Humanitext Reader

Plautus · Epidicus §504b-566

Discovery of Further Deception and Reunion with Philippa

Passage 9 of 12 · Latin

Summary

After hearing from the music-girl that the real Acropolis has already been freed by his son, Periphanes realizes he was deceived by Epidicus once again. He then reunites with Philippa, a woman he once violated in Epidaurus, and learns that she lost their daughter.

§504bVbi habitat?
Periphanes: Where does she live?
§504cPostquam liberast §505ubi habitet dicere admodum incerte scio.
Music-girl: Since she has been free, I know very uncertainly how to say where she lives.
§506Eho an libera illa est? quis eam liberaverit, §507volo scíre, si scis.
Periphanes: What, is she free? Who freed her, I wish to know, if you know.
§507bId quod audivi audies.
Music-girl: You shall hear what I heard.
§508Stratippoclem aiunt Periphanai filium §509absentem curavisse ut fieret libera.
They say Stratippocles, the son of Periphanes, while absent, took care that she should become free.
§510Perii hercle, si istaec vera sunt; planissume §511meum exenteravit Epidicus marsuppium.
Periphanes: By Hercules, I am ruined if those things are true; most clearly Epidicus has gutted my purse.
§512Haec sic audivi.
Music-girl: Thus I heard these things.
numquid me vis ceterum?
Do you want anything else of me?
§513Malo cruciatu ut pereas atque abeas cito.
Periphanes: May you perish with a bad torment and depart quickly!
§514Fides non reddis?
Music-girl: Aren't you returning the lyre?
§514bNeque fides neque tibias.
Periphanes: Neither lyre nor flutes.
§515propera igitur fugere hinc, si te di amant.
Hurry therefore to flee from here, if the gods love you.
§515bAbiero.
Music-girl: I shall go.
§516flagitio cum maiore post reddes tamen. —
Yet you will return them later with greater disgrace.
§517Quid nunc? qui in tantis positus sum sententiis, †
Periphanes: What now?
§521ei sic data esse verba praesenti palam!
I who am placed in such thoughts, to think that he was thus deceived, present and openly!
§522atque mé minoris facio prae illo, qui omnium §523legum atque iurum fictor, conditor cluet; §524is etiam sese sapere memorat: malleum §525sapientiorem vidi excusso manubrio.
And I value myself less compared to him, who is famed as the fashioner and builder of all laws and rights; he even recalls that he is wise: I have seen a hammer wiser, with its handle knocked out.
§526Sí quid est homini míseriarum quód miserescat, míser ex animost.
Philippa: If there is any misery for a human to pity, he is miserable from his soul.
§527íd ego expérior, cui múlta in unúm locum §528cónfluont, quaé meum péctus pulsánt simul: §529multiplex aerumna me exercitam habet, §530paupértas, pavór territát mentem ánimi, §531neque úbi meas spes cóllocem habeo úsquam munitúm locum.
I experience this, for whom many things into one place flow together, which beat upon my breast at the same time: multiple trouble keeps me distressed, poverty, fear terrifies my mind, nor have I anywhere a fortified place where I may place my hopes.
§532ita gnáta mea hostiumst potita, neque ea nunc ubi sit scio.
Thus my daughter has fallen into the power of the enemy, and I do not know where she is now.
§533Quis illaec est mulier, timido pectore peregre adveniens §534quae ipsa se miseratur?
Periphanes: Who is that woman, arriving from abroad with a fearful heart, who pities herself?
§534bIn his dictust locis habitare mihi §535Periphanes.
Philippa: In these places Periphanes was said to me to live.
§535bMe nominat haec; credo ego illi hospitio usus venit.
Periphanes: She names me; I believe she has come with need of hospitality.
§536Pervelim mercedem dare, qui monstret eum mihi hominem aut ubi habitet.
Philippa: I would very much like to give a reward to one who would show me that man or where he lives.
§537Noscito ego hanc, nam videor nescio ubi mi vidisse prius.
Periphanes: I recognize her, for I seem to have seen her previously I know not where.
§538éstne ea an nón east quam animus retur meus?
Is it she or is it not she whom my mind thinks?
§539Di boni, visitavi antidhac?
Good gods, did I see her before this?
§540Certo eást quam in Épidauro paupérculam memini cómprimere.
Certainly it is she whom I remember violating as a poor girl in Epidaurus.
§541Plane hícine est, qui mihi in Épidauro primús pudicitiam pépulit.
Philippa: Clearly this is he, who first took away my chastity in Epidaurus.
§542Quaé meo compréssu peperit fíliam quam dómi nunc habeo.
Periphanes: Who by my embrace bore the daughter whom I now have at home.
§543quíd si adeam— §543bHau scio án congrediar— §543cSi haéc east.
What if I approach— Philippa: I don't know whether I should approach— Periphanes: If this is she.
§543dSi is ést homo, sicut §544ánni multi dúbia dant.
Philippa: If he is the man, just as many years make doubtful.
§545Lónga dies meum incértat animum.
Periphanes: A long time makes my mind uncertain.
sín east quam incerte aútumo, §545ahánc congrediar ástu.
But if she is the one whom I doubtfully assert, I will approach her with cunning.
§546Múliebris adhibenda míhi malitia nunc est.
Philippa: I must now employ womanly cunning.
§547Cómpellabo.
Periphanes: I will address her.
§547bOrátionis áciem contra cónferam.
Philippa: I will bring the line of battle of speech against him.
§548Salva sis.
Periphanes: Greetings to you.
§548bSalutem accipio mi et meis.
Philippa: I accept the greeting for myself and mine.
§548cQuid ceterum?
Periphanes: What else?
§549Salvos sis: quod credidisti reddo.
Philippa: Greetings to you: I return what you trusted.
§549bHaud accuso fidem.
Periphanes: I do not accuse your trustworthiness.
§550novin ego te?
Do I know you?
§550bSi ego te novi, animum inducam, ut tu noveris.
Philippa: If I know you, I will bring my mind to make you know me.
§551Vbi te visitavi?
Periphanes: Where have I seen you?
§551bInique iniuriu'siniurius es.
Philippa: You are unfair and unjust.
§551cQuid iam?
Periphanes: Why so?
§551dQuia §552tuae memoriae interpretari me aequom censes.
Philippa: Because you think it fair for me to act as interpreter for your memory.
§552bCommode §553fabulata es.
Periphanes: Elegantly you have spoken.
§553bMira memoras.
Philippa: You speak of wonders.
§553cTe memini— §553dEm istuc rectius.
Periphanes: I remember you— Philippa: Look, that is better.
§554Meministin— §554bMemini id quod memini.
Periphanes: Do you remember— Philippa: I remember what I remember.
§554cAt in Epidauro— §554dAh, guttula §555pectus ardens mi aspersisti.
Periphanes: But in Epidaurus— Philippa: Ah, a little drop you have sprinkled on my burning breast.
§555bVirgini pauperculae, §556tuaeque matri me levare paupertatem?
Periphanes: That I relieved your mother's poverty and you, a poor virgin?
§556bTun is es, §557qui per voluptatem tuam in me aerumnam obsevisti gravem?
Philippa: Are you he, who for your pleasure sowed a heavy affliction in me?
§558Ego sum.
Periphanes: I am he.
salve.
Greetings.
§558bSalva sum, quia te esse salvom sentio.
Philippa: I am safe, because I perceive that you are safe.
§559Cedo manum.
Periphanes: Give me your hand.
§559bAccipe.
Philippa: Take it.
aerumnosam et miseriarum compotem §560mulierem retines.
You hold a woman full of trouble and wretchedness.
§560bQuid est quod voltus turbatust tuos?
Periphanes: Why is your face troubled?
§561Filiam quam ex te suscepi— §561bQuid eam?
Philippa: The daughter whom I bore from you— Periphanes: What of her?
§561cEductam perdidi.
Philippa: I have lost her after rearing her.
§562hostium est potita.
She has fallen into the power of the enemy.
§562bHabe animum lenem et tranquillum.
Periphanes: Have a gentle and calm mind.
tace.
Be quiet.
§563domi meae eccam salvam et sanam.
Look, she is at my house, safe and sound.
nam postquam audivi ilico §564ex meo servo, illam esse captam, continuo argentum dedi, §565ut emeretur.
For as soon as I heard from my slave that she was captured, I immediately gave money that she should be bought.
ille eam rem ádeo sobrie et frugaliter §566accuravit, utut ad alias res est impense inprobus.
He managed that matter so soberly and properly, however immensely wicked he is in other matters.

