Captivi: The Captives

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 636 sections

4.2.866
You seem to me to be hungry.
4.2.866b
For myself am I hungry, and not for you.
4.2.867
I readily allow of it at your own good will.
4.2.867b
I believe you; from a boy you were in the habit—
4.2.868
May Jupiter and the Gods confound you.
4.2.868b
I’ troth, ‘tis fair that for my news you should return me thanks; such great happiness do I now bring you from the harbour.
4.2.870
Now you are flattering me.
4.2.870b
Begone, you simpleton; you have arrived behind time, too late.
4.2.871
If I had come sooner, then for that reason you might rather have said that. Now, receive this joyous news of me which I bring you; for at the harbour I just now saw your son Philopolemus in the common fly-boat, alive, safe and sound, and likewise there that other young man together with him,
4.2.875
and Stalagmus your slave, who fled from your house, who stole from you your little son, the child of four years old.
4.2.877
Away with you to utter perdition! You are trifling with me.
4.2.877b
So may holy Gluttony love me, Hegio, and so may she ever dignify me with her name, I did see—
4.2.879b
My son?
4.2.879c
Your son, and my good Genius.
4.2.880
That Elean captive, too?
4.2.880b
Yes, by Apollo
4.2.880c
The slave, too? My slave Stalagmus, he that stole my son—?
4.2.881b
Yes, by Cora.
4.2.882
So long a time ago?
4.2.882b
Yes, by Praeneste!
4.2.882c
Is he arrived?
4.2.882d
Yes, by Signia!
4.2.883
For sure?
4.2.883b
Yes, by Phrysinone!
4.2.883c
Have a care, if you please.
4.2.883d
Yes, by Alatrium!
4.2.884
Why are you swearing by foreign cities?
4.2.884b
Why, because they are just as disagreable as you were declaring your fare to be.
4.2.885b
Woe be to you!
4.2.886
Because that you don’t believe me at all in what I say in sober earnestness. But of what country was Stalagmus, at the time when ne departed hence?
4.2.888
A Sicilian.
4.2.888b
But now he is not a Sicilian—he is a Boian; he has got a Boian woman. A wife, I suppose, has been given to him for the sake of obtaining children.
4.2.890
Tell me, have you said these words to me in good earnest?
4.2.890b
In good earnest.
4.2.891
Immortal Gods, I seem to be born again, if you are telling the truth.
4.2.892
Do you say so? Will you still entertain doubts, when I have solemnly sworn to you? In fine, Hegio, if you have little confidence in my oath, go yourself to the harbour and see.
4.2.894b
I’m determined to do so. Do you arrange in-doors what’s requisite. Use, ask for, take from my larder what you like; I appoint you cellarman.
4.2.896
Now, by my troth, if I have not prophesied truly to you, do you comb me out with a cudgel.
4.2.897
I’ll find you in victuals to the end, if you are telling me the truth.
4.2.898
Whence shall it be?
4.2.898b
From myself and from my son.
4.2.898c
Do you promise that?
4.2.898d
I do promise it.
4.2.899
But I, in return, promise you that your son has arrived.
4.2.900
Manage as well as ever you can.
4.2.900b
A happy walk there to you, and a happy walk back.
4.3.901
He has gone away from here, and has entrusted to me the most important concern of catering. Immortal Gods how I shall now be slicing necks off of sides; how vast a downfall will befall the gammon; how vast a belabouring the bacon! How great a using-up of udders, how vast a bewailing for the brawn!
4.3.905
How great a bestirring for the butchers, how great a preparation for the porksellers! But if I were to enumerate the rest of the things which minister to the supply of the stomach, ‘twould be sheer delay. Now will I go off to my government, to give laws to the bacon, and, those gammons that are hanging uncondemned, to give aid to them.
4.4.909
May Jupiter and the Deities confound you, Ergasilus, and your stomach,
4.4.910
and all Parasites, and every one who henceforth shall give a dinner to Parasites. Destruction and devastation and ruin have just now entered our house. I was afraid that he would be making an attack on me, as though he had been an hungry wolf. And very dreadfully, upon my faith, was I frightened at him; he made such a gnashing with his teeth. On his arrival, the whole larder, with the meat, he turned upside down.
4.4.915
He seized a knife, and first cut off the kernels of the neck from three sides. All the pots and cups he broke, except those that held a couple of gallons; of the cook he made enquiry whether the salting pans could be set on the fire to be made hot. All the cellars in the house he has broken into, and has laid the store-closet open. (At the door.) Watch him, servants, if you please; I’ll go to meet the old gentleman.
4.4.920
I’ll tell him to get ready some provisions for his own self, if, indeed, he wishes himself to make use of any. For in this place, as this man, indeed, is managing, either there’s nothing already, or very soon there will be nothing.
5.1.922
To Jove and to the Deities I return with reason hearty thanks, inasmuch as they have restored you to your father, and inasmuch as they have delivered me from very many afflictions,
5.1.925
