§762Nunc quid opus facto sit vide.
Chremes: "Now see what needs to be done.
Pater adolescentis venit; §763Eumque animo iniquo hoc oppido ferre aiunt. §763bNihil pericli est. §764Sed per Deos atque homines, meam esse hanc cave resciscat quisquam. §765Nemo ex me scibit. §765bSequere me: intus caetera audies. §766Nostrapte culpa facimus ut malis expediat esse, §767Dum nimium dici nos bonos studemus et benignos. §768Ita fugias ne praeter casam, quod aiunt.
The young man's father is coming;" "and they say he is bearing this very hard indeed." Sophrona: "There is no danger." Chremes: "But, by the gods and men, take care that no one finds out that she is my daughter." Sophrona: "No one will know from me." Chremes: "Follow me: you will hear the rest inside." Demipho: "It is by our own fault that we make it profitable for wicked people to be wicked," "while we strive too much to be called good and kind." "'Flee in such a way as not to go past the cottage', as they say.
Nonne id sat erat,
Was it not enough" "to receive an injury from him?
§769Accipere ab illo iniuriam? etiam argentum est ultro obiectum, §770Ut sit qui vivat dum aliud aliquid flagiti conficiat. §771Planissime. §771bHis nunc praemium est qui recta prava faciunt. §772Verissime. §772bUt stultissime quidem illi rem gesserimus. §773Modo ut hoc consilio possiet discedi ut istam ducat. §774Etiamne id dubium est? §774bHaud scio hercle, ut homo est, an mutet animum. §775Hem, mutet autem? §775bNescio: verum "si forte" dico. §776Ita faciam, ut frater censuit, ut uxorem huc eius adducam, §777Cum ista ut loquatur: tu, Geta, abi prae; nuntia hanc venturam. §778Argentum inventum est Phaedriae: de iurgio siletur. §779Provisum est ne in praesentia haec hinc abeat: quid nunc porro?
Even money has been thrown to him besides," "so that he may have something to live on while he commits some other outrage." Geta: "Most clearly." Demipho: "Now there is a reward for those who make right things wrong." Geta: "Most truly." Demipho: "How very foolishly indeed we have managed the business with him!" Geta: "If only we can come off with this plan, that he marries her." Demipho: "Is that even doubtful?" Geta: "By Hercules, knowing the man as he is, I don't know whether he might change his mind." Demipho: "What, change his mind?" Geta: "I don't know: but I say 'just in case'." Demipho: "I will do as my brother advised, to bring his wife here," "to speak with her: you, Geta, go ahead; announce that she is coming." Geta: "The money has been found for Phaedria; there is silence about the lawsuit." "Provision has been made that she does not leave here for the present: what now further?" "What will happen?
You are stuck in the same mud: you will pay debt with a new loan," "Geta.
Praesens quod fuerat malum in diem abiit: plagae crescunt, §782Nisi prospicis.
The trouble that was present has been postponed for a day: the blows are growing," "unless you look out.
Nunc hinc domum ibo, ac Phanium edocebo §783Ne quid vereatur Phormionem aut eius orationem. §784Agedum, ut soles, Nausistrata, fac illa ut placetur nobis; §785Ut sua voluntate id quod est faciendum faciat. §785bFaciam. §786Pariter nunc opera me adiuvas ac re dudum opitulata es. §787Factum volo; at pol minus queo viri culpa quam me dignum est. §788Quid autem? §788bQuia pol mei patris bene parta indiligenter §789Tutatur; nam ex his praediis talenta argenti bina §790Statim capiebat.
Now I will go home from here, and instruct Phanium" "not to fear Phormio or his talk." Demipho: "Come now, Nausistrata, as is your custom, see that she is reconciled to us;" "so that she may do by her own choice what must be done." Nausistrata: "I will do so." Demipho: "You are helping me now with your trouble, just as you assisted me with your money lately." Nausistrata: "I wish it done; but by Pollux, through my husband's fault I can do less than is worthy of me." Demipho: "Why so?" Nausistrata: "Because, by Pollux, he carelessly looks after the well-acquired estate of my father;" "for from these estates he used to receive two talents of silver" "regularly.
Vir viro quid praestat! §790bBinan quaeso? §791Ac rebus vilioribus multo, tamen talenta bina. §791bHui. §792Quid haec videntur? §792bScilicet. §792cVirmn me natum vellem: §793Ego ostenderem— §793bCerto scio. §793cquo pacto— §793dParce, sodes, §794Ut possis cum illa; ne te adolescens mulier defatiget. §795Faciam ut iubes: sed meum virum abs te exire video.
