§791sescentae ad eam rem causae possunt conligi: §792illum quem habuit perdidit, alium post fecit novom. †
Six hundred reasons can be gathered for that matter: that he lost the one he had, and made another new one afterward.
§793iam si opsignatas non feret, dici hoc potest, §794apud pórtitorem eas resignatas sibi §795inspectasque esse.
Furthermore, if he does not bring them sealed, this can be said, that they were unsealed for him at the harbor tax-collector's, and inspected.
in huius modi negotio §796diem sermone terere segnities merast: §797quam vis sermones possunt longi texier.
In a business of this kind, to waste the day in talking is sheer laziness: however long conversations can be woven.
Go to the treasure now immediately in secret, remove the slaves and maidservants.
atque audin?
And do you hear?
§799bQuid est?
What is it?
Make sure you also hide this matter from your wife, for by Pollux, there is never anything she can keep silent about.
§802quid nunc stas? quin tu hinc amoves et te moves?
Why are you standing now? Why don't you get away from here and move yourself?
§803aperi, deprome inde auri ad hanc rem quod sat est, §804continuo operíto denuo; sed clanculum, §805sicut praecepi; cunctos exturba aedibus.
Open it, take out from there as much gold as is enough for this matter, and immediately cover it up again; but in secret, just as I instructed; drive everyone out of the house.
§806Ita faciam.
I will do so.
But indeed we are using too long a conversation, we are finishing the day when the work is now urgent.
§808nihil est de signo quod vereare; me vide: §809lepida est illa caúsa, ut commemoravi, dicere §810apud pórtitores esse inspectas.
There is nothing you should fear about the signet; look at me: that is a fine excuse, as I mentioned, to say that they were inspected at the harbor tax-collector's.
denique
After all, do you not see the time of day?
§811diei tempus non vides? quid illúm putas,
What do you think of him, with that nature and disposition?
§812natura illa atque ingenio? iam dudum ebriust.
He has been drunk for a long time now.
He will be able to believe anything; then, what is most important, he will say he is bringing it, not seeking it from here.
§814bIam sat est.
That is enough now.
§815Ego sycophantam iam conduco de foro §816epistulasque iam consignabo duas, §817eumque húc ad adulescentem meditatum probe
I am going now to hire a sycophant from the forum, and I will seal two letters now, and send him here to the young man, well-schooled.
§818mittam.
I will send him.
§818bEo ego igitur intro ad officium meum.
I will go inside then to my duty.
§819tu istuc age.
You mind that business.
— §819bActum reddam nugacissume.
I will render it done in the most trifling manner.
— §820Salsípotenti et mulsípotenti Iovis frátri et Nerei Néptuno §821laetús lubens laudes ágo et grates gratiásque habeo et fluctibus salsis, §822quos pénes mei fuit saepé potestas, bonis meís quid foret et meaé vitae, §823quom suís med ex locis ín patriam suavíssumam reducem fáciunt.
To Neptune, the salt-potent and sweet-potent brother of Jove and lord of Nereus, gladly and willingly I pay praises and render thanks and gratitude, and to the salt waves, in whose power was often the decision of what would become of my goods and my life, since they restore me from their regions safe back to my sweetest homeland.
§824atque égo, Neptune, tibi ánte alios deos grátias ago atque habeó summas; §825nam te ómnes saevomqué severumque atque ávidis moribus cómmemorant, §826spurcíficum, immanem, intólerandum, vesánum: contra opera éxpertus, §827nam pól placido te et clémenti meo usqué modo, ut volui, usús sum in alto.
And I, Neptune, render and have the greatest thanks to you before all other gods; for everyone describes you as savage and severe and of greedy character, filthy, monstrous, intolerable, mad; but I have experienced the opposite in my work, for by Pollux, I have found you peaceful and gentle on the deep all the way as I wished.
§828atque hánc tuam gloriam iam ánte auribus accéperam, et nobilest ápud homines, §829paupéribus te parcére solitum, dités damnare atqué domare.
And I had already heard of this glory of yours before with my ears, and it is famous among men, that you are accustomed to spare the poor, and to condemn and tame the rich.
§830abi, laúdo, scis ordíne, ut aequomst, tractáre homines; hoc dís dignumst.
Well done! I praise you; you know how to treat men in order, as is just; this is worthy of gods.
§832fidús fuisti: infidum ésse iterant; nam apsqué foret te, sat scío in alto §833distráxissent disqué tulissent satellítes tui me miserúm foede §834bonaque ómnia mea item uná mecum passím caeruleos pér campos: §835ita iám quasi canes, haud sécus, circum stabánt navem turbinés venti, §836imbrés fluctusque atqué procellae infénsae frangere málum, §837ruere ántemnas, scindére vela, ni túa pax propitia fóret praesto.
You were faithful; they repeat that you are unfaithful; for if it were not for you, I know well on the deep your attendants would have torn wretched me to pieces and carried me away foully, and all my goods likewise along with me everywhere through the azure fields; so now, like dogs, not otherwise, the whirlwinds of wind stood around the ship, rains and waves and hostile tempests were breaking the mast, bringing down the yards, tearing the sails, if your propitious peace had not been ready at hand.
§838apage á me sis, dehinc iám certumst otió dare me; satis pártum habeo §839quibus aérumnis delúctavi, filió dum divitiás quaero.
Away from me, please; henceforth it is certain that I shall give myself to leisure; I have enough acquired, by what hardships I have struggled, while I sought riches for my son.
But who is this, who enters into the street with a strange dress and appearance at the same time?
By Pollux, although I desire to be home, I will wait, and turn my mind to what business he is doing here.
§843Huíc ego die nomén Trinummo fáciam: nam ego operám meam §844tribus nummis hodie locavi ad artis nugatorias.
I will give the name "Trinummus" to this day; for I have let out my labor today for three coins to trifling arts.
§845advenio ex Seleucia, Macedonia, Asia atque Arabia, §846quas ego neque oculis nec pedibus umquam usurpavi meis.
I come from Seleucia, Macedonia, Asia, and Arabia, which I have never visited either with my eyes or with my feet.
§847viden egestas quid negoti dat homini misero mali, §848quin ego nunc subigor trium nummum causa ut hasce epistulas §849dicam ab eo homine me accepisse, quem ego qui sit homo nescio §850neque novi, neque natus necne is fuerit, id solide scio.
Do you see what evil business poverty gives to a wretched man, that I am now compelled for the sake of three coins to say that I received these letters from that man, whom I do not know who he is, nor do I know him, nor do I know for certain whether he was born or not.