Plautus, Menaechmi, Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), 2.1

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226 (Enter MENAECHMUS SOSICLES and MESSENIO.)

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

There’s no greater pleasure to voyagers, in my notion, Messenio, than at the moment when from sea they espy the land afar.

MESSENIO

There is a greater, I’ll say it without subterfuge,—if on your arrival you see the land that is your own.

But, prithee, why are we now come to Epidamnus? Why, like the sea, are we going round all the islands?
230

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

To seek for my own twin-brother born?

MESSENIO

Why, what end is there to be of searching for him? This is the sixth year that we’ve devoted our attention to this business.

We have been already carried round the Istrians¹, the Hispanians, the Massilians, the Illyrians, all the Upper Adriatic Sea, and foreign Greece ², and all the shores of Italy , wherever the sea reaches them. If you had been searching for a needle, I do believe you would, long ere this, have found the needle, if it were visible.
235

Among the living are we seeking a person that’s dead; for long ago should we have found him if he had been alive.
240

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

For that reason I am looking for a person to give me that information for certain, who can say that he knows that he really is dead; after that I shall never take any trouble in seeking further.

But otherwise I shall never, while I’m alive, desist; I know how dear he is to my heart.
245

MESSENIO

You are seeking a knot in a bulrush³. Why don’t we return homeward hence, unless we are to write a history⁴?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

Have done with your witty sayings, and be on your guard against a mischief.

Don’t you be troublesome; this matter shan’t be done at your bidding.
250

MESSENIO

(aside.)

Aye, aye; by that same expression do I rest assured that I’m a slave; he couldn’t in a few words have said more in a plain-spoken way. But still I can’t restrain myself from speaking. (Aloud.) Do you hear, Menaechmus? When I look in the purse,

I find, i’ faith, we’re only equipped for our journey like summer travellers⁵. By my troth, I guess, if you don’t be returning home, while you’re seeking your twin-brother, you’ll surely be groaning⁶, when you have nothing left. For such is this race of people; among the men of Epidamnus there are debauchees and very great drinkers;
255

swindlers besides, and many wheedlers are living in this city; then the women in the harlot line are said nowhere in the world to be more captivating. The name of Epidamnus was given to this city for the very reason, because hardly any person sojourns here without some damnable mishaps⁷.
260

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’ll guard against that. Just give me the purse this way.
265

MESSENIO

What do you want with it?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’m apprehensive then about yourself, from your expressions.

MESSENIO

Why are you apprehensive?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

Lest you should cause me some damnable mishap in Epidamnus. You are a great admirer of the women, Messenio, and I’m a passionate man, of an unmanageable disposition;

of both these things will I have a care, when I’ve got the money, that you shall not commit a fault, and that I shall not be in a passion with you.
270

MESSENIO

(giving him the purse.)

Take and keep it; with all my heart you may do so.

Menaechmi. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2.

Current edition Perseus

Menaechmi, or The Twin Brothers (English) (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.)

Editions (1)

Menaechmi Perseus (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 1. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1895.) — 2.1 focus

226

Menaechmvs

Voluptas nullast navitis, Messenio,

maior meo animo, quam quom ex alto procul

terram conspiciunt.

Messenio

Maior, non dicam dolo,

quam si adveniens terram videas quae fuerit tua.

sed quaeso, quam ob rem nunc Epidamnum venimus?
230

an quasi mare omnis circumimus insulas?

Menaechmvs

Fratrem quaesitum geminum germanum meum.

Messenio

Nam quid modi futurum est illum quaerere?

hic annus sextust postquam ei reí operam damus.

Histros, Hispanos, Massiliensis, Hilurios,
235

mare superum omne Graeciamque exoticam

orasque Italicas omnis, qua adgreditur mare,

sumus círcumvecti. sí acum, credo, quaereres,

acum invenisses, si appareret, iam diu.

hominem inter vivos quaeritamus mortuom;
240

nam invenissemus iam diu, si viveret.

Menaechmvs

Ergo istuc quaero certum qui faciat mihi,

qui sese dicat scire eum esse emortuom:

operam praeterea numquam sumam quaerere.

verum aliter vivos numquam desistam exsequi.
245

ego illúm scio quam cordi sit carus meo.

Messenio

In scirpo nodum quaeris. quin nos hinc domum

redimus, nisi si historiam scripturi sumus?

Menaechmvs

Dictum facessas, datum edis, caveas malo.

molestus ne sis, non tuo hoc fiet modo.
250

Messenio

Em

illoc enim vérbo esse me servom scio.

non potuit paucis plura plane proloqui.

verum tamen néqueo contineri quin loquar.

audin, Menaechme? quom inspicio marsuppium,

viaticati hercle admodum aestive sumus.
255

ne tu hercle, opinor, nisi domum revorteris,

ubi nihil habebis, geminum dum quaeres, gemes.

nam ita est haec hominum natio: in Epidamnieis

voluptárii atque potatores maxumi;

tum sycophantae et palpatores plurumi
260

in urbe hac habitant; tum meretrices mulieres

nusquam perhibentur blandiores gentium.

propterea huic urbi nomen Epidamno inditumst,

quia nemo ferme huc sine damno devortitur.

