§1Sequere hac me, gnata, ut munus fungaris tuom.
Follow me this way, daughter, so that you may perform your duty.
§2Sequor, sed finem fore quem dicam nescio.
I follow, but I do not know what end to say there will be.
§3Adest.
Here we are.
em illaé sunt aedes, i intro nunciam. — §4nunc, ne quis erret vostrum, paucis in viam §5deducam, si quidem operam dare promittitis.
Look, those are the chambers; go inside now.— Now, lest any of you go astray, in a few words into the way I will lead you, if indeed you promise to give your attention.
§6nunc igitur primum quaé ego sim et quae illaec siet, §7huc quae abiit intro, dicam, si animum advortitis.
Now therefore, first, who I am, and who she is who has gone in here, I will tell you, if you turn your mind to it.
First, Plautus gave me the name of Luxury; then he wished this daughter of mine to be Want.
But why she has entered here at my instigation, hear, and lend me your vacant ears while I speak.
There is a certain young man who lives in this house; he has ruined his father's property, with me as his helper.
§14quoniam ei, qui me aleret, nil video esse relicui, §15dedi ei meam gnatam, quicum aétatem exigat.
Since I see there is nothing left for him who should support me, I have given him my daughter, with whom he may spend his life.
But do not expect the plot of the play from me: the old men who will come here will reveal the matter to you.
§18huic Graece nomen est Thensauro fabulae: §19Philemo scripsit, Plautus vertit barbare, §20nomen Trinummo fecit, nunc hoc vos rogat §21ut liceat possidere hanc nomen fabulam.
The Greek name of this play is Thensaurus; Philemon wrote it, Plautus translated it into a barbarous tongue, and gave it the name Trinummus; now he requests this of you, that this play may be allowed to keep this name.
§22tantum est.
That is all.
valete, adeste cum silentio. — §23Amicum castigare ob meritam noxiam §24immoene est facinus, verum in aetate utile §25et conducibile.
Farewell, and attend in silence.— To chastise a friend on account of a deserved fault is a thankless task, yet in life useful and advantageous.
nám ego amicum hodie meum §26concastigabo pro commerita noxia, §27invitus, ni id me invitet ut faciam fides.
For I today will chastise my friend for his well-deserved fault, unwillingly, unless my good faith did not invite me to do so.
For here a disease has too much invaded good morals; so that almost all of them are now half-dead.
§30sed dum illi aegrotant, interim mores mali §31quasi herba inrigua succrevere uberrime: §32eorúm licet iam metere messem maxumam, §33neque quicquam hic nunc est vile nisi mores mali.
But while they are sick, in the meantime bad morals have shot up most abundantly, like watered weeds; of them one may now reap a very great harvest, nor is there anything here now cheap except bad morals.
And here they value the favor of a few far more highly than that which may benefit the many.
§36ita vincunt illud conducibile gratiae, §37quae in rebus multis opstant odiosaeque sunt §38remoramque faciunt rei privatae et publicae.
Thus those favors overcome what is advantageous, which in many matters stand in the way and are hateful and cause delay to both private and public affairs.
§39Larem corona nostrum decorari volo.
I wish our Lar to be decorated with a crown.
§40uxor, venerare ut nobis haec habitatio §41bona fausta felix fortunataque evenat— §42teque ut quam primum possim videam emortuam.
Wife, pray that this habitation may turn out for us good, auspicious, happy, and fortunate— and that I may see you dead as soon as possible.
Here is that very man, who in old age has become a boy, who has committed a fault worthy of chastisement.
§45adgrediar hominem.
I will approach the man.
§45bQuoia hic vox prope me sonat?
Whose voice is this sounding near me?
Of one who wishes you well, if you are as I wish you to be; but if you are otherwise, of an enemy and one angry with you.
§48O amice, salve, átque aequalis.
O my friend, hail, and my equal.
ut vales, §49Megaronides?
How are you, Megaronides?
§49bEt tu edepol salve, Callicles.
And hail to you indeed, Callicles.
§50Valen? valuistin?
Are you well? Have you been well?
§50bValeo, et valui rectius.
I am well, and I have been better.
§51Quid tua agit uxor? ut valet?
How is your wife doing? How is she?
§51bPlus quam ego volo.
More than I wish.
§52Bene hercle est illam tibi valere et vivere.
It is good that she is well and lives for you.
§53Credo hercle te gaudere, si quid mihi mali est.
I believe you would rejoice if any ill befell me.
§54Omnibus amicis quod mihi est cupio esse idem.
I wish that what I have may be the same for all my friends.
§55Eho tu, tua uxor quid agit?
Ho there, how is your own wife doing?
You bring good news, and I pray the gods that she may survive to outlive your life.
§58Dum quidem hercle tecum nupta sit, sane velim.
As long indeed as she were married to you, I should indeed wish it.
§59Vin commutemus, tuam ego ducam et tu meam?
Would you like us to exchange, I take yours and you take mine?
§60faxo haud tantillum dederis verborum mihi.
I warrant you would not deceive me even a tiny bit.
§61Namque enim tu, credo, me imprudentem obrepseris.
For you, I believe, would steal upon me unawares.
§62Ne tu hercle faxo haud nescias quam rem egeris.
Indeed, I warrant you would soon know what a business you had done.
§63Habeas ut nanctu's: nota mala res optumast.
Keep what you have got: a known evil is best.
§64nam ego nunc si ignotam capiam, quid agam nesciam.
for if I now should take an unknown one, I would not know what to do.
§65Edepol proinde ut diu vivitur, bene vivitur.
Just as one lives long, so one lives well.
But turn your mind to this, and away with your jests; for I come here to you on purpose.
§67bQuid venis?
Why do you come?
§68Malis te ut verbis multis multum obiurigem.
That I may chide you soundly with many harsh words.
§69Men?
Me?
§69bNumquis est hic alius praeter me atque te?
Is there any other person here besides me and you?
§70Nemost.
There is no one.