Humanitext Reader

Terence · Adelphoe §199-258

Syrus's Negotiation with Sannio and Ctesipho's Entrance

Passage 6 of 18 · Latin

Summary

Fearing huge losses regarding his voyage to Cyprus, Sannio considers compromising, while Syrus pressures him by offering a ten-minae settlement. Sannio begs to retrieve at least the cost price, and Ctesipho enters expressing deep gratitude to his brother.

§199Homini misero plus quingentos colaphos infregit mihi.
On miserable me he inflicted more than five hundred blows.
§200Ob malefacta haec tantidem emtam postulat sibi tradier.
In return for these bad deeds, he demands that she, bought for just as much, be handed over to him.
§201Verum enim, quando bene promeruit, fiat: suum ius postulat.
But indeed, since he has deserved so well, let it be done: he demands his right.
§202Age iam cupio, si modo argentum reddat.
Come now, I desire it, if only he would return the money.
Sed ego hoc hariolor; §203Ubi me dixero dare tanti, testes faciet ilico §204Vendidisse me: de argento somnium: mox; "Cras redi. " §205Id quoque possum ferre si modo reddat; quanquam iniurium est.
But I am divining this; as soon as I say I will give her at that price, he will immediately make witnesses that I have sold her: as for the money, it's a dream: soon it will be, "Come back tomorrow." Even that I can bear, if only he pays; although it is unjust.
§206Verum cogito id quod res est: quando eum quaestum occeperis, §207Accipienda et mussitanda iniuria adolescentium est.
But I consider that which is the fact: when you have undertaken that trade, the injury of young men must be accepted and silently borne.
§208Sed nemo dabit: frustra has egomet mecum rationes puto.
But no one will give it: in vain do I compute these reckonings with myself.
§209Tace, egomet conveniam iam ipsum: cupide accipiat faxo; atque etiam §210Bene dicat secum esse actum.
Hush! I will meet the man myself now: I'll make him accept it eagerly; and even say that he has been well treated.
Quid istuc, Sannio, est quod te audio §211Nescio quid concertasse cum hero?
Sannio, what is this that I hear you have been disputing somewhat with my master?
§211bNunquam vidi iniquius §212Certationem comparatam quam haec hodie inter nos fuit: §213Ego vapulando, ille verberando, usque ambo defessi sumus.
I have never seen a more unfair contest arranged than this which was between us today: I with being beaten, he with beating, until we both were tired out.
§214Tua culpa.
Your fault.
§214bQuid agerem?
What was I to do?
§214cAdolescenti morem gestum oportuit.
You ought to have humored the young man.
§215Qui potui melius qui hodie usque os praebui?
How could I do better, who all day long offered my face to be beaten?
§215bAge, scis quid loquar?
Come, do you know what I say?
§216Pecuniam in loco negligere maximum interdum est lucrum.
To disregard money on the proper occasion is sometimes the greatest gain.
§216bHui!
Bah!
§217Metuisti; si nunc de tuo iure concessisses paululum, atque §218Adolescenti esses morigeratus, hominum homo stultissime, §219Ne non tibi istuc foeneraret?
You were afraid; if you had now yielded a little of your right, and had humored the young man, o most foolish of men, lest that should not bring you interest in the end?
§219bEgo spem pretio non emo.
I do not buy hope with money.
§220Nunquam rem facies: abi: nescis inescare homines, Sannio.
You will never make a fortune: go away: you do not know how to bait men, Sannio.
§221Credo istuc melius esse: verum ego nunquam adeo astutus fui §222Quin quicquid possem mallem auferre potius in praesentia.
I believe that is better: but I have never been so clever but that I would rather carry off whatever I could at the present moment.
§223Age; novi tuum animum; quasi iam usquam tibi sint viginti minae, §224Dum huic obsequare.
Come; I know your mind; as if twenty minae were anything to you, as long as you humor him.
Praeterea autem te aiunt proficisci Cyprum.
But besides they say you are setting out for Cyprus.
§224bHem!
Ah!
§225Coëmisse hinc quae illuc veheres multa; navem conductam; hoc, scio,
That you have bought many things here to carry there; that a ship has been hired; of this, I know, your mind is in suspense.
§226Animus tibi pendet. Ubi illinc, spero, redieris tamen hoc ages.
However, when you return from there, I hope, you will attend to this.
§227Nusquam pedem.
Not a step anywhere.
Perii hercle; hac illi spe hoc inceperunt.
By Hercules, I am ruined; they began this with this hope.
§227bTimet: §228Inieci scrupulum homini.
He is afraid: I have thrown an anxiety into the man.
§228bO scelera! illud vide §229Ut in ipso articulo oppressit.
O the crimes! look at that, how he has caught me at the very critical moment.
Emtae mulieres §230Complures; et item hine alia quae porto Cyprum.
Several women have been bought, and likewise other things from here which I am carrying to Cyprus.
§231Nisi eo ad mercatum venio, damnum maximum est.
Unless I come to the market there, it is the greatest loss.
§232Nunc si hoc omitto actum agam; ubi illinc rediero §233Nihil est; refrixerit res.
Now if I leave this, it will be a done thing; when I return from there, it is nothing; the matter will have grown cold.
"Nunc demum venis?
"Are you coming only now?
§234Cur passus? ubi eras?" Ut sit satius perdere §235Quam aut hic nunc manere tam diu, aut tum persequi.
Why did you allow it? Where were you?" So that it is better to lose it than either to remain here now so long, or to prosecute then.
§236Iamne enumerasti id quod ad te rediturum putes?
Have you now calculated what you think will return to you?
§237Hocine illo dignum est? hocine incipere Aeschinum?
Is this worthy of him? Is this for Aeschinus to begin?
§238Per oppressionem ut hanc mihi eripere postulet?
That he should demand to snatch her from me by oppression?
§239Labascit.
He wavers.
Unum hoc habeo: vide si satis placet: §240Potius quam venias in periculum, Sannio, §241Servesne an perdas totum, dividuum face: §242Minas decem conradet alicunde.
I have this one proposal: see if it pleases you enough: rather than you should run into danger, Sannio, whether you keep or lose the whole, make it divided: he will scrape together ten minae from somewhere.
§242bHei mihi, §243Etiam de sorte nunc venio in dubium miser?
Woe to me, am I now, miserable one, in doubt even about the principal?
§244Pudet nihil: omnes dentes labefecit mihi: §245Praeterea colaphis tuber est totum caput.
He is ashamed of nothing: he has loosened all my teeth: besides, my whole head is a swelling from blows.
§246Etiam insuper defrudat? nusquam abeo.
Does he even defraud me on top of that? I am going nowhere.
§246bUt lubet.
As you please.
§247Numquid vis quin abeam?
Do you want anything before I go?
§247bImmo hercle hoc quaeso, Syre; §248Ut ut haec sunt acta, potius quam lites sequar, §249Meum mihi reddatur; saltem quanti emta est, Syre.
Nay, by Hercules, I beg this, Syrus; however these things have been done, rather than I pursue lawsuits, let my own be returned to me; at least for how much she was bought, Syrus.
§250Scio te non usum antehac amicitia mea: §251Memorem me dices esse et gratum.
I know you have not made use of my friendship before this: you will say that I am mindful and grateful.
§251bSedulo §252Faciam: sed Ctesiphonem video: laetus est §253De amica.
Diligently I will do it: but I see Ctesipho: he is joyful about his mistress.
§253bQuid quod te oro?
What about what I beg of you?
§253cPaulisper mane.
Wait a little while.
§254Abs quivis homine, cum est opus, beneficium accipere gaudeas: §255Verum enimvero id demum iuvat, si, quem aequum est facere, is bene facit.
From any man, when there is need, you would rejoice to receive a benefit: but indeed that is ultimately pleasing, if he, whom it is right to do so, does well.
§256O frater frater, quid ego nunc te laudem? Satis certo scio;
O brother, brother, how shall I praise you now?
§257Nunquam ita magnifice quicquam dicam id virtus quin superet tua.
I know for certain enough; I shall never say anything so magnificently but that your virtue will surpass it.
§258Itaque unam hanc rem me habere praeter alios praecipuam arbitror,
Therefore I think I have this one thing preeminent beyond others,

