§productionADELPHI. ACTA LUDIS FUNEBRIBUS AEMILII PAULLI QUOS FECERE Q. FABIUS MAXIMUS, P. CORNELIUS AFRICANUS. EGERE L. ATTILIUS PRAENESTINUS, MINUTIUS PROTHIMUS. MODOS FECIT FLACCUS CLAUDII, TIBIIS SARRANIS. FACTA GRAECA MENANDRU L. ANICIO M. CORNELIO COSS.
BROTHERS. Performed at the funeral games of Lucius Aemilius Paullus, which were celebrated by Quintus Fabius Maximus and Publius Cornelius Africanus. Acted by Lucius Atilius Praenestinus and Minutius Prothimus. Flaccus, the slave of Claudius, composed the music, for Tyrian flutes. Taken from the Greek of Menander. In the consulship of Lucius Anicius and Marcus Cornelius.
§1POSTQUAM Poëta sensit scripturam suam §2Ab iniquis observari, et adversarios §3Rapere in peiorem partem quam acturi sumus, §4Indicio de se ipse erit; vos eritis iudices §5Laudine an vitio duci id factum oporteat.
Since the Poet perceived that his writing is being watched by malicious critics, and that his adversaries distort into a worse sense the play which we are about to act, he himself will be the witness about himself; you shall be the judges whether this deed ought to be reckoned as a praise or as a fault.
§6Synapothnescontes Diphili comoedia est.
"Synapothnescontes" is a comedy of Diphilus.
§7Eam Commorientes Plautus fecit fabulam. §8In Graeca adolescens est qui lenoni eripuit §9Meretricem in prima fabula.
Plautus made it into the play "Commorientes." In the Greek original, there is a youth who snatched a courtesan from a pimp at the beginning of the play.
Eum Plautus locum §10Reliquit integrum: eum hic locum sumpsit sibi §11In Adelphos; verbum de verbo expressum extulit.
That scene Plautus left untouched; this poet took that very scene for himself into "The Brothers," and translated it word for word.
§12Eam nos acturi sumus novam: pernoscite §13Furtumne factum existimetis, an locum §14Reprehensum qui praeteritus negligentia est.
We are about to act it as a new play; examine thoroughly whether you think a theft has been committed, or a scene has been recovered which had been passed over by negligence.
§15Nam quod isti dicunt malevoli, homines nobiles §16Eum adiutare, assidueque una scribere; §17Quod illi maledictum vehemens esse existimant §18Eam laudem hic ducit maximam, quum illis placet §19Qui vobis universis et populo placent; §20Quorum opera in bello, in otio, in negotio, §21Suo quisque tempore usus est sine superbia.
For as to what those malevolent critics say, that noble men assist him, and constantly write along with him; what they consider to be a heavy slander, this poet regards as the greatest praise, since he pleases those who please all of you and the public; whose services in war, in leisure, in business, everyone has made use of in his own time, without their pride.
§22Dehinc ne exspectetis argumentum fabulae: §23Senes qui primi venient ii partem aperient; §24In agendo partem ostendent.
Henceforth do not expect the plot of the play: the old men who will come first will disclose a part of it; in the acting they will show a part.
Facite, aequanimitas §25Poëtae ad scribendum augeat industriam.
See to it that your impartiality may increase the poet's industry in writing.
Storax!—Aeschinus has not returned from the dinner-party tonight, nor any of the young slaves who had gone to meet him.
§28Profecto hoc vere dicunt: si absis uspiam, §29Aut ubi si cesses, evenire ea satius est §30Quae in te uxor dicit et quae in animo cogitat §31Irata quam illa quae parentes propitii.
Indeed, people say this truly: if you are away anywhere, or if you linger anywhere, it is better for those things to happen which an angry wife says against you and thinks in her mind, than those things which well-disposed parents imagine.
