For this man, whoever he is, his throat is his trainer: it is that which teaches this man to run.
§1017Quid, homo nihili, non pudet te? tribusne te poteriis §1018memoriam esse oblitum? an vero, quia cum frugi hominibus §1019ibi bibisti, qui ab alieno facile cohiberent manus?
What, you worthless fellow, are you not ashamed? That with just three cups you have lost your memory? Or indeed, is it because you drank there with honest men, who would easily keep their hands off what belongs to others?
§1020Truthus fuit, Cerconicus, Crinnus, Cercobulus, Collabus, §1021oculicrepidae cruricrepidae, ferriteri mastigiae:
Truthus was there, Cerconicus, Crinnus, Cercobulus, Collabus, scoundrels whose eyes and shins clatter with chains, iron-rubbers, whip-scourged rascals!
§1022inter eosne homines condalium te redipisci postulas?
Do you expect to recover your ring from among such men?
§1023quorum eorum únus surrupuit currenti cursori solum.
Of whom every single one would steal the sole from a runner as he runs.
§1024Ita me di ament, graphicum furem.
So help me the gods, a master thief!
§1024bQuid ego quod periit petam?
Why should I seek what is lost?
§1025nisi etiam laborem ad damnum ápponam epithecam insuper.
Unless I would add labor to my loss as an extra burden in addition.
Why don't you consider what is lost as lost? Take the tacking-line, and betake yourself to your master.
§1027bNon fugitivost hic homo, commeminit domi.
This man is no runaway; he remembers his home.
§1028Vtinam veteres hominum mores, veteres parsimoniae §1029potius in maiore honore hic essent quam mores mali.
Would that the old customs of men, and the old frugality, were in greater honor here rather than bad customs!
§1030Di immortales, basilica hic quidem facinora inceptat loqui.
Ye immortal gods, this fellow indeed begins to speak of royal deeds!
§1031vetera quaerit, vetera amare hunc more maiorum scias.
He longs for the old times, you can tell he loves the old ways in the manner of our ancestors.
§1032Nam nunc mores nihili faciunt quod licet, nisi quod lubet: §1033ambitio iam more sanctast, liberast a legibus; §1034scuta iacere fugereque hostis more habent licentiam: §1035petere honorem pro flagitio more fit.
For now, customs count what is allowed as nothing, except what is pleasing: ambition is now sanctioned by custom, and is free from the laws; to throw away shields and flee from the enemy is permitted by custom; to seek office as a reward for wickedness has become the custom.
§1035bMorem improbum.
A wicked custom.
§1036Strenuiores praeterire more fit.
To pass over more active men has become the custom.
§1036bNequam quidem.
Wicked indeed.
§1037Mores leges perduxerunt iam in potestatem suam, §1038magisque is sunt obnoxiosae quam parentes liberis.
Customs have now brought the laws under their own power, and the laws are more submissive to them than parents to their children.
§1039eae miserae etiam ad parietem sunt fixae clavis ferreis, §1040ubi malos mores adfigi nimio fuerat aequius.
Those wretched laws are even fixed to the wall with iron nails, where it would have been far more just for bad customs to be nailed up.
§1041Lubet adire atque appellare hunc; verum ausculto perlubens §1042et metuo, si compellabo, ne aliam rem occipiat loqui.
I would like to go up and speak to him; but I listen with great pleasure, and I fear that if I interrupt him, he will start talking about something else.
§1043Neque istis quicquam lege sanctumst: leges mori serviunt, §1044mores autem rapere properant qua sacrum qua publicum.
And for those people nothing is sacred by law: laws serve custom, but customs hasten to plunder both sacred and public property.
§1045Hercle istis malam rem magnam moribus dignumst dari.
By Hercules, those customs deserve to be given a great punishment!
§1046Nonne hoc publice animum advorti? nam id genus hominum omnibus §1047univorsis est advorsum atque omni populo male facit: §1048male fidem servando illis quoque abrogant etiam fidem, §1049qui nil meriti; quippe eorum ex ingenio ingenium horum probant.
Ought not this to be punished publicly? For that class of men is opposed to everyone in general, and does harm to the whole people: by keeping faith badly, they also take away trust from those who have deserved no such thing; because people judge the character of the latter by the character of the former.
§1050hoc qui in mentem venerit mihi? re ipsa modo commonitus sum.
How did this come into my mind? I have just been reminded of it by the matter itself.
§1051si quoi mutuom quid dederis, fit pro proprio perditum: §1052quom repetas, inimicum amicum beneficio invenias tuo.
If you lend something to anyone, it is lost instead of being your own: when you ask for it back, you find that your friendly act has made your friend an enemy.
§1053si mage exigere occupias, duarum rerum exoritur optio: §1054vel illud quod credideris perdas, vel illum amicum amiseris.
If you begin to press more for payment, a choice of two things arises: either you lose that which you lent, or you lose that friend.
§1055Meus est hic quidem Stasimus servos.
This is indeed my servant Stasimus.
For I, to whom I had lent a talent, bought myself an enemy with that talent, and sold a friend.
§1057sed ego sum insipientior, qui rebus curem publicis §1058potius quam, id quod proxumumst, meo tergo tutelam geram.
But I am rather foolish, to care for public matters rather than, what is closest to me, protect my own back.
§1059eo domum.
I am going home.
§1059bHeus tu, asta ilico.
Hey you, stop right there!
audi.
Listen.
§1059cHeús tu, non sto.
Hey you, I won't stop.
§1059dTe volo.
I want you.
§1060Quid si ego me te velle nolo?
What if I don't want you to want me?
§1060bAha nimium, Stasime, saeviter.
Aha, too fiercely, Stasimus.
§1061Emere meliust cui imperes.
It is better to buy someone you can command.
By Pollux, I did buy you, and paid the money; but if he is not obedient to my word, what am I to do?
§1062bDa magnum malum.
Give him a great beating.
§1063Bene mones, ita facere certumst.
You advise well, I am resolved to do so.
§1063bNisi quidem es obnoxius.
Unless indeed you are obligated to him.
§1064Si bonus es, obnoxius sum; sin secus es, faciam ut iubes.
If you are good, I am obligated to you; but if you are otherwise, I will do as you bid.
§1065Quid id ad me attinet, bonisne servis tu utare an malis?
What does that matter to me, whether you employ good or bad servants?
§1066Quia boni malique in ea re pars tibi est.
Because of the good and the bad, a share belongs to you in that matter.
The latter share I leave to you; that other share, which is good, place to my account.
§1068Sí eris meritus, fiet.
If you deserve it, it shall be done.
respice huc ad me.
Look back here at me.
ego sum Charmides.
I am Charmides.
§1069Hem quis est qui mentionem homo hominis fecit optumi?
Ha! Who is the man that made mention of the best of men?
§1070Ipsus homo optumus.
That very best of men himself.
§1070bMare terra caelum, di vestram fidem,
Sea, earth, heaven, ye gods, by your protection!
§1071satin ego oculis plane video? estne ipsus an non est? is est,
Do I see clearly enough with my eyes? Is it he himself or is it not? It is he!