Parmeno: Sosia, there were once light causes that impelled you to do what you now threaten to do.
§428Sed Pamphilum ipsum video stare ante ostium.
(Continued from the previous line) But I see Pamphilus himself standing before the door.
§429Ite intro: ego hunc adibo si quid me velit.
Go inside; I will approach him to see if he wants anything of me.
§430Here, etiam tu hic stas?
Master, are you still standing here?
§430bEt quidem te exspecto.
Pamphilus: Yes, and indeed I am waiting for you.
§430cQuid est?
Parmeno: What is it?
§431In arcem transcurso opus est.
Pamphilus: There is need of a run to the citadel.
§431bCui homini?
Parmeno: For what man?
§431cTibi.
Pamphilus: For you.
§432In arcem? quid eo?
Parmeno: To the citadel? Why there?
Pamphilus: Meet Callidemides, my guest-friend from Myconos, who was brought over together with me.
Parmeno: I am ruined! I should say that this man made a vow, if he should ever return home safe, to break my back with walking.
§436Quid cessas?
Pamphilus: Why do you delay?
§436bQuid vis dicam? an conveniam modo?
Parmeno: What do you want me to say? Or should I just meet him?
§437Immo, quod constitui me hodie conventurum eum §438Non posse; ne me frustra illic exspectet: vola.
Pamphilus: Rather, that I cannot keep the appointment I made to meet him today, lest he should wait for me there in vain; fly.
§439At non novi hominis faciem.
Parmeno: But I do not know the man's face.
§439bAt faciam ut noveris.
Pamphilus: But I will make you know it.
He is tall, ruddy, curly-haired, fat, blue-eyed, with a cadaverous face.
§441bDi illum perduint.
Parmeno: May the gods destroy him.
§442Quid si non veniet? maneamne usque ad vesperum?
What if he does not come? Should I wait until evening?
§443Maneto: curre.
Pamphilus: Wait; run.
§443bNon queo; ita defessus sum.
Parmeno: I cannot; I am so tired.
§444Ille abiit: quid agam infelix? prorsus nescio
Pamphilus: He is gone. What shall I do, unhappy me?
I completely do not know by what means I can conceal this which Myrrhina begged of me, her daughter's birth; for I pity the woman.
§447Quod potero faciam, tamen ut pietatem colam; §448Nam me parenti potius quam amori obsequi §449Oportet.
I will do what I can, yet so as to respect duty; for it is proper for me to obey my parent rather than my love.
Atat eccum Phidippum et patrem §450Video: horsum pergunt.
But look, I see Phidippus and my father; they are coming this way.
Quid dicam hisce incertus sum.
I am uncertain what to say to them.
§451Dixtin dudum illam dixisse se exspectare filium?
Laches: Didn't you say just now that she said she was waiting for my son?
§452Factum.
Phidippus: It was done.
§452bVenisse aiunt: redeat.
Laches: They say he has come; let her return.
Pamphilus: What reason I shall tell my father why I do not take her back, I do not know.
§453bQuem ego hic audivi loqui?
(Continued from the previous line) Laches: Whose voice did I hear speaking here?
§454Certum offirmare est viam me quam decrevi persequi.
Pamphilus: I am resolved to persist in the course I have decided upon.
§455Ipsus est de quo hic agebam tecum.
Laches: It is the very person of whom I was speaking with you.
§455bSalve, mi pater.
Pamphilus: Greetings, my father.
§456Gnate mi, salve.
Laches: Greetings, my son.
Phidippus: Well done that you have arrived, Pamphilus; and indeed, what is greatest, safe and sound.
§457bCreditur.
Pamphilus: It is believed.
§458Advenis modo?
Laches: Have you just arrived?
§458bAdmodum.
Pamphilus: Just so.
Laches: Tell me, what did Phania, our cousin, leave?
§459bSane hercle homo voluptati obsequens §460Fuit dum vixit; et qui sic sunt haud multum heredem iuvant: §461Sibi vero hanc laudem relinquunt: "Vixit, dum vixit, bene. " §462Tum tu igitur nihil attulisti huc plus una sententia?
Pamphilus: Indeed, by Hercules, he was a man devoted to pleasure (Continued from the previous line) while he lived; and those who are so do not much benefit their heir; but they indeed leave this praise for themselves: "He lived well, while he lived." Laches: Then, did you bring nothing more back here than a single maxim?
§463Quicquid est id quod reliquit profuit.
Pamphilus: Whatever it is that he left, it has been of benefit.
Laches: Rather, it has been a disadvantage; for I would wish him alive and well.
Pamphilus: You may wish that with impunity; he will never come to life again; and yet I know which you would prefer.
§466Heri Philumenam ad se arcessi hic iussit: die iussisse te.
Laches: Yesterday, this man ordered Philumena to be summoned to his house; say that you ordered it.
§467Noli fodere: iussi.
Phidippus: Don't nudge me; I ordered it.
§467bSed eam iam remittet.
Laches: But he will send her back now.
§467cScilicet.
Phidippus: Certainly.
§468Omnem rem scio ut sit gesta: adveniens audivi omnia.
Pamphilus: I know the whole matter as it happened; upon arriving I heard everything.
§469At istos invidos Di perdant qui haec libenter nuntiant.
Laches: But may the gods destroy those envious people who gladly report these things.
§470Ego me scio cavisse ne ulla merito contumelia §471Fieri a vobis posset: idque si nunc memorare hic velim, §472Quam fideli animo et benigno in illam et clementi fui, §473Vere possum; ni te ex ipsa haec magis velim resciscere; §474Namque eo pacto maxime apud te meo erit ingenio fides, §475Quum illa quae nunc in me iniqua est aequa de me dixerit: §476Neque mea culpa hoc discidium evenisse, id testor Deos.
Pamphilus: I know that I took care that no insult could deservedly be offered by you; and if I should now wish to mention here how faithful, kind, and gentle a mind I have had toward her, I can truly do so; unless I should prefer you to learn this from herself; (Continued from the previous line) for in that way my character will have the greatest credit with you, when she, who is now unjust to me, speaks justly of me; and that this separation did not happen through my fault, I call the gods to witness.
§477Sed quando sese esse indignam deputat matri meae §478Quae concedat, cuiusque mores toleret sua modestia, §479Neque alio pacto componi potest inter eas gratia, §480Segreganda aut mater a me est, Phidippe, aut Philumena: §481Nunc me pietas matris potius commodum suadet sequi.
But since she considers herself unworthy to yield to my mother, and to tolerate her manners by her own modesty, and since friendship cannot be established between them in any other way, either my mother must be separated from me, Phidippus, or Philumena; now my duty rather persuades me to consult my mother's convenience.
§482Pamphile, haud invito ad aures sermo mihi accessit tuus, §483Quum te postputasse omnes res prae parente intelligo.
Laches: Pamphilus, your speech has reached my ears not unwelcome, when I perceive that you have postponed all things for your parent.
§484Verum vide ne impulsus ita prave insistas, Pamphile.
But see to it, Pamphilus, lest, impelled by anger, you persist in a wrong course.
§485Quibus iris impulsus nunc in illam iniquus siem?
Pamphilus: By what anger impelled should I now be unjust to her?
§486Quae nunquam quicquam erga me commerita est, pater,
She who has never deserved anything bad of me, father.