Notes

  1. §521ei sic data esse verba praesenti palam! — An exclamatory infinitive construction (accusative with infinitive used in exclamation). `data esse verba` is the passive infinitive of the idiom `verba dare` (to deceive). `ei` is the dative referring to Apoecides, expressing anger and astonishment: "that he was so deceived, present and openly!"
  2. §525malleum sapientiorem vidi excusso manubrio — `sapientiorem` is a comparative adjective modifying `malleum` (hammer). `excusso manubrio` is an ablative absolute meaning "with its handle knocked out." This is a highly sarcastic comparison, suggesting that even a broken, useless hammer is wiser than Apoecides.
  3. §543bHau scio án — The idiom `haud scio an` (or `nescio an`) means "perhaps" or "I rather think that," here expressing Philippa's inner conflict about whether she should approach Periphanes. It is followed by the subjunctive `congrediar`.
  4. §550bSi ego te novi, animum inducam, ut tu noveris. — In response to the conditional clause `Si ego te novi` (If I know you), the main clause features the future verb `animum inducam` (I will bring myself/persuade myself). The `ut` clause is a substantive clause of purpose/result dependent on `animum inducere`, meaning to bring about the state where "you know/recognize me."

Cite this passage

Plautus, Epidicus §504b-566. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi009.humanitext-lat2:504b-566

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