§productionPHORMIO. ACTA LUDIS ROMANIS, L. POSTUMIO ALBINO, L. CORNELIO MERULA, AEDILIBUS CURULIBUS. EGERE L. AMBIVIUS TURPIO, L. ATILIUS PRAENEST1NUS. MODOS FECIT FLACCUS CLAUDII, TIBIIS IMPARIBUS. TOTA GRAECA APOLLODORU EPIDICAZOMENOS. FACTA EST IV. C. FANNIO, M. VALERIO, COSS.
PHORMIO. PERFORMED AT THE ROMAN GAMES, L. POSTUMIUS ALBINUS AND L. CORNELIUS MERULA BEING CURULE AEDILES. PRODUCED BY L. AMBIVIUS TURPIO AND L. ATILIUS PRAENESTINUS. MUSIC COMPOSED BY FLACCUS, SLAVE OF CLAUDIUS, FOR UNEQUAL FLUTES. THE WHOLE FROM THE GREEK PLAY EPIDICAZOMENOS BY APOLLODORUS. IT WAS PRODUCED AS HIS FOURTH PLAY IN THE CONSULSHIP OF C. FANNIUS AND M. VALERIUS.
§1POSTQUAM poeta vetus poetam non potest §2Retrahere ab studio, et transdere hominem in otium, §3Maledictis deterrere ne scribat parat; §4Qui ita dictitat, quas antehae fecit fabulas §5Tenui esse oratione et scriptura levi; §6Quia nusquam insanum scripsit adolescentulum §7Cervam videre fugere, et sectari canes, §8Et eam plorare, orare ut subveniat sibi.
Since the old poet cannot draw back our poet from his pursuit, and drive him into leisure, he prepares to deter him from writing by slandering him; for he repeatedly asserts that the plays our poet has previously produced are written in a thin style and a trivial composition; because he has never written about a mad youth seeing a hind fleeing and dogs pursuing, and her weeping and imploring him to help her.
§9Quod si intelligeret, olim quum stetit nova, §10Actoris opera magis stetisse quam sua, §11Minus multo audacter quam nunc laedit laederet.
But if he had understood that, when his new play stood its ground in the past, it was due more to the actor's efforts than his own, he would slander with much less boldness than he does now.
§12Nunc si quis est qui hoc dicat, aut sic cogitet; §13Vetus si poeta non lacessisset prior, §14Nullum invenire prologum potuisset novus §15Quem diceret, nisi haberet cui malediceret; §16Is sibi responsum hoc habeat; in medio omnibus §17Palmam esse positam qui artem tractant musicam.
Now if there is anyone who says or thinks thus: "If the old poet had not provoked him first, the new poet would have been unable to find any prologue to speak, having no one to abuse"; let him have this answer: that the prize has been placed in the midst for all who practice the poetic art.
That man desired to drive this poet from his pursuit to starvation; this poet wished to reply, not to provoke.
§20Benedictis si certasset, audisset bene.
If he had competed with kind words, he would have heard kind words in return.
§21Quod ab ipso allatum est, sibi esse id rellatum putet.
Let him consider that what he brought is now paid back to him.
§22De illo iam finem faciam dicendi mihi, §23Peccandi quum ipse de se finem non facit: §24Nunc quid velim animum attendite.
I shall now make an end of speaking about him, since he himself makes no end of offending: now pay attention to what I wish.
Apporto novam §25Epidicazomenon qnam vocant comoediam §26Graeci, Latini Phormionem nominant; §27Quia, primas partes qui aget, is erit Phormio §28Parasitus, per quem res agetur maxime, §29Voluntas vestra si ad poetam accesserit.
I bring a new comedy which the Greeks call Epidicazomenos, and the Latins name Phormio; because Phormio, the parasite, will play the leading part, through whom the business will be chiefly carried on, if your goodwill is granted to the poet.
§30Date operam: adeste aequo animo per silentiumr; §31Ne simili utamur fortuna atque usi sumus §32Quum per tumultum noster grex motus loco est; §33Quem actoris virtus nobis restituit locum, §34Bonitasque vestra adiutans atque aequanimitas.
Give your attention: be present with an impartial mind in silence, so that we may not meet with a similar fortune to that we met when our troupe was driven from the stage by a tumult; which place the virtue of the actor restored to us, along with your assisting goodness and impartiality.
My best friend and fellow countryman, Geta, came to me yesterday.
Erat ei de ratiuncula §37Iampridem apud me reliquum pauxillulum
He had a very small remnant of a little account left with me some time ago; he wanted me to make it up.
§38Nummorum; id ut conficerem. Confeci: affero.
I have done so, and I bring it.
For I hear that his master's son has married a wife; this present, I suppose, is being scraped together for her.
How unfairly things are arranged for those who have less, so that they must always add something to the richer!
§43Quod ille unciatim vix de demenso suo, §44Suum defrudans genium, comparsit miser, §45Id illa universum abripiet, haud existimans §46Quanto labore partum.
What that poor wretch has barely saved up, ounce by ounce, from his allowance, cheating his own genius, that woman will sweep away all at once, not considering with how much labor it was won.
Porro autem Geta §47Ferietur alio munere, ubi hera pepererit; §48Porro autem alio, ubi erit puero natalis dies; §49Ubi initiabunt.
And furthermore, Geta will be struck with another present when his mistress gives birth; then with another when it is the child's birthday; and when they initiate him.
Omne hoc mater auferet: §50Puer causa erit mittendi.
The mother will carry off all this: the child will be the excuse for sending.
Sed videon Getam?
But do I see Geta?
Geta: If any red-haired man asks for me— Davus: He is here; cease.
§51cOh!
Geta: Oh!
§52At ego obviam conabar tibi, Dave.
Geta: Why, I was trying to meet you, Davus.
Davus: Take it, here; it is all counted out: the sum will agree with what I owed.
§54Amo te, et non neglexisse habeo gratiam.
Geta: I love you, and I thank you for not neglecting it.
§55Praesertim ut nunc sunt mores.
Especially as manners are nowadays.
Adeo res redit; §56Si quis quid reddit, magna habenda est gratia.
Things have come to this: if anyone pays anything back, great thanks must be given.
§57Sed quid tu es tristis?
Davus: But why are you sad?
Geta: I? You do not know in what fear and in how great danger we are!
§58bQuid istuc est?
Davus: What is that?
§59bAbi sis, insciens.
Davus: Go on, silly man!
§60Cuius tu fidem in pecunia perspexeris, §61Verere verba ei credere? ubi quid mihi lucri est §62Te fallere?
When you have proved someone's faith in money matters, do you fear to trust him with words? Where is there any profit for me in deceiving you?
§62bErgo ausculta.
Geta: Then listen.
§62cHanc operam tibi dico.
Davus: I devote this attention to you.
Geta: Our old master's elder brother, Chremes, Davus, do you know him?
§64bQuidni?
Davus: Why not?
§64cQuid? eius gnatum Phaedriam?
Geta: What about his son, Phaedria?
§65Tamquam te.
Davus: As well as I know you.
§65bEvenit senibus ainbobus simul, §66Iter illi in Lelmnum ut esset, nostro in Ciliciam §67Ad hospitem antiquum: is senem per epistolas §68Pellexit, modo non montes auri pollicens.
Geta: It happened to both old men at the same time: that the one had a journey to Lemnos, and our master to Cilicia, to an old guest-friend; he enticed the old man by letters, promising almost mountains of gold.
§69Cui tanta erat res, et supererat?
Davus: To him who had so great a fortune and more than enough?
§69bDesinas:
Geta: Cease.