T. Maccius Plautus Poenulus 5.2

AGORASTOCLES

(in a loud voice.)

Do you say, Milphio, that Syncerastus told you that both of these women were freeborn, and stolen away from Carthage?

MILPHIO

I do say so; and if you were willing to act wisely, you’d at once assert their liberty by an action on their freedom.

For it’s a disgrace to you for you to allow your own country-people to be slaves before your eyes, who were free women at home.

965

HANNO

(overhearing, apart.)

O ye immortal Gods, I do entreat your aid! What speech is this that my ears devour! Surely the words of these persons are made of chalk;

how have they cleansed away all the dark spots of woe from me!

970

AGORASTOCLES

If you’ve got witnesses of this matter, I’ll do as you bid me.

MILPHIO

Why speak you to me about witnesses? Why don’t you stoutly insist upon it? Some way or other, Fortune will be your assistant.

AGORASTOCLES

It’s much more easy to begin a thing than to bring it about.

MILPHIO

(catching sight of HANNO, attended by his SERVANTS.)

But what bird is this ¹ , pray, that’s coming hither with the tunic on? Is he from the baths ² , I wonder, enveloped in his cloak?

975

I’ faith, the countenance is surely Carthaginian.

The man’s a Gugga ³ . I’ faith, he certainly has got some ancient and antiquated servants.

AGORASTOCLES

How do you know?

MILPHIO

Don’t you see the fellows following, loaded with luggage?

And, as I fancy, they’ve got no fingers on their hands.

980

AGORASTOCLES

Why so?

MILPHIO

Why, because they go with their rings in their ears ⁴ .

I’ll approach them, and address them in the Punic language: if they answer, I’ll continue to speak in the Punic tongue if not, then I’ll adapt my language to their usage.

How say you, do you still remember anything of the Punic language?

985

AGORASTOCLES

Nothing at all, i’ faith; for tell me, how could I know, who was but six years old when I was stolen away from Carthage?

HANNO

(apart.)

O ye immortal Gods! very many freeborn children have been lost from Carthage after this manner.

MILPHIO

How say you?

990

AGORASTOCLES

What do you want?

MILPHIO

Should you like me to address this person in the Punic tongue?

AGORASTOCLES

Do you understand it?

MILPHIO

No Punic man this day is a better Punic than I.

AGORASTOCLES

Go and address him, as to what he wants, why he’s come, who he is, of what country, and whence he comes. Don’t be sparing of your questions.

MILPHIO

(addressing HANNO and his SERVANTS.)

Avo! ⁵ Of what country are you, or from what city?

HANNO

Hanno Muthumballe bachaëdreanech.

995

AGORASTOCLES

What does he say?

MILPHIO

He says that he is Hanno from Carthage, a Carthaginian, son of Muthumbal.

HANNO

Avo!

MILPHIO

He salutes us.

HANNO

Donni ⁶ .

MILPHIO

He intends to present you with some donation out of this; what, I don’t know. Don’t you hear him promise?

AGORASTOCLES

Salute him again in Punic, in my name.

1000

MILPHIO

(to HANNO.)

Avo donni he tells me to say to you in his name.

(Pointing to AGORASTOCLES.)

HANNO

Mehar bocca ⁷ !

MILPHIO

Be that for yourself rather than me!

AGORASTOCLES

What does he say?

MILPHIO

He declares that his box for his teeth is painful. Perhaps he takes us to be doctors.

AGORASTOCLES

If it is so, tell him that we are not; I don’t wish a stranger to be mistaken.

1005

MILPHIO

(to HANNO.)

Hear you.

Rufen nuco istam ⁸ .

AGORASTOCLES

This is my wish, that in fact everything should be explained to him just as it is. Ask him whether he has need of anything.

MILPHIO

(to HANNO.)

You who have got no girdle ⁹ , why have you come to this city, or what is it you seek?

HANNO

Muphursa ¹⁰ .

1010

AGORASTOCLES

What is it he says?

HANNO

Moin lechianna ¹¹ .

