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
(_to servants inside_) Dromo, scale the fish. As for you,
Machaerio, you bone the conger and lamprey as fast as you
know how. I’m going over next door to ask Congrio for the
loan of a bread pan. And you there! if you know what’s good
for you, you won’t hand me back that rooster till it’s
plucked cleaner than a ballet dancer.
sed quid hoc clamoris oritur hinc ex proximo?
coqui hercle, credo, faciunt officium suom.
fugiam intro, ne quid turbae hic itidem fuat.
(_sound of scuffle in Euclio’s house_) Hallo, though! What’s
the row in the house next door? Hm! the cooks settling down
to business, I reckon! I’ll hustle back, or we’ll be having
a rumpus at our place, too. [EXIT.
ACTVS III
ACT III
ENTER _Congrio_ AND HIS ASSOCIATES TUMBLING OUT OF
_Euclio’s_ HOUSE, SLAMMING DOOR BEHIND THEM.
_Cong._
Attatae! cives,[6] populares, incolae, accolae, advenae omnes,
date viam qua fugere liceat. facite totae plateae pateant.
neque ego umquam nisi hodie ad Bacchas veni in Bacchanal coquinatum,
ita me miserum et meos discipulos fustibus male contuderunt.
totus doleo atque oppido perii,
ita me iste habuit senex gymnasium; 410
(_in burlesque panic_) Hi-i-i! Citizens, natives,
inhabitants, neighbours, foreigners, every one--give me
room to run! Open up! Clear the street! (_stopping at some
distance from the house_) This is the first time I ever came
to cook for Bacchantes at a Bacchante den. Oh dear, what an
awful clubbing I and my disciples did get! I’m one big ache!
I’m dead and gone! The way that old codger took me for a
gymnasium!
attat, perii hercle ego miser,
aperit bacchanal. adest, 411a
sequitur. scio quam rem geram: hoc
ipsus magister me docuit. 412a
neque ligna ego usquam gentium praeberi vidi pulchrius,
itaque omnis exegit foras, me atque hos, onustos fustibus.
(_Euclio’s door opens and he appears, cudgel in hand_) Oh--
ow--ow! Good Lord be merciful! I’m done for! He’s opening
the den; he’s at the door; he’s after me! I know what I’ll
do: (_retires_) he’s taught me my lesson, my master has.
I never in all my life saw a place where they were freer
handed with their wood: (_rubbing his shoulders_) why, when
he drove the lot of us out he let us have big sticks of it,
all we could stagger under.
III. 2.
Scene 2.
_Eucl._
Redi. quo fugis nunc? tene, tene.
(_going into street_) Come back! Where are you running to
now? Stop him, stop him!
_Cong._
Quid, stolide, clamas?
What are you yelling for, stupid?
_Eucl._
Quia ad tris viros iam ego deferam nomen tuom.
Because I am going to report your name to the police this
instant.
_Cong._
Quam ob rem?
Why?
_Eucl._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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