- Source
- Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 1. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1895.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi006.humanitext-lat2:360-415
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Lysidamus and Cleostrata begin the drawing of lots for Casina on behalf of Olympio and Chalinus, during which the rival slaves engage in mutual insults and minor physical altercations.
Tibi quidem edepol ita videtur; stimulus ego nunc sum tibi,
To you indeed, by Pollux, it seems so; but now I am a spur to you,
fodico corculum; adsudascis iam ex metu, mastigia.
I sting your little heart; you are already sweating with fear, you scoundrel.
Tace, Chaline.
Be silent, Chalinus.
Comprime istum.
Silence him.
Immo istunc, qui didicit dare.1
Rather that one, who has learned to yield.
Adpone hic sitellam, sortis cedo mihi. animum advortite.
Place the urn here, give me the lots. Pay attention.
atque ego censui aps te posse hoc me impetrare, uxor mea,
And I thought I could obtain this from you, my wife,
Casina ut uxor mihi daretur; et nunc etiam censeo.
that Casina should be given to me as a wife; and even now I think so.
Tibi daretur illa?
She be given to you?
Mihi enim—ah, non id volui dicere:
To me indeed—ah, I didn’t want to say that:
dum mihi volui, huic dixi, atque adeo mihi dum cupio—perperam
while I wanted her for myself, I said ‘for him’, and even while I desire her for myself—wrongly
iam dudum hercle fabulor.
by Hercules, I have been talking nonsense for some time.
Pol tu quidem, atque etiam facis.
By Pollux, indeed you are, and you are still doing so.
Huic—immo hercle mihi—vah, tandem redii vix veram in viam.
For him—no indeed, by Hercules, for me—ah, at last I have barely returned to the right path.
Per pol saepe peccas.
By Pollux, you make mistakes often.
Ita fit, ubi quid tanto opere expetas.
So it happens when you desire something so greatly.
sed te uterque tuo pro iure, ego atque hic, oramus.
But both of us, I and this man, beg you, in accordance with your right.
Quid est?
What is it?
Dicam enim, mea mulsa: de istac Casina huic nostro vilico
For I will tell you, my sweet: concerning that Casina, to this farm-bailiff of ours
gratiam facias.
grant this favor.
At pol ego néque facio neque censeo.
But by Pollux, I neither do so nor do I think it right.
Tum igitur ego sortis utrimque iam.
Then, therefore, I will draw lots for both sides now.
Quis votat?
Who forbids it?
Optimum atque aequissimum istud esse iure iudico.
I judge that to be the best and most equitable course by right.
postremo, si illuc quod volumus eveniet, gaudebimus;
Finally, if that which we wish happens, we shall rejoice;
sin secus, patiemur animis aequis. tene sortem tibi.
but if otherwise, we shall bear it with calm minds. Take the lot for yourself.
vide quid scriptum est.
See what is written.
Vnum.
One.
Iniquom est, quia isti prius quam mihi dedit.
It is unfair, because he gave to that fellow before me.
Accipe hanc sis.
Take this, please.
Cedo. mane, unum venit in mentem modo:
Give it here. Wait, one thing just came to mind:
vide ne quae illic insit alia sortis sub aqua.
see that there is no other lot in there under the water.
Verbero,
You scoundrel,
men te censes esse?
do you think I am like you?
Nulla est. habe quietum animum modo.
There is none. Just keep a quiet mind.
Quod bonum atque fortunatum sit mihi—
May it be good and fortunate for me—
Magnum malum
A great evil
tibi quidem edepol credo eveniet; novi pietatem tuam.
by Pollux, indeed I believe will happen to you; I know your piety.
sed mane dum: num ista aut populna sors aut abiegnast tua?2
But wait a moment: is that lot of yours made of poplar or fir?
Quid tu id curas?
Why do you care about that?
Quia enim metuo, né in aqua summa natet.
Because indeed I fear lest it should float on the top of the water.
†Auge cave. conicite sortes nunciam ambo huc. eccere.
Take great care. Cast the lots in here now, both of you. Behold!
uxor, aequa.
Wife, shake them up.
Noli uxori credere.
Do not trust your wife.
Habe animum bonum.
Be of good courage.
Credo hercle, hodie devotabit sortis si attigerit.
By Hercules, I believe she will curse the lots if she touches them today.
Tace.
Be silent.
Taceo. deos quaeso—
I am silent. I pray to the gods—
Vt quidem tu hodie canem et furcam feras.
That indeed you may carry a dog and a fork today.
Mihi ut sortito eveniat—
That it may turn out to me by lot—
Vt quidem hercle pedibus pendeas.
