Captivi: The Captives

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 636 sections

3.4.578b
How’s this? How this scoundrel, Hegio, is making sport of you now.
3.4.580
For he’s a slave himself, and never, except his own self, had he a slave.
3.4.581
Because you yourself are destitute in your own country, and haven’t whereon to live at home, you wish all to be found like to yourself; you don’t do anything surprising. ’Tis the nature of the distressed to be ill-disposed, and to envy the fortunate.
3.4.584
Hegio, take you care, please, that you don’t persist in rashly placing confidence in this man;
3.4.585
for so far as I see, he is certainly now putting some device in execution, in saying that he is redeeming your son from captivity; that is by no means satisfactory to me.
3.4.587
I know that you don’t wish that to be done; still I shall effect it, if the Gods assist me. I shall bring him back here, and he will restore me to my father, in Elis. For that purpose have I sent Tyndarus hence to my father.
3.4.589b
Why, you yourself are he;
3.4.590
nor is there any slave in Elis of that name, except yourself.
3.4.591
Do you persist in reproaching me with being a slave—a thing that has befallen me through the fortune of war?
3.4.592
Really, now, I cannot contain myself.
3.4.592b
Ha! don’t you hear him? Why don’t you take to flight? He’ll be pelting us just now with stones there, unless you order him to be seized.
3.4.594b
I’m distracted.
3.4.594c
His eyes strike fire; there’s need of a rope, Hegio.
3.4.595
Don’t you see how his body is spotted all over with livid spots? Black bile is disordering the man.
3.4.596b
And, by my faith, if this old gentleman is wise, black pitch will be disordering you with the executioner, and giving a light to your head.
3.4.598
He’s now talking in his fit of delirium; sprites are in possession of the man.
3.4.599
By my troth, suppose I order him to be seized?
3.4.599a
You would be acting more wisely.
3.4.600
I’m vexed that I haven’t a stone, to knock out the brains of that whip-scoundrel, who’s driving me to madness by his taunts.
3.4.602
Don’t you hear that he’s looking for a stone?
3.4.602b
I wish to speak with you alone, separately, Hegio.
3.4.603b
Speak from where you are, if you want anything; though at a distance, I shall hear you.
3.4.604
Yes, for, by my faith, if you approach nearer, he’ll be taking your nose off with his teeth.
3.4.605b
By heavens, Hegio, don’t you believe that I am mad, or that I ever was so, or that I have the malady which that fellow avers. But if you fear anything from me, order me to be bound; I wish it, so long as that fellow is bound as well.
3.4.608b
Why really, Hegio, rather let him be bound that wishes it.
3.4.609b
Now hold your tongue! I’ll make you, you false Philocrates, to be found out this day to be a real Tyndarus.
3.4.611
Why are you making signs at me?
3.4.611b
I, making signs at you? (To HEGIO.) What would he do, if you were at a greater distance off?
3.4.612
What do you say? What if I approach this madman?
3.4.612b
Nonsense; you’ll be made a fool of; he’ll be prating stuff, to you, neither the feet nor the head of which will ever be visible.
3.4.615
The dress only is wanting; in seeing this man, you behold Ajax himself.
3.4.616
I don’t care; still I’ll approach him.
3.4.616b
Now am I utterly undone; now between the sacrifice and the stone do I stand, nor know I what to do.
3.4.618
I lend you my attention, Aristophontes, if there is anything that you would wish with me.
3.4.619
From me you shall hear that truth, which now you think to be false, Hegio.
3.4.620
But I wish, in the first place, to clear myself from this with you—that madness does not possess me, and that I have no malady, except that I am in captivity; and, so may the King of Gods and of men make me to regain my native land, that fellow there is no more Philocrates than either I or you.
3.4.623b
Come, then, tell me who he is?
3.4.624b
He whom I’ve told you all along from the beginning.
3.4.625
If you shall find him any other than that person, I show no cause why I shouldn’t suffer the loss with you both of my parents and of my liberty for ever.
3.4.627
What say you to this?
3.4.627b
That I am your slave, and you my master.
3.4.627c
I didn’t ask that—were you a free man?
3.4.628b
I was.
3.4.628c
But he really wasn’t; he is deceiving you.
3.4.629
How do you know? Were you, perchance, the midwife of my mother,
3.4.630
since you dare to affirm this so boldly?
3.4.630b
When a boy, I saw yourself, a boy.
3.4.631
But, grown up, I now see you grown up; so, there’s for you, in return. If you did right, you wouldn’t be troubling yourself about my concerns; do I trouble myself about yours?
3.4.633
Was his father called Thesaurochrysonicocrœsides?
3.4.634
He was not; and I never heard that name before this day.
3.4.635
Theodoromedes was the father of Philocrates.
3.4.635b
I’m downright undone. Why don’t you be quiet, heart of mine? Go and be stretched, and hang yourself; you are throbbing so, that unfortunate I can hardly stand up for my fear.
3.4.638
Is a full assurance given me that this was a slave in Elis, and that he is not Philocrates?
3.4.639b
