T. Maccius Plautus, Poenulus, ed. Friedrich Leo, 3.3

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615

Lycvs

Iam ego istúc revortar, miles: convivas volo
615

reperire nobis commodos, qui una sient;

interibi attulerint exta, atque eádem mulieres

iam ab re divina credo apparebunt domi.

sed quid huc tantum hominum incedunt? ecquidnam adferunt?

et illé chlamydatus quisnam est, qui sequitur procul?
620

Advocati

Aetoli cives te salutamus, Lyce,

quamquam hanc salutem ferimus inviti tibi.

Lycvs

Fortunati omnes sitis, quod certo scio

nec fore nec fortunam id situram fieri.

Advocati

Istic ést thensaurus stultis in lingua situs,
625

ut quaestui habeant male loqui melioribus.

Lycvs

Viam qui nescit, qua deveniat ad mare,

eum oportet amnem quaerere comitem sibi.

ego male loquendi vobis nescivi viam:

nunc vos mihi amnes estis; vos certum est sequi:
630

si bene dicetis, vostra ripa vos sequar,

si male dicetis, vostro gradiar limite.

Advocati

Malo bene facere tantundemst periculum

quantum bono male facere.

Lycvs

Qui vero?

Advocati

Scies.

malo si quid bene facias, id beneficium interit;
635

bono si quid male facias, aetatem expetit.

Lycvs

Facete dictum. sed quid istúc ad me attinet?

Advocati

Quia nos honoris tui causa ad te venimus,

quamquam bene volumus leniter lenonibus.

Lycvs

Si quid boni adportatis, habeo gratiam.
640

Advocati

Boni de nostro tibi nec ferimus nec damus

neque pollicemur, neque adeo volumus datum.

Lycvs

Credo hercle vobis: ita vestra est benignitas.

sed quid nunc voltis?

Advocati

Hunc chlamydatum quem vides,

ei Mars iratust.
645

Collybiscvs

Capiti vestro istuc quidem.

Advocati

Nunc hunc, Lyce, ad te diripiundum adducimus.

Collybiscvs

Cum praeda hic hodie incedet venator domum:

canes compellunt in plagas lepide lupum.

Lycvs

Quis hic est?

Advocati

Nescimus nos quidem istum qui siet;

nisi dudum mane ut ad portum processimus,
650

atque istum e navi éxeuntem oneraria

videmus. adiit ad nos extemplo exiens;

salutat, respondemus.

Collybiscvs

Mortalis malos,

ut ingrediuntur docte in sycophantiam.

Lycvs

Quid deinde?
655

Advocati

Sermonem ibi nobiscum copulat.

ait sé peregrinum esse huius ignarum oppidi;

locum sibi velle liberum praeberier,

ubi nequam faciat. nos hominem ad te adduximus.

tu si te di amant, agere tuam rem occasiost.

Lycvs

Itane?
660

Advocati

Ille est cupiens, aurum habet.

Lycvs

Praeda haec meast.

Advocati

Potare, amare volt.

Lycvs

Locum lepidum dabo.

Advocati

At enim hic clam furtim ésse volt, ne quis sciat

neve arbiter sit. nam hic latro in Sparta fuit,

ut quidem ipse nobis dixit, apud regem Attalum;

inde huc aufugit, quoniam capitur oppidum.
665

Collybiscvs

Nimis lépide de latrone, de Sparta optume.

Lycvs

Di deaeque vobis multa bona dent, quom mihi

et bene praecipitis et bonam praedam datis.

Advocati

Immo ut ipse nobis dixit, quo accures magis,

trecentos nummos Philippos portat praesidi.
670

Lycvs

Rex sum, si ego illum hodie ad me hominem adlexero.

Advocati

Quin hic quidem tuos est.

Lycvs

Opsecro hercle hortamini,

ut devortatur ad me in hospitium optumum.

Advocati

Neque nos hortari neque dehortari decet

hominem peregrinum: tuam rem tú ages, si sapis.
675

nos tibi palumbem ad aream usque adduximus:

nunc te illum meliust capere, si captum esse vis.

Collybiscvs

Iamne itis? quid quod vobis mandavi, hospites?

