§464is ea causa misit, hoc qui surriperent misero mihi.
(Euclio) He sent them for this very reason, to steal this from miserable me.
§465condigne etiam meus med intus gallus gallinacius, §466qui érat anu peculiaris, perdidit paenissume.
And in a manner fully worthy of me, my domestic cock inside, which had been the old woman's private property, almost ruined me.
Where this pot was buried, he began to scratch with his claws all around.
quid opust verbis? ita mihi pectus peracuit: §469capio fustem, obtrunco gallum, furem manufestarium.
What need is there of words? My breast became so incensed: I took a club, and knocked on the head the cock, a thief caught in the act.
By Pollux, I believe the cooks had promised a reward to that cock if he should lay it open.
exemi ex manu † manubrium.
I have snatched the opportunity from their hands.
§473sed Megadorus meus affinis eccum incedit a foro.
But see, my relative Megadorus is walking this way from the forum.
§474iam hunc non ausim praeterire, quin consistam et conloquar.
Now I would not dare to pass him by without stopping and conversing with him.
(Megadorus) I have told many friends of my plan concerning this match.
Euclionis filiam §477laudant.
They praise Euclio's daughter.
sapienter factum et consilio bono.
They say it is wisely done and with good planning.
§478nam meo quidem animo sí idem faciant ceteri §479opulentiores, pauperiorum filias §480ut indotatas ducant uxores domum, §481et multo fiat civitas concordior, §482et invídia nos minore utamur quam utimur, §483et illaé malam rem metuant quam metuont magis, §484et nos minore sumptu simus quam sumus.
For indeed, in my opinion, if the other wealthier citizens would do the same, and marry the daughters of the poorer classes home without dowries, both the state would become much more harmonious, and we should experience less envy than we do, and those wives would fear punishment more than they now fear it, and we should be at less expense than we are.
§485in maximam illuc populi partem est optimum; §486in pauciores avidos altercatio est, §487quorum animis avidis atque insatietatibus §488neque lex neque sutor capere est qui possit modum.
For the greatest part of the people, that is the best; for the fewer greedy ones, it is a matter of dispute, to whose greedy minds and insatiability neither law nor shoemaker can set a limit.
§489namque hoc qui dicat “quo illae nubent divites §490dotatae, si istud ius pauperibus ponitur?” §491quo lubeant, nubant, dum dos ne fiat comes.
For anyone who might say: "Where will those rich women with dowries marry, if this rule is established for the poor?" Let them marry where they please, so long as a dowry does not go as their companion.
§492hoc sí ita fiat, mores meliores sibi §493parent, pro dote quos ferant, quam nunc ferunt, §494ego faxim muli, pretio qui superant equos, §495sint viliores Gallicis cantheriis.
If this were done, they would procure for themselves better manners to bring instead of a dowry than they now bring, and I would make mules, which exceed horses in price, cheaper than Gallic geldings.
§496Ita me di amabunt ut ego hunc ausculto lubens.
(Euclio) So may the gods love me, how gladly I listen to him!
§497nimis lépide fecit verba ad parsimoniam.
He has spoken words very neatly in favor of thrift.
§498Nulla igitur dicat “equidem dotem ad te adtuli §499maiorem multo quam tibi erat pecunia; §500enim míhi quidem aequomst purpuram atque aurum dari, §501ancillas, mulos, muliones, pedisequos, §502salutigerulos pueros, vehicla qui vehar. ” §503Vt matronarum hic facta pernovit probe.
(Megadorus) Then no woman would say: "Indeed I brought a dowry to you much larger than your own fortune; for it is surely fair that purple and gold be given to me, maid-servants, mules, mule-drivers, attendants, boys to deliver greetings, and carriages for me to ride in." (Euclio) How thoroughly he knows the doings of married ladies!
§504moribus praefectum mulierum hunc factum velim.
I wish he were made inspector of women's morals.
(Megadorus) Now, wherever you go, you can see more wagons in the house than in the country when you go to a villa.
§507sed hoc étiam pulchrum est praequam ubi sumptus petunt.
But even this is beautiful compared to when they ask for their expenses.
§508stat fullo, phyrgio, aurifex, lanarius; §509caupones patagiarii, indusiarii, §510flammarii, violarii, carinarii; §511stant manulearii, stant † murobatharii, §512propolae linteones, calceolarii; §513sedentárii sutores diabathrarii, §514solearii astant, astant molocinarii; §516strophiarii astant, astant semul sonarii.
There stands the fuller, the embroiderer, the goldsmith, the wool-spinner; retailers of borders, makers of undergarments, makers of bridal veils, violet-dyers, yellow-dyers; sleeve-makers stand, makers of scented slippers stand; linen-merchants, shoe-makers; sedentary shoemakers who make ladies' slippers, sandal-makers stand, dyer of mallow-colored garments stand; breastband-makers stand, and girdle-makers stand at the same time.
§517iam hosce absolutos censeas: cedunt, petunt §518treceni, cum stant thylacistae in atriis §519textores limbularii, arcularii.
Now you might think these are paid off: they depart, and then three hundred others demand payment, while money-bag carriers stand in the halls, fringe-weavers, cabinet-makers.
§520ducuntur, datur aes.
They are introduced, money is given.
iam absolutos censeas, §521cum incedunt infectores corcotarii, §522aut aliqua mala crux semper est, quae aliquid petat.
Now you might think they are paid off, when dyers of saffron garments walk in, or some plague is always present to demand something.
(Euclio) I would accost him, but I fear he may stop recounting the manners of women; for now I will let him go on.
(Megadorus) When the business is settled with all the sellers of trifles, then at last comes the soldier, demanding his money.
One goes and reckons up the account with the banker; the soldier stands there hungry, thinking the money is being paid.
§529ubi disputata est ratio cum argentario, §530etiam ipsus ultro debet argentario: §531spes prorogatur militi in alium diem.
When the account has been disputed with the banker, even the husband himself is found to be in debt to the banker: the hope of the soldier is deferred to another day.
These and many other inconveniences and intolerable expenses are found in large dowries.
For she who has no dowry is in the power of her husband; dowered wives overwhelm their husbands with both misery and ruin.
§536sed eccum adfinem ante aedes.
But there is my relative before the house.
quid agis, Euclio?
How are you, Euclio?
§537Nimium lubenter edi sermonem tuom.
(Euclio) I have listened to your discourse with extreme pleasure.
§538An audivisti?
(Megadorus) Did you hear it?
§538bVsque a principio omnia.
(Euclio) From the very beginning, all of it.
(Megadorus) Still, in my opinion, you would do somewhat better if you were a little more elegant for your daughter's wedding.
(Euclio) Those who have elegance according to their status, and glory according to their means, remember whence they are sprung.