§73quasi claudus sutor domi sedet totos dies.
like a lame shoemaker he sits at home all day long.
§74neque iam quo pacto celem erilis filiae §75probrum, propinqua partitudo cui appetit, §76queo comminisci; neque quicquam meliust mihi, §77ut opinor, quam ex me ut unam faciam litteram §78longam, meum laqueo collum quando obstrinxero.
And now how I may hide the shame of my master's daughter, whose near labor is approaching, I cannot think; nor is there anything better for me, as I believe, than to make one long letter of myself, when I have bound my neck with a noose.
Now, with my mind finally cleared of anxiety, I go out of the house, after I have seen that all is safe inside.
§81redi núnciam intro atque intus serva.
Go back inside now, and guard the house.
§81bQuippini?
Why shouldn't I?
§82ego intus servem? an ne quis aedes auferat?
Am I to guard the inside? Or lest someone should carry the house away?
For here with us there is no other gain for thieves, so filled is it with emptiness and cobwebs.
It's a wonder that Jupiter doesn't make me, for your sake, King Philip or Darius, you arch-witch.
§87araneas mihi ego illas servari volo.
I want those cobwebs to be kept for myself.
§88pauper sum; fateor, patior; quod di dant fero.
I am poor; I admit it, I bear it; what the gods give, I endure.
§89abi intro, occlude ianuam.
Go inside, lock the door.
iam ego hic ero.
I will be back here soon.
§90cave quémquam alienum in aedis intro miseris.
Take care not to let any stranger into the house.
If anyone should ask for fire, I want it to be put out, so that there may be no reason for anyone to seek you out.
§93nam si ignis vivet, tu extinguere extempulo.
For if the fire lives, you shall be put out instantly.
§94tum aquam aufugisse dicito, si quis petet.
Then say that the water has run away, if anyone asks for it.
§95cultrum, securim, pistillum, mortarium, §96quae utenda vasa semper vicini rogant, §97fures venisse atque abstulisse dicito.
The knife, the axe, the pestle, the mortar, which vessels neighbors always ask to borrow, say that thieves came and took them away.
Indeed, in my house, in my absence, I want no one to be let in.
atque etiam hoc praedico tibi, §100si Bona Fortuna veniat, ne intro miseris.
And also I declare this to you, if Good Fortune should come, do not let her in.
§101Pol ea ipsa credo ne intro mittatur cavet, §102nam ad aedis nostras numquam adit, quamquam prope est.
By Pollux, I believe she herself takes care not to be let in, for she never comes near our house, though she is close by.
§103Tace atque abi intro.
Be silent and go inside.
I am silent and I go.— Lock, please, the doors with both bolts.
iam ego hic ero.
I will be back here soon.
§105discrucior animi, quía ab domo abeundum est mihi.
I am tormented in my soul, because I must go away from home.
§106nimis hercle invitus abeo.
By Hercules, I go very unwillingly.
sed quid agam scio.
But I know what to do.
§107nam noster nostrae qui est magister curiae §108dividere argenti dixit nummos in viros; §109id si relinquo ac non peto, omnes ilico §110me suspicentur, credo, habere aurum domi.
For the master of our curia said he would distribute silver coins to the men; if I leave it and do not seek it, everyone immediately will suspect, I believe, that I have gold at home.
For it is not likely that a poor man would make little of a small coin so as not to seek it.
§113nam nunc cum celo sedulo omnis, ne sciant, §114omnes videntur scire et me benignius §115omnes salutant quam salutabant prius; §116adeunt, consistunt, copulantur dexteras, §117rogitant me ut valeam, quid agam, quid rerum geram.
For now, while I carefully hide it from everyone, lest they know, everyone seems to know, and everyone greets me more kindly than they used to greet me before; they approach, they stop, they join right hands, they keep asking how I am, what I am doing, how my affairs are going.
Now I will go where I set out to go; after that, I will return home again as fast as I can.
§120Velím te arbitrári med haéc verba, fráter, §121meai fidei tuaique rei §122causa facere, ut aequom est germanam sororem.
I would wish you to think, brother, that I say these words for the sake of my loyalty and your welfare, as is proper for a real sister.
§123quamquam haud falsa sum nos odiosas haberi; §124nam multum loquaces merito omnes habemur, §125nec mutam profecto repertam ullam esse §126aut hodie dicunt mulierem aut ullo in saeclo.
Although I am not mistaken that we women are held as hateful; for we are all justly considered very talkative, and indeed they say that no dumb woman has ever been found either today or in any age.
§127verum hoc, frater, unum tamen cogitato, §128tibi proximam me mihique esse item te; §129ita aequom est quod in rem esse utrique arbitremur §130et mihi te et tibi me consulere et monere; §131neque óccultum id habéri neque pér metúm mussári, §132quin participem pariter ego te et tu me ut facias.
But, brother, think of this one thing nevertheless, that I am closest to you, and you likewise to me; so it is proper that what we think is to the advantage of both, both you should consult and advise me, and I you; and that it should neither be kept secret nor muttered in fear, but that I should make you a partner equally, and you me.
For this reason now I have drawn you out here in secret, so that I might speak with you here about your family affairs.
§135Da mi, optuma femina, manum.
Give me your hand, best of women.
§136Vbi ea est? quis ea est nam optuma?
Where is she? Who is indeed that best of women?
§137Tu.
You.
§137bTúne ais?
Do you say so?
§137cSi négas, nego.
If you deny it, I deny it.
§138Decet te équidem vera próloqui; §139nam optúma nullá potest eligi: §140alia ália peior, fráter, est.
It is proper indeed for you to speak the truth; for no best woman can be chosen: one is worse than another, brother.
I think the same, nor is it my intention ever to oppose you on that matter, sister.
§142Dá mihí óperam amabó.
Give me your attention, please.
It is yours, use it and command, if you want anything.
That which I think is best for your welfare, I come to advise you of it.
§146Soror, móre tuo facis.
Sister, you act in your usual way.