Adelphoe Part 2 – Comic Rage and Family Secrets

SYRVS, SANNIO 

SERVOS, LENO

SY. Tace, egomet conveniam ipsum: cupide accipiat iam faxo ac bene dicat secum etiam esse actum.

SY. Quiet—I’ll deal with him myself: I’ll make sure he takes the money eagerly and even says he’s been well treated.

Quid istuc, Sannio, est quod te audio nescio quid concertasse cum ero?

What’s this, Sannio, that I hear—you had some sort of quarrel with my master?

SA. Numquam vidi iniquius certationem comparatam quam quae hodie inter nos fuit: ego vapulando, ille verberando, usque ambo defessissumus.

SA. I’ve never seen a more unequal contest than the one we had today: I got beaten, he did the beating, and we both ended up utterly worn out.

SY. Tua culpa.

SY. Your fault.

SA. Quid facerem?

SA. What could I have done?

SY. Adulescenti morem gestum oportuit.

SY. You should have gone along with the young man.

SA. Qui potui melius, qui hodie usque os praebui?

SA. How could I have done better? I offered him my face all day long!

SY. Age, scis quid loquar? Pecuniam in loco neglegere maximum interdumst lucrum.

SY. Come on—know what I mean? Sometimes, letting go of money at the right time is the greatest profit.

SA. Hui!

SA. Hah!

SY. Metuisti, si nunc de tuo iure concessisses paululum, o adulescenti esses morigeratus, hominum homo stultissume, ne non tibi istuc faeneraret.

SY. You were afraid that if you gave up just a little of your right now—if you humored the young man—you, most foolish of men, were afraid it wouldn’t pay off for you later.

SA. Ego spem pretio non emo.

SA. I don’t buy hope with money.

SY. Numquam rem facies: abi, inescare nescis homines, Sannio.

SY. You’ll never get rich—go on, you don’t know how to bait men, Sannio.

SA. Credo istuc melius esse: verum ego numquam adeo astutus fui, quin quidquid possem mallem auferre potius in praesentia.

SA. I believe that’s better—but I’ve never been so clever that I wouldn’t rather take whatever I could right now.

SY. Novi tuom animum: quasi tanti umquam tibi sint viginti minae dum huic obsequare.

SY. I know how you think: as if twenty minae ever meant that much to you when you're trying to please him.

Praeterea autem te aiunt proficisci Cyprum.

Besides, they say you're heading off to Cyprus.

SA. Hem!

SA. What!

SY. Coemisse hinc quae illuc veheres multa, navem conductam: hoc scio, animus tibi pendet.

SY. You've bought many goods here to take there, hired a ship—I know you're anxious about it.

Ubi illinc ut spero redieris, tum tu hoc ages.

When you come back from there, as I hope, then you can deal with this.

SA. Nusquam pedem.

SA. I'm not budging.

Perii hercle: hac illi spe hoc inceperunt.

By Hercules, I'm ruined—they started this banking on that hope.

SY. Timet: inieci scrupulum homini.

SY. He's scared—I’ve planted a worry in his mind.

SA. O scelera: illud vide, ut in ipso articulo oppressit.

SA. Oh, what villainy—look how he trapped me at the critical moment.

Emptae mulieres complures, et item hinc alia quae porto Cyprum.

I’ve bought several women, and other goods I’m shipping to Cyprus.

Nisi eo ad mercatum venio, damnum maximumst.

If I don’t get to the market there, I take a huge loss.

Nunc si hoc omitto ac tum agam ubi illinc rediero, nihil est: refrixerit res.

If I drop this now and deal with it after I return, it’s worthless—the matter will have gone cold.

Nunc demum venis? Quor passus? Ubi eras?

Now you show up? Why did you let this happen? Where were you?

Ut sit satius perdere quam hic nunc manere tam diu aut tum persequi.

It’s better to take the loss than to stay here this long or chase it later.

SY. Iamne enumerasti id quod ad te rediturum putes?

SY. Have you already counted what you think you’ll get back?

