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
(_advancing_) And shouldst thou climb into Jupiter’s four
horse chariot and seek to flee, e’en so thou canst hardly
fly misfortune.
_Sos._
Nonne erae meae nuntiare quod erus meus iussit licet?
I can tell my own mistress what my own master ordered me to
tell her, can’t I?
_Mer._
Tuae si quid vis nuntiare: hanc nostram adire non sinam.
nam si me inritassis, hodie lumbifragium hinc auferes.
Thy own mistress, aye,--whatever likes thee: but never shalt
thou approach ours here. Yea, provoke me, and thou draggest
hence a shipwreck of a man. (_advancing_)
_Sos._
Abeo potius. di immortales, obsecro vostram fidem,
ubi ego perii? ubi immutatus sum? ubi ego formam perdidi?
an egomet me illic reliqui, si forte oblitus fui?
nam hic quidem omnem imaginem meam, quae antehac fuerat, possidet.
(_retreating_) Don’t, don’t,--I’ll be off! (_aside_) Ye
immortal gods! For heaven’s sake, where did I lose myself?
Where was I transformed? Where did I drop my shape? I didn’t
leave myself behind at the harbour, did I, if I did happen
to forget it? For, my word, this fellow has got hold of my
complete image, mine that was!
vivo fit quod numquam quisquam mortuo faciet mihi.
ibo ad portum atque haec uti sunt facta ero dicam meo; 460
nisi etiam is quoque me ignorabit; quod ille faxit Iuppiter,
ut ego hodie raso capite calvos capiam pilleum.
Here I am alive and folks carry my image--more than anyone
will ever do when I’m dead. I’ll go down to the harbour and
tell my master all about these goings on--that is unless
he doesn’t know me, too,--and I hope to Jupiter he won’t,
so that I may shave my hair off this very day and stick
my bald head in a freeman’s cap. [EXIT _Sosia._
I. 2.
Scene 2.
_Mer._
Bene prospere hoc hodie operis processit mihi:
amovi a foribus maximam molestiam,
patri ut liceret tuto illam amplexarier.
iam ille illuc ad erum cum Amphitruonem advenerit,
narrabit servom hinc sese a foribus Sosiam
amovisse; ille adeo illum mentiri sibi
credet, neque credet huc profectum, ut iusserat.
Well, my little affair has progressed finely, famously.
I have sent a confounded nuisance to the right-about from
the door and given my father a chance to embrace the lady
there in safety. Now when our friend gets back there to his
master, Amphitryon, he’ll tell his tale how it was servant
Sosia that packed him off. Yes, and then Amphitryon will
think he is lying, and never came here as he ordered.
erroris ambo ego illos et dementiae 470
complebo atque omnem Amphitruonis familiam,
adeo usque, satietatem dum capiet pater
illius quam amat. igitur demum omnes scient
quae facta. denique Alcumenam Iuppiter
rediget antiquam coniugi in concordiam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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