§259Fratrem homini nemini esse primarum artium magis principem.
that no other man has a brother more preeminent in the highest virtues.
§260O Ctesipho.
O Ctesipho.
§260bO Syre, Aeschinus ubi est?
O Syrus, where is Aeschinus?
§260cEllum, te exspectat domi.
Look, there he is, waiting for you at home.
§260dHem.
Ah.
§261Quid est?
What is it?
§261bQuid sit? illius opera, Syre, nunc vivo: festivum caput, §262Qui omnia sibi post putavit esse prae meo commodo; §263Maledicta, famam, meum amorem, et peccatum in se transtulit: §264Nihil pote supra.
What is it, you ask? By his help, Syrus, I am now alive: delightful fellow, who thought that all things of his own were of secondary importance compared to my convenience; reproaches, ill repute, my love, and my sin, he transferred onto himself: nothing can be beyond this.
Quidnam foris crepuit?
What sound is that at the door?
§264bMane, mane: ipse exit foras.
Wait, wait: he is coming out himself.
§265Ubi ille est sacrilegus?
Where is that temple-robber?
Is he looking for me? Is he bringing anything out? I am ruined: I see nothing.
§266bEhem, opportune; te ipsum quaero.
Ah, opportunely; I was looking for you.
Quid fit, Ctesipho?
How goes it, Ctesipho?
§267In tuto est omnis res: omitte vero tristitiam tuam.
Everything is in safety: do dismiss your sadness indeed.
§268Ego illam hercle vero omitto qui quidem te habeam fratrem.
By Hercules, I do indeed dismiss it, since I have you as a brother.
O mi Aeschine, §269O mi germane; ah, vereor coram in os te laudare amplius, §270Ne id assentandi magis quam quo habeam gratum facere existimes.
O my Aeschinus, O my brother; ah, I fear to praise you more to your face, lest you should think I do it more for the sake of flattering than because I feel grateful.
§271Age inepte; quasi nunc non norimus nos inter nos, Ctesipho.
Come, foolish boy; as if we do not know each other now, Ctesipho.
§272Hoc mihi dolet, nos paene sero scisse, et paene in eum locum §273Redisse ut si omnes cuperent nihil tibi possent auxiliarier.
This pains me, that we knew of it almost too late, and had almost returned to such a state that if everyone wished it, they could not help you at all.
§274Pudebat.
I was ashamed.
§274bAh, stultitia est istaec, non pudor.
Ah, that is foolishness, not shame.
Tam ob parvulam §275Rem paene ex patria!—Turpe dictu.
For such a trifling matter, almost to flee the country! — shameful to say.
Deos quaeso ut istaec prohibeant.
I pray the gods that they prevent such things.
§276Peccavi.
I did wrong.
§276bQuid ait tandem nobis Sannio?
What, pray, does Sannio say to us?
§276cIam mitis est.
He is already gentle.
§277Ego ad forum ibo ut hunc absolvam: tu intro ad illam, Ctesipho.
I will go to the forum to pay this man off: you go inside to her, Ctesipho.
§278Syre, insta.
Syrus, push on.
§278bEamus; namque hic properat in Cyprum.
Let us go; for this man is in a hurry for Cyprus.
Not so very much; although I am staying here at leisure.
§279bReddetur; ne time.
It will be paid; do not fear.
§280At ut omne reddat.
But see that he pays all.
§280bOmne reddet: tace modo, ac sequere hac.
He will pay all: only be silent, and follow this way.
§280cSequor.
I follow.
§281Heus, heus, Syre.
Ho, ho, Syrus.
§281bHem, quid est?
Well, what is it?
§281cObsecro hercle, hominem istum impurissimum §282Quamprimum absolvitote; ne, si magis irritatus siet, §283Aliqua ad patrem hoc permanet, atque ego tum perpetuo perierim.
I beseech you, by Hercules, pay off that most vile man as soon as possible; lest, if he should be more angered, this should somehow leak through to my father, and then I should be ruined forever.
§284Non fiet; bono animo es: tu cum illa te intus oblecta interim; §285Et lectulos iube sterni nobis, et parari caetera.
It will not happen; be of good courage: you amuse yourself inside with her meanwhile; and order the couches to be spread for us, and the rest to be prepared.
§286Ego iam transacta re convertam me domum cum obsonio.
I, as soon as the business is transacted, will return home with the provisions.
§287Ita quaeso: quando hoc bene successit, hilarem hunc sumamus diem.
Do so, I pray: since this has turned out well, let us spend a merry day.
§288Obsecro, mea nutrix, quid nunc fiet?
I beseech you, my nurse, what will happen now?
§288bQuid fiat rogas?
What will happen, you ask?
§289Recte edepol spero.
By Pollux, I hope for the best.
§289bModo dolores, mea tu, occipiunt primulum.
Only the pains, my dear, are just beginning.
§290Iam nunc times, quasi nunquam affueris, nunquam tute pepereris.
Now you are afraid, as if you had never been present, never given birth yourself.
§291Miseram me, neminem habeo; solae sumus: Geta autem hic non adest; §292Nec quem ad obstetricem mittam; nec qui arcessat Aeschinum.
Miserable me, I have no one; we are alone: Geta, moreover, is not here; nor have I anyone to send for the midwife; nor anyone to call Aeschinus.
By Pollux, he indeed will be here soon; for he never lets a single day pass without coming.
§294bSolus mearum miseriarum est remedium.
He alone is the remedy for my miseries.
§295E re nata melius fieri haud potuit quam factum est hera; §296Quando vitium oblatum est; quod ad illum attinet potissimum §297Talem, tali genere atque animo, natum ex tanta familia.
Under the circumstances, mistress, it could not have turned out better than it has; since the fault was committed, that it should concern him of all people, such a man, of such a family and character, born of so great a house.
§298Ita pol est ut dicis: salvus nobis Deos quaeso ut siet.
By Pollux, it is as you say: I pray the gods that he may be safe for us.
§299Nunc illud est quod si omnes omnia sua consilia conferant, §300Atque huic malo salutem quaerant, auxili nihil afferant, §301Quod mihique heraeque filiaeque herili est.
Now there is that situation which, even if everyone should bring together all their counsels, and seek a remedy for this evil, they could bring no help, which is upon me, my mistress, and my master's daughter.
Vae misero mihi!
Woe to miserable me!
§302Tot res repente circumvallant, unde emergi non potest, §303Vis, egestas, iniustitia, solitudo, infamia.
So many things suddenly surround us, from which there is no emerging, violence, poverty, injustice, loneliness, infamy.
§304Hocine saeclum? O scelera, O genera sacrilega, O hominem impium!
Is this the age? O crimes, O sacrilegious race, O impious man!
§305Me miseram! quidnam est quod sic video timidum et properantem Getam?
Miserable me! why do I see Geta so frightened and hurrying?
§306Quem neque fides neque iusiurandum neque illum misericordia §307Repressit neque reflexit, neque quod partus instabat prope, §308Cui miserae indigne per vim vitium obtulerat.
Whom neither good faith nor oath nor mercy restrained or turned back, nor the fact that childbirth was near at hand for her, upon whom, miserable one, he had infamously forced himself by violence.
§309bPropius obsecro accedamus, Sostrata.
Let us go closer, Sostrata, I pray.
ita ardeo iracundia.
I am scarcely master of my mind; so do I burn with anger.
§311Nihil est quod malim quam illam totam familiam mihi dari obviam,
There is nothing I would rather have than to meet that whole family,