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Plautus · Stichus §657-716

Sagarinus and Stichus's Banquet of Slaves

Passage 11 of 12 · Latin

Summary

Sagarinus returns from his travels and informs Stichus that they have been granted a place for a banquet. While waiting for their mistress Stephanium, they begin a modest slaves' feast outdoors, deciding on their roles and drinking rules.

§657pro di immortales, quot ego voluptates fero, §658quot risiones, quot iocos, quot savia, §659saltationes, blanditias, prothymias.
Oh immortal gods, how many pleasures do I bring, how many laughs, how many jokes, how many kisses, dances, flatteries, kindnesses.
§660Stiche.
Stichus!
§660bHem.
Ah!
§660cQuíd fit?
What's going on?
§660dEuge, Sangarine lepidissume.
Excellent, most charming Sagarinus!
§661fero convivam Dionysum mihique et tibi.
I bring Dionysus as a guest for me and you.
§662namque edepol cena cocta est, locus liber datust §663mihi et tibi apud vos (nam apud nos est convivium, §664ibi voster cenat cum uxore adeo et Antipho, §665ibidem erus est noster), hoc mihi dono datumst.
For, by Pollux, dinner is cooked, a free place has been given to me and you at your house (for at our house there is a feast, there your master is dining with his wife and Antipho as well, there also is our master), this has been given to me as a gift.
§666Quis somniavit aurum?
Who has dreamed of gold?
§666bQuid id ad te attinet?
What does that concern you?
§667proin tu lavare propera.
So hasten to wash yourself.
§667bLautus sum.
I have washed.
§667cOptime,
Excellent!
§669volo eluamus hodie, peregrina omnia §670relinque, Athenas nunc colamus.
I want us to wash away everything today, all foreign things leave behind, now let's cherish Athens.
sequere me.
Follow me.
§671Sequor, et domum redeunti principium placet.
I follow, and this beginning pleases one returning home.
§672bona scaeva strenaque obviam occessit mihi. —
A good omen and a present have met me on my way.
§673Mirúm videri némini vestrúm volo, spectatóres, §674_675quid ego hinc, quae illic habito, exeam: faciam vos certiores.
Spectators, I wish that it may seem strange to none of you, why I, who live there, am coming out from here: I will inform you.
§676domo dúdum huc arcessita sum, nam quoniam nuntiatum est §677istarum venturos viros, ibi festinamus omnes; §678lectis sternendis studuimus munditiisque apparandis.
A short while ago I was summoned here from home, for since it was announced that the husbands of those women were coming, we were all in a hurry there; we applied ourselves to spreading the couches and preparing cleanliness.
§679intér illud tamen negotium meis curavi amicis, §680Sticho et conservo Sagarino meo, cena cocta ut esset.
However, in the midst of that business, I took care for my friends, Stichus and my fellow-slave Sagarinus, so that dinner should be cooked.
§681Stichus obsonatust, ceterum ego operam do: is adlegavit.
Stichus did the marketing, for the rest I lend a hand: he commissioned me.
§682nunc ibo hinc et amicos meos curabo hic advenientes. —
Now I will go from here and take care of my friends who are arriving here.
§683Ágite ite foras: férte pompam.
Come, go outside: bring the parade!
cádo te praefició, Stiche.
I put you in charge of the jar, Stichus.
§684omnibus módis temptare certumst nostrum hodie convivium.
It is determined to try our feast today in every way.
§685ita me di ament, lepide accipimur quom hoc recipimur in loco.
So may the gods love me, we are received charmingly when we are welcomed in this place.
§686quisquis praetéreat, comissatum volo vocari.
Whoever passes by, I want to be invited to make merry.
§686bConvenit, §687dum quidem hercle quisque veniat, veniat cum vino suo.
Agreed, provided indeed, by Hercules, that whoever comes, comes with his own wine.
§688nam hinc quidem hodie polluctura praeter nos dabitur nemini. †
For indeed from here today a sacrificial feast will be given to no one besides us.
§689nosmet inter nos ministrémus monotropi.
Let us serve ourselves among ourselves, like hermits.
§689bHoc conviviumst §690pro opibus nostris satis commodule nucibus, fabulis, ficulis, §691oleae † interiplio, lupillo, comminuto crustulo.
This is a feast tolerably convenient according to our means, with nuts, beans, little figs, core of olive, lupine, broken cake.
§692Sat est: servo homini módeste melius facere sumptum quam ampliter.
It is enough: for a slave it is better to spend moderately than sumptuously.
§693suom quemque decet: quibus divitiae domi sunt, scaphiis cantharis §694batiocis bibunt, át nos nostro Samiolo poterio: §695tamen bibimús nos, tamen efficimus pro opibus nostra moenia.
Each fits his own: those who have riches at home drink from bowls, tankards, goblets, but we from our little Samian cup; yet we do drink, yet we accomplish our duties according to our means.
§696Age dice uter utrubi áccumbamus.
Come, say which of us is to recline where.
§696bAbi tu sane superior.
Go, you indeed, to the upper place.
§697atque adeo, ut tu scire possis, pacto ego hoc técum divido: §698vide, utram tibi libet etiam nunc capere, cape provinciam.
And further, so that you may know, I divide this with you on this term: see which province you like to take even now, take it.
§699Quid istuc est provinciai?
What is that "province" of yours?
§699bVtrum Fontine an Libero §700imperium te inhibere mavis?
Whether to Fontinus or to Liber do you prefer to exercise your command?
§700bNimio liquido Libero.
By far, clearly, to Liber!
§701sed amica mea et tua dum cenat dumque se exórnat, nos volo §702tamen ludere inter nós.
But while our girlfriend is dining and adorning herself, I want us nevertheless to play among ourselves.
strategum te facio huic convivio.
I make you the general of this feast.
§703Nimium lepide in mentem venit: potius quam in subsellio §704cynice hic accipimur quam in lectis.
A very charming thing has come to mind: rather than on a bench, we are entertained here like Cynics rather than on couches.
§704bImmo enim nímio hic dulcius.
Indeed, this is far sweeter!
§705sed interim, stratege noster, cur hic cessat cantharus?
But meanwhile, our general, why does the tankard linger here?
§706vide, quot cyathos bibimus.
See how many ladles we are to drink.
§706bTot quot digiti tibi sunt in manu.
As many as the fingers on your hand.
§707cantio Graecast: ἢ πέντ' ἢ τρία πῖν' ἢ μὴ τέτταρα. §708Tibi propino.
There is a Greek song: "Drink either five or three, but not four." I drink to you.
decumam a fonte tibi tute inde, si sapis.
Take your tenth from the fountain yourself, if you are wise.
§709bene vos, bene nos, bene te, bene me, bene nostram etiam Stephanium.
Good health to you, to us, to you, to me, and also to our Stephanium!
§712Lepide hoc actum est.
This has been done charmingly.
tibi propino cantharum.
I drink the cup to you.
vinum tu habes.
You have the wine.
§713Nimis vellem aliquid pulpamenti.
I would very much like some meat as side-dish.
§713bSi horum, quae adsunt, paenitet, §714nihil est.
If you are dissatisfied with what is present, there is nothing else.
tene aquam.
Take the water.
§714bMelius dicis; nil moror cuppedia.
You speak better; I do not care for delicacies.
§715bibe, tibicen.
Drink, flute-player!
age si quid agis, bíbendum hercle hoc est, ne nega.
Come, if you are going to do anything, by Hercules, this must be drunk, don't refuse!
§716quid hic fastidis quod faciundum vides esse tibi? quin bibis?
Why do you disdain here what you see must be done by you? Why don't you drink?

