Curculio, or The Forgery

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 618 sections

4.2.522b
Fare you well, and health attend you. (Aside.) For you’ve kindly given me your services and your money.
4.2.524
Give abundant greetings to my patron.
4.2.524b
I’ll give them.
4.2.525
Procurer, do you wish for anything?
4.2.525b
Give me those ten minae for me to manage for myself with, until things are better with me.
4.2.526b
They shall be paid; order them to be fetched to-morrow.
4.2.527
Since I’ve successfully finished the matter, I wish to return thanks here in the Temple. For long since, when a little girl, I bought her for ten minae; but him who sold her to me, never since then have I set eyes upon.
4.2.530
I think he’s dead. What matters that to me? I’ve got the money. The man to whom the Gods are propitious, for him, no doubt, they throw gain in his way. Now will I give my attention to my devotions; it’s clear that he has a kind regard for me.
4.3.533
I’m come now, inflamed with wrath in no moderate degree, but with that same with which I’ve learned to deal destruction upon cities.
4.3.535
At once now, unless this moment you make haste instantly to pay me the thirty minae which I left with you, make haste to lay down your life.
4.3.537
By my troth, to no little mischief do I now devote you, but to that same to which I am wont to devote that man to whom I owe nothing at all.
4.3.539
Don’t you be making yourself bold with me, or suppose that I shall be entreating you.
4.3.540
And you, indeed, shall never force me to pay you what has been paid, nor shall I give it you.
4.3.541b
I thought this, when I entrusted you with it, that you would repay nothing at all.
4.3.542b
Why then are you now asking it back of me?
4.3.543
I wish to know to whom you have paid it.
4.3.543b
To your one-eyed freed-man; he said that he was called Summanus; I paid it to him, who brought me this sealed letter.
4.3.545b
What letter of mine, what one-eyed freed-man, what people called Summanus are you dreaming about? I really have no freed-man at all.
4.3.547b
You act more wisely than a portion of the military men who have freed-men, and then forsake them.
4.3.549
What have you done?
4.3.549b
What you requested me, I’ve done for your sake,
4.3.550
that I mightn’t slight the messenger who had brought your seal’s impression.
4.3.551
More fool than fool were you to give credit to this letter.
4.3.552
To that by which matters both public and private are carried on ought I not to have given credit? I’ll be off; the money has been properly paid you. Warrior, farewell.
4.3.554
How—farewell?
4.3.554b
Fare you ill then, if you choose,—aye, all your life, so far as I’m concerned. (Exit.)
4.3.555
What shall I do now? Of what use is it that I have caused kings to obey me, if this obscure fellow is this day to laugh at me?
4.4.557
The man to whom the Gods are propitious, they cannot, I think, be angered with him. After I ad finished my devotions, it then came into my mind, lest the banker should abscond, to go fetch the money,
4.4.560
that I may make good cheer rather than he.
4.4.560b
I had left my compliments for you at your house.
4.4.561
Therapontigonus Platagidorus, save you; since you are come safe to Epidaurus this day, at my house—you won’t lick up one grain of salt.
4.4.563
You give me a kind invitation; things, however, are in a train for it to go badly with yourself. But how fares my purchase at your house?
4.4.564b
Why, not at my house at all.
4.4.565
Don’t be bringing your witnesses—assuredly, I don’t owe you anything.
4.4.565b
How’s that?
4.4.566
What I was bound on oath to do, I’ve done.
4.4.566b
Will you give me up the girl or not, before I spit you with this sabre of mine, you whip-scoundrel?
4.4.568
I bid you go to perdition with all my heart; don’t you be terrifying me.
4.4.569
She has been carried off; you shall be carried off hence away from me, beyond a doubt, if you persist in abusing me, to whom I owe nothing but a punishing.
4.4.571
What, threaten me with a punishing?
4.4.571b
Aye, and by my troth, I’ll not be threatening, but I’ll give it, if you persist in being impertinent to me.
4.4.572b
A Procurer, forsooth, threatening me; and are my combats in battle, so many in number, lying trodden under foot? But so may my sabre and my shield
4.4.575
trustily aid me when fighting in the field; unless the girl is restored to me, I’ll at once cause the ants to carry you away piecemeal from this spot.
