§329Nam incommoda alia sunt cicenda, Parmeno.
For other troubles are to be called mere inconveniences, Parmeno.
§330Illum liquet mihi deierare his mensibus §331Sex septem prorsum non vidisse proximis, §332Nisi nunc cum minime vellem minimeque opus fuit.
It is clear to me that I can swear that I have not seen him at all during these last six or seven months, except now when I least wished it and there was least need of it.
§333Eho nonne hoc monstri simile est? quid ais?
Why, is this not like a prodigy? What do you say?
§333bMaxime.
Indeed, most certainly.
Immediately he ran up to me, and from a great distance indeed, bent, trembling, with hanging lips, groaning.
§336"Heus! heus! tibi dico Chaerea," inquit.
"Hey! Hey! I am speaking to you, Chaerea," he said.
Restiti.
I stopped.
§337"Scin quid ego te volebam?" "Dic. ""Cras est mihi §338Iudicium. ""Quid tum?" "Ut diligenter nunties §339Patri, advocatus mane mihi esse ut meminerit. " §340Dum haec dicit, abiit hora.
"Do you know what I wanted from you?" "Tell me." "Tomorrow is my trial." "What of it?" "That you carefully report to your father, so that he may remember to be my advocate in the morning." While he was saying this, an hour passed.
Rogo numquid velit?
I asked if he wanted anything else.
§341"Recte," inquit.
"Nothing," he said.
Abeo.
I left.
Cum huc respicio ad virginem, §342Illa sese interea commodum huc adverterat §343In hanc nostram plateam.
When I looked back here for the girl, she in the meantime had turned, just at the right moment, into this street of ours.
It is a wonder if he does not mean the one who has just been given as a present to her.
§344bHuc cum advenio nulla erat.
When I arrived here, she was nowhere.
§345Comites secuti scilicet sunt virginem.
Of course, companions followed the girl.
§346Verum: parasitus cum ancilla.
Truly: a parasite with a maidservant.
It is she: it is all over: Desist: now it is all over.
§347bAlias res agis.
You are thinking of something else.
§348Istuc ago quidem.
I am indeed thinking of that.
§348bNostin quae sit? die mihi:
Do you know who she is?
§349Aut vidistin?
Tell me: Or have you seen her?
§349bVidi; novi; scio quo abducta sit.
I have seen her; I know her; I know where she has been taken.
§350Eho Parmeno mi nostin?
Hey, my Parmeno, do you know?
§350bNovi.
I know.
§350cEt scis ubi siet?
And do you know where she is?
§351Huc deducta est ad meretricem Thaidem: ei dono data est.
She has been taken here to the courtesan Thais: she was given to her as a gift.
§352Quis is est tam potens cum tanto munere hoc?
Who is that man so powerful with such a great gift?
§353bDuras fratris partes praedicas.
You describe a hard part for my brother.
Nay, rather, if you knew what gift is prepared to match this gift, then you would say so even more.
§355bQuodnam quaeso hercle?
What is it, pray tell, by Hercules?
§355cEunuchum.
A eunuch.
Do you mean that ugly fellow whom he bought yesterday, old, womanish?
§357Istune ipsum.
That very one.
§357bHomo quatietur certe cum dono foras.
He will certainly be thrown out of doors along with his gift.
§358Sed istam Thaidem non scivi nobis vicinam.
But I did not know that Thais was our neighbor.
§358bHaud diu est.
It has not been long.
I am ruined! Is it possible that I have never even seen her? Tell me; is her beauty as reported?
§360bSane.
Certainly.
§360cAt nihil ad nostram hanc.
But nothing compared to this girl of ours.
§360dAlia res.
A different matter.
§361Obsecro hercle Parmeno fac ut potiar.
I beg you by Hercules, Parmeno, manage that I may obtain her.
I will do so diligently, and I will take pains; I will help: do you want anything else of me?
§362bQuo nunc is?
Where are you going now?
Home, to lead these slaves to Thais, just as my brother ordered.
§364O fortunatum istum eunuchum qui quidem in hanc detur domum!
Oh, fortunate eunuch, indeed, to be given into this house!
§365Quid ita?
Why so?
§365bRogitas? Summa forma semper conservam domi §366Videbit; colloquetur; aderit una in unis aedibus; §367Cibum nonnumquam capiet cum ea; interdum propter dormiet.
You ask? He will always see at home a fellow-slave of supreme beauty; he will talk with her; he will be with her in the same house; sometimes he will take food with her; occasionally he will sleep near her.
§368Quid si nunc tute fortunatus fias?
What if now you yourself should become that fortunate one?
§368bQua re Parmeno?
By what means, Parmeno?
§369Responde.
Answer.
§369bCapias tu illius vestem.
You take his clothes.
§369cVestem? quid tum postea?
Clothes? What then after that?
§370Pro illo te ducam.
I will lead you instead of him.
§370bAudio.
I hear you.
§370cTe esse illum dicam.
I will say that you are him.
§370dIntelligo.
I understand.
§371Tu illis fruare commodis quibus tu illum dicebas modo; §372Cibum una capias, adsis, tangas, ludas, propter dormias; §373Quandoquidem illarum neque te quisquam novit, neque scit qui sies.
You may enjoy those advantages which you were just now mentioning; you may take food together, be present, touch, play, sleep near her; since indeed none of them knows you, nor knows who you are.
§374Praeterea forma et aetas ipsa est facile ut pro eunucho probes.
Besides, your beauty and age themselves make it easy for you to pass for a eunuch.
§375Dixti pulchre: numquam vidi melius consilium dari.
You have spoken beautifully: I have never seen better advice given.
§376Age, eamus intro: nunc iam orna me; abduc, duc, quantum otes.
Come, let's go inside: dress me up now; lead me away, take me, as quickly as you can.
§377Quid agis? iocabar equidem.
What are you doing? I was only joking.
§377bGarris.
You are talking nonsense.
§377cPerii: quid ego egi miser?
I am ruined: what have I done, miserable me?
§378Quo trudis? perculeris iam tu me: tibi equidem dico, mane.
Where are you pushing me? You will knock me down in a moment: I am telling you, wait.
§379Eamus.
Let's go.
§379bPergin?
Are you really going?
§379cCertum est.
It is decided.
§379dVide ne nimium calidum hoc sit modo.
See that this is not too hot-headed.
§380Non est profecto: sine.
It is certainly not: let me.
§380bAt enim istaec in me cudetur faba.
But indeed, that bean will be threshed on me.
§380cAh!
Ah!
§381Flagitium facimus.
We are doing a disgraceful thing.
§381bAn id flagitium est, si in domum meretriciam §382Deducar; et illis crucibus quae nos nostramque adolescentiam §383Habent despicatam, et quae nos semper omnibus cruciant modis, §384Nunc referam gratiam; atque eas itidem fallam ut ab illis fallimur?
Is it a disgraceful thing if I am led into a courtesan's house; and to those torments who hold us and our youth in contempt, and who always torment us in every way, I now return the favor; and deceive them just as we are deceived by them?
§385An potius haec patri aequum est fieri ut a me ludatur dolis:
Or is it more fitting that this should be done to my father, that he should be played by me with tricks?