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Plautus · Pseudolus §197-251

Ballio Demands Tributes and Is Stopped by Calidorus

Passage 4 of 21 · Latin

Summary

The pimp Ballio orders his courtesans to obtain luxurious gifts and provisions from their lovers for his birthday, threatening them with severe punishment. Overhearing this, Calidorus and Pseudolus are outraged and call Ballio back as he tries to leave.

§197lánios, qui, item ut nós iurando, iúre malo male quaérunt rem, audi: §198nísi carnariá tria gravida tégoribus onere úberi hodie §199míhi erunt, cras te quási Dircam olim, ut mémorant, duo gnatí Iovis §200dévinxere ad taúrum, item ego te dístringam ad carnárium; §201íd tibi profecto taúrus fiet.
the butchers, who, just like us, seeking wealth wickedly by evil law under oath, listen: unless today three flesh-racks, heavy with sides of meat with rich load, are here for me, tomorrow I will stretch you on a flesh-rack, just as they relate that once the two sons of Jupiter bound Dirce to a bull; that will indeed become a bull for you.
§201bNímis sermone huius íra incendor.
I am set on fire with anger too much by this man's speech.
§202Húncine hic hominém pati §202bcólere iuventutem átticam?
To tolerate such a man here, corrupting the Attic youth?
§203úbi sunt, ubi latént quibus aetas íntegra est, qui amant á lenone?
Where are they, where do they hide, those who have whole youth, who love from a pimp?
§204quín conveniunt? quín una omnes péste hac populum hunc líberant?
Why do they not assemble? Why do they not all together free this people from this pestilence?
§205sed nímium stultus, nímis fui indóctus: illine aúdeant §205aid fácere quibus ut sérviant §205bsuos ámor cogit?
But I was too foolish, too ignorant: would those dare to do that, whom love forces to serve like slaves?
§206_207Vah táce.
Ah, be silent.
§206_207bQuid est?
What is it?
§208Male mórigeru’s mihi, quóm sermoni huius óbsonas.
You are badly compliant to me, when you drown out his speech.
§209Táceo.
I am silent.
§209bAt taceas málo multo quám tacere dicas.
But I would much rather you be silent than say you are silent.
§209cTu aútem, §210Xýstilis, fac ut ánimum advortas, quóius amatorés olivi §211δύναμιν domi habent máxumam.
And you, Xystilis, make sure you pay attention, whose lovers have a massive power of olive oil at home.
§212sí mihi non iam huc cúlleis §213óleum deportátum erit, §214te ípsam culleo égo cras faciam ut déportere—in pérgulam; §215íbi tibi adeo léctus dabitur, úbi tu hau somnum cápias, sed ubi §216úsque ad languorém—tenes §217quó se haec tendant quaé loquor.
if oil is not brought here to me right now in leather bags, tomorrow I will make sure you yourself are carried off in a bag—to the brothel; there a bed will be given to you, not for you to take sleep, but where all the way to exhaustion—you understand where these things I say are heading.
§218áin, excetra tu? quaé tibi amicos tót habes tam probe óleo onustos, §219num quoípiam est hodié tua tuorum ópera conservórum
Do you say so, you water-snake? You who have so many friends so finely loaded with oil, is the head of any of your fellow slaves a bit sleeker today by your effort?
§220nítidiusculúm caput? aut num ipse égo pulmento utór magis
Or do I myself use a gravy that is a bit more oiled?
§221únctiusculó? sed scio, tu óleum hau magni péndis, vino §222té devincis.
But I know, you do not value oil highly, you bind yourself with wine.
síne modo, §223réprehendam hercle ego cúncta una opera, nísi quidem hodie tu ómnia §224fácis effecta haec út loquor.
Let it be, for now, by Hercules, I will check all things in one effort, unless indeed today you make all these things done as I speak.
§225tu aútem, quae pro cápite argentum míhi iam iamque sémper numeras, §226éa pacisci módo scis, sed quod pácta es non scis sólvere, §227Phoenícium, tibi ego haéc loquor, delíciae summatúm virum: §228nísi hodie mi ex fúndis tuorum amícorum omne huc pénus adfertur, §229crás Phoeniciúm poeniceo cório invises pérgulam.
And you, who always count out the silver to me for your head 'just now, any moment', you only know how to bargain, but you do not know how to pay what you bargained, Phoenium, to you I say this, delight of the highest men: unless today all the provisions from the estates of your friends are brought here to me, tomorrow, Phoenium, with a purple hide you will visit the brothel.
§230Pseudóle, non audis quae híc loquitur?
Pseudolus, do you not hear what he is saying?
§230bAudío, ere, equidem atque animum ádvorto.
I hear, master, indeed and I pay attention.
§231Quid mi és auctor, huic út mittam, ne amícam hic meam prostítuat?
What do you advise me to send to him, so that he does not prostitute my mistress here?
§232Nil cúrassis, liquido és animo: ego pró me et pro te cúrabo.
Do not care about anything, be of a clear mind: I will take care for myself and for you.
§233iam díu ego huic bene et hic míhi volumus, et amícitia est antíqua: §234mittam hódie huic suo die nátali malam rém magnam et matúram.
For a long time now I have wished well to him and he to me, and our friendship is ancient: today I will send to him on his birthday a great and ripe trouble.
§235Quid opúst?
What is needed?
§235bPotin aliam rem út cures?
Can you mind another matter?
§235cAt— §235dBát.
But— But me no buts.
§235eCrucior.
I am tormented.
§235fCor dúra.
Harden your heart.
§236Non póssum.
I cannot.
§236bFac possís.
Make sure you can.
§236cQuonam pactó possim?
By what means could I?
§236dVince ánimum.
Conquer your mind.
§237in rém quod sit praevórtaris quam in re ádvorsa animo auscúltes.
You should turn yourself to what is to your interest rather than listen to your mind in adversity.
§238Nugae ístaec sunt: non iúcundumst nisi amáns facit stulte.
That is nonsense: there is no pleasure unless a lover acts foolishly.
§238bPérgin?
Are you persisting?
§239O Pseúdole mi, sine sím nihili, §239bmitte mé sis.
O my Pseudolus, let me be worthless, leave me be, please.
§239cSino, modo ego ábeam.
I leave you, provided that I may go away.
§240Mane, máne, iam ut voles med ésse ita ero.
Stay, stay, now I will be just as you wish me to be.
§240bNunc tú sapis.
Now you are wise.
§241ít dies; egó mihi cesso.
The day is passing; I am lingering.
§241bí prae, puere.
Go ahead, boy.
§241cHeus, ábit.
Hey, he is leaving.
quin revocas?
Why don't you call him back?
§242Quíd properas? placide.
Why are you in a hurry? Calmly.
§242bát prius quam abeat.
But before he goes away!
§242cQuíd, malum, tam plácide is, puere?
Why, plague on it, are you going so slowly, boy?
§243Hódie nate, heus, hódie nate, tíbi ego dico, heus, hódie nate,
Hey, birthday boy! Hey, birthday boy! I am talking to you, hey, birthday boy!
§244redi ét respice ád nos.
Return and look back at us.
tamétsi occupátu’s, §245morámur.
Even though you are busy, we are detaining you.
mane, ém conloquí qui volúnt te.
Stay, look, here are those who want to speak with you.
§246Quid hóc est? quis ést qui morám mi occupáto §247moléstam optulit?
What is this? Who is he who has brought an annoying delay to me when I am busy?
§247bQui tibí sospitalis §248fuít.
He who was a savior to you.
§248bMortuóst qui fuít: qui sit úsust.
He who 'was' is dead; he is needed who 'is' of use.
§249Nímis superbe.
Too haughty.
§249bNímis molestus.
Too annoying.
§249cRéprehende hominem, adséquere.
Catch the man, overtake him.
§249dI puere.
Go, boy.
§250Occédamus hác obviám.
Let us go this way to meet him.
§250bIuppitér te §251perdát, quisquis és.
May Jupiter destroy you, whoever you are.