How one man excels another!" Demipho: "Two talents, pray?" Nausistrata: "And when things were much cheaper, still, two talents." Demipho: "Wow!" Nausistrata: "How does this seem to you?" Demipho: "Indeed." Nausistrata: "I wish I had been born a man:" "I would have shown—" Demipho: "I know for sure." Nausistrata: "—in what way—" Demipho: "Spare us, please," "so that you may have strength for her; lest the young woman exhaust you." Nausistrata: "I will do as you bid: but I see my husband coming out from your house." Chremes: "Ah, Demipho," "has the money been given to him already?" Demipho: "I took care of it immediately." Chremes: "I wish it had not been given." "Ah, I see my wife, almost more than was convenient." Demipho: "Why would you wish it not given, Chremes?" Chremes: "It's all right now." Demipho: "What about you?
§795bHem, Demipho, §796Iam illi datum est argentum? §796bCuravi ilico. §796cNollem datum. §797Hei, video uxorem, paene plus quam sat erat. §797bCur nolles, Chreme? §798Iam recte. §798bQuid tu? ecquid locutus cum ista es quamobrem hanc ducimus? §799Transegi. §799bQuid ait tandem? §799cAbduci non potest. §799dQui non potest? §800Quia uterque utrique est cordi. §800bQuid istuc nostra? §800cMagni: praeter haec, §801Cognatam comperi esse nobis.
Have you spoken at all with her about why we are marrying her off?" Chremes: "I have settled it." Demipho: "What did she say at last?" Chremes: "She cannot be taken away." Demipho: "How can she not?" Chremes: "Because they are dear to each other." Demipho: "What does that matter to us?" Chremes: "A great deal: besides this," "I have found out that she is related to us." Demipho: "What?
§801bQuid? deliras? §801cSic erit. §802Non temere dico: redii mecum in memoriam. §802bSatin sanus es? §803Au, obsecro, cave ne in cognatam pecces. §803bNon est. §803cNe nega. §804Patris nomen aliud dictum est: hoc tu errasti. §804bNon norat patrem? §805Norat. §805bCur aliud dixit? §805cNunquamne hodie concedes mihi, §806Neque intelliges? §806bSi tu nihil narras— §806cPergis? §806dMiror quid hoc siet.
Are you crazy?" Chremes: "It is so." "I don't say it rashly: I have recalled it to memory." Demipho: "Are you quite in your right mind?" Nausistrata: "Oh, I pray you, take care not to do wrong to a relative." Demipho: "She is not." Chremes: "Do not deny it." Demipho: "Another name was given for her father: you erred in this." Chremes: "Did she not know her father?" Demipho: "She knew him." Chremes: "Why did she say another name?" "Will you never today yield to me," "nor understand?" Demipho: "If you explain nothing—" Chremes: "Are you persisting?" Nausistrata: "I wonder what this can be." Demipho: "By Hercules, I don't know indeed." Chremes: "Do you want to know?
§807Equidem hercle nescio. §807bVin scire? At ita me servet Iupiter §808Ut propior illi quam ego sum ac tu nemo est. §808bDi vestram fidem! §809Eamus ad ipsam: una omnes nos aut scire aut nescire hoc volo. §809bAh. §810Quid est? §810bItan parvam mihi fidem esse apud te? §810cVin me credere?
Now, may Jupiter so save me" "as there is no one closer related to her than I am and you are." Nausistrata: "O gods, on your faith!" Demipho: "Let's go to her: I want us all to either know or not know this together." Chremes: "Ah!" Demipho: "What is it?" Chremes: "Is my credibility so small with you?" Demipho: "Do you want me to believe you?" Chremes: "Do you want this to be considered sufficiently investigated by me?
§811Vin satis quaesitum mihi istuc esse? Age, fiat: quid? illa filia §812Amici nostri quid futurum est? §812bRecte. §812cHanc igitur mittimus? §813Quidni? §813bIlla maneat? §813cSic. §813dIre igitur tibi licet, Nausistrata.
Come, let it be: what about that daughter" "of our friend, what will become of her?" "All is well." Demipho: "So do we dismiss her?" Chremes: "Why not?" Demipho: "Should she stay?" Chremes: "Yes." Demipho: "So you may go, Nausistrata."