SA. Hocine illo dignumst?

SA. Is this worthy of that fellow?

Hocine incipere Aeschinum, per oppressionem ut hanc mi eripere postulet!

For Aeschinus to do this—to demand to snatch her from me by force!

SY. Labascit.

SY. He’s weakening.

Unum hoc habeo: vide si satis placet: potius quam venias in periculum, Sannio, servesne an perdas totum, dividuum face.

Here’s my offer—see if you like it: rather than risk losing everything, Sannio, whether you win or lose it all, split the difference.

Minas decem conradet alicunde.

He’ll scrape together ten minae from somewhere.

SA. Ei mihi, etiam de sorte nunc venio in dubium miser?

SA. Woe is me! Now I’m even in doubt about the full price, miserable as I am?

Pudet nihil? Omnis dentes labefecit mihi, praeterea colaphis tuber est totum caput: etiam insuper defrudet?

No shame? He’s loosened all my teeth, and my whole head is swollen with punches—and on top of that he cheats me?

Nusquam abeo.

I’m not going anywhere.

SY. Ut lubet: numquid vis quin abeam?

SY. As you wish—anything you want before I go?

SA. Immo hercle hoc quaeso, Syre: utut haec sunt facta, potius quam lites sequar, meum mihi reddatur, saltem quanti emptast.

SA. No, by Hercules, I beg you this, Syrus: however all this happened, rather than go to court, let me have back what’s mine—at least what I paid for her.

Syre, scio te antehac non esse usum amicitia mea: memorem me dices esse et gratum.

Syrus, I know you’ve never used my friendship before—you’ll say I’m mindful and grateful.

SY. Sedulo faciam.

SY. I’ll do my best.

Sed Ctesiphonem video: laetus est de amica.

But I see Ctesipho—he looks happy about the girl.

SA. Quid quod te oro?

SA. What about what I’m asking you?

SY. Paulisper mane.

SY. Wait just a moment.

CTESIPHO, SANNIO, SYRVS
ADVLESCENS, LENO, SERVOS

CT. Ab quivis homine, quom est opus, beneficium accipere gaudeas: verum enim vero id demum iuvat, si quem aequomst facere is bene facit.

CT. You may rejoice to receive a favor from anyone when there’s need; but truly, it only truly pleases when the one who ought to do it is the one who does it well.

O frater, frater, quid ego nunc te laudem? Satis certo scio: numquam ita magnifice quicquam dicam, id virtus quin superet tua.

O brother, brother, how can I praise you now? I know for certain: whatever grand thing I say, your virtue will still surpass it.

Itaque unam hanc rem me habere praeter alios praecipuam arbitror—fratrem, homini nemini esse primarum artium magis principem.

And so I think I have this one thing as a special privilege beyond other men—a brother who is more outstanding in true excellence than any man.

SY. O Ctesipho.

SY. Oh, Ctesipho.

CT. O Syre, Aeschinus ubist?

CT. Oh Syrus, where is Aeschinus?

SY. Ellum, te exspectat domi.

SY. There he is—he’s waiting for you at home.

CT. Hem!

CT. What!

SY. Quid est?

SY. What is it?

CT. Quid sit? Opera illius, Syre, nunc vivo: festīvum caput, qui, quom omnis res sibi post putarit esse prae meo commodo, maledicta, famam, meum laborem et peccatum in se transtulit—nil pote supra!

CT. What is it? By his actions, Syrus, I live today: what a fine fellow—who, when he considered everything less important than my wellbeing, took insults, reputation, my trouble and guilt all onto himself—nothing could surpass that!

Sed quid foris crepuit?

But what rattled outside?

SY. Mane, mane: ipse exit foras.

SY. Wait, wait—he’s coming out himself.

AESCHINVS, CTESIPHO, SYRVS, SANNIO 

ADVLESCENTES DVO, SERVOS, LENO

AE. Ubi est ille sacrilegus?

AE. Where is that scoundrel?

SA. Me quaerit. Numquidnam effert? Occidi: nil video.