AGORASTOCLES

Why has he come?

MILPHIO

Don’t you hear? He declares that he is wishful to give African mice to the Aediles as a show at the games.

HANNO

Lalech lachananim liminichot ¹² .

AGORASTOCLES

What does he say now?

MILPHIO

He says he has brought latchets, water-channels ¹³ , and nuts;

he’s now begging that you’ll lend him your assistance in having them sold.

1015

AGORASTOCLES

He is a merchant, I suppose?

HANNO

Is amar binam ¹⁴ .

AGORASTOCLES

What is it he says?

HANNO

Palum erga dectha ¹⁵ .

AGORASTOCLES

Milphio, what is he saying now?

MILPHIO

He says that he has got spades and forks ¹⁶ given him for sale,

for digging the garden and reaping the corn.

1020

AGORASTOCLES

What is that to me?

MILPHIO

He wishes you to be informed of it, so that you mayn’t suppose that he has taken anything secretly and by stealth. He has really, I do believe, been sent here to your harvesting.

HANNO

Muphonium sucoraim ¹⁷ .

MILPHIO

So there! do take care, please, how you do what he’s begging of you.

AGORASTOCLES

What is he saying, or what is he begging? Explain it.

MILPHIO

For you to order him to be placed beneath a hurdle ¹⁸ , and for many stones to be heaped upon it, so as to put him to death.

1025

HANNO

Gunebel balsamen ierasan!

AGORASTOCLES

Tell me what it is that he’s saying.

MILPHIO

I’ faith, now I really don’t at all know.

HANNO

(speaking in their own language.)

But that you may know, now from this moment henceforth will I speak Latin.

(To MILPHIO.) Upon my faith, you must be a worthless and bad servant, to be laughing at a person, a foreigner and a stranger.

1030

MILPHIO

But, i’ faith, at yourself a person that’s both a swindler and a cheat, who have come here to take us in, you half-and-half Lybian, you double-tongue, just like a crawling reptile.

AGORASTOCLES

(to MILPHIO.)

Away hence with your abusiveness! do restrain your tongue. You’ll keep it from uttering abuse, if you are prudent; I don’t want you to be speaking harshly to my kinsmen. I was born at Carthage; do you remember that.

1035

HANNO

O my fellow-countryman, greetings to you!

AGORASTOCLES

And you, troth, whoever you are;

and if you have need of anything, pray mention it, and command me for the sake of our common country.

1040

HANNO

I return you thanks; but I’ve got a place of entertainment here; I’m in search of the son of Antidamas; do point me out Agorastocles, if you know him. Do you know any young man here named Agorastocles?

AGORASTOCLES

If, indeed, you are in search of the adopted son of Antidamas, I am the very person whom you are in search of.

1045

HANNO

(starting.)

Hah! what’s that I hear?

AGORASTOCLES

That I am the son of Antidamas.

HANNO

If so it is, if you would like to compare the token of hospitality ¹⁹ , see here, I’ve brought it.

(Shows him the ticket.)

AGORASTOCLES

Come then, show it here. (He takes it in his hand, and looks at it.) It is exactly true; for I’ve got the counterpart at home.

HANNO

O my host, hail to you right earnestly; for it was your father, then, Antidamas, that was my own and my father’s guest; this was my token of hospitality with him.

1050

AGORASTOCLES

Then here at my house shall hospitality be shown you; for I don’t reject either Hospitality or Carthage,

from which I sprang.

1055

HANNO

May the Gods grant you all you may desire. How say you? How could it happen that you were born at Carthage, but had a father of Aetolia here?

AGORASTOCLES

I was stolen away from there; this Antidamas, your guest, bought me, and adopted me as his son.

HANNO

He himself, likewise, was adopted by Demarchus, But about him I say no more, and return to you. Tell me, do you at all remember the names of your parents?

1060

AGORASTOCLES

I remember my father and my mother’s name.

HANNO

Repeat them, then, to me, to see if I know them, perchance, or if they are relatives of mine.

