Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi: Amphitryon, The Comedy of Asses, The Pot of Gold, The Two; Bacchises, The CaptivesPlautus, Titus Maccius
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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
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, 380
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._
Aulam maiorem, si pote, ex vicinia 390
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._
Ei mihi,
perii hercle. aurum rapitur, aula quaeritur.[5] (392)
Apollo, quaeso, subveni mi atque adiuva, (394)
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_.
II. 9.
Scene 9.
ENTER _Anthrax_ FROM HOUSE OF _Megadorus_.
_Anthr._
Dromo, desquama piscis. tu, Machaerio,
congrum, murenam exdorsua quantum potest.
ego hinc artoptam ex proximo utendam peto 400
a Congrione. tu istum gallum, si sapis,
glabriorem reddes mihi quam volsus ludiust.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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