Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi: Amphitryon, The Comedy of Asses, The Pot of Gold, The Two; Bacchises, The CaptivesPlautus, Titus Maccius
General
Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi: Amphitryon, The Comedy of Asses, The Pot of Gold, The Two; Bacchises, The Captives
Plautus, Titus Maccius
Latin drama (Comedy); Latin drama (Comedy) -- Translations into English
Or in case she say that a letter from foreign parts
has been delivered to her, there must be no letter at all
in the house, nor so much as a waxen tablet; and if there be
any undesirable picture about, let her sell it: unless she
shall have removed it within four days after receipt of your
money, it shall be at your disposal: you may burn it up, if
you deem fit, that she may have no wax whereon to write.
vocet convivam neminem illa, tu voces;
ad eorum ne quem oculos adiciat suos.
si quem alium aspexit, caeca continue siet. 770
tecum una potet, aeque pocla potitet:
abs ted accipiat, tibi propinet, tu bibas,
ne illa minus aut plus quam tu sapiat.”
She must invite no guest to the house: you shall invite
them; and she must have eyes for none of them. If her glance
has fallen on another man, she must become blind forthwith.
She must drink with you only, and drink with you glass for
glass: let her receive the glass from your hands, drink to
your health, and then do you take it and drink, so that she
may have no--(_unobtrusively dropping the aspirate_) whit
more than you, nor less.”
_Diab._
Satis placet.
(_not noticing_) Quite satisfactory.
_Par._
“Suspiciones omnes ab se segreget.
neque illaec ulli pede pedem homini premat,
cum surgat, neque cum in lectum inscendat proximum,
neque cum descendat inde, det cuiquam manum:
spectandum ne cui anulum det neque roget.
talos ne cuiquam homini admoveat nisi tibi.
cum iaciat, ‘te’ ne dicat: nomen nominet. 780
“She must keep herself above every suspicion. She must not
touch feet with any man when she arises from table: and when
she steps upon the adjoining couch, or steps down therefrom,
she must take no one’s hand. She must give no one her ring
to look at, nor ask to look at his. To no man save yourself
must she pass the dice. On making a throw she must not say,
‘Thee[E] I invoke!’ She is to name your name.
[Footnote E: Naming one’s sweetheart, on making a throw,
was a common custom.]
deam invocet sibi quam libebit propitiam,
deum nullum; si magis religiosa fuerit,
tibi dicat: tu pro illa ores ut sit propitius.
neque illa ulli homini nutet, nictet, annuat.
post, si lucerna exstincta sit, ne quid sui
membri commoveat quicquam in tenebris.”
Let her call upon any goddess she pleases for favour, but
upon no god; if she have religious scruples in regard to
this, let her tell you, and do you make the prayer for his
favour in her stead. To no man shall she nod, wink, or
signify compliance. Further, if the lamp go out, she is
not to move a single limb in the darkness.”
_Diab._
Optumest.
ita scilicet facturam. verum in cubiculo--
deme istuc--equidem illam moveri gestio.
nolo illam habere causam et votitam dicere.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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