Arrival and Monologue of Hanno and the Mockery of Milphio

Notes

1. 913bNon dictumst — In response to Syncerastus' request `cura ... ut sint dicta clanculum` (take care that they remain spoken in secret), Milphio humorously plays on the words, asserting that it is as if the words have never been uttered at all, meaning they are completely safe.
2. 915bProba materies data est, si probum adhibes fabrum — A metaphorical expression where `materies` ("timber, material") refers to the information provided by Syncerastus, and `faber` ("craftsman, carpenter") refers to Milphio or Agorastocles who will carry out the plan. It implies that excellent material for a plot is ready, provided there is a skilled hand to shape it.
3. 922uni potius intus ero odio, quam hic sim vobis omnibus — A metatheatrical remark typical of Plautine comedy. Milphio breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience (`vobis omnibus`) directly, humorously stating that it is better to annoy his master alone inside the house rather than bore the entire audience by repeating information they have just heard.
4. 930Yth alonim ualonuth — Lines 930-949 comprise Hanno's monologue in Punic (ancient Carthaginian). It is an extremely rare survival of a continuous foreign language text in Roman drama. Despite textual corruptions in the manuscript tradition, it attempts to represent the sounds of Punic using the Latin alphabet. This prayer is repeated in Latin by Hanno himself starting from line 950.
5. 956eum fécisse aiunt, sibi quod faciundum fuit — A euphemistic expression. `fecisse ... quod faciundum fuit` ("to have done what had to be done") is a common euphemism meaning that Antidamas has died (i.e., fulfilled his mortal destiny).
6. 958hospitalem hanc tesseram — Referring to the *tessera hospitalis* (token of hospitality). In classical antiquity, families bound by guest-friendship (*hospitium*) would divide a token of wood or metal, each keeping a piece. Matching the pieces upon a subsequent meeting or by their descendants served to verify the relationship and claim hospitality.
7. 964liberali ... manu — A phrase referring to the legal act of *assertio in libertatem* (claim of freedom) in Roman law. `adserere manu liberali` means to legally claim someone as freeborn or lay hand on them to assert their liberty. Milphio urges Agorastocles to act as their *assertor* (champion of freedom).
8. 969creta — Meaning "chalk." In ancient Roman custom, lucky or auspicious days and events were marked with white (chalk or white stones). Hearing the conversation of Agorastocles and Milphio, Hanno rejoices that their words bring him highly auspicious news about his lost family.
9. 975quae illaec avis est, quae huc cum tunicis advenit — A mockery of Hanno's foreign attire. He is compared to a "bird" covered in feathers because of his tunics (`tunicis`, plural because it was long-sleeved or layered). Romans typically wore a toga or pallium over their tunic in public; Hanno's appearance in just Punic-style tunics without a cloak struck them as bizarre.
10. 977bGuggast homo — A highly debated word in manuscripts. `Gugga` is believed to be of African origin, referring to a monster or bogeyman in Carthaginian folklore. Milphio uses it to mock Hanno's strange and unfamiliar appearance, describing him as a monstrous "bogeyman."