§419sed quid ais, meá lepida, hilara?
But what do you say, my charming, cheerful one?
§420bPro di immortales, Veneris effigia haec quidem est.
By the immortal gods, this is indeed the very image of Venus.
§421ut in ocellis hilaritudo est, heia, corpus cuius modi,
What cheerfulness there is in her sweet eyes!
§422subvolturium—illud quidem, subaquilum volui dicere.
My, what a body, somewhat vulture-like—no, indeed, I meant to say somewhat eagle-colored.
§423vel papillae cuius modi, tum quae indoles in saviost.
or what breasts, and what a natural charm there is in her kiss!
§424Non ego sum pollucta pago.
I am not a feast offered to the village.
potin ut me abstineas manum?
Can you keep your hands off me?
§425Non licet saltem sic placide bellam belle tangere?
Is it not permitted at least to touch a pretty girl prettily, in this gentle way?
§426Otium ubi erit, tum tibi operam ludo et deliciae dabo; §427nunc quam ob rem huc sum missa, amabo, vel tu mi aias vel neges.
When there is leisure, then I will give my attention to your play and dalliance; now, please, tell me whether you say yes or no to the matter for which I was sent here.
§428Quid nunc vis?
What do you want now?
§428bSapienti ornatus quid velim indicium facit.
To a wise man, my attire gives an indication of what I want.
§429Meus quoque hic sapienti ornatus quid velim indicium facit.
My attire here also gives an indication of what I want to a wise man.
§430Haec sacerdos Veneris hinc me petere aquam iussit a vobis.
This priestess of Venus ordered me to ask for water from you here.
† §431At ego basilicus sum: quem nisi oras, guttam non feres.
But I am a king: unless you entreat me, you won't get a single drop.
§432nostro illum puteum periclo et ferramentis fodimus.
We dug that well at our own risk and with our own iron tools.
§433nisi multis blanditiis a me gutta non ferri potest.
Unless with many soft words, not a drop can be carried away from me.
§434Cur tu aquam gravare, amabo, quam hostis hosti commodat?
Why do you grudge water, please, which even enemy lends to enemy?
§435Cur tu operam gravare mihi quam civis civi commodat?
Why do you grudge me your attention, which citizen lends to citizen?
§436Immo etiam tibi, mea voluptas, quae voles faciam omnia.
Nay, even more, my delight, I will do everything you wish.
§437Eugepae, salvos sum, haec iam me suam voluptatem vocat.
Hurrah, I am saved! She already calls me her delight.
§438dabitur tibi aqua, ne nequiquam mé ames.
Water shall be given to you, lest you love me in vain.
cedo mi urnam.
Give me the urn.
§438bCape.
Take it.
§439propera, amabo, efferre.
Hurry, please, to bring it out.
Wait, I will be here in a moment, my delight.— What shall I say to the priestess made me linger here so long?
§441ut etiam nunc misera timeo, ubi oculis intueor mare.
How even now, miserable as I am, I fear when I look at the sea with my eyes.
§442_450sed quid ego misera video procul in litore?
But what do I, miserable one, see far off on the shore?
My master, the pimp, and his Sicilian guest, both of whom I, miserable one, believed had perished in the sea.
§453iam illud mali plus nobis vivit quam ratae. §454sed quid ego cesso fugere in fanum ac dicere haec §455Palaestrae, in aram ut confugiamus prius quam huc† §456scelestus leno veniat nosque hic opprimat?
But why do I hesitate to flee into the temple and tell these things to Palaestra, so that we may flee to the altar before that wicked pimp comes here and catches us?
§457confugiam huc, ita res suppetit subit
I will flee here, as the situation demands.
By the immortal gods, I never believed there was so much pleasure in water.
ut hanc traxi lubens.
How gladly I drew this!
§460nimio minus altus puteus visust quam prius.
The well seemed much less deep than before.
§461ut sine labore hanc extraxi, praefiscine.
May no evil eye harm me, but how without labor I drew this out!
§462satin néquam sum, ut pote qui hodie amare inceperim?
Am I not completely worthless, seeing that I have begun to love today?
§463em tibi aquam, mea tu belliata.
Here is the water for you, my pretty one.
em sic volo §464te ferre honeste, ut ego fero, ut placeas mihi.
Here, I want you to carry it gracefully, as I carry it, so that you may please me.
§465sed ubi tu es, delicata? cape aquam hanc sis.
But where are you, dainty one? Take this water, please.
ubi es?
Where are you?
§466amat hercle me, ut ego opinor.
By Hercules, she loves me, as I think.
delituit mala.
The mischievous girl has hidden herself.
§467ubi tu es? etiamne hanc urnam acceptura es? ubi es?
Where are you? Are you going to take this urn? Where are you?
§468commodule ludis.
You play your game nicely.
tandem vero serio, §469etiam acceptura es urnam hanc? ubi tu es gentium?
But now in earnest, are you going to take this urn? Where in the world are you?
§470nusquam hercle equidem illam video.
By Hercules, I don't see her anywhere.
ludos me facit.
She is making sport of me.
§471adponam hercle urnam iám ego hanc in media via.
By Hercules, I will place this urn right in the middle of the road now.
§472sed autem, quid si hanc hinc abstulerit quispiam, §473sacram urnam Veneris? mi exhibeat negotium.
But wait, what if someone should carry this off from here, the sacred urn of Venus? It would cause me trouble.
By Hercules, I fear lest that woman should lay a trap for me, so that I may be caught with the sacred urn of Venus.
Surely, with the best of rights, would some magistrate put me to death in chains, if he should see me having this.
§478nam haec litteratast, eapse cantat cuia sit.
For this is lettered; it sings out of itself whose it is.
By Hercules, now I will call this priestess out from here, so that she may receive this urn.
accedam huc ad fores.
I will approach the doors here.
§481heus exi, Ptolemocratia, cape hanc urnam tibi:
Hey, come out, Ptolemocratia!
§482muliercula hanc nescio quae huc ad me detulit.
Take this urn for yourself; some young woman or other brought this to me here.
§483intro ferundast.
It must be carried inside.
repperi negotium, §484siquidem hís mihi ultro ádgerunda etiam est aqua. — §485Qui homo sese miserum et mendicum volet,† §486Neptuno credat sese atque aetatem suam: §487nam si quis cúm eo quid rei commiscuit, §488ad hoc exemplum amittit ornatum domum.
I have found myself a job, since indeed I must even fetch water for them of my own accord.— Whatever man wishes himself to be wretched and a beggar, let him entrust himself and his life to Neptune; for if anyone has mixed up any business with him, after this fashion he loses his equipment and his home.