§140Non verisimile dicis; nec verum arbitror.
You don't say what is probable; nor do I think it is true.
I believe it seems so to you; for no one comes to you unless desiring you; but he had married her against his will.
§143Quid deinde fit?
What happens next?
§143bDiebus sale pauculis §144Post Pamphilus me solum seducit foras; §145Narratque ut virgo ab se integra etiam tum siet; §146Seque ante quam eam uxorem duxisset domum §147Sperasse eas tolerare posse nuptias: §148"Sed quam decrerim me non posse diutius §149Habere, cam ludibrio haberi, Parmeno, §150Quin integram itidem reddam ut accepi ab suis, §151Neque honestum mihi, neque utile ipsi virgini est. " §152Pium ac pudicum ingenium narras Pamphili.
Indeed, only a very few days later, Pamphilus leads me aside outdoors alone; and tells me how the maiden is even then untouched by him; and that, before he had brought her home as his wife, he had hoped he would be able to endure that marriage: "But her, whom I have decided I cannot keep any longer as my wife, to be held up to mockery, Parmeno, without returning her untouched just as I received her from her family, is neither honorable for me nor advantageous for the maiden herself." You describe a pious and modest character of Pamphilus.
§153"Hoc ego proferre incommodum mihi esse arbitror; §154Reddi patri autem cui tu nihil dicas viti, §155Superbum est.
"I think it is disadvantageous for me to make this public; on the other hand, to return her to her father when you can say there is no fault in her is arrogant.
Sed illam spero ubi hoc cognoverit, §156Non posse se mecum esse, abituram denique. "
But I hope that when she realizes this— that she cannot remain with me—she will finally leave." What in the meantime?
§157Quid interea? ibatne ad Bacchidem?
Did he go to Bacchis?
§157bQuotidie.
Daily.
§158Sed, ut fit, postquam hunc alienum ab sese videt, §159Maligna multo et magis procax facta ilico est.
But, as usually happens, after she sees him alienated from her, she immediately became much more ill-natured and insolent.
§160Non edepol mirum.
By Pollux, no wonder.
§160bAtqui ea res multo maxime §161Disiunxit illium ab illa, postquam et ipse se, §162Et illam, et hanc quae donli erat, cognovit satis, §163Ad exemplum amrbarum mores earum existimans.
Yet that very thing, more than anything else, separated him from her, after he had come to know sufficiently himself, and her, and this wife who was at home, evaluating the characters of both by comparing them with each other.
§164Haec, ita uti liberali esse ingenio decet, §165Pudens, modesta; incommoda atque iniurias §166Viri omnes ferre, et tegere contunielias.
The latter, as becomes one of a noble disposition, was modest and patient; she bore all the inconveniences and wrongs of her husband, and concealed his insults.
§167Hic animus partim uxoris misericordia §168Devinctus, partim victus huius iniuriis, §169Paulatim elapsus est Bacchidi, atque huc transtulit §170Amorem, postquami par ingenium nactus est.
This mind of his, partly bound by pity for his wife, and partly overcome by the outrages of Bacchis, gradually slipped away from Bacchis, and transferred his love hither, after he found a congenial disposition.
Meanwhile, an old kinsman of theirs dies in Imbros; that inheritance by law fell to them.
§173Eo amantem invitum Pamphilum extrudit pater.
Thither the father drives the unwilling, loving Pamphilus.
Here he leaves his wife with his mother; for the old man has hidden himself in the country, and rarely comes hither into the city.
§176Quid adhuc habent infirmitatis nuptiae?
What weakness does the marriage still have up to this point?
§177Nunc audies.
Now you shall hear.
Primo dies complusculos §178Bene conveniebat sane inter eas.
At first, for several days, they got along quite well indeed.
In the meantime, she began to hate Sostrata in a wonderful manner: nor were there any quarrels between them, nor any complaints ever.
§181cSi quando ad eam accesserat §182Confabulatum, fugere e conspectu ilico; §183Videre nolle: denique, ubi non quit pati, §184Simulat se a mnatre arcessi ad rem divinam: abit.
If ever she had approached her to chat, she would immediately flee from her sight, refuse to see her: at last, when she could not bear it, she pretends she is summoned by her mother for a sacrifice: she leaves.
§185Ubi illic est dies conplures, arcessi iubet: §186Dixere causam tunc nescio quam: iterum iubet: §187Nemo remisit.
When she had been there several days, she orders her to be sent for: they then gave I know not what excuse: again she orders: No one sent her back.
Postquam arcessunt saepius, §188Aegram esse simulant mulierem.
After they summon her more frequently, they pretend the woman is ill.
Nostra ilico §189It visere ad eam: admisit nemo.
Our mistress immediately goes to visit her: but no one admitted her.
Hoc ubi senex §190Rescivit, heri ea causa rure huc advenit: §191Patren continuo convenit Philumenae.
When the old man found this out, he came hither yesterday from the country for that reason: he immediately meets Philumena's father.
What they have done between themselves, I do not yet know; except indeed that it is a matter of anxiety how this will turn out.
§194Habes omnem rem: pergam quo coepi hoc iter.
You have the whole story: I will proceed on my journey where I started.
And I indeed too: for I have arranged with a certain guest that I should meet him.
§197bVale.
Farewell.
§197cEt tu bene vale, Philotium.
And you, farewell, Philotium.
§198Pro Deum atque hominum fidem, quod hoc genus est, quae haec est coniuratio.
By the faith of gods and men, what kind of race is this, what is this conspiracy!
§199Utine omnes mulieres eadem aeque studeant, nolintque omnia;
That all women should desire the same things equally, and dislike all the same things!
§200Neque declinatam quicquam ab aliarum ingenio ullam reperias?
And that you cannot find any woman who differs in the least from the nature of the others!
§201Itaque adeo uno animo omnes socrus oderunt nurus: §202Viris esse adversas aeque studium est; similis pertinacia est; §203In eodemque omnes mihi videntur ludo doctae ad malitiam.
And so indeed with one mind all mothers-in-law hate their daughters-in-law: to be opposed to their husbands is equally their zeal; their stubbornness is similar; and they all seem to me to have been trained in the same school of mischief.
§204Ei ludo, si ullus est, magistram hanc esse satis certo scio.
Of which school, if there is any, I know well enough that this wife of mine is the headmistress.
§205Me miseram, quae nunc quamobrem accuser nescio.
Wretched me, who now do not know for what reason I am accused!
§205bHem,
Ha!
§206Tu nescis?
You don't know?
§206bNon, ita me Di bene ament, mi Lache.
No, so help me gods, my Laches.
§207Itaque una inter nos agere aetatem liceat. §207bDi mala prohibeant. §208Meque abs te immerito esse accusatam postmodum rescisces.
"And so may it be allowed for us to spend our life together." "May the gods avert such an evil!" And you will find out later that I have been accused by you without desert.