Humanitext Reader

Plautus · Amphitruo §280-336

Sosia's Wonder at the Endless Night and Mercury's Threat

Passage 5 of 19 · Latin

Summary

Sosia is puzzled by the unusually long night, while Mercury, who is prolonging the night for his father Jupiter, encounters him and starts speaking loudly of his violent intentions to frighten Sosia.

§280nisi item unam, verberatus quam pependi perpetem; §281eam quoque edepol etiam multo haec vicit longitudine.
except likewise one other, during which I hung suspended all night through, after having been beaten; and, by Pollux, even that one this night has far surpassed in length.
§282credo edepol equidem dormire Solem, atque adpotum probe; §283mira sunt nisi invitavit sese in cena plusculum.
I do believe indeed, by Pollux, that the Sun is asleep, and well-soaked besides; it's a wonder if he hasn't treated himself a little too freely at dinner.
§284Ain vero, verbero? deos esse tui similis putas?
(MERCURY) Is it really so, you whipping-post? Do you think the gods are like yourself?
§285ego pol te istis tuis pro dictis et male factis, furcifer, §286accipiam; modo sis veni huc: invenies infortunium.
By Pollux, you scoundrel, I will welcome you for those words of yours and your evil deeds; just come this way, if you please: you will find misfortune.
§287Vbi sunt isti scortatores, qui soli inviti cubant?
(SOSIA) Where are those whoremongers, who lie alone against their will?
§288haec nox scita est exercendo scorto conducto male.
This night is capital for fully employing a hired mistress.
§289Meus pater nunc pro huius verbis recte et sapienter facit, §290qui complexus cum Alcumena cubat amans animo obsequens.
(MERCURY) My father now is acting rightly and wisely in accordance with this fellow's words, who, embracing Alcumena, lies loving and indulging his humor.
§291Ibo ut erus quod imperavit Alcumenae nuntiem.
(SOSIA) I will go to announce to Alcumena what my master ordered.
§292sed quis hic ést homo, quem ante aedis video hoc noctis? non placet.
But who is this man whom I see before the house at this time of night? I don't like it.
§293Nullust hoc metuculosus aeque.
(MERCURY) There is no one so cowardly as this fellow.
§293bMi in mentem venit, §294illic homó hoc dé umero volt pallium detexere.
(SOSIA) It comes into my mind, that fellow wants to strip this cloak off my shoulder.
§295Timet homo: deludam ego illum.
(MERCURY) The man is afraid: I will play with him.
§295bPerii, dentes pruriunt; §296certe advenientem hic me hospitio pugneo accepturus est.
(SOSIA) I'm undone, my teeth are itching; surely he is going to welcome me on my arrival with a fist-hospitality.
§297credo misericors est: nunc propterea quod me meus erus §298fecit ut vigilarem, hic pugnis faciet hodie ut dormiam.
I believe he is merciful: now, because my master made me keep awake, he with his fists will make me sleep today.
§299oppido interii.
I am utterly ruined.
obsecro hercle, quantus et quam validus est.
By Hercules, I beseech you, how big and how strong he is.
§300Clare advorsum fabulabor, ut hic auscultet quae loquar; §301igitur magis demum maiorem in sese concipiet metum.
(MERCURY) I will speak aloud facing him, so that he may listen to what I say; thereby indeed he will conceive still greater fear in himself.
§302agite, pugni, iam diu est quom ventri victum non datis: §303iam pridem videtur factum, heri quod homines quattuor §304in soporem collocastis nudos.
Come, my fists, it is now a long time since you have given food to my belly; it seems long ago since yesterday you laid four naked men to sleep.
§304bFormido male, §305né ego hic nomen meum commutem et Quintus fiam e Sosia; §306quattuor nudos sopori se dedisse hic autumat: §307metuo ne numerum augeam illum.
(SOSIA) I fear dreadfully, lest I should change my name here and become Quintus instead of Sosia; he asserts that four naked men have yielded to sleep; I fear lest I should increase that number.
§307bem, nunciam ergo: sic volo.
(MERCURY) Well, now then: thus I will have it.
§308Cingitur: certe expedit se.
(SOSIA) He is girding himself: certainly he is getting ready.
§308bNon feret quin vapulet.
(MERCURY) He shall not carry it off without getting a beating.
§309Quis homo?
(SOSIA) Who is the man?
§309bQuisquis homo huc profecto venerit, pugnos edet.
(MERCURY) Whoever the man is who comes here, he shall certainly eat fists.
§310Apage, non placet me hoc noctis esse: cenavi modo; §311proin tu istam cenam largire, si sapis, esurientibus.
(SOSIA) Away with it! I don't care to eat at this time of night: I have just dined; therefore, if you are wise, bestow that dinner of yours upon the hungry.
§312Haud malum huic est pondus pugno.
(MERCURY) There is no bad weight to this fist.
§312bPerii, pugnos ponderat.
(SOSIA) I'm dead! He is weighing his fists.
§313Quid si ego illum tractim tangam, ut dormiat?
(MERCURY) What if I touch him gently, so that he may fall asleep?
§313bServaveris, §314nam continuas has tris noctes pervigilavi.
(SOSIA) You will have saved my life, for I have been awake for these three nights consecutively.
§314bPessumest, §315facimus nequiter, ferire malam male discit manus; §316alia forma ésse oportet quem tu pugno legeris.
(MERCURY) This is very bad; we are acting worthlessly; my hand is learning to strike the cheek poorly; he whom you choose out with your fist ought to be of another shape.
§317Illic homo me interpolabit meumque os finget denuo.
(SOSIA) That fellow will remodel me and fashion my face anew.
§318Exossatum os esse oportet quem probe percusseris.
(MERCURY) The face of him whom you have struck soundly ought to have its bones taken out.
§319Mirum ni hic me quasi murenam éxossare cogitat.
(SOSIA) It's a wonder if he isn't thinking of deboning me like a lamprey.
§320ultro istunc qui exossat homines.
Away with that fellow who debones men!
perii, si me aspexerit.
I am lost if he catches sight of me.
§321Olet homo quidam malo suo.
(MERCURY) A certain man smells to his own misfortune.
§321bei, numnam ego óbolui?
(SOSIA) Ah! Have I draft-smelled?
§322Atque haud longe abesse oportet, verum longe hinc afuit.
(MERCURY) And he must be not far off, though he was far from here just now.
§323Illic homo superstitiosust.
(SOSIA) That fellow is a wizard.
§323bGestiunt pugni mihi.
(MERCURY) My fists are itching.
§324Si in me exercituru's, quaeso in parietem ut primum domes.
(SOSIA) If you are going to practice on me, I beg that you will first tame them against the wall.
§325Vox mi ad aures advolavit.
(MERCURY) A voice has flown to my ears.
§325bNé ego homo infelix fui, §326qui non alas intervelli: volucrem vocem gestito.
(SOSIA) Verily I have been an unlucky fellow, in not having plucked the feathers of it: I bear a winged voice.
§327Illic homo a me sibi malam rem arcessit iumento suo.
(MERCURY) That fellow is calling down trouble upon himself from me with his beast of burden.
§328Non equidem ullum habeo iumentum.
(SOSIA) Indeed, I have no beast of burden at all.
§328bOnerandus est pugnis probe.
(MERCURY) He must be well loaded with fists.
§329Lassus sum hercle, navi ut vectus huc sum: etiam nunc nauseo; §330vix incedo inanis, ne ire posse cum onere existimes.
(SOSIA) By Hercules, I am tired from having been carried here by ship: even now I am seasick; I can scarcely walk unladen, so don't you think I could go with a load.
§331Certe enim hic nescio quis loquitur.
(MERCURY) For certainly someone or other is speaking here.
§331bSalvos sum, non me videt: §332nescioquem loqui autumat; mihi certo nomen Sosiaest.
(SOSIA) I'm safe, he doesn't see me: he asserts that some unknown person is speaking; my name is certainly Sosia.
§333Hinc enim míhi dextra vox auris, ut videtur, verberat.
(MERCURY) For from the right, as it seems, a voice strikes my ears.
§334Metuo, vocis ne vicem hodie hic vapulem, quae hunc verberat.
(SOSIA) I fear lest I should get a beating today here instead of the voice which strikes him.
§335Optume eccum incedit ad me.
(MERCURY) Excellent! Look, he is walking towards me.
§335bTimeo, totus torpeo.
(SOSIA) I am afraid, I am completely numb.
§336non edepol nunc ubi terrarum sim scio, si quis roget,
By Pollux, if anyone should ask, I don't know where on earth I am now,