So fully, that you will never find this to be otherwise; but where is he now?
3.4.640b
Where I the least, and he the most could wish himself. In consequence, then, I’m cut asunder, disjointed, to my sorrow, by the devices of this scoundrel, who has bamboozled me by his tricks just as he has thought fit. But do, please, have a care that you are right.
3.4.643b
Why, I assure you of this, as an ascertained and established fact.
3.4.644
For certain?
3.4.644b
Why, nothing, I say, will you find more certain than this certainty.
3.4.645
Philocrates, from when a boy, has ever since that time been my friend.
3.4.646
But of what appearance is your friend Philocrates?
3.4.646b
I’ll tell you:
3.4.647
with a thin face, sharp nose, light hair, dark eyes, somewhat ruddy, with hair rather crisp and curling,
3.4.648b
The description is like.
3.4.649
Aye, so much so, indeed, that I’ve this day, much to my sorrow, got into the midst of this, i’ faith. Woe to those unfortunate rods which this day will be meeting their end upon my back.
3.4.651
I see that I’ve been imposed upon.
3.4.651b
Why, fetters, do you delay to run towards me and to embrace my legs, that I may have you in custody?
3.4.653
And have these two rascally captives really deceived me this day with their tricks? The other one pretended that he was the servant, and this one that he himself was the master.
3.4.655
I’ve lost the kernel; for a security, I’ve left the shell. To such a degree have they imposed upon me, both on this side and that, with their trickeries. Still, this fellow shall never have the laugh against me. Colaphus, Cordalio, Corax (to the SLAVES), go you away and bring out the thongs.
3.4.658b
Are we to be sent to gather faggots? (The SLAVES go and bring the thongs from the house.)
3.5.659
Put the manacles on this whipp’d villain.
3.5.660
What’s the matter? What have I done wrong?
3.5.660b
Do you ask the question? You weeder and sower of villanies, and in especial their reaper.
3.5.662
Ought you not to have ventured to say the harrower first? For countrymen always harrow before they weed.
3.5.664
Why, with what assurance he stands before me.
3.5.665
It’s proper for a servant, innocent and guiltless, to be full of confidence, most especially before his master.
3.5.667
Bind this fellow’s hands tightly, will you.
3.5.668
I am your own—do you command them to be cut off even. But what is the matter on account of which you blame me?
3.5.670
Because me and my fortunes, so far as in you singly lay, by your rascally and knavish stratagems you have rent in pieces, and have distracted my affairs and spoiled all my resources and my plans, in that you’ve thus robbed me of Philocrates by your devices,
3.5.675
I thought that he was the slave, you the free man. So did you say yourselves, and in this way did you change names between you.
3.5.677b
I confess that all was done so, as you say, and that by a stratagem he has got away from you, through my aid and cleverness;
3.5.680
and prithee, now, do you blame me for that, i’ faith?
3.5.681
Why, it has been done with your extreme torture for the consequence.
3.5.682
So I don’t die by reason of my misdeeds, I care but little. If I do die here, then he returns not, as he said he would; but when I’m dead, this act will be remembered to my honor,
3.5.685
that I caused my captive master to return from slavery and the foe, a free man, to his father in his native land; and that I preferred rather to expose my own life to peril, than that he should be undone.
3.5.689
Take care, then, to enjoy that fame at Acheron.
3.5.690
He who dies for virtue’s sake, still does not perish.
3.5.691
When I’ve tortured you in the most severe manner, and for your schemes put you to death, let them say either that you have perished or that you have died; so long as you do die, I don’t think it matters if they say you live.
3.5.695
I’ faith, if you do do so, you’ll do it not without retribution, if he shall return here, as I trust that he will return.
3.5.697
O ye immortal Gods! I understand it now; now I know what the case really is. My friend Philocrates is at liberty with his father, in his native land. ’Tis well;
3.5.700
nor have I any person to whom I could so readily wish well. But this thing grieves me, that I’ve done this person a bad turn, who now on account of me and my talking is in chains.
3.5.703
Did I not forbid you this day to utter anything false to me?
3.5.704
You did forbid me.
3.5.704b
Why did you dare to tell me lies?
3.5.705
Because the truth would have prejudiced him whom I was serving; now falsehood has advantaged him.
3.5.706b
But it will prejudice yourself.
3.5.706c
’Tis very good. Still, I have saved my master, whom I rejoice at being saved, to whom my elder master had assigned me as a protector. But do you think that this was wrongly done?
3.5.709b
Most wrongfully.
3.5.710
But I, who disagree with you, say, rightly. For consider, if any slave of yours had done this for your son, what thanks you would have given him. Would you have given that slave his freedom or not? Would not that slave have been in highest esteem with you?
3.5.715
Answer me that.
3.5.715b
I think so.

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