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Plautus · Casina §486-550

Lysidamus Prepares a Rendezvous and Cleostrata's Counter

Passage 8 of 14 · Latin

Summary

Lysidamus arranges to empty his neighbor Alcesimus' house to receive Casina and orders provisions to be bought. However, Cleostrata, having discovered the plot, cleverly declines Alcesimus' offer of his wife's help, leaving Alcesimus to regret his involvement in the scheme.

§486tantisper dum égo cum Casina faciam nuptias.
just for so long, until I have my wedding with Casina.
§487hinc tu ante lucem rus cras duces postea.
after that, tomorrow before dawn, you will lead her from here to the country.
§488satin docte?
Cleverly enough, isn't it?
§488bAstute.
Cunningly.
§488cAge modo, fabricamini, §489malo hercle vestro tam vorsuti vivitis.
Go on, fabricate your plots, by Hercules, it is to your own ruin that you live so craftily.
§490Scin quid nunc facias?
Do you know what you should do now?
§490bLoquere.
Speak.
§490cTene marsuppium, §491abi atque obsona, propera, sed lepide volo, §492molliculas escas, út ipsa mollicula est.
Hold the purse, go and buy provisions, hurry, but I want nice things, delicate food, just as she herself is delicate.
§492bLicet.
Very well.
§493Emito sepiolas, lepadas, lolligunculas, §494hordeías.
Buy small cuttlefish, limpets, tiny squids, and barley-fish.
§494bImmo triticeías, si sapis.
Rather wheat-fish, if you are wise.
§495Soleas.
Sole-fish.
§495bQui quaeso potius quam sculponeas, §496quibus báttuatur tíbi os, senex nequissime?
How, I ask, rather than wooden shoes, with which your mouth may be beaten, you most worthless old man?
§497Vin lingulacas?
Do you want tongue-fish?
§497bQuid opust, quando uxor domi est?
What need is there, when your wife is at home?
§498ea lingulaca est nobis, nam numquam tacet.
She is our tongue-fish, for she never keeps silent.
§499In re praesenti ex copia piscaria §500consulere quid emam potero.
On the spot, from the fish supply, I shall be able to decide what to buy.
§500bAéquom oras, abi.
You ask what is fair; be off.
§501argento parci nolo, obsonato ampliter.
I do not want money to be spared; buy provisions generously.
§502nam mihi vicino hoc etiam convento est opus, §503ut quod mandavi curet.
for I must also meet with this neighbor, so that he may take care of what I commissioned.
§503bIamne abeo?
Shall I go now?
§503cVolo. — §504Tribus nón conduci possum libertatibus, §505quin ego illis hodie comparem magnum malum
I wish it.— I cannot be hired by three manumissions, from preparing a great evil for them today, and from making this whole matter plain to my mistress now.
§506quinque hanc omnem rem meae erae iam faciam palam. §507manifesto teneo in noxia inimicos meos.
I hold my enemies red-handed in their crime.
§508sed si nunc facere volt era officium suom, §509nostra omnis lis est.
But if my mistress now wants to do her duty, the whole suit is ours.
pulchre praevortar viros.
I will beautifully thwart the men.
§510nostro omine it dies; iam victi vicimus.
The day goes under our omen; though already defeated, we have conquered.
§511ibo intro, ut id quod alius condivit cocus, §512ego nunc vicissim ut alio pacto condiam, §513quo id quoi paratum est ut paratum ne siet §514sitque ei paratum quod paratum non erat. — §515Núnc amici ánne inimici sís imago, Alcésime, §516mihi sciam, nunc specimen specitur, nunc certamen cernitur.
I will go inside, so that what another cook seasoned, I may now in turn season in another way, so that what was prepared for him for whom it was prepared may not be prepared, and that there may be prepared for him what was not prepared.— Now, Alcesimus, whether you are the image of a friend or an enemy to me, I shall know; now the proof is tested, now the contest is decided.
§517cur amem me castigare, id ponito ad compendium, §518cano capite aetate aliena eo addito ad compendium, §519cui sit uxor id quoque illuc ponito ad compendium.
Why I like to chide myself, set that aside as a saving, with my white head, at an unbefitting age, add that too to the saving, one who has a wife, place that also there as a saving.
§520Miseriorem ego ex amore quam te vidi neminem.
I have seen no one more wretched from love than you.
§521Fac vacent aedes.
See that your house is vacant.
§521bQuin edepol servos, ancillas domo §522certum est omnis mittere ad te.
Indeed, by Pollux, the slaves and maidservants from the house I am resolved to send them all to you.
§522bOh, nimium scite scitus es.
Oh, you are too cleverly clever.
§523sed facito dum merula † pervorsus quos cantat colas: §524cum cibo suo quique facito ut veniant, quasi eant Sutrium.
but see to it, while the blackbird sings perversely, that you look after them: make sure each comes with their own food, as if they were going to Sutrium.
