Rather, he prepares himself against you in such a way that by his flatteries he may satisfy his pleasure at the least possible price.
§70Iliscine tu, amabo, non contra insidiabere?
Will you not, please, plot against them in return?
§71Tamen pol eandem iniurium est esse omnibus.
Yet, by Pollux, it is unjust to be the same to all.
But is it unjust to take vengeance on enemies, or that they themselves be caught by the same way they try to catch you?
Alas, wretched me! Why have I not either your age and beauty, or you my sentiments?
If the old man asks for me, say that I have just gone to the harbor to inquire about Pamphilus' arrival.
§78Audin quid dicam Scirte? si quaeret me, uti §79Tum dicas: si non quaeret, nullus dixeris; §80Alias ut uti possim causa hac integra.
Do you hear what I say, Scirtus? If he asks for me, tell him that then; if he doesn't ask, don't say anything at all; so that at another time I can use this excuse fresh.
§81Sed videone ego Philotium? unde haec advenit?
But do I see Philotium? Where does she come from?
§82Philotis salve multum.
Philotis, a very hearty hello to you!
§82bO salve Parmeno.
Oh, hello Parmeno.
§83Salve mecastor Parmeno.
Hello, by Castor, Parmeno.
§83bEt tu edepol Syra.
And to you, by Pollux, Syra.
§84Dic mihi, Philotis, ubi te oblectasti tam diu?
Tell me, Philotis, where have you been enjoying yourself for so long?
§85Minime equidem me oblectavi, quae cum milite §86Corinthum hinc simul profecta inhumanissimo: §87Biennium ibi perpetuum misera illum tuli.
Very little indeed did I enjoy myself, I who set out from here with a soldier to Corinth, an utterly brutal one; and there, wretched me, I endured him for two continuous years.
§88Edepol te desiderium Athenarum arbitror, §89Philotium, cepisse saepe, et te tuum §90Consilium contemsisse.
By Pollux, I think, Philotium, that a longing for Athens often seized you, and that you regretted your own decision.
§90bNon dici potest §91Quam cupida eram huc redeundi, abeundi a milite, §92Vosque hic videndi, antiqua ut consuetudine §93Agitarem libere inter vos convivium; §94Nam illi haud licebat nisi praefinito loqui §95Quae illi placerent.
It cannot be told how eager I was to return here, to leave the soldier, and to see you all here, so that according to our old custom I might freely enjoy a gathering among you; for there, it was not permitted to speak except what was pre-prescribed and what pleased him.
I don't think the soldier set a very convenient limit on speech.
§97Sed quid hoc negoti est modo quae narravit mihi §98Hic intus Bacchis? quod ego nunquam credidi §99Fore ut hac ille viva posset animum inducere §100Uxorem habere.
But what is this business that Bacchis just told me in there? Which I never believed would happen, that he, while she was alive, could bring himself to take a wife.
§100bIabere autem?
Take a wife indeed?
§100cEho tu, an non habet?
What? Doesn't he have one?
§101Habet: sed firmae lae vereor ut sint nuptiae.
He has one; but I fear this marriage may not be lasting.
§102Ita Di Deaeque faxint, si in rem est Bacchidis.
May the gods and goddesses so grant, if it is to Bacchis' advantage!
§103Sed qui istuc credam ita esse? die mihi, Parmeno.
But how am I to believe that this is so? Tell me, Parmeno.
There is no need for it to be made public; cease to inquire about this.
§105bNempe ea causa, ut ne id fiat palam.
Surely for this reason, lest it become openly known?
So may the gods love me, I don't ask you for this reason, that I may publish it, but so that I may rejoice with myself in silence.
You will never speak so persuasively that I would entrust my back to your loyalty.
§109bAh noli, Parmeno;
Ah, don't, Parmeno!
As if you yourself wouldn't much prefer to tell me this than I to know what I'm asking!
She speaks the truth; and that is my greatest fault.
Si mihi fidem §113Das te tacituram, dicam.
If you give me your word that you will keep silent, I will tell you.
§113bAd ingenium redis.
You return to your true nature.
§114Fidem do: loquere.
I give my word; speak.
§114bAusculta.
Listen.
§114cIstic sum.
I am all ears.
§114dHanc Bacchidem §115Amabat ut quum maxime tum Pamphilus §116Quum pater uxorem ut ducat orare occipit: §117Et haec communia omnium quae sunt patrum, §118Sese senem esse, dicere, illum autem unicum; §119Praesidium velle se senectuti suae.
Pamphilus was loving this Bacchis as much as ever, when his father began to beg him to take a wife, and saying those things which are common to all fathers: that he was an old man, that the other was his only son; that he wanted a protection for his old age.
§120Ille primo se negare: sed postquam acrius §121Pater instat, fecit animi ut incertus foret §122Pudorine anne amori obsequeretur magis.
He at first refused; but after his father pressed more sharply, he made him uncertain in mind whether he should yield more to duty or to love.
By dinning it into him and by making himself odious, the old man at last accomplished it: he betrothed to him the daughter of this nearest neighbor.
§125Usque illud visum est Pamphilo neutiquam grave, §126Donec iam in ipsis nuptiis, postquam vicet §127Paratas, nec moram ullam quin ducat dari, §128Ibi demum ita aegre tulit ut ipsam Bacchidem, §129Si adesset, credo ibi eius commiseresceret.
Up to that point it did not seem at all painful to Pamphilus, until at the very wedding, after he saw everything prepared, and that no delay was given but that he must marry, then at last he took it so hard that I believe even Bacchis herself, if she had been present, would have pitied him.
Whenever any space of solitude was given, so that he could speak with me alone: 'Parmeno, I am ruined!
§132Perii: quid ego egi? in quod me conieci malum?
What have I done? Into what misery have I thrown myself?
§133Non potero hoc ferre, Parmeno: peril miser. " §134At te Di Deaeque perduint cum isto odio Lache.
I will not be able to bear this, Parmeno! I am ruined, wretched man!' May the gods and goddesses destroy you, Laches, with that hateful conduct of yours!
§135Ut ad pauca redeam, uxorem deducit domum.
To cut a long story short, he brings his wife home.
On that first night, he did not touch the maiden; nor did he on the night that followed that one.