§312Ut ego iram hanc in eos evomam omnem dum aegritudo haec est recens:
That I might vomit all this anger of mine onto them while this grief is still fresh!
§313Satis mihi id habeam supplici, dum illos ulciscar modo.
I would consider that a sufficient punishment for myself, provided only I might take revenge on them.
§314Seni animam primum extinguerem ipsi qui illud produxit scelus.
First I would extinguish the breath of the old man himself who produced that monster.
§315Tum autem Syrum impulsorem, vah, quibus illum lacerarem modis!
Then Syrus, the instigator, oh, in what ways I would tear him to pieces!
I would seize him by the waist high in the air, and dash him head first to the ground, so that he would scatter his brains along the road.
§318Adolescenti ipsi eriperem oculos; posthaec praecipitem darem; §319Caeteros ruerem, agerem, raperem, tunderem, et prosternerem.
I would pluck out the eyes of the young man himself; after that I would hurl him headlong; the rest I would overthrow, drive, snatch, beat, and prostrate.
§320Sed cesso heram hoc malo impertiri propere?
But why do I delay to impart this misfortune to my mistress quickly?
§320bRevocemus.
Let us call him back.
Geta.
Geta!
§321Hem, quisquis es, sine me.
Ah, whoever you are, leave me alone.
§321bEgo sum Sostrata.
It is I, Sostrata.
§321cUbi ea est? te ipsam quaerito,
Where is she?
I am looking for you yourself, I am waiting for you: you have met me quite opportunely, mistress.
§323bQuid est? quid trepidas?
What is it? Why are you trembling?
§323cHei mihi!
Ah, me!
§323dQuid festinas, mi Geta?
Why are you hurrying, my Geta?
§324Animam recipe.
Recover your breath.
§325bEloquere ergo, obsecro te, quid sit.
Tell me then, I beseech you, what it is.
§326calienus est ab nostra familia.
is estranged from our family.
§326dHem,
Ah!
§327Perii: quare?
I am ruined: why?
§327bAmare occepit aliam.
He has begun to love another.
§327cVae miserae mihi!
Woe to miserable me!
§328Neque id occulte fert: ab lenone ipsus eripuit palam.
Nor does he carry it on in secret: he himself openly carried her off from the pimp.
§329Satin hoc certum est?
Is this quite certain?
§329bCertum: hisce oculis egomet vidi, Sostrata.
Certain: I saw it myself with these eyes, Sostrata.
§329cAh,
Ah, miserable me!
§330Me miseram! quid credas iam? aut cui credas? Nostrumne Aeschinum; §331Nostram vitam omnium, in quo nostrae spes omnesque opes sitae §332Erant; qui sine hac iurabat se unum nunquam victurum diem; §333Qui se in sui gremio positurum puerum dicebat patris; §334Ita obsecraturum ut liceret sibi hanc uxorem ducere?
What can you believe now? Or whom can you trust? Our Aeschinus; our very life, in whom all our hopes and all our resources were placed; who used to swear that he would never live a single day without her; who said he would place the child in his father's lap; and would beg him in such a way that he would be allowed to marry her?
§335Hera, lacrimas mitte, ac potius quod ad hanc rem opus est porro consule; §336Patiamurne, an narremus cuipiam?
Mistress, cease your tears, and rather consult what must be done in this matter henceforth; shall we endure it, or shall we tell it to someone?
§336bAu, mi homo, sanusne es?
Oh, my dear man, are you in your right mind?
§337An hoc proferendum tibi videtur usquam esse?
Or does it seem to you that this should be made public anywhere?
§337bMihi quidem non placet.
Indeed, it does not please me.
§338Iam primum illum alieno animo a nobis esse res ipsa indicat.
Now first of all, the fact itself indicates that his heart is estranged from us.
§339Nunc si hoc palam proferimus ille infitias ibit, sat scio.
Now if we make this public, he will deny it, I know well.
§340Tua fama et gnatae vita in dubium veniet.
Your reputation and your daughter's life will be put in danger.
Tum si maxime §341Fateatur, quum amet aliam, non est utile hanc illi dari: §342Quapropter quoquo pacto tacito est opus.
Then, even if he should fully confess, since he loves another, it is not useful for her to be given to him: therefore, by all means, there is need for silence.
§343bQuid ages?
What will you do?
§343cProferam.
I will make it public.
§343dHem, mea Sostrata, vide quam rem agas.
Oh, my Sostrata, see what you are doing.
§344Peiore res loco non potest esse quam in quo nunc sita est.
The matter cannot be in a worse position than it is now.
§345Primum indotata est: tum praeterea quae secunda ei dos erat §346Periit: pro virgine dari nuptum non potest.
First, she has no dowry: then besides, what was her second dowry is lost: she cannot be given in marriage as a virgin.
Hoc reliquum est: §347Si infitias ibit, testis mecum est annulus quem amiserat.
This is what remains: if he denies it, the ring which he lost is my witness.
§348Postremo, quando ego conscia mihi sum a me culpam esse hanc procul, §349Neque pretium neque rem ullam intercessisse illa aut me indignam, Geta, §350Experiar.
Finally, since I am conscious that this fault is far from me, and that no money or any matter unworthy of her or me has intervened, Geta, I will take legal action.
§350bQuid ista? accedo, ut melius dicas.
What do you say? I agree, I must say that you speak for the better.
§350cTu, quantum potes, §351Abi, atque Hegioni cognato huius rem omnem narrato ordine; §352Nam is nostro Simulo fuit summus, et nos coluit maxime.
You, as fast as you can, go, and tell the whole matter in order to Hegio, her relative; for he was a very close friend of our Simulus, and respected us highly.
§353Nam hercle alius nemo respicit nos.
For, by Hercules, no other person respects us.
§353bPropera tu, mea Canthara, §354Curre: obstetricem arcesse, ut cum opus sit ne in mora nobis siet.
You hurry, my Canthara, run: fetch the midwife, so that she may not cause us delay when there is need.
I am utterly ruined! I heard that my son Ctesipho was present together with Aeschinus in that abduction.
§357Id misero restat mihi mali, si illum potest §358Qui alicui rei est etiam eum ad nequitiam abducere.
This remaining evil is left for miserable me, if he can lead even him, who is of some worth, away to wickedness.
Where shall I look for him? I believe he has been led off to some brothel somewhere: that vile fellow persuaded him, I know well.
§361Sed eccum Syrum ire video: hinc scibo iam ubi siet; §362Atque hercle hic de grege illo est: si me senserit §363Eum quaeritare, nunquam dicet carnifex.
But look, I see Syrus coming: from him I shall now know where he is; and indeed, by Hercules, he is of that pack: if he perceives that I am looking for him, the scoundrel will never tell.
§364Non ostendam me id velle.
I will not show that I want that.
§364bOmnem rem modo seni §365Quo pacto se haberet enarramus ordine: §366Nihil vidi quicquam laetius.
Just now we told the old man the whole matter in order, how it stood: I never saw anything more joyful.
§366bPro Iupiter,
By Jupiter,