Advocati

Cum illoc te meliust tuam rem, ádulescens, loqui:

illic ést ad istas res probus, quas quaeritas.
680

Collybiscvs

Videre equidem vos vellem, quom huic aurum darem.

Advocati

Illinc procul nos istuc inspectabimus.

Collybiscvs

Bonam dedistis mihi operam.

Lycvs

It ad me lucrum.

Collybiscvs

Illud quidem quorsum asinus caedit calcibus.

Lycvs

Blande hominem compellabo. hóspes hospitem
685

salutat. salvom te advenire gaudeo.

Collybiscvs

Multa tibi di dent bona, quom me salvom esse vis.

Lycvs

Hospitium te aiunt quaeritare.

Collybiscvs

Quaerito.

Lycvs

Ita illí dixerunt, qui hinc a me abierunt modo,

te quaeritare a muscis.
690

Collybiscvs

Minime gentium.

Lycvs

Quid itá?

Collybiscvs

Quia a muscis si mi hospitium quaererem,

adveniens irem in carcerem recta via.

ego id quaero hospitium, ubi ego curer mollius,

quam regi Antiocho óculi curari solent.

Lycvs

Edepol ne tibi illud possum festivom dare,
695

siquidém potes ésse te pati in lepido loco,

in lecto lepide strato lepidam mulierem

complexum contrectare.

Collybiscvs

Is, leno, viam.

Lycvs

Vbi tu Leucadio, Lesbio, Thasio, Chio,

vetustáte vino edentulo aetatem inriges;
700

ibi ego te replebo usque unguentum geumatis,

quid multa verba? faciam, ubi tu laveris,

ibi ut bálneator faciat unguentariam.

sed haec latrocinantur, quae ego dixi, omnia.

Collybiscvs

Quid itá?
705

Lycvs

Quia aurum poscunt praesentarium.

Collybiscvs

Quin hercle accipere tu non mavis quam ego dare.

Advocati

Quid si evocemus huc foras Agorastoclem,

ut ipsus testis sit sibi certissumus?

heus tu, qui furem captas, egredere ocius,

ut tute inspectes aurum lenoni dari.
710

Poenulus. T. Maccius Plautus. ed. Friedrich Leo. Berlin. 1896.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Poenulus (Latin) (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 2. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1896.)

Translations (1)

Poenulus, or The Young Carthaginian Perseus (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 2. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1913.) — 3.3 focus

615 (Enter LYCUS, from his house.)

LYCUS

(speaking to ANTHEMONIDES, within .)

I’ll return here this moment, Captain. I wish to find us some fitting guests, to join us. Meanwhile, they’ll bring the entrails; and at the same time, the women, I suppose, will soon be making their appearance at home after the sacrifice. But why are such a number of people coming this way? I wonder what they are bringing?
615

He, too, in the scarf, that’s following at a distance, who is he, I wonder? He is not an Aetolian.
620

ADVOCATI

We greet you, Lycus. Although against our will, we give you this salutation, and although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS

May you all be fortunate—a thing that I know for certain you neither will be, nor will Fortune permit it so to be.

ADVOCATI

That is a treasure hoarded in the tongues of fools, to deem it gainful to speak amiss to their superiors.
625

LYCUS

He who knows not the road by which to arrive at the sea, him it befits to seek a river as his own companion. I know not the way of speaking abusively to you.

Now you are the rivers to me; you I’m resolved to follow. If you speak blessings, along your banks I’ll follow you; if you utter curses, along your track I’ll go.
630

ADVOCATI

To do good to the bad is a danger just as great as to do bad to the good.

LYCUS

But why?

ADVOCATI

You shall learn.

If you do any good to the bad, the benefit is lost: if you do any bad to the good, it lasts for a length of time.
635

LYCUS

Cleverly said! But what does that matter to me?

ADVOCATI

Because for the sake of your own well-doing we came hither, although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS

If you bring anything that’s good, I give you thanks.
640

ADVOCATI

Of our own, we neither bring nor give you anything that’s good, nor do we promise you, nor, in fact, do we wish to give it.

LYCUS

I’ faith, I do believe yon; such is your kindly feeling. But what now do you wish?

