T. Maccius Plautus, Rudens, ed. Friedrich Leo, 1.3

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Line

← Previous Next →

185

Palaestra

Nimio hóminum fortunaé minus miseraé memorantur,
185

experiundo iis datur acerbum.

hoc deo cómplacitumst, me hoc órnatu ornatam ín incertas

regiónes timidam eiéctam.

hancíne ego ad rem natam ésse me miserám memorábo?

hancíne ego partem cápio ob píetatem praecípuam?
190

nam hóc mi haud labórist, labórem hunc potíri,

si érga paréntem aut deós me impiávi;

sed íd si paráte curávi ut cavérem,

tum hóc mi indecóre, iníque, inmodéste

datis, dí; nam quid habebúnt sibi signi ímpii posthac,
195

si ad húnc modum est innóxiis honór apud vos?

nam mé si sciam ín vos fecísse aut paréntis

sceléste, minus me míserer;

sed eríle scelus me sóllicitat, eiús me impietas mále habet.

ís navem atque ómnia pérdidit ín mari:

haéc bonorum éius sunt réliquiae; étiam quae simul
200

vécta mecum ín scaphast, éxcidit. égo nunc sola sum.

quaé mihi sí foret sálva saltém, labor

lénior ésset hic mi éius opera.

nunc quám spem aut opem aút consilí quid capéssam?

ita híc sola sólis locis compotita sum.
205

hic sáxa sunt, hic máre sonat,

neque quísquam homo mihi obviám venit.

hóc quod indúta sum, summae opes óppido,

néc cibo néc loco técta quo sím scio:

quaé mihist spés, qua me vívere velim?

néc loci gnára sum, néc vidi aut híc fui.
210

sáltem aliquém velim quí mihi ex hís locis

aút viam aut sémitam mónstret, ita nunc

hác an illác eam, incérta sum cónsili;

néc prope usquam híc quidem cúltum agrum cónspicor.

álgor, errór, pavor, me ómnia tenent.
215

haéc parentés mei haud scítis miseri,

me núnc miseram esse ita utí sum.

líbera ego prognáta fui máxume, nequíquam fui.

nunc quí minus servio, quám si servá forem náta?

neque quícquam umquam illis prófuit qui mé sibi eduxérunt.

Rudens. 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

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

Translations (1)

Rudens, or The Fisherman's Rope Perseus (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 2. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1913.) — 1.3 focus

185 (Enter PALAESTRA, at a distance, with her clothes torn and drenched.)

PALAESTRA

(to herself.)

By heavens, the mishaps of mortals are spoken of as much less bitter than the sharp pangs that are inflicted in the experience of them Has this then pleased the Deity, that I, clad in this guise, should, in my terror, be cast upon a spot unknown? Shall I then declare that I have been born to this wretched lot?
185

Do I receive this meed in return for my exemplary piety? For to me it would not prove a hardship to endure this laborious lot, if I had conducted myself undutifully towards my parents or the Gods; but if studiously I have exerted myself to beware of that, then, unduly and unjustly,
190

Deities, you send upon me this. For what henceforth shall the glaringly impious receive, if after this fashion you pay honor to the guiltless? But if I knew that I or my parents had done anything wicked, now should I have grieved the less. But the wickedness of this master of mine is pressing hard upon me, his impiety is causing my woes; everything has he lost in the sea;
195

these are the remains (looking at her dress) of his property. Even she, who was carried together with me in the boat, was washed out by the violence of the waves; I am now alone. If she at least¹ had been saved for me, through her aid my affliction here would have been lighter to me. Now, what hope or aid or what counsel shall I receive,
200

a spot so lonesome here have I lighted upon alone? Here are the rocks, here roars the sea, and not one individual comes across my path. This dress that I am clothed in forms all my riches quite entirely; nor know I with what food or roof I am to be provided. What hope have I through which to desire to live?
205

Neither am I acquainted with the place, nor was I ever here before. At least I could have wished for some one who would point out to me either a road or a path from these spots; so much am I now at a loss for advice whether to go this way or that; neither, indeed, do I see² anywhere near here a cultivated spot.
210

Cold, distraction, and alarm, have taken possession of all my limbs. My parents, you know not of this, that I am now thus wretched; I that was born a woman entirely free, was so to no purpose. Am I at all the less in servitude now, than if I had been born a slave? And never in any way has it been a profit to those who for their own sakes reared me up.
215
(She advances forward, and rests on one side against the cliff.)

T. Maccius Plautus Rudens 1.3

ed. Friedrich Leo

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

Stable identifiers