ostende huc manum dexteram. | Ugh! you rascal! How obliging you are! That I may think you didn't take it! I'm up to your dodges. (searches him) Once more now—out with your hand, the right one. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Em. | (obeying) There you are. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Nunc laevam ostende. | Now the left one. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quin equidem ambas profero. | (obeying) Why, certainly: here's the both of 'em. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Iam scrutari mitto. redde huc. | Enough of this searching. Now give it here. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Quid reddam? | What? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| A, nugas agis, certe habes. | Oh-h! Bosh! You must have it! |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Habeo ego? quid habeo? | I have it? Have what? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Non dico, audire expetis. id meum, quidquid habes, redde. | I won't say: you're too anxious to know. Anything of mine you've got, hand it over. |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Insanis: perscrutatus es tuo arbitratu, neque tui me quicquam invenisti penes. | Crazy! You went all through me as much as you liked without finding a solitary thing of yours on me. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Mane, mane. quis illic est? quis hic intus alter erat tecum simul? perii hercle: ille nunc intus turbat, hunc si amitto hic abierit. postremo hunc iam perscrutavi, his nihil habet. abi quo lubet. | (excitedly) Wait, wait! (turns toward temple and listens) Who's in there? Who was that other fellow in there along with you? (aside) My Lord! this is awful, awful! There's another one at work in there all this time. And if I let go of this one, he'll skip off. (pauses) But then I've searched him already: he hasn't anything. (aloud) Off with you, anywhere! (releases him with a final cuff) |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Iuppiter te dique perdant. | (from a safe distance) You be everlastingly damned! |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Haud male egit gratias. ibo intro atque illi socienno tuo iam interstringam gulam. fugin hinc ab oculis? abin an non. | (aside, dryly) Nice way he has of showing his gratitude. (aloud, sternly) I'll go in there, and that accomplice of yours—I'll strangle him on the spot. Are you going to vanish? Are you going to get out, or not? (advances) |
| Strob. | Strob. |
| Abeo. | (retreating) I am, I am! |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Cave sis15 te videam. | And kindly see I don't set eyes on you again. [exit Euclio toward temple. |
| IV. 7.Table of Contents | Scene 7.Table of Contents |
| | enter Lyconides and Eunomia. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Dixi tibi, mater, iuxta rem mecum tenes. super Euchoms filia. nunc te obsecro resecroque, mater, quod dudum obsecraveram: fac mentionem cum avonculo, mater mea. | That's the whole story, mother: you see how it is with me and Euclio's daughter as well as I do. And now, mother, I beg you, beg you again and again, as I did before: do tell my uncle about it, mother dear. |
| Eun. | Eun. |
| Scis tute facta velle me quae tu velis, et istuc confido a fratre me impetrassere; et causa iusta est, siquidem ita est ut praedicas, te eam compressisse vinulentum virginem. | Your wishes are mine, dear; you know that yourself: and I feel sure your uncle will not refuse me. It's a perfectly reasonable request, too, if it's all as you say and you actually did get intoxicated and treat the poor girl so. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Egone ut te advorsum mentiar, mater mea? | Is it like me to look you in the face and lie, my dear mother? |
| Phaed. | Phaed. |
| Perii, mea nutrix. obsecro te, uterum dolet. Iuno Lucina, tuam fidem! | (within Euclio's house) Oh—oh! Nurse! Nurse dear! Oh, God help me! The pain! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Em, mater mea, tibi rem potiorem verbo: clamat, parturit. | There, mother! There's better proof than words gives. Her cries! The child! |
| Eun. | Eun. |
| Ei hac intro mecum, gnate mi, ad fratrem meum, ut istuc quod me oras impetratum ab eo auferam. | (agitated) Come, darling, come in to your uncle with me, so that I may persuade him to let it be as you urge. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| I, iam sequar te, mater. sed servom meum Strobilum miror ubi sit, quem ego me iusseram hic opperiri. nunc ego mecum cogito: si mihi dat operam, me illi irasci iniurium est. ibo intro, ubi de capite meo sunt comitia. | You go, mother: I'll follow you in a moment. [exit Eunomia into Megadorus's house. I wonder (looking around) where that fellow Strobilus of mine is that I told to wait for me here. (pauses) Well, on thinking it over, if he's doing something for me, it's all wrong my finding fault with him. (turning toward Megadorus's door) Now for the session that decides my fate. [exit. |
| IV. 9.Table of Contents | Scene 9.Table of Contents |