Menaechmvs

Ego istúc cavebo. cedo dum huc mihi marsuppium.
265

Messenio

Quid eo vis?

Menaechmvs

Iam aps te metuo de verbis tuis.

Messenio

Quid metuis?

Menaechmvs

Ne mihi damnum in Epidamno duis.

tu magnus amator mulierum es, Messenio,

ego autem homo iracundus, animi perditi;

id utrumque, argentum quando habebo, cavero,
270

ne tu delinquas neve ego irascar tibi.

Messenio

Cape atque serva. me lubente feceris.

Notes on the current edition

Menaechmi, or The Twin Brothers

1. The Istrians: The Istrians were a people of the north of Italy , near the Adriatic Sea , and adjoining to Illyricum . The Illyrians inhabited the countries now called Dalmatia and Sclavonia. The Massilians were the natives of the city of Massilia , now called Marseilles , in the south of France, where Pontius Pilate ended his days in banishment. The Hispani were the inhabitants of Hispania , now Spain .

2. And foreign Greece : The Graecia exotica, or foreign Greece , here mentioned, was the southern part of Italy , which was also called Magna Graecia, in consequence of the great number of Grecian settlements there. The Greeks were in the habit of calling the Sicilians and Calabrians Ἕλληνασ ἐξωτικούς, barbarian or foreign Greeks.

3. In a bulrush: Those who made difficulties when there really was no difficulty at all, were said in scirpo nodum quaerere to seek a knot in a bulrush, the stem of which is perfectly smooth.

4. To write a history: A narrative or history of their travels. Boxhorn thinks that the remark alludes to the voyage of Ulysses, a counterpart of which voyage could not be written without great personal observation, and an extensive knowledge of geography.

5. Like summer travellers: Of course lighter garments and a less weight of luggage would be carried by travellers in the heat of summer

6. You’ll surely be groaning: He intends a puerile play upon the resemblance of the words gemes, will be groaning, and geminum, twin-brother.

7. Some damnable mishap: Sine damno, Literally, without mischief or mishap. He puns on the resemblance of damnum to Epidamnum. An attempt has been made in the translation to preserve the resemblance in some degree.

Plautus Menaechmi 2.1

Henry Thomas Riley (Translator)

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MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

There’s no greater pleasure to voyagers, in my notion, Messenio, than at the moment when from sea they espy the land afar.

MESSENIO

There is a greater, I’ll say it without subterfuge,—if on your arrival you see the land that is your own.

But, prithee, why are we now come to Epidamnus? Why, like the sea, are we going round all the islands?
230

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

To seek for my own twin-brother born?

MESSENIO

You are seeking a knot in a bulrush³. Why don’t we return homeward hence, unless we are to write a history⁴?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

Have done with your witty sayings, and be on your guard against a mischief.

Don’t you be troublesome; this matter shan’t be done at your bidding.
250

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’ll guard against that. Just give me the purse this way.
265

MESSENIO

What do you want with it?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’m apprehensive then about yourself, from your expressions.

MESSENIO

Why are you apprehensive?

MESSENIO

(giving him the purse.)

Take and keep it; with all my heart you may do so.

Current edition Perseus

Menaechmvs

Voluptas nullast navitis, Messenio,

maior meo animo, quam quom ex alto procul

terram conspiciunt.

Messenio

Maior, non dicam dolo,

quam si adveniens terram videas quae fuerit tua.

sed quaeso, quam ob rem nunc Epidamnum venimus?
230

an quasi mare omnis circumimus insulas?

Menaechmvs

Fratrem quaesitum geminum germanum meum.

Menaechmvs

Ergo istuc quaero certum qui faciat mihi,

qui sese dicat scire eum esse emortuom:

operam praeterea numquam sumam quaerere.

verum aliter vivos numquam desistam exsequi.
245

ego illúm scio quam cordi sit carus meo.

Messenio

In scirpo nodum quaeris. quin nos hinc domum

redimus, nisi si historiam scripturi sumus?

Menaechmvs

Dictum facessas, datum edis, caveas malo.

molestus ne sis, non tuo hoc fiet modo.
250

Menaechmvs

Ego istúc cavebo. cedo dum huc mihi marsuppium.
265

Messenio

Quid eo vis?

Menaechmvs

Iam aps te metuo de verbis tuis.

Messenio

Quid metuis?

Menaechmvs

Ne mihi damnum in Epidamno duis.

tu magnus amator mulierum es, Messenio,

ego autem homo iracundus, animi perditi;

id utrumque, argentum quando habebo, cavero,
270

ne tu delinquas neve ego irascar tibi.