ADVOCATI

(pointing to COLLYBISCUS)

This person in the scarf, whom you see,

with him Mars is angered.
645

COLLYBISCUS

(aside, to himself.)

May he be so indeed with your own heads!

ADVOCATI

We are now bringing him here, Lycus, to you, for tearing asunder¹.

COLLYBISCUS

(aside, to himself.)

This huntsman, myself, will be going home to-day with some spoil; the dogs are cleverly driving Lycus into the toils.

LYCUS

Who is this person?

ADVOCATI

We really don’t know who he is, except that some time since, after daybreak, when we went down to the harbour,

at the same moment we saw him landing from a merchant-ship. Disembarking, he came up to us at once—he saluted us; we answered him.
650

COLLYBISCUS

(aside.)

The artful fellows! how cleverly they do enter upon the plot!

LYCUS

What after that?
655

ADVOCATI

Then he joined in discourse with us: he said that he was a foreigner, unacquainted with this city: that he wanted a convenient place to be found here, for him to indulge his appetite. We brought the man to you; if the Gods are favourable to you, it’s an opportunity for you to ply your trade.

LYCUS

Is he eager to that degree?
660

ADVOCATI

He has got gold.

LYCUS

(aside.)

That booty is mine.

ADVOCATI

He wishes to drink and wench.

LYCUS

I’ll find him a nice place.

ADVOCATI

But still he wants to be quite private, in a quiet way, that no persons may know it, and that there may be no overlookers; for he has been a soldier in Sparta, as, indeed, he himself has told us, with King Attalus²;

from there he fled hither, when the town was surrendered.
665

COLLYBISCUS

(aside.)

Very clever that, about the soldier! about Sparta, most capital!

LYCUS

(in a low voice.)

May the Gods and Goddesses bestow many blessings on you, for having given me kindly information, and finding me a choice prey.

ADVOCATI

Aye, and, as he himself has told us, that you may receive him the better,

he has brought three hundred Philippean pieces as a provision.
670

LYCUS

I’m a king if I can to-day entice this man to my house.

ADVOCATI

Nay but, he really is your own.

LYCUS

By my troth, prithee, do persuade him to take up his abode at my house, as the best lodging.

ADVOCATI

It befit us neither to persuade nor to dissuade

a person who is a foreigner; you’ll transact your own business, if you are prudent. We have brought the ringdove for you, even to the trapping-ground; now it’s better for yourself to catch him, if you wish him to be caught.
675
(They move as if going.)

LYCUS

Are you going now?

COLLYBISCUS

(to the ASSISTANTS.)

What about the matters that I commissioned you upon, strangers?³

ADVOCATI

(pointing to LYCUS.)

It’s better for you, young sir, to speak to him about your own concerns;

he’s clever in those matters which you are enquiring about.
680

COLLYBISCUS

(aside.)

But, for my part, I could like you to see when I deliver him the gold.

ADVOCATI

(aside.)

At a distance there we shall be witnesses of that.

COLLYBISCUS

(to the ASSISTANTS.)

You’ve given me kind assistance.

(The ASSISTANTS go out of sight.

LYCUS

(aside, so as to be heard.)

The profit comes to me.

COLLYBISCUS

(aside, to himself.)

Age, just so, indeed, the way that the ass kicks⁴ with his heels.

LYCUS

I’ll speak the fellow fairly. (To COLLYBISCUS.) A stranger salutes a stranger; I’m glad that you have arrived in safety.
685

COLLYBISCUS

May the Deities grant you many blessings, since you wish me well.

LYCUS

They say that you are in search of a lodging.

COLLYBISCUS

I am in search.

LYCUS

So those persons told me, who left me just now,

that you are in search of one that is free from flies.
690

COLLYBISCUS

By no means in the world.

LYCUS

Why so?

COLLYBISCUS

Because if I had been looking for a retreat from the flies⁵, on arriving here I should have straightway gone to gaol. I’m in search of this kind of lodging, where I may be treated more delicately than the eyes of King Antiochus⁶ are in the habit of being treated.