§32Uxor si cesses aut te amare cogitat, §33Aut tete amari, aut potare, aut animo obsequi; §34Et tibi bene esse soli quum sibi sit male.
A wife, if you linger, thinks either that you are in love, or that you are loved, or that you are drinking, or indulging your inclination, and that you alone are enjoying yourself, while she herself is miserable.
§35Ego quia non rediit filius quae cogito, et §36Quibus nunc sollicitor rebus! ne aut ille alserit, §37Aut uspiam ceciderit, aut perfregerit §38Aliquid.
But as to me, because my son has not returned, what things do I imagine, and by what cares am I now anxious! lest he either has caught cold, or has fallen somewhere, or has broken something.
Vah, quemquamne hominem in animum instituere aut §39Parare quod sit carius quam ipse est sibi?
Ah! that any man should take to his heart or acquire what is dearer to him than he is to himself!
§40Atqui ex me hic non natus est, sed ex fratre.
And yet, this boy was not born of me, but of my brother.
Is adeo §41Dissimili studio est iam inde ab adolescentia.
He indeed has been of a very different disposition even from his youth.
§42Ego hanc clementem vitam urbanam atque otium §43Secutus sum; et, quod fortunatum isti putant, §44Uxorem numquam habui.
I have pursued this easy town life and leisure, and, what people consider fortunate, I have never had a wife.
Ille contra haec omnia: §45Ruri agere vitam; semper parce ac duriter §46Se habere: uxorem duxit; nati filii §47Duo: inde ego hunc maiorem adoptavi mihi; §48Eduxi a parvulo; habui, amavi pro meo; §49In eo me oblecto; solum id est carum mihi.
He, on the contrary, in all these things: leads his life in the country; always keeps himself sparingly and harshly: he married; two sons were born: from them I adopted this elder one for myself; I brought him up from a little child; I regarded and loved him as my own; in him I delight, this alone is dear to me.
§50Ille ut item contra me habeat facio sedulo: §51Do, praetermitto: non necesse habeo omnia §52Pro meo iure agere.
I study diligently that he, in turn, may hold me in the same esteem: I give, I overlook; I do not consider it necessary to do all things according to my strict right.
Postremo alii clanculum §53Patres quae faciunt, quae fert adolescentia, §54Ea ne me celet consuefeci filium; §55Nam qui mentiri aut fallere insuerit patrem, aut §56Audebit, tanto magis audebit caeteros.
Finally, what other youths do secretly from their fathers, things which youth brings on, I have accustomed my son not to conceal those things from me; for he who has accustomed himself to lie to or deceive his father, or shall dare to do so, will dare to do so all the more to others.
I believe that it is better to restrain children by a sense of shame and gentlemanly treatment than by fear.
§59Haec fratri mecum non convenient neque placent.
These things do not agree between my brother and me, nor do they please him.
§60Venit ad me saepe clamitans, "Quid agis, Micio?
He often comes to me, crying out: "What are you doing, Micio?
§61Cur perdis adolescentem nobis? cur amat?
Why do you ruin our youth? Why does he love?
§62Cur potat? cur tu his rebus sumtum suggeris?
Why does he drink? Why do you supply the expense for these things?
§63Vestitu nimio indulges; nimium ineptus es. " §64Nimium ipse est durus praeter aequumque et bonum: §65Et errat longe mea quidem sententia §66Qui imperium credat gravius esse aut stabilius §67Vi quod fit quam illud quod amicitia adiungitur.
You indulge him with too much clothing; you are too foolish." He himself is too harsh, beyond what is just and good; and he errs widely, in my opinion at least, who believes that authority is more weighty or more stable which is established by force, than that which is united by friendship.
§68Mea sic est ratio, et sic animum induco meum: §69Malo coactus qui suum officium facit §70Dum id rescitum iri credit tantisper cavet:
This is my principle, and thus I persuade my mind: he who does his duty compelled by fear of punishment, as long as he believes it will be found out, is on his guard only so long;