which, while I was obliged to be here without you, I was enduring, and inasmuch as I see that that fellow (pointing to STALAGMUS) is in my power, and inasmuch as his word (pointing to PHILOCIATES) has been found true to me.
5.1.928
Enough now have I grieved from my very soul, and enough with care and tears have I disquieted myself. Enough now have I heard of your woes, which at the harbour you told me of.
5.1.930
Let us now to this business.
5.1.930b
What now, since I’ve kept my word with you, and have caused him to be restored back again to freedom?
5.1.931b
Philocrates, you have acted so that I can never return you thanks enough, in the degree that you merit from myself and my son.
5.1.933b
Nay, but you can, father, and you will be able, and I shall be able; and the Divinities will give the means for you
5.1.935
to return the kindness he merits to one who deserves so highly of us; as, my father, you are able to do to this person who so especially deserves it.
5.1.937
What need is there of words? I have no tongue with which to deny whatever you may ask of me.
5.1.938
I ask of you to restore to me that servant whom I left here as a surety for myself; who has always proved more faithful to me than to himself;
5.1.940
in order that for his services I may be enabled to give him a reward.
5.1.941
Because you have acted thus kindly, the favour shall be returned, the thing that you ask; both that and anything else that you shall ask of me, you shall obtain. And I would not have you blame me, because in my anger I have treated him harshly.
5.1.944
What have you done?
5.1.944b
I confined him in fetters at the stone-quarries,
5.1.945
when I found out that I had been imposed upon.
5.1.945b
Ah wretched me! That for my safety misfortunes should have happened to that best of men.
5.1.947
Now, on this account, you need not give me even one groat of silver for him. Receive him of me without cost that he may be free.
5.1.948b
On my word, Hegio, you act with kindness; but I entreat that you will order this man to be sent for.
5.1.949b
Certainly.
5.1.950
(To the attendants, who immediately obey.) Where are you? Go this instant, and bring Tyndarus here. (To PHILOPOLEMUS and PHILOCRATES.) Do you go in-doors; in the meantime, I wish to enquire of this statue for whipping, what was done with my younger son. Do you go bathe in the meantime.
5.1.953b
Philocrates, follow me this way in-doors.
5.1.953c
I follow you. (They go into the house.)
5.2.954
Come you, step this way, you worthy fellow, my fine slave.
5.2.955
What is fitting for me to do, when you, such a man as you are, are speaking false? I was never a handsome, or a fine, or a good person, or an honest one, nor shall I ever be; assuredly, don’t you be forming any hopes that I shall be honest.
5.2.958
You easily understand pretty well in what situation your fortunes are. If you shall prove truth-telling, you’ll make your lot from bad somewhat better.
5.2.960
Speak out, then, correctly and truthfully; but never yet truthfully or correctly have you acted.
5.2.961b
Do you think that I’m ashamed to own it, when you affirm it?
5.2.962
But I’ll make you to be ashamed; for I’ll cause you to be blushes all over.
5.2.963
Heyday—you’re threatening stripes, I suppose, to me, quite unaccustomed to them! Away with them, I beg. Tell me what you bring, that you may carry off hence what you are in want of.
5.2.965
Very fluent indeed. But now I wish this prating to be cut short.
5.2.966
As you desire, so be it done.
5.2.966b
As a boy he was very obedient; now that suits him not. Let’s to this business; now give your attention, and inform me upon what I ask. If you tell the truth, you’ll make your fortunes somewhat better.
5.2.969
That’s mere trifling. Don’t you think that I know what I’m deserving of?
5.2.970
Still, it is in your power to escape a small portion of it, if not the whole.
5.2.971
A small portion I shall escape, I know; but much will befall me, and with my deserving it, because I both ran away, and stole your son and sold him.
5.2.973
To what person?
5.2.973b
To Theodoromedes the Polyplusian, in Elis, for six minae.
5.2.974b
O ye immortal Gods! He surely is the father of this person, Philocrates.
5.2.975b
Why, I know him better than yourself, and have seen him more times.
5.2.976
Supreme Jove, preserve both myself and my son for me. (He goes to the door, and calls aloud.) Philocrates, by your good Genius, I do entreat you, come out, I want you.
5.3.978
Hegio, here am I; if you want anything of me, command me.
5.3.978b
He (pointing to STALAGMUS) declares that he sold my son to your father, in Elis, for six minae.
5.3.980
How long since did that happen?
5.3.980b
This is the twentieth year, commencing from it.
5.3.981
He is speaking falsely.
5.3.981b
Either I or you do. Why, your father gave you the little child, of four years old, to be your own slave.
5.3.983
What was his name? If you are speaking the truth, tell me that, then.
5.3.984
Paegnium, he used to be called; afterwards, you gave him the name of Tyndarus.

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.