§539bFuit olim, quasi ego sum, senex; ei filiae §540duae erant, quasi nunc meae sunt; eae erant duobus nuptae fratribus, §541quasi nunc meae sunt vobis.
Once upon a time there was an old man, just like me; he had two daughters, just as mine are now; they were married to two brothers, just as mine are now to you.
§541bMiror quo evasurust apologus.
I wonder where this fable is going to end.
§542Erant minori illi adulescenti fidicina et tibicina, §543peregre advexerat, quasi nunc tu; sed ille erat caeleps senex, §544quasi ego nunc sum.
That younger youth had a harp-girl and a flute-girl; he had brought them from abroad, just as you have now; but that old man was a bachelor, just as I am now.
§544bPerge porro.
Go on.
praesens hic quidem est apologus.
This is indeed a very present-day fable.
§545Deinde senex ille illi dixit, cuius erat tibicina, §546quasi ego nunc tibi dico: §546bAusculto atque animum advorto sedulo.
Then that old man said to him who owned the flute-girl, just as I am saying to you now: I am listening and paying diligent attention.
§547“Ego tibi meam filiam, bene quicum cubitares, dedi: §548nunc mihi reddi ego aequom esse abs te quicum cubitem censeo. ” §549Quis istuc dicit? an ille quasi tu?
“I gave you my daughter, for you to sleep with comfortably; now I think it is fair that I should have one returned by you for me to sleep with.” Who says that? That old man who is like you?
§549bQuasi ego nunc dico tibi.
Just as I am saying to you now.
§550Immo duas dabo,
inquit ille adulescens “una si parumst; §551et si duarum paenitebit,” inquit
addentur duae.
“On the contrary, I will give you two,” said that youth, “if one is too little; and if you are dissatisfied with two,” he said, “two more shall be added.” Who, pray, says that?
§552Quis istuc quaeso? an ille quasi ego?
That youth who is like me?
§552bIs ipse quasi tu.
That very same man, like you.
tum senex §553ille quasi ego:
si vis,
inquit “quattuor sane dato, §554dúm equidem hercle quod edint addas, meum ne contruncent cibum. ” §555Videlicet parcum illum fuisse senem, qui illi istaec dixerit, §556quóm ille, illi qui pollicetur, eum cibum poposcerit.
Then that old man, like me: “If you wish,” he said, “by all means give me four, provided that, by Hercules, you add what they may eat, so they do not devour my food.” Surely that old man who said those things to him was stingy, since he demanded that food from him who made the promise to him.
§557Videlicet non fuisse illum aequom ádulescentem, qui ilico §558ubi ille poscit denegavit dare se granum tritici.
Surely that youth was not fair either, who immediately when the old man made the demand, refused to give a single grain of wheat.
§559hercle qui aequom postulabat ille senex, quando quidem §560filiae illae dederat dotem, accipere pro tibicina.
By Hercules, that old man was making a fair demand, since indeed he had given a dowry to that daughter, to receive the flute-girl in return.
§561Hercle ille quidem certo adulescens docte vorsutus fuit, §562qui seni illi concubinam dare dotatam noluit.
By Hercules, that youth indeed was certainly cleverly cunning, who was unwilling to give a dowered mistress to that old man.
§563Senex quidem voluit, si posset, indipisci de cibo; §564quia nequit, qua lege licuit velle dixit fieri.
Indeed, the old man wanted, if he could, to obtain some food; because he could not, he said he wished it to be done on the terms that were allowed.
§565fiat
ille inquít adulescens. facis benigne
inquit senex.
“Be it so,” said that youth. “You are very kind,” said the old man.
§566habeon rem pactam?
inquit. faciam ita
inquit
ut fieri voles. §567sed ego ibo intro et gratulabor vostrum adventum filiis.
“Have I the matter agreed upon?” he said. “I will do it,” he said, “as you wish it to be done.” But I shall go inside and congratulate my daughters on your arrival.
