T. Maccius Plautus Captivi 5.4

TYNDARUS

(to himself.)

I have seen many of the torments which take place at Acheron ¹ often represented in paintings ² ; but most certainly there is no Acheron equal

to where I have been in the stone-quarries. There, in fine, is the place where real lassitude must be undergone by the body in laboriousness. For when I came there, just as either jackdaws, or ducks, or quails, are given to Patrician children ³ , for them to play with, so in like fashion, when I arrived, a crow was given ⁴ me with which to amuse myself.

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But see, my master’s before the door; and lo! my other master has returned from Elis.

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HEGIO

Hail to you, my much wished-for son.

TYNDARUS

Ha! how—my son? Aye, aye, I know why you pretend yourself to be the father, and me to be the son; it is because, just as parents do, you give me the means of seeing the light ⁵ .

PHILOCRATES

Hail to you, Tyndarus.

TYNDARUS

And to you, for whose sake I am enduring these miseries.

PHILOCRATES

But now I’ll make you in freedom come to wealth. For (pointing to HEGIO) this is your father; (pointing to STALAGMUS) that is the slave who stole you away from here when four years old, and sold you to my father for six minae. He gave you, when a little child, to me a little child for my own service. He (pointing to STALAGMUS) has made a confession, for we have brought him back from Elis.

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TYNDARUS

How, where’s Hegio’s son?

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PHILOCRATES

Look now; indoors is your own brother.

TYNDARUS

How do you say? Have you brought that captive son of his?

PHILOCRATES

Why, he’s in-doors, I say.

TYNDARUS

By my faith, you’ve done both well and happily.

PHILOCRATES

(pointing to HEGIO.)

Now this is your own father; (pointing to STALAGMUS) this is the thief who stole you when a little child.

TYNDARUS

But now, grown up, I shall give him grown up to the executioner for his thieving.

PHILOCRATES

He deserves it.

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TYNDARUS

I’ faith, I’ll deservedly give him the reward that he deserves. (To HEGIO.) But tell me I pray you, are you my father?

HEGIO

I am he, my son.

TYNDARUS

Now, at length, I bring it to my recollection, when I reconsider with myself: troth, I do now at last recall to memory that I had heard, as though through a mist, that my father was called Hegio.

HEGIO

I am he.

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PHILOCRATES

I pray that your son may be lightened of these fetters, and this slave be loaded with them.

HEGIO

I’m resolved that that shall be the first thing attended to. Let’s go in-doors, that the blacksmith may be sent for, in order that I may remove those fetters from you, and give them to him. (They go into the house.)

STALAGMUS

To one who has no savings of his own, you’ll be rightly doing so ⁶ .

COMPANY of PLAYERS

(coming forward.)

Spectators, this play is founded on chaste manners.

No wenching is there in this, and no intriguing, no exposure of a child, no cheating out of money; and no young man in love here make his mistress free without his father’s knowledge. The Poets find but few Comedies ⁷ of this kind, where good men might become better. Now, if it pleases you,

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and if we have pleased you, and have not been tedious, do you give this sign of it: you who wish that chaste manners should have their reward, give us your applause.

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