- Source
- Terence. Publii Terentii Comoediae Sex. Parry, Edward St. John, editor. London: Whittaker and Co.; George Bell, 1857.
- 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:phi0134.phi004.humanitext-lat2:199b-257c
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Upon hearing from Geta that Demipho has returned, Antipho is so overwhelmed by fear that he flees, leaving his wife and life in the hands of Phaedria and Geta. Demipho then appears furious about his son's unauthorized marriage, and Phaedria steps forward to pacify him with Geta's support.
Quid ais?
Phaedria: What do you say?
Huius patrem vidisse me, patruum tuum.
Geta: That I have seen his father, your uncle.
Nam quod ego huic nunc subito exitio remedium inveniam miser?
Antipho: Ah, what remedy can I find now, wretched as I am, for this sudden ruin?
Quod si eo meae fortunae redeunt, Phanium, abs te ut distrahar,1
For if my fortunes come to this pass, Phanium, that I am torn from you,
Nulla est mihi vita expetenda.
there is no life left that is worth wishing for.
Ergo istaec quum ita sint, Antipho,
Phaedria: Therefore, since that is the case, Antipho,
Tanto magis te advigilare aequum est. Fortes fortuna adiuvat.
it is all the more proper for you to be on your guard. Fortune favors the brave.
Non sum apud me.
Antipho: I am not myself.
Atqui opus est nunc quummaxime ut sis, Antipho;
Phaedria: And yet, now of all times, you must be yourself, Antipho;
Nam si senserit te timidum pater esse, arbitrabitur
for if your father senses that you are afraid, he will think
Commeruisse culpam.
you have deserved the blame.
Hoc verum est.
Geta: That is true.
Non possum immutarier.
Antipho: I cannot change my nature.
Quid faceres, si gravius aliud tibi nunc faciendum foret?
Phaedria: What would you do, if you had to do something even more difficult now?
Quum hoc non possum, illud minus possem.
Antipho: Since I cannot do this, I should be still less able to do that.
Hoc nihil est, Phaedria: ilicet.
Geta: This is nothing, Phaedria; it’s all over.
Quid hic conterimus operam frustra? Quin abeo?
Why do we waste our labor here in vain? Why don’t I go away?
Et quidem ego.
Antipho: And I too.
Obsecro:
Phaedria: Pray!
Quid si assimulo? satin est?
Antipho: What if I pretend? Is this enough?
Garris.
Geta: You are joking.
Vultum contemplamini: hem,
Antipho: Look at my face: see,
Satin sic est?
is it enough like this?
Non.
Geta: No.
Quid si sic?
Antipho: What if like this?
Propemodum.
Geta: Almost.
Quid si sic?
Antipho: What if like this?
Sat est.
Geta: That’s enough.
Hem, istuc serva; et verbum verbo, par pari ut respondeas,2
Ah, keep that; and answer him word for word, tit for tat,
Ne te iratus suis saevidicis dictis protelet.
lest he in his anger drive you from your post with his harsh words.
Scio.
Antipho: I know.
Vi coactum te esse invitum, lege, iudicio: tenes?
Geta: That you were forced against your will, by law, by the court’s decree: do you hold that?
Sed quis hic est senex quem video in ultima platea?
But who is this old man whom I see at the end of the street?
Ipsus est:
Geta: It is he himself!
Non possum adesse.
Antipho: I cannot face him.
Ah, quid agis? quo abis, Antipho?
Phaedria: Ah, what are you doing? Where are you going, Antipho?
Mane, inquam.
Stay, I say.
Egomet me novi et peccatum meum:
Antipho: I know myself and my fault too well:
Vobis commendo Phanium et vitam meam.
I commit Phanium and my life to you both.
Geta, quid nunc fiet?
Phaedria: Geta, what will happen now?
Tu iam lites audies:
Geta: You will soon hear a scolding;
Ego plectar pendens, nisi quid me fefellerit.
as for me, I shall be tied up and flogged, unless I am much mistaken.
Sed quod modo hic nos Antiphonem monuimus
But what we just now advised Antipho to do,
Id nosmet ipsos facere oportet, Phaedria.
we ought to do ourselves, Phaedria.
Aufer mihi "oportet:" quin tu quod faciam impera.
Phaedria: Away with your “ought”: rather, command me what I must do.
Meministine olim ut fuerit vestra oratio
Geta: Do you remember what your speech used to be long ago,
In re incipienda ad defendendam noxiam;
when beginning the business to defend your fault;
Iustam illam causam, facilem, vincibilem, optimam?
that the cause was just, easy, clear, and sure to win?
Memini.
Phaedria: I remember.
Hem, nunc ipsa est opus ea, aut, si quid potest,
Geta: Well, now we need that very speech, or, if possible,
Meliore et callidiore.
one even better and more cunning.
Fiet sedulo.
Phaedria: It shall be done with all diligence.