§568poste ibo lautum ín pyelum, ibi fovebo sénectutem meam.
Afterwards I shall go to wash in the tub; there I shall cherish my old age.
§569post ubi lavero, otiosus vos opperiar accubans. —
Afterwards, when I have washed, I shall wait for you at my ease, reclining.
§570Graphicum mortalem Antiphonem, ut apologum fecit quam fabre.
What a masterly fellow Antipho is, how skillfully he made up the fable!
§571Etiam nunc scelestus se esse ducit pro adulescentulo.
Even now the rogue considers himself on a par with a young man.
§572dabitur homini amica, noctu quae in lecto occentet senem; §573namque edepol aliud quidem illi quid amica opus sit nescio.
A mistress will be given to the man, to sing the old man to sleep in bed at night; for indeed, by Hercules, I do not know what other need of a mistress he has.
§574Sed quid agit parasitus noster Gelasimus? etiam valet?
But how is our parasite Gelasimus doing? Is he still well?
§575Vidi edepol hominem haud perdudum.
By Hercules, I saw the man not very long ago.
§575bQuid agit?
How is he doing?
§575cQuod famelicus.
What a starving man does.
§576Quin vocavisti hominem ad cenam?
Why didn't you invite the man to dinner?
§576bNe quid advéniens perderem.
So that I might not lose anything on my arrival.
§577atque eccum tibi lúpum in sermone: praesens esuriens adest.
And look, speak of the wolf: here he is in person, starving.
§578Ludificemur hominem.
Let's make fun of the man.
§578bCapti consili memorem mones.
You remind one who is mindful of the plan already formed.
§579Sed ita ut occepi narrare vobis: quom hic non adfui, §580cúm amicis deliberavi iam et cum cognatis meis.
But just as I began to tell you: when I was not present here, I have already deliberated with my friends and with my relatives.
§581ita mi auctores fuere, ut egomet me hodie iugularem fame.
They advised me in such a way that I myself should choke myself with hunger today.
§582sed videone ego Pamphilippum cum fratre Epignomo? atque is est.
But do I see Pamphilippus with his brother Epignomus? Yes, it is indeed he.
§583adgrediar hominem.
I will approach the man.
o sperate Pamphilippe, o spes mea, §584o mea vita, o mea voluptas, salve.
O hoped-for Pamphilippus, O my hope, O my life, O my delight, greetings!
salvom gaudeo §585peregre te in patriam rediisse.
I rejoice that you have returned safe to your native land from abroad.
§585bSalvo salve, Gelasime.
Greetings to you, Gelasimus, from one who is safe.
§586Valuistin bene?
Have you been well?
§586bSustentatumst sedulo.
We've kept going diligently.
§586cEdepol gaudeo.
By Pollux, I am glad.
§587edepol ne ego nunc mihi medimnum mille esse argenti velim.
By Pollux, I indeed wish I had a thousand bushels of silver now.
§588Quid eo tibi opust?
What need have you of that?
§588bHunc hercle ad cenam ut vocem, te non vocem.
By Hercules, so that I might invite this man to dinner and not you.
§589Advorsum te fabulare.
You are speaking against yourself.
§589bIllud quidem, ambos ut vocem; §590et equidem simitu hau maligne vos invitassem domum §591ad me, sed mihi ipsi domi meae nihil est.
That indeed, so that I might invite both of you; and indeed I would have invited you together to my house in no stingy way, but there is nothing for myself at my home.
atque hoc scitis vos.
And you know this.
§592Edepol te vocem lubenter, si superfiat locus.
By Pollux, I would gladly invite you, if there were a place left over.
§593Quin tum stans obstrusero aliquid strenue.
Why, then, standing I will quickly stuff down something or other.
§593bImmo unum hoc potest.
No, this one thing is possible.
§594Quid?
What?
§594bVbi convivae abierint, tum venias.
When the guests have gone away, then you may come.