Messenio

Cape atque serva. me lubente feceris.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES There’s no greater pleasure to voyagers, in my notion, Messenio, than at the moment when from sea they espy the land afar.

MESSENIO There is a greater, I’ll say it without subterfuge,—if on your arrival you see the land that is your own. But, prithee, why are we now come to Epidamnus? Why, like the sea, are we going round all the islands? 230

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES To seek for my own twin-brother born?

MESSENIO You are seeking a knot in a bulrush 3 . Why don’t we return homeward hence, unless we are to write a history 4 ?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES Have done with your witty sayings, and be on your guard against a mischief. Don’t you be troublesome; this matter shan’t be done at your bidding. 250

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES I’ll guard against that. Just give me the purse this way. 265

MESSENIO What do you want with it?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES I’m apprehensive then about yourself, from your expressions.

MESSENIO Why are you apprehensive?

MESSENIO (giving him the purse.) Take and keep it; with all my heart you may do so.

Current edition Perseus

Menaechmvs Voluptas nullast navitis, Messenio, maior meo animo, quam quom ex alto procul terram conspiciunt.

Messenio Maior, non dicam dolo, quam si adveniens terram videas quae fuerit tua. sed quaeso, quam ob rem nunc Epidamnum venimus? 230 an quasi mare omnis circumimus insulas?

Menaechmvs Fratrem quaesitum geminum germanum meum.

Menaechmvs Ergo istuc quaero certum qui faciat mihi, qui sese dicat scire eum esse emortuom: operam praeterea numquam sumam quaerere. verum aliter vivos numquam desistam exsequi. 245 ego illúm scio quam cordi sit carus meo.

Messenio In scirpo nodum quaeris. quin nos hinc domum redimus, nisi si historiam scripturi sumus?

Menaechmvs Dictum facessas, datum edis, caveas malo. molestus ne sis, non tuo hoc fiet modo. 250

Menaechmvs Ego istúc cavebo. cedo dum huc mihi marsuppium. 265

Messenio Quid eo vis?

Menaechmvs Iam aps te metuo de verbis tuis.

Messenio Quid metuis?

Menaechmvs Ne mihi damnum in Epidamno duis. tu magnus amator mulierum es, Messenio, ego autem homo iracundus, animi perditi; id utrumque, argentum quando habebo, cavero, 270 ne tu delinquas neve ego irascar tibi.

Messenio Cape atque serva. me lubente feceris.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

There’s no greater pleasure to voyagers, in my notion, Messenio, than at the moment when from sea they espy the land afar.

MESSENIO

There is a greater, I’ll say it without subterfuge,—if on your arrival you see the land that is your own.

But, prithee, why are we now come to Epidamnus? Why, like the sea, are we going round all the islands?
230

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

To seek for my own twin-brother born?

MESSENIO

You are seeking a knot in a bulrush³. Why don’t we return homeward hence, unless we are to write a history⁴?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

Have done with your witty sayings, and be on your guard against a mischief.

Don’t you be troublesome; this matter shan’t be done at your bidding.
250

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’ll guard against that. Just give me the purse this way.
265

MESSENIO

What do you want with it?

MENAECHMUS SOSICLES

I’m apprehensive then about yourself, from your expressions.

MESSENIO

Why are you apprehensive?

MESSENIO

(giving him the purse.)

Take and keep it; with all my heart you may do so.

Menaechmvs

Voluptas nullast navitis, Messenio,

maior meo animo, quam quom ex alto procul

terram conspiciunt.

Messenio

Maior, non dicam dolo,

quam si adveniens terram videas quae fuerit tua.

sed quaeso, quam ob rem nunc Epidamnum venimus?
230

an quasi mare omnis circumimus insulas?

Menaechmvs

Fratrem quaesitum geminum germanum meum.

Menaechmvs

Ergo istuc quaero certum qui faciat mihi,

qui sese dicat scire eum esse emortuom:

operam praeterea numquam sumam quaerere.

verum aliter vivos numquam desistam exsequi.
245

ego illúm scio quam cordi sit carus meo.

Messenio

In scirpo nodum quaeris. quin nos hinc domum

redimus, nisi si historiam scripturi sumus?

Menaechmvs

Dictum facessas, datum edis, caveas malo.

molestus ne sis, non tuo hoc fiet modo.
250

Menaechmvs

Ego istúc cavebo. cedo dum huc mihi marsuppium.
265

Messenio

Quid eo vis?

Menaechmvs

Iam aps te metuo de verbis tuis.

Messenio

Quid metuis?

Menaechmvs

Ne mihi damnum in Epidamno duis.

tu magnus amator mulierum es, Messenio,

ego autem homo iracundus, animi perditi;

id utrumque, argentum quando habebo, cavero,
270

ne tu delinquas neve ego irascar tibi.

Messenio

Cape atque serva. me lubente feceris.