Notes

  1. §197lánios, qui, item ut nós iurando, iúre malo male quaérunt rem — The antecedent of the relative pronoun "qui" is "lanios" (butchers, accusative plural), which stands in apposition to or modifies "amicos" in the preceding sentence (§196). "iure malo" (by evil law) refers to their dishonest trade practices or bad faith under oath.
  2. §198nísi carnariá tria gravida tégoribus onere úberi hodie — The word "carnaria" is the nominative neuter plural, meaning "meat-racks". The adjective "gravida" (loaded/heavy) takes the ablative "tegoribus" (with meat-carcasses) and is further modified by the descriptive ablative phrase "onere uberi" (with a rich load).
  3. §214te ípsam culleo égo cras faciam ut déportere — This is a "faciam ut" (I will make sure that...) construction. "deportere" is an archaic or contracted form of the second person singular subjunctive passive "deporteris". "culleo" is an ablative of instrument.
  4. §229crás Phoeniciúm poeniceo cório invises pérgulam — A wordplay combining the proper name "Phoenitium" (suggesting Phoenician purple) with "poeniceo corio" (reddish-purple hide, i.e., skin bloody from whipping), exploiting the phonetic and semantic similarity between Punic/Phoenician and poeniceus.
  5. §248bMortuost qui fuit: qui sit úsust. — A sharp contrast between the past tense "qui fuit" (he who once was a benefactor, now dismissed as 'dead' or useless) and the present tense "qui sit" (he who is currently of use). "usus est" (there is need) typically governs the ablative, but here the relative clause "qui sit" functions as the object of need.

Cite this passage

Plautus, Pseudolus §197-251. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi016.humanitext-lat2:197-251

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