AGORASTOCLES

Ampsigura was my mother, and Iachon my father.

1065

HANNO

I could wish that your father and mother were alive.

AGORASTOCLES

Are they dead?

HANNO

So it is, a thing which I bore with much grief; for your mother Ampsigura was my cousin-german; your father—he was my uncle’s son,

and when he died he made me his heir; of whom being deprived by death, I am greatly affected. But if it is the fact that you really are the son of Sachon, there ought to be a mark upon your left hand, a bite which an ape gave you when a child, playing with it.

1070

Show it, that I may look at it;

1075

open your hand.

AGORASTOCLES

(opening his hand.)

Look, if you like; see, there it is.

My kinsman, welcome to you!

HANNO

And welcome to you, Agorastocles! I seem to myself to be born again, in having found you.

MILPHIO

By my troth, I’m delighted that this matter has fallen out so happily for you. (To HANNO.) And would you decline to take advice?

HANNO

Really, I should wish to be advised.

MILPHIO

His father’s property ought to be restored to the son; it’s fair that he should have the property which his father possessed.

1080

HANNO

I wish no otherwise; everything shall be restored. I’ll give his own property to him all safe, when he comes there.

MILPHIO

Take care and restore it, will you, even though he should live here still.

HANNO

Nay but, he shall have my own as well, if anything should happen to me ²⁰ .

1085

MILPHIO

A pleasant project has just now come into my mind,

HANNO

What’s that?

MILPHIO

There’s need of your assistance.

HANNO

Tell me what you wish. Really, you shall have my services just as you please. What is the business?

MILPHIO

Can you act the cheat?

HANNO

Towards an enemy, I can; to a friend, it would be mere folly.

1090

MILPHIO

I’ faith, it is an enemy of his.

(Pointing at AGORASTOCLES.)

HANNO

I could do him a mischief with pleasure.

MILPHIO

He’s in love with a person who belongs to a Procurer.

HANNO

I deem that he acts discreetly.

MILPHIO

This Procurer lives close at hand.

HANNO

I could do him a mischief with pleasure.

MILPHIO

He has two slave girls, courtesans,

sisters; one of these he is desperately in love with, nor has he ever taker any liberties with her.

1095

HANNO

It’s an unhappy kind of passion.

MILPHIO

The Procurer plays upon him.

HANNO

He’s enhancing his own profits thereby.

MILPHIO

He wishes to do him an evil turn.

HANNO

He’s right, if he does do it.

MILPHIO

Now I adopt this plan, and prepare this contrivance,

that we should cite you; you are to affirm that they are your daughters, and that they were stolen when little from Carthage, and to maintain the cause of both in an action on their freedom, as though they were both your own daughters. Do you understand?

1100

HANNO

On my faith, I do understand; for I likewise did have two daughters

who were stolen away when little children, together with their nurse.

1105

MILPHIO

Upon my word, you do feign it cleverly. At the very commencement this amuses me.

HANNO

(aside, weeping.)

Much more, i’ troth, than I could wish.

MILPHIO

(aside to AGORASTOCLES.)

Dear me! a subtle person, upon my word, artful and knowing, both tricky and crafty! How he does whimper, in order that with his gestures he may effect this all the more easily.

Even myself, now, the master-workman, does he excel in skill.

1110

HANNO

But their nurse ²¹ , of what appearance was she? Tell me.

MILPHIO

Of stature not tall, of a dusky complexion ²² .

HANNO

’Tis the very person.

MILPHIO

Of agreable form, with a small mouth, and very dark eyes.

HANNO

I’ faith, you really have depicted her form exactly in your words.

MILPHIO

Should you like to see her?

1115

HANNO

I’d rather see my daughters. Still, go and call her out of doors. If they are my daughters, if she is their nurse, she’ll recognize me at once.

MILPHIO

(knocking at the door of the PROCURER’S house .)

Hallo there! is there any one here? Tell Giddeneme to come out of doors; there’s a person wants to see her.