Aulularia, or The Concealed Treasure

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 579 sections

2.2.192b
Hold your peace; be of good courage, Euclio: she shall be given in marriaye; you shall be assisted by myself. Say, if you have need of aught; command me.
2.2.194
Now is he aiming at my property, while he’s making promises; he’s gaping for my gold, that he may devour it;
2.2.195
in the one hand he is carrying a stone. while he shows the bread in the other. I trust no person, who, rich himself, is exceedingly courteous to a poor man; when he extends his hand with a kind air, then is he loading you with some damage. I know these polypi, who, when they’ve touched a thing, hold it fast.
2.2.199
Give me your attention, Euclio, for a little time: I wish to address you in a few words,
2.2.200
about a common concern of yours and mine.
2.2.200b
Alas! woe is me! my gold has been grabbed from in-doors: now he’s wishing for this thing, I’m sure, to come to a compromise with me; but I’ll go look in my house.
2.2.203
Where are you going?
2.2.203b
I’ll return to you directly, for there’s something I must go and see to at home.
2.2.204
By my troth, I do believe that when I make mention of his daughter,
2.2.205
for him to promise her to me, he’ll suppose that he’s being laughed at by me; nor is there out of the whole class of paupers one more beggarly than he.
2.2.207
The Gods do favour me; my property’s all safe. If nothing’s lost, it’s safe. I was very dreadfully afraid, before I went in-doors! I was almost dead! (Aloud.) I’m come back to you, Megadorus, if you wish to say anything tome.
2.2.209b
I return you thanks; I beg that as to what I shall enquire of you, you’ll not hesitate to speak out boldly.
2.2.211
So long, indeed, as you enquire nothing that I mayn’t choose to speak out upon.
2.2.212
Tell me, of what sort of family do you consider me to be sprung?
2.2.212b
Of a good one.
2.2.213
What think you as to my character?
2.2.213b
’Tis a good one.
2.2.213c
What of my conduct?
2.2.213d
Neither bad nor dishonest.
2.2.214
Do you know my years?
2.2.214b
I know that they are plentiful, just like your money.
2.2.215
I’ faith, for sure I really did always take you to be a citizen without any evil guile, and now I think you so.
2.2.216b
He smells the gold. (Aloud.) What do you want with me now?
2.2.217b
Since you know me, and I know you, what sort of person you are—a thing, that may it bring a blessing on myself, and you and your daughter, I ask your daughter as my wife. Promise me that it shall be so.
2.2.220
Heyday! Megadorus, you are doing a deed that’s not becoming to your usual actions, in laughing at me, a poor man, and guiltless towards yourself and towards your family. For neither in act, nor in words, have I ever deserved it of you, that you should do what you are now doing.
2.2.223
By my troth, I neither am come to laugh at you, nor am I laughing at you, nor do I think you deserving of it.
2.2.224b
Why then do you ask for my daughter for your self?
2.2.225
That through me it may be better for you, and through you and yours for me.
2.2.226
This suggests itself to my mind, Megadorus, that you are a wealthy man, a man of rank; that I likewise am a person, the poorest of the poor; now, if I should give my daughter in marriage to you, it suggests itself to my mind that you are the ox, and that I am the ass; when I’m yoked to you,
2.2.230
and when I’m not able to bear the burden equally with yourself, I, the ass, must lie down in the mire; you, the ox, would regard me no more than if I had never been born; and I should both find you unjust, and my own class would laugh at me; in neither direction should I have a fixed stall, if there should be any separation; the asses would tear me with their teeth, the oxen would butt at me with their horns.
2.2.235
This is the great hazard, in my passing over from the asses to the oxen.
2.2.236
The nearer you can unite yourself in alliance with the virtuous, so much the better. Do you receive this proposal, listen to me, and promise her to me.
2.2.238b
But indeed there is no marriage-portion.
2.2.238c
You are to give none; so long as she comes with good principles, she is sufficiently portioned.
2.2.240
I say so for this reason, that you mayn’t be supposing that I have found any treasures.
2.2.241
I know that; don’t enlarge upon it. Promise her to me.
2.2.241b
So be it. (Starts and looks about.) But, O Jupiter, am I not utterly undone?
2.2.242b
What’s the matter with you?
2.2.242c
What was it sounded just now as though it were iron?
2.2.243
Here at my place, I ordered them to dig up the garden. (EUCLIO runs off into his house.) But where is this man? He’s off, and he hasn’t fully answered me; he treats me with contempt.
2.2.246
Because he sees that I wish for his friendship, he acts after the manner of mankind. For if a wealthy person goes to ask a favour of a poorer one, the poor man is afraid to treat with him; through his apprehension he hurts his own interest. The same person, when this opportunity is lost, too late, then wishes for it.
2.2.250
By the powers, if I don’t give you up to have your tongue cut out by the roots, I order and I authorize you to hand me over to any one you please to be incapacitated.
2.2.252
By my troth, Euclio, I perceive that you consider me a fit man for you to make sport of in my old age, for no deserts of my own.