LYCUS

Upon my faith, for sure, I can provide you a charming one, if, indeed, you can put up with yourself being in a charming room, on a couch charmingly laid, a charming damsel cuddling you.
695

COLLYBISCUS

You are in the right road, Procurer.

LYCUS

Where, with Leucadian, Lesbian, Thasian, and Coan

wine⁷, toothless with old age⁸, you may soak yourself. There I’ll quite drench you with the effusion of unguents. Why many words? I’ll cause, when you’ve bathed, the bathkeeper to set up unguent-shop there. But (speaking confidentially) all these things that I have mentioned let out their services for pay.
700

COLLYBISCUS

Why so?
705

LYCUS

Because they demand ready money.

COLLYBISCUS

Why, upon my faith, you are not more ready to receive than I to give.

LYCUS

⁹ Why then follow me in-doors.

COLLYBISCUS

¹⁰ Lead me in-doors, then; you’ve got me devoted to your will.

(The ASSISTANTS come forward. LYCUS and COLLYBISCUS go apart.)

ADVOCATI

(among themselves.)

What if we call Agorastocles hither out of doors, that he himself may be his own witness, past all exception? (They go to the door of AGORASTOCLES and call out, in a loud whisper. Hallo! you that are to catch the thief, come out quickly, that you yourself may witness him giving the gold to the Procurer.

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Advocati Aetoli cives te salutamus, Lyce, quamquam hanc salutem ferimus inviti tibi.

Lycvs Fortunati omnes sitis, quod certo scio nec fore nec fortunam id situram fieri.

Advocati Istic ést thensaurus stultis in lingua situs, 625 ut quaestui habeant male loqui melioribus.

Lycvs Viam qui nescit, qua deveniat ad mare, eum oportet amnem quaerere comitem sibi. ego male loquendi vobis nescivi viam: nunc vos mihi amnes estis; vos certum est sequi: 630 si bene dicetis, vostra ripa vos sequar, si male dicetis, vostro gradiar limite.

Advocati Malo bene facere tantundemst periculum quantum bono male facere.

Lycvs Qui vero?

Advocati Scies. malo si quid bene facias, id beneficium interit; 635 bono si quid male facias, aetatem expetit.

Lycvs Facete dictum. sed quid istúc ad me attinet?

Advocati Quia nos honoris tui causa ad te venimus, quamquam bene volumus leniter lenonibus.

Lycvs Si quid boni adportatis, habeo gratiam. 640

Advocati Boni de nostro tibi nec ferimus nec damus neque pollicemur, neque adeo volumus datum.

Lycvs Credo hercle vobis: ita vestra est benignitas. sed quid nunc voltis?

Advocati Hunc chlamydatum quem vides, ei Mars iratust. 645

Collybiscvs Capiti vestro istuc quidem.

Advocati Nunc hunc, Lyce, ad te diripiundum adducimus.

Collybiscvs Cum praeda hic hodie incedet venator domum: canes compellunt in plagas lepide lupum.

Lycvs Quis hic est?

Advocati Nescimus nos quidem istum qui siet; nisi dudum mane ut ad portum processimus, 650 atque istum e navi éxeuntem oneraria videmus. adiit ad nos extemplo exiens; salutat, respondemus.

Collybiscvs Mortalis malos, ut ingrediuntur docte in sycophantiam.

Lycvs Quid deinde? 655

Advocati Sermonem ibi nobiscum copulat. ait sé peregrinum esse huius ignarum oppidi; locum sibi velle liberum praeberier, ubi nequam faciat. nos hominem ad te adduximus. tu si te di amant, agere tuam rem occasiost.

Lycvs Itane? 660

Advocati Ille est cupiens, aurum habet.

Lycvs Praeda haec meast.

Advocati Potare, amare volt.

Lycvs Locum lepidum dabo.

Advocati At enim hic clam furtim ésse volt, ne quis sciat neve arbiter sit. nam hic latro in Sparta fuit, ut quidem ipse nobis dixit, apud regem Attalum; inde huc aufugit, quoniam capitur oppidum. 665

Collybiscvs Nimis lépide de latrone, de Sparta optume.

Lycvs Di deaeque vobis multa bona dent, quom mihi et bene praecipitis et bonam praedam datis.

