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
(_in superior manner_) Much obliged. Seeing we were abroad,
he’s kept guard for us at home. But now you can be off: say
the family servants have got back.
_Mer._
Nescio quam tu familiaris sis: nisi actutum hinc abis,
familiaris accipiere faxo haud familiariter.
Thou a family servant, indeed! Unless thou dost disappear
instantly, I warrant ye I’ll welcome servants of the family
with strange familiarity.
_Sos._
Hic inquam habito ego atque horunc servos sum.
Here’s where I live, I tell you. This is my master’s house.
_Mer._
At scin quo modo?
faciam ego hodie te superbum, nisi hinc abis.
But knowest thou what? I’ll soon be making an exalted man of
thee, an’ thou decampest not.
_Sos._
Quonam modo?
Exalted! How is that?
_Mer._
Auferere, non abibis, si ego fustem sumpsero.
You shall be carried off on people’s shoulders--no walking--
once I take my club to you.
_Sos._
Quin me esse huius familiai familiarem praedico.
I’m a member of the household here, I do avow.
_Mer._
Vide sis quam mox vapulare vis, nisi actutum hinc abis. 360
Kindly consider how soon you want a thrashing, unless you
vanish instantly.
_Sos._
Tun domo prohibere peregre me advenientem postulas?
So you want to forbid me the house when I’m getting back
from foreign parts, you?
_Mer._
Haecine tua domust?
Is this the house where you belong?
_Sos._
Ita inquam.
That’s what I say.
_Mer._
Quis erus est igitur tibi?
Who is your master, then?
_Sos._
Amphitruo, qui nunc praefectust Thebanis legionibus,
quicum nupta est Alcumena.
Amphitryon, now in command of the Theban army, and his wife
is Alcmena.
_Mer._
Quid ais? quid nomen tibi est?
How say you? Your name!
_Sos._
Sosiam vocant Thebani, Davo prognatum patre.
Sosia the Thebans call me, Sosia, son of Davus.
_Mer._
Ne tu istic hodie malo tuo compositis mendaciis
advenisti, audaciai columen, consutis dolis.
Ah! ’twas an evil hour for thee, when thou camest here,
thou pinnacle of impudence, with thy premeditated lies and
patched-up fabrications.
_Sos._
Immo equidem tunicis consutis huc advenio, non dolis.
You’re wrong, I vow: I’ve come with my tunic patched up,
not my fabrications.
_Mer._
At mentiris etiam: certo pedibus, non tunicis venis.
Ha, lying again! Thou dost clearly come with thy feet, not
thy tunic.
_Sos._
Ita profecto.
(_dryly_) Naturally.
_Mer._
Nunc profecto vapula ob mendacium. 370
And naturally now get thrashed for fibbing.
(_advances_)
_Sos._
Non edepol volo profecto.
(_retreats_) Oh dear, I object, naturally.
_Mer._
At pol profecto ingratiis.
hoc quidem profecto certum est, non est arbitrarium.
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