SA. He’s looking for me. Is he bringing something? I’m doomed—I see nothing.

AE. Ehem opportune: te ipsum quaero. Quid fit, Ctesipho? In tuto est omnis res: omitte vero tristitiam tuam.

AE. Ah, perfect timing—I’m looking for you. How’s it going, Ctesipho? Everything is safe—really, let go of your gloom.

CT. Ego illam hercle facile omitto, quī quidem te habeam fratrem. O mi Aeschine, o mi germane! Ah, vereor coram in os te laudare amplius, ne id adsentandi magis quam quo habeam gratum facere existumes.

CT. By Hercules, I easily put it aside, since I have you as my brother. Oh my Aeschinus, my true brother! But I fear to praise you more to your face, lest you think I say it to flatter rather than out of gratitude.

AE. Age, inepte, quasi nunc non norimus nos inter nos, Ctesipho. Sed hoc mihi dolet, nos sero rescisse et rem paene in eum locum redisse, ut si omnes cuperent tibi, nil possent auxiliarier.

AE. Come now, silly—it's not as though we don't know each other, Ctesipho. But what pains me is that we found out too late, and things had nearly come to the point where, even if everyone wanted to help you, no one could.

CT. Pudebat.

CT. I was ashamed.

AE. Ah, stultitia est istaec, non pudor. Tam ob parvolam rem paene e patria! Turpe dictu. Deos quaeso ut istaec prohibeant.

AE. Oh, that’s foolishness, not shame. To be nearly exiled from your country for such a small matter! Shameful to say. I pray the gods to prevent such things.

CT. Peccavi.

CT. I was wrong.

AE. Quid ait tandem nobis Sannio?

AE. Well then, what does Sannio say to us?

SY. Iam mitis est.

SY. He’s calm now.

AE. Ego ad forum ibo, ut hunc absolvam. Tu i intro ad illam, Ctesipho.

AE. I’ll go to the forum to settle with him. You—go inside to her, Ctesipho.

SA. Syre, insta.

SA. Syrus, press on!

SY. Eamus: namque hic properat in Cyprum.

SY. Let’s go—he’s in a hurry to get to Cyprus.

SA. Non tam quidem quam vis: et iam maneo otiosus hic.

SA. Not quite as much as you’d like: I’m staying here at leisure now.

SY. Reddētur: ne time.

SY. You’ll be repaid—don’t worry.

SA. At ut omne reddat.

SA. But make sure he pays all of it!

SY. Omne reddet: tace modo ac sequere hac.

SY. He’ll pay it all: just be quiet and follow this way.

SA. Sequor.

SA. I’m following.

CT. Heus heus, Syre.

CT. Hey, hey, Syrus!

SY. Em, quid est?

SY. Well, what is it?

CT. Obsecro te hercle, hominem istum impurissimum quam primum absoluitote, ne, si magis irritatus siet, aliqua hoc permanet ad patrem atque ego tum perpetuo perierim.

CT. I beg you, by Hercules—settle with that most rotten man as soon as possible, so that if he gets even angrier, this doesn’t somehow reach my father, and then I’d be ruined forever.

SY. Non fiet, bono animo es. Tu cum illa te oblecta intus interim et lectulos iube sterni nobis et parari cetera. Ego iam transacta re convertam me domum cum opsonio.

SY. That won’t happen—cheer up. Go enjoy yourself with her inside for now, and order couches to be laid and the rest prepared. Once I’ve settled the matter, I’ll come home with the food.

CT. Ita, quaeso: quoniam hoc bene successit, hilare hunc sumamus diem.

CT. Yes, please—since this turned out well, let’s enjoy the day cheerfully.

SO. Obsecro, mea nutrix, quid nunc fiet?

SO. Please, my nurse, what will happen now?

CA. Quid fiat rogas? Recte edepol, spero.

CA. You ask what will happen? By Pollux, I hope all will be well.

SO. Modo dolores, mea tu, occipiunt primulum.

SO. The pains, my dear, are just beginning.