Notes

  1. §280verberatus quam pependi perpetem — The relative pronoun `quam` modifies the antecedent `unam` (with `noctem` understood). `perpetem` is an adjective meaning "all night long" acting adverbially or agreeing with the relative pronoun. `verberatus` is a perfect participle modifying the subject of the main verb `pependi`.
  2. §283mira sunt nisi — An idiomatic expression meaning "it is a wonder if... not" or "surely..." `mira` is neuter plural nominative, functioning with the `nisi` clause as the subject.
  3. §305né ego hic nomen meum commutem — A `ne` clause introduced by the verb of fearing `formido` (§304b), meaning "I fear lest I should change my name here." The subjunctive present `commutem` indicates the object of fear.
  4. §308bNon feret quin vapulet — `feret` here means "carry off" or "escape (punishment)." `quin` follows the negative `non` to mean "without," taking the subjunctive `vapulet` (to be beaten), expressing a strong conviction that "he will not get off without a beating."
  5. §334vocis ne vicem hodie hic vapulem — `vicem` (accusative of `vix`, meaning "turn, stead") functions as a prepositional phrase with the genitive `vocis`, meaning "in place of the voice." `vapulem` is subjunctive introduced by `metuo ne`. It contains a humorous play on words between the voice "striking" (`verberat`) the ears in the preceding line and Sosia "being beaten" (`vapulem`).

Cite this passage

Plautus, Amphitruo §280-336. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi001.humanitext-lat2:280-336

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