Pamphilus: Or if she considered herself married to me, I know well enough that she would not have kept secret from me what I understand she has concealed.
§658Nunc quum eius alienum esse a me animum sentiam, §659Nec conventurum inter nos posthac esse arbitror, §660Quamobrem reducam?
Now, since I perceive that her mind is estranged from me, and I think that there will be no agreement between us hereafter, why should I take her back?
Phidippus: A young woman did what her own mother advised: is that to be wondered at?
§662Censen te posse reperire ullam mulierem
Do you think you can find any woman who is free from fault?
§663Quae careat culpa? an quia non delinquunt viri?
Or is it because men do not commit faults?
Look to it now yourselves, Laches and you Pamphilus, whether you need her sent back or taken home.
What my daughter does is not in my power; in neither case will you have any difficulty from me.
§668Sed quid faciemus puero?
Laches: But what shall we do with the child?
Phidippus: You ask ridiculously: whatever happens, you must of course return his own to him, so that we may rear our own.
Pamphilus: Shall I rear a child whom the father himself has neglected?
§671bQuid dixti? Eho, an non alemus, Pamphile?
Laches: What did you say? Hey, shall we not rear him, Pamphilus?
§672Prodemus quaeso potius? Quae haec amentia est?
Shall we rather expose him, I ask? What madness is this?
Indeed, I can no longer keep silent at all; for you force me to say things I do not wish to say in his presence.
§675Ignarum censes tuarum lacrimarum esse me?
Do you think I am ignorant of your tears?
§676Aut quid sit id quod sollicitere ad hunc modum?
Or what it is that makes you anxious in this way?
§677Primum hanc ubi dixti causam, te propter tuam §678Matrem non posse habere hanc uxorem domi, §679Pollicita est ea se concessuram ex aedibus.
First, when you gave this reason, that on account of your mother you could not keep this wife at home, she promised that she would withdraw from the house.
§680Nunc postquam ademtam hanc quoque tibi causam vides; §681Puer quia clam te est natus nactus alteram es.
Now, after you see this reason also taken away from you, because a child was born without your knowledge, you have found another.
§682Erras, tui animi si me esse ignarum putas.
You are mistaken, if you think I am ignorant of your mind.
That you might at length some time apply your mind to this, what a long space of time did I give you for loving your mistress!
§685Sumtus quos fecisti in eam quam animo aequo tuli!
How patiently did I bear the expenses you made upon her!
§686Egi atque oravi tecum uxorem ut duceres.
I pleaded and begged with you that you would take a wife.
§687Tempus dixi esse; impulsu duxisti meo:
I said it was time; you married by my impulse.
§688Quae tum obsecutus mihi fecisti ut decuerat; §689Nunc animum rursum ad meretricem induxti tuum: §690Cui tu obsecutus facis huic adeo iniuriam: §691Nam in eandem vitam te revolutum denuo §692Video esse.
Then, obeying me, you did what was fitting; Now you have turned your mind back to the courtesan: obeying her, you do a great injury to this wife: for I see that you have rolled back again into the same life.
§692bMene?
Pamphilus: Me?
§692cTe ipsum.
Laches: Your very self.
Et facis iniuriam, §693Quum fingis falsas causas ad discordiam, §694Ut cum illa vivas, testem hanc quum abs te amoveris; §695Sensitque adeo uxor; nam ei causa alia quae fuit §696Quamobrem abs te abiret?
And you do injury, when you invent false reasons for discord, so that you may live with that woman, when you have removed this witness from you; And indeed your wife perceived it; for what other reason was there for her to depart from you?
§696bPlane hic divinat; nam id est.
Pamphilus: He divines clearly; for that is it.
§697Dabo iusiurandum nihil esse istorum tibi.
I will give you an oath that none of those things is true.
Laches: Ah, take back your wife: or tell me why it is not necessary.
§699Non est nunc tempus.
Pamphilus: Now is not the time.
Laches: Take the child; for he indeed is not in fault: after that I will see about the mother.
Pamphilus: In every way I am wretched; nor do I know what to do; my father now corners wretched me with so many arguments.
§703Abibo hinc, praesens quando promoveo parum; §704Nam puerum iniussu, credo, non tollent meo; §705Praesertim in ea re quum sit mihi adiutrix socrus.
I will depart hence, since by remaining here I accomplish little; for they will not, I believe, rear the child without my order; especially since in this matter my mother-in-law is my helper.
§706Fugis? hem, nec quicquam certi respondes mihi?
Laches: Are you fleeing? Ah, and you give me no certain answer?
§707Num tibi videtur esse apud sese? Sine.
Does he seem to you to be in his right mind? Let him go.
§708Puerum, Phidippe, mihi cedo; ego alam.
Give the child to me, Phidippus; I will rear him.
§708bMaxime.
Phidippus: By all means.
§709Non mirum fecit uxor si hoc aegre tulit.
It is no wonder if his wife took this badly.
§710Amarae mulieres sunt: non facile haec ferunt.
Women are bitter: they do not easily bear these things.
§711Propterea haec ira est: nam ipsa narravit mihi.
Therefore there is this anger: for she herself told me.
I was unwilling to say that to you while he was present, nor did I believe her at first; but now it is plain.
§714Nam omnino abhorrere animum huic video a nuptiis.
For I see that his mind entirely shrinks from the marriage.
§715Quid ergo agam, Phidippe? quid das consili?
Laches: What then shall I do, Phidippus? What advice do you give?
§716Quid agas? Meretricem hanc primum adeundam censeo.
Phidippus: What should you do? I think this courtesan should be approached first.
Let us entreat her; let us accuse her; finally, let us threaten her more severely if she has any business with him hereafter.
§719Faciam ut mones.
Laches: I will do as you advise.
Eho, puer, curre ad Bacchidem hanc §720Vicinam nostram: huc evoca verbis meis; §721Et te oro porro in hac re adiutor sis mihi.
Ho, boy, run to this Bacchis, our neighbor: summon her here in my name; and I pray you further, be my helper in this matter.
§721bAh,
Phidippus: Ah,