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
All these regiments, battalions, and armies of theirs
have been put to flight, after fierce fighting, by our
fabrications. ’Tis the valour of my colleague hath done
it, with my own kind assistance. Who’s a stouter-hearted
hero than I am at taking thwacks?
_Leon._
Edepol virtutes qui tuas non possis conclaudare
sic ut ego possim, quae domi duellique male fecisti.
ne illa edepol pro merito tuo memorari multa possunt: 560
(_sneeringly_) Good Lord! Your deeds of valour--you couldn’t
celebrate them the way I could your villainies at home and
in the field. Gad! you certainly can be acredited with a
lengthy list of things along that line.
ubi fidentem fraudaveris, ubi ero infidelis fueris,
ubi verbis conceptis sciens libenter periuraris,
ubi parietes perfoderis, in furto ubi sis prehensus,
ubi saepe causam dixeris pendens adversus octo
artutos, audacis viros, valentis virgatores.
Item, cheated a confiding friend; item, faithless to master;
item, committed perjury consciously, cheerfully, in set form
of words; item, dug your way into houses through the walls;
item, caught at thieving; item, strung up repeatedly and
plead your case before eight bold, brawny beef-eaters with
a gift for club swinging.
_Lib._
Fateor profecto ut praedicas, Leonida, esse vera;
verum edepol ne etiam tua quoque malefacta iterari multa
et vero possunt; ubi sciens fideli infidus fueris,
ubi prensus in furto sies manifesto et verberatus,[22] 569
ubi eris damno, molestiae et dedecori saepe fueris, (571)
I am quite ready to admit that is a just statement of
the case, Leonida; but, Lord! the list of even your own
villainies, too, can certainly be made lengthy enough,
without injustice. Item, consciously treacherous to a
trusting friend; item, caught stealing redhanded and
whipped; item, repeatedly brought loss, trouble, and
disgrace on your masters;
ubi creditum quod sit tibi datum esse pernegaris,[23] (572)
ubi saepe ad languorem tua duritia dederis octo (574)
validos lictores, ulmeis adfectos lentis virgis.
num male relata est gratia, ut collegam collaudavi?
item, had money left in your keeping and swore and swore
it wasn’t; item, repeatedly exhausted by your toughness
eight strong lictors equipped with pliant elm rods.
(_pause_) Have I celebrated my colleague highly enough
to pay him back--eh, what?
_Leon._
Ut meque teque maxime atque ingenio nostro decuit.
(_thoughtfully_) Yes, pretty much what you and I and our
characters deserved.
_Lib._
Iam omitte ista atque hoc quod rogo responde.
Drop your nonsense now and answer me this question.
_Leon._
Rogita quod vis.
Ask your question.
_Lib._
Argenti viginti minas habesne?
(_triumphantly_) The eighty pounds, have you got it?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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