§525Meminero.
I will remember.
§525bEm, nunc enim te demum nullum scitum scitiust.
Look, now indeed there is no one more clever than you.
§526cura, ego ad forum modo ibo: iam hic ero.
Take care of it, I will just go to the forum: I will be here soon.
§526bBene ambula.
Safe journey.
§527Fac habeant linguam tuae aedes.
Make sure your house has a tongue.
§527bQuid ita?
Why so?
§527cCum veniam, vocent.
So that when I come, they may call me.
§528Attatae, caedundus tú homo es: nimias delicias facis.
Ah, you deserve a beating, man; you are being far too playful.
§529Quid me amare refert, nisi sim doctus ac dicaculus?
What does it matter that I am in love, unless I am clever and witty?
§530sed tu cave in quaesitione mihi sis. — §530bVsque adero domi. — §531Hoc erat ecastor quod me vir tanto opere orabat meus, §532ut properarem arcessere hanc huc ad me vicinam meam, §533liberae aedes ut sibi essent, Casinam quo deducerent.
But take care you are not to be sought by me.— I shall be at home all the time.— By Castor, this was what my husband was begging me with such great effort, that I should hasten to summon this neighbor of mine here to me, so that their house might be free for them, where they might lead Casina.
§534nunc adeo nequaquam arcessam, ne illis ignavissumis §535liberi loci potestas sit, vetulis vervecibus.
Now, therefore, I will by no means summon her, lest those most worthless fellows, those old wethers, should have the opportunity of a free place.
§536sed eccum égreditur, senati columen, praesidium popli, §537meus vicinus, meo viro qui liberum praehibet locum.
But look, out he comes, the pillar of the senate, the defense of the people, my neighbor, who provides the free place for my husband.
§538non ecastor vilis emptu est, modio qui venit salis.
By Castor, he is not cheap to buy, who is sold for a peck of salt.
§539Miror huc iam non arcessi in proxumum uxorem meam, §540quae iam dudum, si arcessatur, ornata exspectat domi.
I wonder why my wife is not already summoned here to next door, who has been waiting at home, dressed up, for a long time, in case she is summoned.
§541sed eccam, opino arcessit.
But look, there she is, I think she is coming to summon.
salve, Cleostrata.
Greetings, Cleostrata.
§541bEt tu, Alcesime.
And to you, Alcesimus.
§542ubi tua uxor?
Where is your wife?
§542bIntus illa te, si se arcessas, manet; §543nam tuos vir me orávit, ut eam ístuc ad te adiutum mitterem.
She is waiting inside for you, in case you summon her; for your husband begged me to send her there to you to help.
§544vin vocem?
Do you want me to call her?
§544bSine eam nolo si occupata est.
Leave her, I do not want to if she is busy.
§544cOtium est.
She is at leisure.
§545Nil moror, molesta ei esse nolo; post convenero.
I do not care for it, I do not want to be a nuisance to her; I will meet her later.
§546Non ornatis istic apud vos nuptias?
Are you not preparing the wedding over at your place?
§546bOrno et paro.
I am preparing and getting ready.
§547Non ergo opus est adiutrice?
So there is no need of a helper?
§547bSatis domist.
There is enough at home.
ubi nuptiae §548fuerint, tum istam convenibo.
When the wedding is over, then I will meet her.
nunc vale, atque istanc iube. — §549Quid ego nunc faciam? flagitium maxumum feci miser,
Now farewell, and bid her the same.— What shall I do now?
§550propter operam illius hirqui ímprobi, edéntuli,
Miserable as I am, I have committed the greatest outrage, on account of the business of that wicked, toothless old goat,

Notes

  1. 494hordeías — A fictional fish name derived from barley (hordeum). Along with "soleas" (sole fish/sandal) in the next line, it forms a pun used by Chalinus to retort with "triticeias" (wheat fish) and "sculponeas" (clogs/wooden shoes).
  2. 504Tribus nón conduci possum libertatibus — Literally, "I cannot be hired by three freedoms (manumissions)." This expression indicates Chalinus' firm determination that no bribe or promise of freedom will stop him from exposing the master's plot to his mistress.
  3. 524quasi eant Sutrium — A proverbial expression meaning "as if they were going to Sutrium." Since soldiers sent to Sutrium had to carry their own provisions, it is used here to mean "each bringing their own food."
  4. 538modio qui venit salis — By Castor, "who is sold for a peck (modius) of salt." Since salt was an extremely cheap commodity, a person valued at a modius of salt is metaphorically described as being utterly worthless.

Cite this passage

Plautus, Casina §486-550. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi006.humanitext-lat2:486-550

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