Captivi: The Captives

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 636 sections

3.5.715c
Why, then, are you angry with me?
3.5.716
Because you have proved more faithful to him than to myself.
3.5.717
How now? Did you expect, in a single night and day, for yourself to teach me—a person just made captive, a recent slave, and in his noviciate—that I should rather consult your interest than his,
3.5.720
with whom from childhood I have passed my life?
3.5.721
Seek, then, thanks from him for that. (To the SLAVES.) Take him where he may receive weighty and thick fetters, thence, after that, you shall go to the quarries for cutting stone. There, while the others are digging out eight stones, unless
3.5.725
you daily do half as much work again, you shall have the name of the six-hundred-stripe man.
3.5.727
By Gods and men, I do entreat you, Hegio, not to destroy this man.
3.5.728b
He shall be taken all care of For at night, fastened with chains, he shall be watched;
3.5.730
in the daytime, beneath the ground, he shall be getting out stone. For many a day will I torture him; I’ll not respite him for a single day.
3.5.732
Is that settled by you?
3.5.732b
Not more settled that I shall die. (To the SLAVES.) Take him away this instant to Hippolytus, the blacksmith; bid thick fetters to be rivetted on him.
3.5.735
From there let him be led outside the gate to my freedman, Cordalus, at the stone-quarries. And tell him that I desire this man so to be treated, that he mayn’t be in any respect worse off than he who is the most severely treated.
3.5.739
Why, since you are unwilling, do I desire myself to survive?
3.5.740
At your own hazard is the risk of my life. After death, no evil have I to apprehend in death. Though I should live even to extreme age, still, short is the space for enduring what you threaten me with. Farewell and prosper although you are deserving for me to say otherwise.
3.5.745
You, Aristophontes, as you have deserved of me, so fare you; for on your account has this befallen me.
3.5.746b
Carry him off.
3.5.747
But this one thing I beg, that, if Philocrates should come back here, you will give me an opportunity of meeting him.
3.5.749
At your peril, if you don’t this instant remove him from my sight.
3.5.750
I’ troth, this really is violence, to be both dragged and pushed at the same time. (He is borne off by the SLAVES.)
3.5.751
He has been led off straight to prison as he deserves. Let no one presume to attempt such an enterprise. Had it not been for you who discovered this to me,
3.5.755
still would they have been leading me by the bridle with their tricks. Now am I resolved henceforth never to trust any person in anything. This once I have been deceived enough; I did hope, to my sorrow, that I had rescued my son from slavery. That hope has forsaken me. I lost one son,
3.5.760
whom, a child in his fourth year, a slave stole from me; and, indeed, never since have I found either slave or son; the elder one has fallen in the hands of the enemy. What guilt is this of mine? As though I had become the father of children for the purpose of being childless. (To AISTOPHONTES.) Follow this way. I’ll conduct you back where you were.
3.5.765
I’m determined to have pity upon no one, since no one has pity upon me.
3.5.766
Forth from my chains with evil omen did I come; now I perceive that with like ill omen to my bonds I must return.
4.1.768
Supreme Jove! thou dost preserve me, and dost augment my means. Plenty, extreme and sumptuous, dost thou present to me;
4.1.770
celebrity, profit, enjoyment, mirth, festivity, holidays, sights, provisions, carousings, abundance, joyousness. And to no man have I now determined with myself to go a-begging; for I’m able either to profit my friend or to destroy my enemy, to such extent has this delightful day heaped delights upon me in its delightfulness.
4.1.775
I have lighted upon a most rich inheritance without incumbrances. Now will I wend my way to this old gentleman Hegio, to whom I am carrying blessings as great as he himself prays for from the Gods, and even greater. Now, this is my determination, in the same fashion that the slaves of Comedy are wont, so will I throw my cloak around my neck, that from me, the first of all, he may learn this matter.
4.1.780
And I trust that I, by reason of this news, shall find provision up to the end.
4.2.781
The more that I revolve this matter in my breast, the more is my uneasiness of mind increased. That I should have been duped in this fashion to-day! and that I wasn’t able to see through it!
4.2.785
When this shall be known, then I shall be laughed at all over the city. The very moment that I shall have reached the Forum, all will be saying, This is that clever old gentleman, who had the trick played him. But is this Ergasilus, that I see coming at a distance? Surely he has got his cloak gathered up; what, I wonder, is he going to do?
4.2.790
Throw aside from you all tardiness, Ergasilus, and speed on this business. I threaten, and I strictly charge no person to stand in my way, unless any one shall be of opinion that he has lived long enough. For whoever does come in my way, shall stop me upon his face.
4.2.793b
This fellow’s beginning to box.
4.2.794
I’m determined to do it; so that every one may pursue his own path,
4.2.795
let no one be bringing any of his business in this street; for my fist is a balista, my arm is my catapulta, my shoulder a battering-ram; then against whomsoever I dart my knee, I shall bring him to the ground. I’ll make all persons to be picking up their teeth, whomsoever I shall meet with.
4.2.799
