§142habere posse postulas, quin otiosus fias?
Do you demand to be able to hold it, without becoming idle?
§143Illa, haud ego, habuit publicum: pervorse interpretaris; §144nam advorsum legem meam ob meam scripturam pecudem cepit.
She, not I, held the tax-contract: you interpret perversely; for against my law, on account of my pasture-tax, she seized my cattle.
§145Plerique idem quod tu facis faciunt rei male gerentes: §146ubi non est, scripturam unde dent, incusant publicanos.
Most people who manage their affairs badly do the same thing as you do: when they do not have the means from which to pay the pasture-tax, they accuse the tax-gatherers.
§147Male vertit res pecuaria mihi apud vos: nunc vicissim §148volo habere aratiunculam pro copia hic apud vos.
My cattle-breeding has turned out badly with you: now in turn I want to have a small arable land here with you, according to my means.
§149Non arvos hic, sed pascuost ager: si arationes §150habituru's, quí arari solent, ad pueros ire meliust.
This is not arable land, but pasture: if you are going to have ploughings of the kind that are usually ploughed, it is better to go to the boys.
§151hunc nos habemus publicum, illi alii sunt publicani.
we hold this tax-contract, those others are the tax-gatherers.
§152Vtrosque pergnovi probe.
I know both thoroughly well.
Ah, by Pollux, in that very matter you are idle, since you are perverse both there and here.
sed utriscum rem esse mavis?
But with which of the two do you prefer to have dealing?
§154Procaciores estis vos, sed illí periuriores; §155illis perit quidquid datur, neque ipsís apparet quicquam: §156vos saltem si quid quaeritis, ecbibitis et comestis.
You are more insolent, but they are more perjured; whatever is given to them is lost, and nothing shows on them; you at least, if you get anything, drink it up and eat it.
§157postremo illi sunt improbi, vos nequam et gloriosae.
finally, they are wicked, you are worthless and boastful.
All the bad things you wish against us, Diniarchus, you say against yourself, on both our account and theirs.
§159bQui istuc?
How so?
I will tell you the reason: because he who accuses another of a shameful deed ought himself to shine.
§161tu a nobis sapiens nihil habes, nos nequam abs ted habemus.
you have nothing wise from us, but we have our worthlessness from you.
§162O Ástaphium, haud istoc modo solita es me ante appellare, §163sed blande, cum illuc, quod apud vos nunc est, apud me habebam.
O Astaphium, you were not accustomed to call me in that way before, but coaxingly, when I had that with me which is now with you.
§164Dum vivit, hominem noveris: ubi mortuost, quiescat.
While he lives, you may know a man; when he is dead, let him rest.
§165te dum vivebas noveram.
I knew you while you were alive.
§165bAn me mortuom arbitrare?
Do you think I am dead?
§166Qui potis, amabo, planius? qui antehac amator summus
How is it possible, please, to be clearer?
§167habitu's, nunc ad amicam venis querimoniam deferre.
You who before were considered the greatest lover, now come to your mistress to bring complaints.
§168Vestra hercle factum iniuria, quae properavistis olim: §169rapere otiose oportuit, diu ut essem incolumis vobis.
By Hercules, it was done by your wrongdoing, you who once made too much haste: you ought to have plundered me slowly, so that I might long be safe for you.
§170Amator similest oppidi hostilis.
A lover is like a hostile town.
§170bQuo argumento?
By what argument?
§171Quam primum expugnari potis, tam id optimum est amicae.
The sooner it can be stormed, the better it is for the mistress.
§172Ego fateor, sed longe aliter est amicus atque amator: §173certe hercle quam veterrimus, tam homini optimust amicus.
I confess that, but a friend is far different from a lover: certainly, by Hercules, the oldest friend is the best for a man.
§174Si vivit.
If he lives.
§174bNon hercle occidi, sunt mi etiam fundi et aedis.
By Hercules, I am not dead, I still have lands and a house.
§175Cur, obsecro, ergo ante ostium pro ignoto alienoque astas?
Why then, pray, do you stand before the door like a stranger and an outsider?
§176i intro, haud alienus tu quidem es; nam ecastor neminem hodie §177mage amat corde atque animo suo, si quidem habes fundum atque aedis.
Go inside, you indeed are no stranger; for by Castor, she loves no one more in her heart and soul today, if indeed you have land and a house.
§178In melle sunt linguae sitae vostrae atque orationes, §179facta atque corda in felle sunt sita atque acerbo aceto: §180eo dicta lingua dulcia datis, córde amara facitis.
Your tongues and speeches are placed in honey, your deeds and hearts are placed in gall and sharp vinegar: therefore you give sweet words with your tongue, and make them bitter in your heart.
§182non istaec, mea benignitas, decuit te fabulari, §183sed istós qui cum geniis suis belligerant parcipromi.
It was not fitting for you, my kindness, to talk like that, but those stingy ones who wage war with their own guardian spirits.
§184Mala es atque eadem quae soles inlecebra.
You are wicked and the same temptress you usually are.
How expectedly you have arrived from abroad; how, pray, my mistress longed to see you!
§186Quid tandem?
Why, pray?
§186bTe unum ex omnibus amat.
She loves you alone out of all.
Well done, lands and house, you have come to help just in time!
sed quid ais, Astaphium?
But what do you say, Astaphium?
§187bQuid vis?
What do you want?
§188Estne intus nunc Phronesium?
Is Phronesium inside now?
§188bVtut aliis, tibi quidem intus.
However it is for others, for you indeed she is inside.
§189Valetne?
Is she well?
§189bImmo edepol melius iam fore spero, te ubi videbit.
Indeed, by Pollux, I hope she will be better now when she sees you.
§190Hoc nobis vitium maxumumst, cum amamus tum hoc perimus: §191si illud quod volumus dicitur, palam cum mentiuntur, §192verum esse insciti credimus, ne ut iusta utamur ira.
This is our greatest fault, when we love, then we perish by this: if what we want is said, even when they lie openly, we foolishly believe it to be true, so that we may not use just anger.
§193Heia, haud itast res.
Oh, it is not so.
§193bAin tu eam me amare?
Do you say that she loves me?
§193cImmo unice unum.
Indeed, singularly you alone.
§194Peperisse audivi.
I heard she has given birth.
§194bAh obsecro, tace, Diniarche.
Ah, pray be silent, Diniarchus.
§194cQuid iam?
Why so?
I shudder, poor me, as often as mention is made of childbed, so nearly was Phronesium non-existent for you.
i intro, amabo, §197vise illam.
Go inside, please, see her.
atque opperimino: iam exibit; nam lavabat.
And wait: she will come out soon; for she was bathing.