Nunc prior adito tu: ego in subsidiis hic ero
Geta: Now, you go up to him first: I will be here in reserve
Succenturiatus, si quid deficias.
as a reinforcement, if you falter at all.
Age.
Phaedria: Come on.
Itane tandem uxorem duxit Antipho iniussu meo?
Demipho: Has Antipho indeed then married a wife without my consent?
Nec meum imperium, ac mitto imperium, non simultatem meam
And has he had no regard for my authority, and to say nothing of authority, my displeasure at least?
Revereri saltem? non pudere?3 O facinus audax! o Geta
Has he no shame? O audacious deed! O Geta,
Monitor!
the adviser!
Vix tandem.
Geta: At last we are named.
Quid mihi dicent, aut quam causam reperient,
Demipho: What will they say to me, or what excuse will they find?
Demiror.
I wonder.
Atqui repperi iam: aliud cura.
Geta: But I have found one already: don’t worry about that.
Anne hoc dicet mihi,
Demipho: Will he say this to me,
"Invitus feci: lex coegit?" Audio. Fateor.
”I did it against my will; the law compelled me.” I hear. I admit it.
Places.
Geta: Excellent.
Verum scientem, tacitum, causam tradere adversariis;
Demipho: But to give up the cause to his opponents, knowingly and in silence;
Etiamne id lex coegit?
did the law compel that too?
Illud durum.
Phaedria: That is a hard one.
Ego expediam: sine.
Geta: I will clear it up: leave it to me.
Incertum est quid agam, quia praeter spem atque incredibile hoc mihi obtigit:
Demipho: I am uncertain what to do, because this has happened to me contrary to my expectation and past belief.
Ita sum irritatus animum ut nequeam ad cogitandum instituere:
I am so incensed in my mind that I cannot direct my thoughts to reflection.
Quamobrem omnes, quum secundae res sunt maxime, tum maxime
Therefore, all men, when their affairs are most prosperous, ought then especially
Meditari secum oportet quo pacto adversam aerumnam ferant;
to reflect with themselves how they may bear adverse calamity;
Pericla, damna, exilia! Peregre rediens semper cogitet
dangers, losses, banishment! Returning from abroad, let him always reflect
Aut filii peccatum, aut uxoris mortem, aut morbum filiae;
on his son’s transgression, or his wife’s death, or his daughter’s illness;
Communia esse haec; nequid horum unquam accidat animo novum:
that these are common occurrences, so that none of them may ever happen as a new thing to the mind.
Quicquid praeter spem eveniat omne id deputare esse in lucro.4
Whatever happens contrary to expectation, all that he should count as clear gain.
Phaedria, incredibile est quantum herum anteeo sapientia.
Geta: Phaedria, it is incredible how much I surpass my master in wisdom.
Meditata mihi sunt omnia mea incommoda, herus si redierit:
I have reflected on all my own misfortunes, if my master should return:
Molendum usque in pistrino; vapulandum; habendae compedes;
grinding continually in the mill, being flogged, wearing shackles,
Opus ruri faciendum: horum nihil quicquam accidet animo novum.
working in the fields: none of these things will happen as a new thing to my mind.
Quicquid praeter spem eveniet, omne id deputabo esse in lucro.
Whatever happens contrary to expectation, all that I shall count as clear gain.
Sed quid cessas hominem adire, et blande in principio alloqui?
But why do you hesitate to go up to the man, and speak to him gently at first?
Phaedriam mei fratris video filium mihi ire obviam.
Demipho: I see Phaedria, my brother’s son, coming to meet me.
Mi patrue, salve.
Phaedria: My uncle, welcome.
Salve: sed ubi est Antipho?
Demipho: Welcome: but where is Antipho?
Salvum advenire—
Phaedria: That you have arrived safe—
Credo: hoc responde mihi.
Demipho: I believe so: answer me this.
Valet: hic est: sed satin omnia ex sententia?
Phaedria: He is well; he is here: but is everything quite to your mind?
Vellem quidem.
Demipho: I wish it indeed.
Quid istuc?
Phaedria: What is the matter?
Rogitas, Phaedria?
Demipho: Do you ask, Phaedria?
- 201eo ... ut distrahar
The adverb eo (to such a point) and the consecutive clause ut distrahar (that I be torn away) are used correlatively, meaning "if my fortunes should return to such a point that I am torn from you."
- 212ut respondeas
The particle ut with the present subjunctive respondeas is used here to express a command or advice, which can be interpreted either as an independent subjunctive of command or as an ellipsis of fac ut (take care that you answer).
- 233Revereri saltem? non pudere?
These are exclamatory infinitives, expressing indignation or surprise, with an omitted subject accusative (Antipho). It translates as "That he should not even respect...? That he should not be ashamed?"
- 246deputare esse in lucro
The verb deputare (to reckon) takes an accusative with infinitive clause (id esse in lucro) and is syntactically dependent on the impersonal verb oportet in line 242. The phrase "in lucro" is an idiomatic expression meaning "as clear gain."
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (3, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 1
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 2