§1150Non tu scis, quom ex alto puteo sursum ad summum escenderis, §1151maxumum periclum inde esse ab summo ne rusum cadas?
Don't you know, when you have climbed up from a deep well to the very top, that there is the greatest danger from that very top lest you fall down again?
§1152nunc haec res apud súmmum puteum geritur: si praesenserit §1153miles, nihil ecferri poterit huius: nunc cum maxume §1154opust dolis: domi esse ad eam rem video silvai satis, §1155mulieres tres, quartus tute es, quintus ego, sextus senex; §1156quod apud nos fallaciarum sex situmst, certo scio §1157oppidum quodvis, si detur, posse expugnari dolis.
Now this business is being carried on at the very top of the well: if the soldier should get wind of it, nothing of this can be carried off: now of all times there is need of tricks: I see there is plenty of material at home for that purpose, three women, you are the fourth, I the fifth, the old man the sixth; Since there are six stores of deceit situated among us, I know for certain that any town whatever, if it were presented, could be taken by storm by our tricks.
§1158date modo operam.
Only give your attention.
§1158bId nos ad te, si quid velles, venimus.
We came to you for that very purpose, in case you wanted anything.
§1159Lepide facitis.
Excellently done.
nunc hanc tibi ego ímpero provinciam.
Now I enjoin this province upon you.
§1160Impetrabis, imperator, quod ego potero, quod voles.
You shall obtain, commander, whatever I am able to do, and whatever you wish.
I want the soldier to be deluded in a charming, witty, and elegant manner.
§1162bVoluptatem mecastor mi imperas.
By Castor, you command me a pleasure.
§1162cScin quem ad modum?
Do you know in what manner?
§1163Nempe ut adsimulem me amore istius differri.
Of course, that I should pretend to be distracted with love for him.
§1163bTenes.
You have it.
And as if, for the sake of that love of his, I have departed from this marriage, desiring a marriage with him.
§1165bOmne ordine.
Everything in order.
§1166nisi modo unum hoc: hasce esse aedis dicas dotalis tuas, §1167hinc senem aps te abiisse, postquam feceris divortium: §1168ne ille mox vereatur intro íre in alienam domum.
except only this one thing: say that this house is yours as a dowry, and that the old man has departed hence from you after you made a divorce; lest he should later fear to enter another man's house.
§1169Bene mones.
You advise well.
§1169bSed ubi ille exierit intus, istinc te procul §1170ita volo adsimulare, prae illius forma quasi spernas tuam §1171quasique eiús opulentitatem reverearis, et simul §1172formam, amoenitatem illius, faciem, pulchritudinem §1173conlaudato.
But when he comes out from within, I want you to pretend from a distance over there as if, compared to his beauty, you despise your own, and as if you revere his opulence; and at the same time, praise highly his appearance, his charm, his face, his beauty.
satin praeceptumst?
Is that instruction enough?
§1173bTeneo.
I understand.
satinest, si tibi §1174meum opus ita dabo expolitum, ut improbare non queas?
Is it enough if I present my work to you so highly polished that you cannot find fault with it?
§1175Sat habeo.
I have enough.
nunc tibi vicissim quae imperabo ea discito.
Now, in your turn, learn what I shall command you.
§1176quom extemplo hoc erit factum, ubi intro haec abierit, ibi tu ilico §1177facito uti venias ornatu húc ad nos nauclerico; §1178causeam habeas ferrugineam, et scutulam ob oculos laneam, §1179palliolum habeas ferrugineum (nam is colos thalassicust), §1180id conexum in umero laevo, exfafillato bracchio, §1181praecinctus aliqui: adsimulato quasi gubernator sies; §1182atque apud hunc senem omnia haec sunt, nam is piscatores habet.
As soon as this is done, when she has gone inside, then you immediately make sure to come here to us in the garb of a shipmaster; have on a rust-colored broad-brimmed hat, and a woolen patch over your eyes, have a rust-colored cloak (for that is the color of the sea), this fastened on your left shoulder, with your arm bared, girded in some fashion: pretend as though you were the helmsman; and all these things are at this old man's house, for he keeps fishermen.
§1183Quid? ubi ero exornatus quin tu dicis quid facturus sim?
Well? When I am dressed up, why don't you tell me what I am to do?
§1184_1185Huc venito et matris verbis Philocomasium arcessito, §1186ut, si itura sit Athenas, eat tecum ad portum cito, §1187atque ut iubeat ferri in navim si quid imponi velit.
Come here and summon Philocomasium in the name of her mother, that, if she is going to Athens, she must go with you to the harbor quickly, and that she should order whatever she wants to be put on board to be carried to the ship.
§1188nisi eat, te soluturum esse navim: ventum operam dare.
that if she does not go, you will unmoor the ship; that the wind is serving.
§1189Satis placet pictura.
The picture pleases me enough.
perge.
Go on.
He will immediately urge her to go, to hasten, so that she may not delay her mother.
§1190bMultimodis sapis.
You are wise in many ways.
§1191Ego illi dicam, ut me adiutorem, qui onus feram ad portum, roget.
I will tell him to ask for me as a helper to carry the baggage to the harbor.
§1192ille iubebit me ire cum illa ad portum.
He will order me to go with her to the harbor.
ego adeo, ut tu scias, §1193prorsum Athenas protinus abibo tecum.
And I, so that you may know, shall go straight off at once with you to Athens.
And when you have come there, I will never let you remain a slave for three days without making you free.
§1195Abi cito atque orna te.
Go quickly and dress yourself up.
§1195bNumquid aliud?
Anything else?
§1195cHaec ut memineris.
Just to remember these things.
§1196Abeo. —
I am off.
And you, go inside from here immediately; for I know well enough that he is just about to come out from within.
§1197bCelebre apud nos imperium tuomst. —
Your command is renowned among us.
§1198Agite abscedite ergo.
Come then, depart.
ecce autem commodum aperitur foris.
But look, the door is opening just at the right moment.
§1199hilarus exit: impetravit.
He comes out cheerful: he has obtained his request.
inhiat quod nusquam est miser.
The wretched man gapes after what is nowhere.
What I wanted, just as I wanted, I have obtained, through friendship and goodwill, from Philocomasium.
§1201bQuid tam intus fuisse te dicam diu?
Why should I say you have been inside so long?
§1202Numquam ego me tam sensi amari quam nunc ab illa muliere.
Never did I feel myself so much loved as now by that woman.
§1203Quid iam?
Why so?
§1203bVt multa verba feci, ut lenta materies fuit.
How many words I used, how tough the material was.
§1204verum postremo impetravi ut volui: donavi dedi §1205quae voluit, quae postulavit; te quoque ei dono dedi.
But at last I obtained what I wanted: I presented and gave what she wanted, what she demanded; I have given you also to her as a gift.
§1206Etiam me? quo modo ego vivam sine te?
Me too? How shall I live without you?
§1206bAge, animo bono es,
Come, be of good cheer,