| | enter Euclio frantic. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Perii interii occidi. quo curram? quo non curram? tene, tene. quem? quis? nescio, nil video, caecus eo atque equidem quo eam aut ubi sim aut qui sim nequeo cum animo certum investigare. obsecro vos ego, mi auxilio, oro obtestor, sitis et hominem demonstretis, quis eam abstulerit. | (running wildly back and forth) I'm ruined, I'm killed, I'm murdered! Where shall I run? Where shan't I run? Stop thief! Stop thief! What thief? Who? I don't know! I can't see! I'm all in the dark! Yes, yes, and where I'm going, or where I am, or who I am—oh, I can't tell, I can't think! (to audience) Help, help, for heaven's sake, I beg you, I implore you! Show the man that took it. |
| quid est? quid ridetis? novi omnes, scio fures esse hic complures, qui vestitu et creta occultant sese atque sedent quasi sint frugi. quid ais tu? tibi credere certum est, nam esse bonum ex voltu cognosco. hem, nemo habet horum? occidisti. dic igitur, quis habet? nescis? | Eh, what's that? What are you grinning for? I know you, the whole lot of you! I know there are thieves here, plenty of 'em, that cover themselves up in dapper clothes and sit still as if they were honest men. (to a spectator) You, sir, what do you say? I'll trust you, I will, I will. Yes, you're a worthy gentleman, I can tell it from your face. Ha! none of them has it? Oh, you've killed me! Tell me, who has got it, then? You don't know? |
| heu me miserum, misere perii,male perditus, pessime ornatus eo:tantum gemiti et mali maestitiaequehic dies mi optulit, famem et pauperiem. | Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I'm a ruined man! I'm lost, lost! Oh, what a plight! Oh, such a cruel, disastrous, dismal day—it's made a starveling of me, a pauper! |
| perditissimus ego sum omnium in terra;nam quid mi opust vita, qui tantum auriperdidi, quod concustodivisedulo? egomet me defraudavianimumque meum geniumque meum;nunc eo alii laetificanturmeo malo et damno. pati nequeo. | I'm the forlornest wretch on earth! Ah, what is there in life for me when I've lost all that gold I guarded, oh, so carefully! I've denied myself, denied my own self comforts and pleasures; yes, and now others are making merry over my misery and loss! Oh, it's unendurable! enter Lyconides from house of Megadorus. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quinam homo hic ante aedis nostras eiulans conqueritur maerens? atque hic quidem Euclio est, ut opinor. oppido ego interii: palamst res, scit peperisse iam, ut ego opinor, filiam suam. nunc mi incertumst abeam an maneam, an adeam an fugiam quid agam edepol nescio. | Who in the world is raising all this howling, groaning hullabaloo before our house here? (looking round) Upon my word, it's Euclio, I do believe. (drawing back) My time has certainly come: it's all out. He's just learned about his daughter's child, I suppose. Now I can't decide whether to leave or stay, advance or retreat. By Jove, I don't know what to do! |
| IV. 10.Table of Contents | Scene 10.Table of Contents |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quis homo hic loquitur? | (hearing sound of voice only) Who's that talking here? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Ego sum miser. | (stepping forward) I'm the poor wretch, sir. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Immo ego sum, et misere perditus, cui tanta mala maestitudoque optigit. | No, no, I'm the poor wretch, a poor ruined wretch, with all this trouble and tribulation. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Animo bono es. | Keep your courage up, sir. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quo, obsecro, pacto esse possum? | For heaven's sake how can I? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quia istuc facinus, quod tuom sollicitat animum, id ego feci et fateor. | Well, sir, that outrage that distresses you— (hesitantly) I'm to blame, and I confess it, sir. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid ego ex te audio? | Hey? What's that? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Id quod verumst. | The truth. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid ego de te commerui, adulescens, mali. quam ob rem ita faceres meque meosque perditum ires liberos? | How have I ever harmed you, young man, for you to act like this and try to ruin me and my children? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Deus impulsor mihi fuit, is me ad illam inlexit. | It was some demon got hold of me, sir, and led me on. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quo modo? | How is this? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Fateor peccavisse et me culpam commeritum scio; id adeo te oratum advenio ut animo aequo ignoscas mihi. | I admit I've done wrong, sir; I deserve your reproaches, and I know it; more than that, I've come to beg you to be patient and forgive me. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Cur id ausu's facere, ut id quod non tuom esset tangeres? | How did you dare do it, dare touch what didn't belong to you? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quid vis fieri? factum est illud: fieri infectum non potest. deos credo voluisse; nam ni vellent, nori fieret, scio. | (penitently) Well, well, sir,—it's done, and it can't be undone. I think it must have been fated; otherwise it wouldn't have happened, I'm sure of that. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| At ego deos credo voluisse ut apud me te in nervo enicem. | Yes, and I think it must have been fated that I'm to shackle you at my house and murder you! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Ne istuc dixis. | Don't say that, sir. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid tibi ergo meam me invito tactiost? | Then why did you lay hands on what was mine, without my permission? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quia vini vitio atque amoris feci. | It was all because of drink... and... love, sir. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Homo audacissime, cum istacin te oratione huc ad me adire ausum, impudens! nam si istuc ius est ut tu istuc excusare possies, luci claro deripiamus aurum matronis palam, post id si prehensi simus, excusemus ebrios nos fecisse amoris causa. nimis vilest vinum atque amor, si ebrio atque amanti impune facere quod lubeat licet. | The colossal impudence of it! To dare to come to me with a tale like that, you shameless rascal! Why, if it's legal to clear yourself that way, we should be stripping ladies of their jewellery on the public highways in broad daylight! And then when we were caught we'd excuse ourselves on the score that we were drunk, and did it out of love. Drink and love are altogether too cheap, if your drunken lover can do what he likes and not suffer for it. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quin tibi ultro supplicatum venio obstultitiam meam. | Yes, but I've come of my own accord sir, to entreat you to pardon my madness. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Non mi homines placent qui quando male fecerunt purigant. tu illam scibas non tuam esse. non attactam oportuit. | I have no patience with men who do wrong and then try to explain it away. You knew you had no right to act so: you should have kept hands off. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Ergo quia sum tangere ausus, haud causificor quin eam ego habeam potissimum. | Well, now that I did venture to act so, I have no objection to holding to it, sir,—I ask nothing better. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Tun habeas me invito meam? | (more angry) Hold to it? Against my will? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Haud te invito postulo, sed meam esse oportere arbitror. quin tu iam invenies, inquam, meam illam esse oportere, Euclio. | I won't insist on it against your will, sir, but I do think my claim is just. Why, you'll soon come to realize the justice of it yourself, sir, I assure you. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Iam quidem hercle te ad praetorem rapiam et tibi scribam dicam, nisi refers. | I'll march you off to court and sue you, by heaven I will, this minute, unless you bring it back. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Quid tibi ego referam? | I? Bring what back? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quod surripuisti meum. | What you stole from me. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Surripui ego tuom? unde? aut quid id est? | I stole something of yours? Where from? What? |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ita te amabit Iuppiter ut tu nescis. | (ironically) God bless your innocence—you don't know! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Nisi quidem tu mihi quid quaeras dixeris. | Not unless you say what you're looking for. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Aulam auri, inquam, te resposco, quam tu confessu's mihi te abstulisse. | The pot of gold, I tell you; I want back the pot of gold you owned up to taking. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Neque edepol ego dixi neque feci. | Great heavens, man! I never said that or did it, either. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Negas? | You deny it? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Pernego immo. nam neque ego aurum neque istaec aula quae siet scio nec novi. | Deny it? Absolutely. Why, I don't know, haven't any idea, about your gold, or what that pot is. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Illam, ex Silvani luco quam abstuleras, cedo. i, refer. dimidiam tecum potius partem dividam. tam etsi fur mihi es, molestus non ero. i vero, refer. | The one you took from the grove of Silvanus—give it me. Go, bring it back. (pleadingly) You can have half of it, yes, yes, I'll divide. Even though you are such a thief, I won't make any trouble for you. Do, do go and bring it back, oh do! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Sanus tu non es qui furem me voces. ego te, Euclio, de alia re rescivisse censui, quod ad me attinet; 16magna est res quam ego tecum otiose, si otium est, cupio loqui. | Man alive, you're out of your senses, calling me a thief. I supposed you had found out about something else that does concern me, Euclio. There's an important matter I'm anxious to talk over quietly with you, sir, if you're at leisure. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Dic bona fide: tu id aurum non surripuisti? | Give me your word of honour: you didn't steal that gold? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Bona. | (shaking his head) On my honour. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Neque eum scis qui abstulerit? | And you don't know the man that did take it? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Istuc quoque bona. | Nor that, either, on my honour. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Atque id si scies qui abstulerit, mihi indicabis? | And if you learn who took it, you'll inform me? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Faciam. | I will. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Neque partem tibi ab eo qui habet indipisces neque furem excipies? | And you won't go shares with the man that has it, or shield the thief? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Ita. | No. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Quid si fallis? | What if you deceive me? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Tum me faciat quod volt magnus Iuppiter. | Then, sir, may I be dealt with as great God sees fit. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Sat habeo. age nunc loquere quid vis. | That will suffice. All right now, say what you want. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Si me novisti minus, genere quo sim gnatus: hic mihi est Megadorus avonculus, meus pater fuit Antimachus, ego vocor Lyconides. mater est Eunomia. | In case you're not acquainted with my family connections, sir,—Megadorus here is my uncle: my father was Antimachus, and my own name is Lyconides: Eunomia is my mother. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Novi genus. nunc quid vis? id volo noscere. | I know who you are. Now what do you want? That's what I wish to know. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Filiam ex te tu habes. | You have a daughter. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Immo eccillam domi. | Yes, yes, at home there! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Eam tu despondisti, opinor, meo avonculo? | You have betrothed her to my uncle, I understand. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Omnem rem tenes. | Precisely, precisely. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Is me nunc renuntiare repudium iussit tibi. | He has asked me to inform you now that he breaks the engagement. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Repudium rebus paratis, exornatis nuptiis? ut illum di immortales omnes deaeque quantum est perduint, quem propter hodie auri tantum perdidi infelix, miser. | (furious) Breaks the engagement, with everything ready, the wedding prepared for? May all the everlasting powers above consume that villain that's to blame for my losing my gold, all that gold, poor God forsaken creature that I am! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Bono animo es, bene dice. nunc quae res tibi et gnatae tuae bene feliciterque vortat—ita di faxint, inquito. | Brace up, sir: don't curse. And now for some thing that I pray will turn out well and happily for yourself and your daughter—"God grant it may!" Say that. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ita di faciant. | (doubtfully) God grant it may! |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Et mihi ita di faciant. audi nunciam. qui homo culpam admisit in se, nullust tam parvi preti, quom pudeat, quin purget sese. nunc te obtestor, Euclio, ut si quid ego erga te imprudens peccavi aut gnatam tuam, ut mi ignoscas eamque uxorem mihi des, ut leges iubent. ego me iniuriam fecisse filiae fateor tuae, Cereris vigiliis, per vinum atque impulsu adulescentiae. | And God grant it may for me, too! Now listen, sir. There isn't a man alive so worthless but what he wants to clear himself when he's done wrong and is ashamed. Now, sir, if I've injured you or your daughter without realizing what I was doing, I implore you to forgive me and let me marry her as I'm legally bound to. (nervously) It was the night of Ceres' festival... and what with wine and... a young fellow's natural impulses together... I wronged her, I confess it. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Ei mihi, quod ego facinus ex te audio? | Oh, oh, my God! What villainy am I hearing of? |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Cur eiulas, quem ego avom feci iam ut esses filiai nuptus? nam tua gnata peperit, decumo mense post: numerum cape; ea re repudium remisit avonculus causa mea. i intro, exquaere, sitne ita ut ego praedico. | (patting his shoulder) Lamenting, sir, lamenting, when you're a grandfather, and this your daughter's wedding day? You see it's the tenth month since the festival—reckon it up—and we have a child, sir. This explains my uncle's breaking the engagement: he did it for my sake. Go in and inquire if it isn't just as I tell you. |
| Eucl. | Eucl. |
| Perii oppido, ita mihi ad malum malae res plurimae se adglutinant. ibo intro, ut quid huius verum sit sciam. | Oh, my life is wrecked, wrecked! The way calamities swarm down and settle on me one after another! Go in I will, and have the truth of it! [exit into his house. |
| Lyc. | Lyc. |
| Iam te sequor haec propemodum iam esse in vado salutis res videtur nunc servom esse ubi dicam meum Strobilum non reperio; nisi etiam hic opperiar tamen paulisper, postea intro hunc subsequar. nunc interim spatium ei dabo exquirendi meum factum ex gnatae pedisequa nutrice anu. ea rem novit. | (as he disappears) I'll soon be with you, sir. (after a pause, contentedly) It does look as if we were pretty nearly safe in the shallows now. (looking around) Where in the world my fellow Strobilus is I can't imagine. Well, the only thing to do is to wait here a bit longer; then I'll join father-in-law inside. Meanwhile I'll let him have an opportunity to inquire into the case from the old nurse that's been his daughter's maid: she knows about it all. (waits in doorway) |