Advocati Immo ut ipse nobis dixit, quo accures magis, trecentos nummos Philippos portat praesidi. 670

Lycvs Rex sum, si ego illum hodie ad me hominem adlexero.

Advocati Quin hic quidem tuos est.

Lycvs Opsecro hercle hortamini, ut devortatur ad me in hospitium optumum.

Advocati Neque nos hortari neque dehortari decet hominem peregrinum: tuam rem tú ages, si sapis. 675 nos tibi palumbem ad aream usque adduximus: nunc te illum meliust capere, si captum esse vis.

Collybiscvs Iamne itis? quid quod vobis mandavi, hospites?

Advocati Cum illoc te meliust tuam rem, ádulescens, loqui: illic ést ad istas res probus, quas quaeritas. 680

Collybiscvs Videre equidem vos vellem, quom huic aurum darem.

Advocati Illinc procul nos istuc inspectabimus.

Collybiscvs Bonam dedistis mihi operam.

Lycvs It ad me lucrum.

Collybiscvs Illud quidem quorsum asinus caedit calcibus.

Lycvs Blande hominem compellabo. hóspes hospitem 685 salutat. salvom te advenire gaudeo.

Collybiscvs Multa tibi di dent bona, quom me salvom esse vis.

Lycvs Hospitium te aiunt quaeritare.

Collybiscvs Quaerito.

Lycvs Ita illí dixerunt, qui hinc a me abierunt modo, te quaeritare a muscis. 690

Collybiscvs Minime gentium.

Lycvs Quid itá?

Collybiscvs Quia a muscis si mi hospitium quaererem, adveniens irem in carcerem recta via. ego id quaero hospitium, ubi ego curer mollius, quam regi Antiocho óculi curari solent.

Lycvs Edepol ne tibi illud possum festivom dare, 695 siquidém potes ésse te pati in lepido loco, in lecto lepide strato lepidam mulierem complexum contrectare.

Collybiscvs Is, leno, viam.

Lycvs Vbi tu Leucadio, Lesbio, Thasio, Chio, vetustáte vino edentulo aetatem inriges; 700 ibi ego te replebo usque unguentum geumatis, quid multa verba? faciam, ubi tu laveris, ibi ut bálneator faciat unguentariam. sed haec latrocinantur, quae ego dixi, omnia.

Collybiscvs Quid itá? 705

Lycvs Quia aurum poscunt praesentarium.

Collybiscvs Quin hercle accipere tu non mavis quam ego dare.

Advocati Quid si evocemus huc foras Agorastoclem, ut ipsus testis sit sibi certissumus? heus tu, qui furem captas, egredere ocius, ut tute inspectes aurum lenoni dari. 710

Current edition Perseus

ADVOCATI We greet you, Lycus. Although against our will, we give you this salutation, and although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS May you all be fortunate—a thing that I know for certain you neither will be, nor will Fortune permit it so to be.

ADVOCATI That is a treasure hoarded in the tongues of fools, to deem it gainful to speak amiss to their superiors. 625

ADVOCATI To do good to the bad is a danger just as great as to do bad to the good.

LYCUS But why?

ADVOCATI You shall learn. If you do any good to the bad, the benefit is lost: if you do any bad to the good, it lasts for a length of time. 635

LYCUS Cleverly said! But what does that matter to me?

ADVOCATI Because for the sake of your own well-doing we came hither, although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS If you bring anything that’s good, I give you thanks. 640

ADVOCATI Of our own, we neither bring nor give you anything that’s good, nor do we promise you, nor, in fact, do we wish to give it.

LYCUS I’ faith, I do believe yon; such is your kindly feeling. But what now do you wish?

ADVOCATI (pointing to COLLYBISCUS) This person in the scarf, whom you see, with him Mars is angered. 645

COLLYBISCUS (aside, to himself.) May he be so indeed with your own heads!

ADVOCATI We are now bringing him here, Lycus, to you, for tearing asunder 1 .

COLLYBISCUS (aside, to himself.) This huntsman, myself, will be going home to-day with some spoil; the dogs are cleverly driving Lycus into the toils.

LYCUS Who is this person?