Notes

  1. 661τέτταρα. — Dionysum refers to the god of wine, but is used here by metonymy to mean 'wine' itself, while being personified as a 'guest' (convivam, in apposition). Thus, fero convivam Dionysum is a humorous expression with a double meaning: 'I bring Dionysus as a guest' (meaning 'I bring wine for our dinner').
  2. 673Mirum videri nemini vestrum volo... quid ego hinc... exeam — The main verb volo governs an accusative and infinitive construction mirum videri, which in turn is explained by the indirect question quid ego hinc... exeam acting as a noun clause. The contrast is heightened by the insertion of quae illic habito ('I who live over there') within the clause explaining her exit from 'here' (hinc).
  3. 699bVtrum Fontine an Libero — Fontine and Libero are the dative (or ablative) forms of Fontinus (god of springs/water) and Liber (god of wine). They function as the object (or sphere) over which command is exercised with imperium te inhibere mavis? ('do you prefer to hold command?'), figuratively asking whether he wants to control the water (for mixing) or the wine (as the king of the feast).
  4. 707ἢ πέντ' ἢ τρία πῖν' ἢ μὴ τέτταρα — A Greek quotation meaning literally 'Drink either five or three, but not four.' This humorously references ancient drinking rules regarding the ratio of water to wine (such as five parts water to three of wine, or three of water to one of wine, while avoiding the proportion of four), which governed Greek symposia.

Cite this passage

Plautus, Stichus §657-716. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0119.phi018.humanitext-lat2:657-716

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