T. Maccius Plautus, Bacchides, ed. Friedrich Leo, 4.3

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612

Mnesilochvs

Pétulans, protervo íracundo ánimo, indomito incógitato,

sine modo et modestia sum, sine bono iure atque honore,

incredibilis imposque animi, ínamabilis inlepidus vivo,

malevolente ingenio natus. postremo id mi est quod volo
615

ego esse áliis. credibile hóc est?

nequiór nemost neque indígnior quoi

di béne faciant neque quém quisquam

homo aút amet aut ádeat.

inimícos quam amícos aequómst med habére,

malós quam bonós par magís me iuváre.

ómnibus probris, quae ímprobis viris
620

dígna sunt, dígnior núllus est homo;

quí patri réddidi omne aúrum amans, mihi

quód fuit praé manu. súmne ego homo miser?

pérdidi mé simulque óperam Chrysali.

Pistoclervs

Consólandus hic mist, íbo ad eum.
625

Mnesíloche, quid fit?

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

Pistoclervs

Di mélius faciant.

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

Pistoclervs

Non táces, insipiens?

Mnesilochvs

Táceam?

Pistoclervs

Sanús satis non es.

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

múlta mala mi in péctore nunc ácria atque acérba eveniunt.

criminin me habuisse fídem? immérito tibi íratus fui.

Pistoclervs

Heia, bonum habe ánimum.
630

Mnesilochvs

Vnde habeam? mortuos pluris pretist

quam égo sum.

Pistoclervs

Militis parasitus venerat modo aurum petere hinc,

eum ego meis dictis malis his foribus atque hac platea abegi;

reppuli, reieci hominem.

Mnesilochvs

Quid mi id prodest? quom ipse veniet,

quid faciam? nil habeo miser. ille quidem hanc abducet, scio.

Pistoclervs

Si mihi sit, nón pollicear.
635

Mnesilochvs

Scio, dares, novi tuom.

sed nisi ames, non habeam tibi fidem tantam; eó quod amas tamen

nunc agitas sat tute tuarum rérum; sin libér sies

egone ut opem mi ferre posse pútem inopem te? non potest.

Pistoclervs

Tace modo: deus respiciet nos aliquis.

Mnesilochvs

Nugae. vale.

Pistoclervs

Mane.

Mnesilochvs

Quid est?

Pistoclervs

Tuam cópiam eccam Chrysalum video. tace.

Bacchides. T. Maccius Plautus. ed. Friedrich Leo. Berlin. 1895.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Bacchides (Latin) (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 1. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1895.)

Translations (1)

Bacchides, or The Twin Sisters Perseus (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.) — 4.3 focus

612 (Enter MNESILOCHUS from the house of BACCHIS.)

MNESILOCHUS

Insolent, of a froward, passionate, ungovernable, inconsiderate disposition, without reason and moderation, am I; without fine principles of rectitude and honor, hard of belief, powerless to control my passions,

born of a temper ill-disposed, unamiable and ungracious is my life¹. In fine, I am that which I could wish others to be. There’s not a person more worthless, or more unworthy for the Gods to bless, or for men to love or to associate with.
615

’Tis more just that I should have enemies than friends—’tis more reasonable that the bad should give me their assistance than the good.

There’s not a person more deserving of all the reproaches that are befitting worthless men, than I, who have given up to my father the money that was in my power. Could this be believed by any one whatever? Am I not a madman, who have miserably undone myself and the device of Chrysalus?
620

PISTOCLERUS

(aside.)

He must now be consoled by me; I’ll accost him. (Aloud.) Hallo, Mnesilochus! what’s the matter?
625

MNESILOCHUS

I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS

May the Gods grant better things!

MNESILOCHUS

I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS

Won’t you hold your tongue, simpleton?

MNESILOCHUS

Hold my tongue?

PISTOCLERUS

You are not now quite right in your senses.

MNESILOCHUS

I’m undone. Many sharp and poignant woes are now arising in my breast. Did I not put faith in that accusation? Without any cause was I angry with you.

PISTOCLERUS

Come, come, do have a good heart.
630

MNESILOCHUS

Whence have it? A dead man is of more value than I am.

PISTOCLERUS

The Captain’s Parasite came here, just now, to fetch the gold hence. I drove the fellow away from this door and from this fair one, and packed him off through my harsh language.

MNESILOCHUS

But of what service is that to me? Wretch that I am, what shall I do? I have nothing; and he certainly will carry her off.

PISTOCLERUS

By my faith, if I had the means, I’d engage not.
635

MNESILOCHUS

I know you’d give it me; I know your ways; and were you not in love, I should now have the very greatest possible confidence in your assistance. At present, you yourself have more than enough of your own business, for me to suppose that you, who are in want yourself; are able to give me any assistance.

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Pistoclervs Consólandus hic mist, íbo ad eum. 625 Mnesíloche, quid fit?

Mnesilochvs Périi.

Pistoclervs Di mélius faciant.

Mnesilochvs Périi.

Pistoclervs Non táces, insipiens?

Mnesilochvs Táceam?

Pistoclervs Sanús satis non es.

Mnesilochvs Périi. múlta mala mi in péctore nunc ácria atque acérba eveniunt. criminin me habuisse fídem? immérito tibi íratus fui.