What threatening is this? For I cannot wonder enough.
4.2.800
I’ll make him always to remember this day and place, and myself as well. Whoever stops me upon my road, I’ll make him put a stop to his own existence.
4.2.802
What great thing is this fellow preparing to do, with such mighty threats?
4.2.803
I first give notice, that no one, by reason of his own fault, may be caught—keep yourselves in-doors at home, and guard yourselves from my attack.
4.2.805
By my faith, ‘tis strange if he hasn’t got this boldness by means of his stomach. Woe to that wretched man, through whose cheer this fellow has become quite swaggering.
4.2.807
Then the bakers, that feed swine, that fatten their pigs upon refuse bran, through the stench of which no one can pass by a baker’s shop; if I see the pig of any one of them in the public way,
4.2.810
I’ll beat the bran out of the masters’ themselves with my fists.
4.2.811
Royal and imperial edicts does he give out. The fellow is full; he certainly has his boldness from his stomach.
4.2.813
Then the fishmongers, who supply stinking fish to the public—who are carried about on a gelding, with his galloping galling pace—
4.2.815
the stench of whom drives all the loungers in the Basilica into the Forum, I’ll bang their heads with their bulrush fish-baskets, that they may understand what annoyance they cause to the noses of other people. And then the butchers, as well, who render the sheep destitute of their young—who agree with you about killing lamb, and then offer you lamb at double the price—
4.2.820
who give the name of wether mutton to a ram—if I should only see that ram in the public way, I’ll make both ram and owner most miserable beings.
4.2.823
Well done! He really does give out edicts fit for an Aedile, and ‘tis indeed a surprising thing if the Aetolians haven’t made him inspector of markets.
4.2.825
No Parasite now am I, but a right royal king of kings; so large a stock of provision for my stomach is there at hand in the harbour. But why delay to overwhelm this old gentleman Hegio with gladness? With him, not a person among mankind exists equally fortunate.
4.2.829
What joy is this, that he, thus joyous, is going to impart to me?
4.2.830
Hallo, hallo!—where are you? Is any one coming to open this door?
4.2.831
This fellow’s betaking himself to my house to dine.
4.2.831b
Open you both these doors, before I shall with knocking cause the destruction, piecemeal, of the doors.
4.2.833
I’d like much to address the fellow. (Aloud.) Ergasilus!
4.2.833b
Who’s calling Ergasilus?
4.2.834
Turn round, and look at me.
4.2.834b
A thing that Fortune does not do for you, nor ever will do, you bid me to do.
4.2.835
But who is it.
4.2.835b
Look round at me. ’Tis Hegio.
4.2.835c
O me! Best of the very best of men, as many as exist, you have arrived opportunely.
4.2.837
You’ve met with some one at the harbour to dine with; through that you are elevated.
4.2.838
Give me your hand.
4.2.838b
My hand?
4.2.838c
Give me your hand, I say, this instant.
4.2.838d
Take it.
4.2.839
Rejoice.
4.2.839b
Why should I rejoice?
4.2.839c
Because I bid you; come now, rejoice.
4.2.840
I’ faith, my sorrows exceed my rejoicings.
4.2.840b
’Tis not so, as you shall find; I’ll at once drive away every spot of sorrow from your body. Rejoice without restraint.
4.2.842b
I do rejoice, although I don’t at all know why I should rejoice.
4.2.843
You do rightly; now order—
4.2.843b
Order what?
4.2.843c
A large fire to be made.
4.2.844
A large fire?
4.2.844b
So I say, that a huge one it must be.
4.2.844c
What, you vulture, do you suppose that for your sake I’m going to set my house on fire?
4.2.845b
Don’t be angry. Will you order, or will you not order, the pots to be put on, and the saucepans to be washed out, the bacon and the dainties to be made warm in the heated cooking-stoves, another one, too, to go purchase the fish?
4.2.848b
This fellow’s dreaming while awake.
4.2.849
Another to buy pork, and lamb, and pullets.
4.2.850
You understand how to feed well, if you had the means.
4.2.850b
Gammons of bacon, too, and lampreys, spring pickled tunny-fish, mackerel, and sting-ray; large fish, too, and soft cheese.
4.2.852
You will have more opportunity, Ergasilus, here at my house, of talking about these things than of eating them.
4.2.853b
Do you suppose that I’m saying this on my own account?
4.2.854
You will neither be eating nothing here to-day, nor yet much more than usual, so don’t you be mistaken.
4.2.855
Do you then bring an appetite to my house for your every-day fare.
4.2.856
Why, I’ll so manage it, that you yourself shall wish to be profuse, though I myself should desire you not.
4.2.857
What, I?
4.2.857b
Yes, you.
4.2.857c
Then you are my master.
4.2.857d
Yes, and a kindly disposed one. Do you wish me to make you happy?
4.2.858b
Certainly I would, rather than miserable.
4.2.859
Give me your hand.
4.2.859b
Here is my hand.
4.2.859c
All the Gods are blessing you.
4.2.859d
I don’t feel it so.
4.2.860
Why, you are not in a quickset hedge, therefore you don’t feel it; but order the vessels, in a clean state, to be got for you forthwith in readiness for the sacrifice, and one lamb to be brought here with all haste, a fat one.
4.2.862b
Why?
4.2.862c
That you may offer sacrifice
4.2.863
To which one of the Gods?
4.2.863b
To myself, i’ faith, for now am I your supreme Jupiter. I likewise am your salvation, your fortune, your life, your delight, your joy.
4.2.865
Do you at once, then, make this Divinity propitious to you by cramming him.

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi005.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.