CA. Iam nunc times? quasi numquam adfueris, numquam tute pepereris!

CA. Are you afraid already? As if you’ve never been through it, never given birth yourself!

SO. Heu me miseram! habeo neminem, solae sumus: Geta autem hic non adest, qui arcessat Aeschinum.

SO. Oh, poor me! I have no one—we’re all alone. And Geta isn’t here to fetch Aeschinus.

CA. Pol is quidem iam hic aderit: nam numquam unum intermittit diem, quin semper veniat.

CA. By Pollux, he’ll be here soon: he never lets a single day go by without coming.

SO. Solus mearum miseriarumst remedium.

SO. He alone is the remedy for my troubles.

CA. E re nata melius fieri haud potuit quam factumst, era, quando vitium oblatumst, quod ad illum attinet potissimum, talem, tali ingenio atque animo, natum ex tanta familia.

CA. Things couldn’t have turned out better, my lady, since the fault fell to him—a man of such character, such spirit, born of such a noble family.

SO. Ita pol res est ut dicis: salvos nobis deos quaeso ut siet.

SO. Yes, by Pollux, it’s just as you say: I pray the gods he may be safe for us.

GE. Nunc illud est, quom, si omnia omnes sua consilia conferant atque huic malo salutem quaerant, auxili nihil afferant, quod mihique eraeque filiaeque erilist.

GE. Now is the time when, even if everyone pooled all their wisdom to find a remedy for this disaster, they’d bring no help—for a disaster that affects me, my mistress, and her daughter.

Vae misero mihi! Tot res repente circumvallant se, unde emergi non potest: vis egestas iniustitia solitudo infamia.

Woe to me, poor wretch! So many things suddenly close in—from which there’s no escape: violence, poverty, injustice, loneliness, disgrace.

Hocine saeclum! o scelera, o genera sacrilega, o hominem impium,

This age! Oh the crimes, the godless families, the impious man—

SO. Me miseram, quidnam est quod sic video timidum et properantem Getam?

SO. Oh wretched me, what’s going on that I see Geta so frightened and rushing about?

GE. Quem neque fides neque iusiurandum neque illum misericordia repressit neque reflexit neque quod partus instabat prope, o quoi miserae indigne per vim vitium optulerat.

GE. Whom neither loyalty, nor oath, nor pity held back or turned aside, nor even the fact that childbirth was near—oh, he shamefully forced disgrace upon the poor girl by violence.

SO. Non intellego satis quae loquitur.

SO. I don’t quite understand what he’s saying.

CA. Propius, obsecro, accedamus, Sostrata.

CA. Let’s come closer, I beg you, Sostrata.

GE. Ah me miserum! vix compos sum animi, ita ardeo iracundia.

GE. Ah, wretched me! I’m hardly in control of myself, I burn with such rage.

Nihil est quod malim quam illam totam familiam dari mi obviam, ut ego hanc iram in eos evomam omnem, dum aegritudo haec est recens.

There’s nothing I’d rather than for that whole family to come my way, so I can spew out all this rage on them while the grief is still fresh.

Satis mi id habeam supplici.

That would be punishment enough for me.

Seni animam primum exstinguerem ipsi, qui illud produxit scelus: tum autem Syrum impulsorem, vah, quibus illum lacerarem modis!

I’d snuff out the old man’s life first—the one who brought forth that crime—and then Syrus the instigator—hah, how I’d tear him to pieces!

Sublimen medium arriperem et capite pronum in terra statuerem, ut cerebro dispergat viam.

I’d grab him up in the middle and plant him headfirst on the ground, to splatter his brains all over the street.

Ao adulescenti ipsi eriperem oculos posthac praecipitem darem.

And from that young man himself I’d tear out his eyes and throw him headlong.

Ceteros ruerem agerem raperem tunderem et prosternerem.

The rest I’d rush, drive, drag, beat, and knock to the ground.

Sed cesso eram hoc malo impertire propere?

But why am I delaying to quickly tell my mistress about this disaster?