Pistoclervs Heia, bonum habe ánimum. 630

Mnesilochvs Vnde habeam? mortuos pluris pretist quam égo sum.

Pistoclervs Militis parasitus venerat modo aurum petere hinc, eum ego meis dictis malis his foribus atque hac platea abegi; reppuli, reieci hominem.

Mnesilochvs Quid mi id prodest? quom ipse veniet, quid faciam? nil habeo miser. ille quidem hanc abducet, scio.

Pistoclervs Si mihi sit, nón pollicear. 635

Mnesilochvs Scio, dares, novi tuom. sed nisi ames, non habeam tibi fidem tantam; eó quod amas tamen nunc agitas sat tute tuarum rérum; sin libér sies egone ut opem mi ferre posse pútem inopem te? non potest.

Pistoclervs Tace modo: deus respiciet nos aliquis.

Mnesilochvs Nugae. vale.

Pistoclervs Mane.

Mnesilochvs Quid est?

Pistoclervs Tuam cópiam eccam Chrysalum video. tace.

Current edition Perseus

PISTOCLERUS (aside.) He must now be consoled by me; I’ll accost him. (Aloud.) Hallo, Mnesilochus! what’s the matter? 625

MNESILOCHUS I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS May the Gods grant better things!

MNESILOCHUS I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS Won’t you hold your tongue, simpleton?

MNESILOCHUS Hold my tongue?

PISTOCLERUS You are not now quite right in your senses.

MNESILOCHUS I’m undone. Many sharp and poignant woes are now arising in my breast. Did I not put faith in that accusation? Without any cause was I angry with you.

PISTOCLERUS Come, come, do have a good heart. 630

MNESILOCHUS Whence have it? A dead man is of more value than I am.

PISTOCLERUS The Captain’s Parasite came here, just now, to fetch the gold hence. I drove the fellow away from this door and from this fair one, and packed him off through my harsh language.

MNESILOCHUS But of what service is that to me? Wretch that I am, what shall I do? I have nothing; and he certainly will carry her off.

PISTOCLERUS By my faith, if I had the means, I’d engage not. 635

PISTOCLERUS Do but hold your tongue: some Divinity will favour us.

MNESILOCHUS. Nonsense. (Moves as if going.)

PISTOCLERUS Do stay. (Takes hold of him.)

MNESILOCHUS What’s the matter?

PISTOCLERUS Why, I see Chrysalus here, your main resource.

Stable identifiers

Pistoclervs

Consólandus hic mist, íbo ad eum.
625

Mnesíloche, quid fit?

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

Pistoclervs

Di mélius faciant.

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

Pistoclervs

Non táces, insipiens?

Mnesilochvs

Táceam?

Pistoclervs

Sanús satis non es.

Mnesilochvs

Périi.

múlta mala mi in péctore nunc ácria atque acérba eveniunt.

criminin me habuisse fídem? immérito tibi íratus fui.

Pistoclervs

Heia, bonum habe ánimum.
630

Mnesilochvs

Vnde habeam? mortuos pluris pretist

quam égo sum.

Pistoclervs

Militis parasitus venerat modo aurum petere hinc,

eum ego meis dictis malis his foribus atque hac platea abegi;

reppuli, reieci hominem.

Mnesilochvs

Quid mi id prodest? quom ipse veniet,

quid faciam? nil habeo miser. ille quidem hanc abducet, scio.

Pistoclervs

Si mihi sit, nón pollicear.
635

Mnesilochvs

Scio, dares, novi tuom.

sed nisi ames, non habeam tibi fidem tantam; eó quod amas tamen

nunc agitas sat tute tuarum rérum; sin libér sies

egone ut opem mi ferre posse pútem inopem te? non potest.

Pistoclervs

Tace modo: deus respiciet nos aliquis.

Mnesilochvs

Nugae. vale.

Pistoclervs

Mane.

Mnesilochvs

Quid est?

Pistoclervs

Tuam cópiam eccam Chrysalum video. tace.

PISTOCLERUS

(aside.)

He must now be consoled by me; I’ll accost him. (Aloud.) Hallo, Mnesilochus! what’s the matter?
625

MNESILOCHUS

I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS

May the Gods grant better things!

MNESILOCHUS

I’m ruined.

PISTOCLERUS

Won’t you hold your tongue, simpleton?

MNESILOCHUS

Hold my tongue?

PISTOCLERUS

You are not now quite right in your senses.

MNESILOCHUS

I’m undone. Many sharp and poignant woes are now arising in my breast. Did I not put faith in that accusation? Without any cause was I angry with you.

PISTOCLERUS

Come, come, do have a good heart.
630

MNESILOCHUS

Whence have it? A dead man is of more value than I am.

PISTOCLERUS

The Captain’s Parasite came here, just now, to fetch the gold hence. I drove the fellow away from this door and from this fair one, and packed him off through my harsh language.

MNESILOCHUS

But of what service is that to me? Wretch that I am, what shall I do? I have nothing; and he certainly will carry her off.

PISTOCLERUS

By my faith, if I had the means, I’d engage not.
635

PISTOCLERUS

Do but hold your tongue: some Divinity will favour us.

MNESILOCHUS.

Nonsense.

(Moves as if going.)

PISTOCLERUS

Do stay.

(Takes hold of him.)

MNESILOCHUS

What’s the matter?

PISTOCLERUS

Why, I see Chrysalus here, your main resource.