That indeed, by Hercules, you may hang by your feet.
At tu ut oculos emungare ex capite per nasum tuos.
And you, that you may blow your eyes out of your head through your nose.
Quid times? paratum oportet esse iam laqueum tibi.
What are you afraid of? A noose ought to be ready for you by now.
Periisti.
You are ruined.
Animum advortite ambo.
Pay attention, both of you.
Taceo.
I am silent.
Nunc tu, Cleostrata,
Now you, Cleostrata,
ne a me memores malitiose de hac re factum aut suspices,
lest you say or suspect that this was done maliciously by me concerning this matter,
tibi permitto: tute sorti.
I permit you: draw the lot yourself.
Perdis me.
You ruin me.
Lucrum facit.
He gains.
Bene facis.
You do well.
Deos quaeso—ut tua sors ex sitella effugerit.
I pray to the gods—that your lot may escape from the urn.
Ain tu? quia tute es fugitivos, omnes te imitari cupis?
Is that what you say? Because you yourself are a runaway, do you wish everyone to imitate you?
utinam tua quidem, sicut factum esse Herculeis praedicant
Would that yours indeed, just as they say happened to the descendants of Hercules
quondam prognatis, in sortiendo sors deliquerit.3
once upon a time, may your lot fail in the drawing.
Tu ut liquescas ipse, actutum virgis calefactabere.
That you yourself may melt, you shall straightway be warmed with rods.
Hoc age sis, Olympio.
Get on with this, please, Olympio.
Si hic litteratus me sinat.
If this learned gentleman would let me.
Quod bonum atque fortunatum mihi sit.
May it be good and fortunate for me.
Ita vero, et mihi.
Indeed, and for me.
Non.
No.
Immo hercle.
Nay, by Hercules.
Immo mihi hercle.
Nay, for me, by Hercules.
Hic vincet, tu vives miser.
This man will win, you will live miserably.
Percide os tu illi † hodie. age, ecquid fit? ne obiexis manum.
Strike him on the mouth today. Come, is anything happening? Don’t hold out your hand.
Compressan palma an porrecta ferio?
Shall I strike with closed fist or with open palm?
Age ut vis.
Do as you wish.
Em tibi.
There’s for you.
Quid tibi istunc tactio est.4
What business have you to touch him?
Quia Iuppiter iussit meus.
Because my Jupiter ordered it.
Feri malam, ut ille, rursum.
Strike him on the cheek in return, just like him.
Perii, pugnis caedor, Iuppiter.
I’m ruined, I’m being beaten with fists, Jupiter!
Quid tibi tactio hunc fuit?
What business had you to touch him?
Quia iussit haec Iuno mea.
Because this Juno of mine ordered it.
Patiundum est, siquidem me vivo mea uxor imperium exhibet.
It must be endured, since my wife exercises authority while I am alive.
Tam huic loqui licere oportet quam isti.
It is right for this man to be allowed to speak as much as that one.
Cur omen mihi
Why does he ruin
vituperat?
my omen?
Malo, Chaline, tibi cavendum censeo.
Chalinus, I think you should beware of trouble.
Temperi,5 postquam oppugnatum est os.
Just in time, after my mouth has been attacked!
Age, uxor, nunciam
Come, wife, now
sorti. vos advortite animum. prae metu ubi sim nescio.
draw lots. Pay attention, you two. I don’t know where I am for fear.
perii, cor lienósum, opinor, habeo, iam dudum salit,
I’m undone, I think I have a diseased heart, it has been jumping for some time,
de labore pectus tundit.
it beats against my chest from the struggle.
- 362cdidicit dare
The verb dare (to give/yield) is used here with a vulgar double entendre, implying submissive yielding or bribery, typical of Plautine slave-slang.
- 384populna sors aut abiegnast tua
Asking about the wood types (poplar or fir) reflects Chalinus' suspicion that a lighter wood would float to the top of the water (in aqua summa natet, §385b), allowing Cleostrata to select or manipulate the lot easily.
- 399sors deliquerit
Meaning 'lest the lot dissolve/fail.' It refers to the myth of the Heraclidae dividing the Peloponnese, where Cresphontes used a lot made of sun-dried clay that dissolved in water to win Messenia, thus avoiding drawing his opponent's lot.
- 406Quid tibi istunc tactio est
A colloquial and archaic construction where a verbal noun (tactio) retains verbal force and takes a direct object in the accusative case (istunc). Quid functions adverbially as 'why'.
- 412Temperi
An adverb meaning 'seasonably' or 'in good time'. Here, Chalinus uses it ironically: Lysidamus warns him after Chalinus' mouth has already been struck.