4.4.577
And so may my tweezers, my comb, my looking-glass, my crisping-iron, and my hair-scissors and scrubbing-towel love me well,
4.4.580
I don’t value your high-sounding words, nor these big threats of yours, a bit the more than my servant-girl that washes out my sink. I’ve given her up to him who brought the money from you.
4.4.581b
What person was that?
4.4.582
He said that he was Summanus, your freed-man.
4.4.582b
Mine? You don’t say so; i’ faith, it’s that Curculio that has put a trick upon me, when I think upon it; he stole my ring from me.
4.4.584b
The Captain has been finely appointed to a cashiered company.
4.4.586
Where now shall I find Curculio?
4.4.586b
In some wheat with the greatest ease I’ll make you find even five hundred Curculios instead of one. Therefore I’m off; fare you well, and my service to you.
4.4.588b
Fare you ill, a plague attend you. What shall I do? Shall I stop or go away? That I should have been imposed upon in this way!
4.4.590
I’d like to give a reward to him who would point out that fellow to me.
5.1.591
I’ve heard that an ancient Poet wrote in a Tragedy, that two women are worse than one; such is the fact. But a more crafty woman than is this mistress of Phaedromus, I never saw or heard of, nor, i’ faith, can one be spoken of or imagined;
5.1.595
she, as soon as ever she saw that I had got this ring, asked me whence I got it. Why do you ask that? said I. Because I’ve need to know, said she. I said I wouldn’t tell her. To get it away, she seized hold of my hand with her teeth. With much ado I betook me out of doors, and made my escape. Away with this slut.
5.2.599
My Phaedromus, make haste.
5.2.599b
Make haste for what?
5.2.599c
That you mayn’t let the Parasite escape;
5.2.600
the affair’s of consequence.
5.2.600b
Nothing have I of consequence; for what I did have I quickly made away with?
5.2.601
I’ve got him;
5.2.601b
what’s the matter?
5.2.601c
Ask him whence he got that ring: my father used to wear it.
5.2.602b
Why, troth, and so did my aunt.
5.2.603
My mother gave it him to wear.
5.2.603b
And your father, in his turn, to me.
5.2.604
You are talking nonsense.
5.2.604b
I’m in the habit; for by reason of it I make a livelihood the more easily. What is the matter now?
5.2.605
I entreat you, don’t be keeping me from finding my parents.
5.2.606
How can I? Have I got your father and mother hidden beneath the stone? (Holding up the ring.)
5.2.607
I was born a free woman.
5.2.607b
And so were many others, who are now in servitude.
5.2.608
Really now, I’m vexed.
5.2.608b
For my part, I’ve told you how this came into my possession. How often must you be told? I cheated the Captain at dice, I tell you.
5.2.610
I’m all right; see, here he is whom I was looking for. How do you do, good sir?
5.2.610b
I hear you; three casts of the dice, if you like, even for that scarf of yours.
5.2.611b
Why don’t you go to very perdition, with your casts and catch-pennies? Either give me back the money or the young woman?
5.2.613
What money? what rubbish are you talking about to me? What young woman are you demanding back of me?
5.2.614b
The one that you took away this day from the Procurer, you scoundrelly fellow.
5.2.615
I took none away.
5.2.615b
Why, surely, I see her. There she is. (Pointing to PLANESIUM.)
5.2.615c
This young woman is free.
5.2.616
What, my female slave free, to whom I have never given her liberty?
5.2.617
Who gave you possession of her, or of whom did you buy her? Let me know that?
5.2.618
Why, I paid the money for her through my banker—a sum which I’ll have refunded to me fourfold by you and the Procurer.
5.2.620
You, who understand how to traffic in young women, kidnapped and of free birth, come you before the judge.
5.2.621b
I shan’t come.
5.2.621c
I may call my witness to the summons.
5.2.621d
No, you mayn’t.
5.2.622
May Jupiter then utterly confound you: live without witnesses then.
5.2.623
But I’m a person that he may summon.
5.2.623a
Do you step this way.
5.2.623b
What? A slave summoned as a witness?
5.2.623c
Take you care.
5.2.624_625
Well, that you may know it, I’m free.
5.2.624_625a
Then come before the judge.
5.2.624_625b
There’s for you: take that.
5.2.626
O townsmen, townsmen, help.
5.2.626b
Why do you bawl so?
5.2.626c
What right have you to strike him?

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