Notes

  1. 200tantidem emtam postulat sibi tradier — tantidem is a genitive of price meaning 'at the same price (at which she was bought)'. emtam (perfect participle accusative feminine of emere) refers to the omitted mulierem and acts as the subject accusative of the archaic present passive infinitive tradier (= tradi).
  2. 207Accipienda et mussitanda iniuria adolescentium est — iniuria is the subject, and accipienda... est is a gerundive construction expressing necessity. adolescentium is a subjective genitive, interpreted as 'the injury inflicted by young men'.
  3. 219Ne non tibi istuc foeneraret — ne non introduces a noun clause following the verb of fearing metuisti, meaning 'lest it should not'. foeneraret is the imperfect subjunctive of foenero ('to bring in interest, pay off').
  4. 222Quin quicquid possem mallem auferre potius in praesentia — quin functions after the negative expression non adeo astutus fui to introduce a result-like clause, meaning 'but that I would rather...'. mallem is the imperfect subjunctive of malo.
  5. 241Servesne an perdas totum, dividuum face — Servesne an perdas is an alternative subjunctive functioning as a conditional clause ('whether you keep or lose the whole'). face is an archaic form of the imperative fac (from facere).
  6. 257id virtus quin superet tua — quin is used after the negative main clause (Nunquam ita magnifice quicquam dicam) to introduce the subjunctive superet, indicating that no matter how magnificently he speaks, his brother's virtue will always surpass it.

Cite this passage

Terence, Adelphoe §199-258. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0134.phi006.humanitext-lat2:199-258

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