§1Achillem Aristarchi mihi commentari lubet:
I would like to comment on the Achilles of Aristarchus: from there I will take my beginning, from that tragedy.
§2inde míhi principium capiam, ex ea tragoedia. §3sileteque et tacete atque animum advortite, §4audire iúbet vos imperator histricus, §5bonoque ut animo sedeate in subselliis, §6et qui esurientes et qui saturi venerint: §7qui edistis, multo fecistis sapientius, §8qui non edistis, saturi fite fabulis; §9nam cui paratumst quod edit, nostra gratia §10nimia est stultitia sessum impransum incedere.
Keep silence, hold your tongues, and turn your minds to this, the theatrical commander orders you to listen, and to sit on your benches in good spirits, both those who have come hungry and those who have come full: you who have eaten have acted much more wisely, you who have not eaten, fill yourselves with the play; for if someone has what he might eat ready, to go and sit without lunch for our sake is the height of folly.
§11exsurge, praeco, fac populo audientiam; §12iam dudum exspecto, si tuom officium scias: §13exerce vocem, quam per vivisque et † colis.
Rise, herald, secure a hearing from the people; I have been waiting for some time to see if you know your duty: exercise your voice, by which you live and make your living.
§14nam nisi clamabis, tacitum te obrepet fames.
For unless you cry out, hunger will creep upon you in silence.
§15age nunc reside, duplicem ut mercedem feras.
Come now, sit down, so that you may receive a double reward.
§16bonum factum esse, edicta ut servetis mea.
It is well done that you keep my edicts.
§17scortum exoletum ne quis in proscaenio §18sedeat, neu lictor verbum aut virgae muttiant, §19neu dissignator praeter os obambulet §20neu sessum ducat, dum histrio in scaena siet.
Let no worn-out prostitute sit in the proscenium, nor let the lictor mutter a word or let his rods make a sound, nor let the usher walk about in front of people's faces, nor let him lead anyone to a seat while the actor is on the stage.
Those who have slept long at home in idleness, it is fitting that they now stand with a calm mind, or refrain from sleeping.
§23servi ne obsideant, liberis ut sit locus, §24vel aes pro capite dent; si id facere non queunt, §25domum abeant, vitent ancipiti infortunio, §26ne et hic varientur virgis et loris domi, §27si minus curassint, quóm eri reveniant domum.
Let not slaves block the seats, so that there may be room for free citizens, or let them pay money for their heads; if they cannot do that, let them go home, and avoid a double misfortune, lest they be striped with rods here and with lashes at home, if they have not taken care of things when their masters return home.
§28nutrices pueros infantis minutulos §29domi ut procurent neu quae spectatum adferat, §30ne et ipsae sitiant et pueri pereant fame §31neve esurientes hic quasi haedi obvagiant.
Let nurses take care of tiny infant children at home, and let none of them bring them to watch, lest they themselves get thirsty and the children die of hunger, or cry out here hungry like young goats.
§32matronae tacitae spectent, tacitae rideant, §33canora hic voce sua tinnire temperent, §34domum sermones fabulandi conferant, §35ne et hic viris sint et domi molestiae.
Let married women watch in silence, laugh in silence, and refrain from shrilling here with their melodious voices; let them carry their conversations to tell at home, lest they be a nuisance to their husbands both here and at home.
§36quodque ad ludorum curatores attinet, §37ne palma detur quoiquam artifici iniuria §38neve ambitionis causa extrudantur foras, §39quo deteriores anteponantur bonis.
And as far as the organizers of the games are concerned, let the palm not be given to any actor unjustly, nor let anyone be thrust out because of favoritism, whereby worse actors are preferred to good ones.
§40et hoc quoque etiam, quod paene oblitus fui: §41dum ludi fiunt, in popinam, pedisequi, §42inruptionem facite; nunc dum occasio est, §43nunc dum scriblitae aéstuant, occurrite.
And this too, which I had almost forgotten: while the plays are going on, run into the tavern, attendants; now while there is opportunity, now while the cheese-pastries are hot, run there.
§44haec quae imperata sunt pro imperio hístrico, §45bonum hercle factum pro se quisque ut meminerit.
These things which have been commanded by theatrical authority, by Hercules, it is a good deed that each person remembers them for themselves.
Now in turn I want to return to the plot, so that you may be as knowledgeable about it as I am.
I shall now mark out its regions, limits, and borders; I have been made the land surveyor for this matter.
§50sed nisi molestumst, nomen dare vobis volo §51comoediai; sin odiost, dicam tamen, §52siquidém licebit pér illos quibus est in manu.
But if it is not troublesome, I want to give you the name of the comedy; but if it is hateful, I shall tell it anyway, if indeed it is permitted by those who have it in their hands.
This comedy is called Carchedonius; in Latin, Plautus the porridge-eating uncle.
§55nomen iam habetis.
You have the name now.
nunc rationes ceteras §56accipite; nam argumentum hoc hic censebitur: §57locus argumentost suom sibi proscaenium, §58vos iuratores estis.
Now receive the other details; for this plot will be assessed here: the place for the plot is its very own stage, and you are the jurors.
quaeso, operam date.
Please, give us your attention.
§59Carthaginienses fratres patrueles duo §60fuere, summo genere et summis ditiis; §61eorum álter vivit, alter est emortuos.
There were two Carthaginian cousins, of the highest birth and greatest wealth; one of them is alive, the other is dead.
Therefore, I speak to you with more confidence, because the undertaker who prepared him for burial told me.
§64sed illí seni qui mortuost, ei filius, §65unicus qui fuerat, ab divitiis a patre §66puer séptuennis surripitur Carthagine, §67sexennio prius quidem quam moritur pater.
But to that old man who is dead, his only son, who had been his only one, was snatched away from Carthage, from his father's riches, when he was a seven-year-old boy, indeed six years before the father died.
§68quoniam periisse sibi videt gnatum unicum, §69conicitur ipse in morbum ex aegritudine: §70facit illum heredem fratrem patruelem suom, §71ipse abit ad Acheruntem sine viatico.
Since he saw that his only son was lost to him, he fell into illness from grief: he made his cousin his heir, and he himself departed for Acheron without provisions for the journey.
§72ille quí surripuit puerum Calydonem avehit, §73vendit eum domino hic diviti quoidam seni, §74cupienti liberorum, osori mulierum.
The man who snatched the boy carried him off to Calydon, and sold him here to a certain rich old master, who desired children but hated women.
§75emit hospitalem is filium imprudens senex §76puerum illum eumque adoptat sibi pro filio §77eumque heredem fecit, quom ipse obiit diem.
Unknowingly, that old man bought his guest-friend's son, that boy, and adopted him as his own son, and made him his heir, when he himself ended his days.
§78is illíc adulescens habitat in illisce aedibus.
That young man lives there, in that very house.