ADVOCATI We really don’t know who he is, except that some time since, after daybreak, when we went down to the harbour, at the same moment we saw him landing from a merchant-ship. Disembarking, he came up to us at once—he saluted us; we answered him. 650

COLLYBISCUS (aside.) The artful fellows! how cleverly they do enter upon the plot!

LYCUS What after that? 655

LYCUS Is he eager to that degree? 660

ADVOCATI He has got gold.

Advocati

Aetoli cives te salutamus, Lyce,

quamquam hanc salutem ferimus inviti tibi.

Lycvs

Fortunati omnes sitis, quod certo scio

nec fore nec fortunam id situram fieri.

Advocati

Istic ést thensaurus stultis in lingua situs,
625

ut quaestui habeant male loqui melioribus.

Lycvs

Viam qui nescit, qua deveniat ad mare,

eum oportet amnem quaerere comitem sibi.

ego male loquendi vobis nescivi viam:

nunc vos mihi amnes estis; vos certum est sequi:
630

si bene dicetis, vostra ripa vos sequar,

si male dicetis, vostro gradiar limite.

Advocati

Malo bene facere tantundemst periculum

quantum bono male facere.

Lycvs

Qui vero?

Advocati

Scies.

malo si quid bene facias, id beneficium interit;
635

bono si quid male facias, aetatem expetit.

Lycvs

Facete dictum. sed quid istúc ad me attinet?

Advocati

Quia nos honoris tui causa ad te venimus,

quamquam bene volumus leniter lenonibus.

Lycvs

Si quid boni adportatis, habeo gratiam.
640

Advocati

Boni de nostro tibi nec ferimus nec damus

neque pollicemur, neque adeo volumus datum.

Lycvs

Credo hercle vobis: ita vestra est benignitas.

sed quid nunc voltis?

Advocati

Hunc chlamydatum quem vides,

ei Mars iratust.
645

Collybiscvs

Capiti vestro istuc quidem.

Advocati

Nunc hunc, Lyce, ad te diripiundum adducimus.

Collybiscvs

Cum praeda hic hodie incedet venator domum:

canes compellunt in plagas lepide lupum.

Lycvs

Quis hic est?

Advocati

Nescimus nos quidem istum qui siet;

nisi dudum mane ut ad portum processimus,
650

atque istum e navi éxeuntem oneraria

videmus. adiit ad nos extemplo exiens;

salutat, respondemus.

Collybiscvs

Mortalis malos,

ut ingrediuntur docte in sycophantiam.

Lycvs

Quid deinde?
655

Advocati

Sermonem ibi nobiscum copulat.

ait sé peregrinum esse huius ignarum oppidi;

locum sibi velle liberum praeberier,

ubi nequam faciat. nos hominem ad te adduximus.

tu si te di amant, agere tuam rem occasiost.

Lycvs

Itane?
660

Advocati

Ille est cupiens, aurum habet.

Lycvs

Praeda haec meast.

Advocati

Potare, amare volt.

Lycvs

Locum lepidum dabo.

Advocati

At enim hic clam furtim ésse volt, ne quis sciat

neve arbiter sit. nam hic latro in Sparta fuit,

ut quidem ipse nobis dixit, apud regem Attalum;

inde huc aufugit, quoniam capitur oppidum.
665

Collybiscvs

Nimis lépide de latrone, de Sparta optume.

Lycvs

Di deaeque vobis multa bona dent, quom mihi

et bene praecipitis et bonam praedam datis.

Advocati

Immo ut ipse nobis dixit, quo accures magis,

trecentos nummos Philippos portat praesidi.
670

Lycvs

Rex sum, si ego illum hodie ad me hominem adlexero.

Advocati

Quin hic quidem tuos est.

Lycvs

Opsecro hercle hortamini,

ut devortatur ad me in hospitium optumum.

Advocati

Neque nos hortari neque dehortari decet

hominem peregrinum: tuam rem tú ages, si sapis.
675

nos tibi palumbem ad aream usque adduximus:

nunc te illum meliust capere, si captum esse vis.

Collybiscvs

Iamne itis? quid quod vobis mandavi, hospites?

