Plautus Poenulus 5.1

1. Hyth alonim: These eighteen lines (or, at least, the first ten) are in Punic, the native language of Hanno. The following is the meaning of them, as given by Plautus in the next eleven lines: I worship the Gods and Goddesses who preside over this city, that I may have come hither with good omen as to this business of mine, on which I have come; and, ye Gods, lend me your aid, that you may permit me to find my daughters and the son of my cousin; those who were stolen away from me, and his son from my cousin. But here lived formerly my guest Antidamas. They say that he has done that which he was doomed to do. They say that his son Agorastocles lives here. To him am I carrying with me this token of hospitality. He has been pointed as living in this neighbourhood. I’ll make enquiry of these who are coming hither out of doors. The learned Bochart, in his Phaleg, considers that the first ten lines are Punic, and that the other eight are, possibly, Lybic, of which the sense had been previously given in Punic; and, in fact, he quite despaired of translating them. His translation of the first ten very nearly agrees with that given by Plautus himself. Samuel Petit, in his Miscellanea, considers the whole to be Hebrew, and translates his version (which consists of sixteen lines) as follows: 1. Give ear and attend, O Gods and Goddesses, under whose protection are the men of this city. 2. Receive as acceptable my prayers and my integrity. Two daughters did I beget, my strength. 3. Urged on by fate, I caused them on each feast-day of the Gods to go to the gardens. 4. With much rejoicing, and on the day of song, there was a void. 5. The girls, being stolen, forsook me. Whither shall I go, pacing all chambers? 6. Where is he who bore them away? that I may remove the helplessness of my sorrow which he produces for me like fruit, in being the father of, and rearing, children. 7. They have said that here, assuredly, Agorastocles lives. 8. I have a token of hospitality, the likeness of Saturn (I’m carrying it), 9. Between us. May there be some end for my journey, that rest at last may be afforded to my integrity. 10. So that alone and wretched and afflicted I may not wander to and fro but rather that I may meet with my children, and pay my vows and oblations 11. To the Gods and Goddesses whom I’ve invoked as my advisers and assistants, 12. To purify my house from the griefs with which I was affected when I praised them. But they heard not my words, and I am most afflicted and am despondent in mind. 13. O my hope, come hither, and whatever troubles await me, cause me to endure them. Take courage from the truth of oracles, and of the responses of the God τᾶ from divinations, and forewarnings, and prodigies. 14. Be thou speedily fulfilled; arouse thyself and pray. Would that they could hear: grief would depart from a devout parent, and I should recognize Aristocles, my brother’s son. 15. Attentively hear this lamentation, O God, my power, make haste to the truth of thy promise of my exaltation, O God, and my evil odours shall cease. 16. Lo! from henceforth will I to the best of my means show honor, sacrificing spelt to all the Gods, and singing praises!!!