2.2.254
I’ faith, Megadorus, I am not doing so, nor, should I desire it, had I the means.
2.2.255
How now? Do you then betroth your daughter to me?
2.2.255b
On those terms, and with that portion which I mentioned to you.
2.2.256b
Do you promise her then?
2.2.256c
I do promise her.
2.2.257
May the Gods bestow their blessings on it.
2.2.257b
May the Gods so do. Take you care of this, and remember that we’ve agreed, that my daughter is not to bring you any portion.
2.2.259
I remember it.
2.2.259b
But I understand in what fashion you, of your class, are wont to equivocate;
2.2.260
an agreement is no agreement, no agreement is an agreement, just as it pleases you.
2.2.261
I’ll have no misunderstanding with you. But what reason is there why we shouldn’t have the nuptials this day?
2.2.262b
Why, by my troth, there is very good reason for them.
2.2.263
I’ll go, then, and prepare matters. Do you want me in any way?
2.2.263b
That shall be done. Fare you well.
2.2.264
Hallo! Strobilus, follow me quickly, in all haste, to the fleshmarket.
2.2.265
He has gone hence. Immortal Gods, I do beseech you! How powerful is gold! I do believe, now, that he has had some intimation that I’ve got a treasure at home; he’s gaping for that; for the sake of that has he persisted in this alliance.
2.3.268
Where are you who have now been blabbing to all my neighbours that I’m going to give a portion to my daughter? Hallo! Staphyla, I’m calling you!
2.3.270
Don’t you hear? Make haste in-doors there, and wash the vessels clean. I’ve promised my daughter in marriage; to-day I shall give her to be married to Megadorus here.
2.3.272
May the Gods bestow their blessings on it! But, i’ faith, it cannot be; ’tis too sudden.
2.3.273
Hold your tongue, and be off. Take care that things are ready when I return home from the Forum, and shut the house up. I shall be here directly.
2.3.274b
What now am I to do?
2.3.275
Now is ruin near at hand for us, both for myself and my master’s daughter; for her disgrace and her delivery are upon the very point of becoming known; that which even until now has been concealed and kept secret, cannot be so now. I’ll go in-doors, that what my master ordered may be done when he comes. But, by my faith, I do fear that I shall have to drink of a mixture of bitterness !
2.4.280
After my master had bought the provisions, and hired the cooks and these music- girls in the market-place, he ordered me to divide these provisions into two parts.
2.4.283
By my troth, but you really shan’t be dividing me , I tell you plainly. If you wish me to go anywhere whole, I’ll do my best.
2.4.285
A very pretty and modest fellow, indeed. As if, when you are a conger by name, you wouldn’t like to be cut into pieces.
2.4.287
But, Anthrax, I said that in another sense, and not in the one which you are pretending.
2.4.289
Now my master’s going to be married to-day.
2.4.289b
Whose daughter is he to marry?
2.4.290
The daughter of this Euclio, his near neighbour here. For that reason he has ordered half of these provisions here to be presented to him—one cook, and one music-girl likewise.
2.4.293
That is, you take one half to him, the other half home?
2.4.294
’Tis just as you say.
2.4.294b
How’s that? Couldn’t this old fellow provide from his own resources for the wedding of his daughter.
2.4.296
Pshaw!
2.4.296b
What’s the matter?
2.4.296c
What’s the matter, do you ask? A pumice stone isn’t so dry as is this old fellow.
2.4.298
Do you really say that it is as you affirm?
2.4.299b
Do be judge yourself. Why, he’s for ever crying out for aid from Gods and men, that his property has gone, and that he is ruined root and branch,
2.4.301
if the smoke by chance escapes out of doors through the rafters of his house. Why, when he goes to sleep, he ties a bag beneath his gullet.
2.4.303
Why so?
2.4.303b
That when he sleeps, he may lose no breath.
2.4.304
And does he stop up the lower part of his windpipe as well,
2.4.305
lest, perchance, he should lose any breath as he sleeps?
2.4.306
In that ’tis as fair that you should credit me, as it is for me to credit you.
2.4.307
Why really, I do believe you.
2.4.307b
But, further, do you know how it is?
2.4.308
I’ faith, he grieves to throw away the water when he washes.
2.4.309
Do you think a great talent
2.4.310
might be begged of this old fellow for him to give us, through which we might become free?
2.4.311
By my troth, if you were to ask it, he would never let you have the loan of hunger. Why, the other day, the barber had cut his nails; he collected all the parings, and carried them off.
2.4.314
I’ faith, you do describe a miserably stingy wretch.
2.4.315
But do you think that he does live so very stingily and wretchedly?
2.4.316
A kite, the other day, carried off his morsel of food; the fellow went crying to the Praetor; there, weeping and lamenting, he began to request that he might be allowed to compel the kite to give bail.
2.4.320
There are innumerable other things that I could mention, if I had the leisure. But which of you two is the sharper? Tell me.
2.4.322
I—as being much the better one.
2.4.322b
A cook I ask for, not a thief .
2.4.323
As a cook, I mean.
2.4.323b
What do you say?

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi003.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source.