Advocati

Cum illoc te meliust tuam rem, ádulescens, loqui:

illic ést ad istas res probus, quas quaeritas.
680

Collybiscvs

Videre equidem vos vellem, quom huic aurum darem.

Advocati

Illinc procul nos istuc inspectabimus.

Collybiscvs

Bonam dedistis mihi operam.

Lycvs

It ad me lucrum.

Collybiscvs

Illud quidem quorsum asinus caedit calcibus.

Lycvs

Blande hominem compellabo. hóspes hospitem
685

salutat. salvom te advenire gaudeo.

Collybiscvs

Multa tibi di dent bona, quom me salvom esse vis.

Lycvs

Hospitium te aiunt quaeritare.

Collybiscvs

Quaerito.

Lycvs

Ita illí dixerunt, qui hinc a me abierunt modo,

te quaeritare a muscis.
690

Collybiscvs

Minime gentium.

Lycvs

Quid itá?

Collybiscvs

Quia a muscis si mi hospitium quaererem,

adveniens irem in carcerem recta via.

ego id quaero hospitium, ubi ego curer mollius,

quam regi Antiocho óculi curari solent.

Lycvs

Edepol ne tibi illud possum festivom dare,
695

siquidém potes ésse te pati in lepido loco,

in lecto lepide strato lepidam mulierem

complexum contrectare.

Collybiscvs

Is, leno, viam.

Lycvs

Vbi tu Leucadio, Lesbio, Thasio, Chio,

vetustáte vino edentulo aetatem inriges;
700

ibi ego te replebo usque unguentum geumatis,

quid multa verba? faciam, ubi tu laveris,

ibi ut bálneator faciat unguentariam.

sed haec latrocinantur, quae ego dixi, omnia.

Collybiscvs

Quid itá?
705

Lycvs

Quia aurum poscunt praesentarium.

Collybiscvs

Quin hercle accipere tu non mavis quam ego dare.

Advocati

Quid si evocemus huc foras Agorastoclem,

ut ipsus testis sit sibi certissumus?

heus tu, qui furem captas, egredere ocius,

ut tute inspectes aurum lenoni dari.
710

ADVOCATI

We greet you, Lycus. Although against our will, we give you this salutation, and although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS

May you all be fortunate—a thing that I know for certain you neither will be, nor will Fortune permit it so to be.

ADVOCATI

That is a treasure hoarded in the tongues of fools, to deem it gainful to speak amiss to their superiors.
625

ADVOCATI

To do good to the bad is a danger just as great as to do bad to the good.

LYCUS

But why?

ADVOCATI

You shall learn.

If you do any good to the bad, the benefit is lost: if you do any bad to the good, it lasts for a length of time.
635

LYCUS

Cleverly said! But what does that matter to me?

ADVOCATI

Because for the sake of your own well-doing we came hither, although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.

LYCUS

If you bring anything that’s good, I give you thanks.
640

ADVOCATI

Of our own, we neither bring nor give you anything that’s good, nor do we promise you, nor, in fact, do we wish to give it.

LYCUS

I’ faith, I do believe yon; such is your kindly feeling. But what now do you wish?

ADVOCATI

(pointing to COLLYBISCUS)

This person in the scarf, whom you see,

with him Mars is angered.
645

COLLYBISCUS

(aside, to himself.)

May he be so indeed with your own heads!

ADVOCATI

We are now bringing him here, Lycus, to you, for tearing asunder¹.

COLLYBISCUS

(aside, to himself.)

This huntsman, myself, will be going home to-day with some spoil; the dogs are cleverly driving Lycus into the toils.

LYCUS

Who is this person?

ADVOCATI

We really don’t know who he is, except that some time since, after daybreak, when we went down to the harbour,

at the same moment we saw him landing from a merchant-ship. Disembarking, he came up to us at once—he saluted us; we answered him.
650

COLLYBISCUS

(aside.)

The artful fellows! how cleverly they do enter upon the plot!

LYCUS

What after that?
655

LYCUS

Is he eager to that degree?
660

ADVOCATI

He has got gold.

LYCUS

(aside.)

That booty is mine.

ADVOCATI

He wishes to drink and wench.

LYCUS

I’ll find him a nice place.