T. Maccius Plautus Trinummus 2.2

PHILTO

(looking about.)

Where has this man betaken himself out of doors from the house?

LYSITELES

(coming up to him.)

I am here, father; command me what you will, and I shall cause no delay to you, nor will I hide myself in any skulking-place out of your sight.

PHILTO

You will be doing what is consonant to the rest of your conduct if you reverence your father. By your duty to me, my son, I wish you, for my sake, not to hold any converse with profligate men, either in the street or in the Forum. I know this age—what its manners are.

280

The bad man wishes the good man to be bad, that he may be like himself. The wicked, the rapacious, the covetous, and the envious, disorder and confound the morals of the age: a crew gaping for gain, they hold the sacred thing as profane—the public advantage as the private emolument. At these things do I grieve, these are the matters that torment me. These things am I constantly repeating both day and night, that you may use due precaution against them.

285

They only deem it right to keep their hands off that which they cannot touch with their hands; as to the rest, seize it, carry it off, keep it, be off and go hide, that is the word with them. These things, when I behold them, draw tears from me, because I have survived to see such a race of men. Why have I not rather descended to the dead ¹ ere this?

290

For these men praise the manners of our ancestors, and defile those same persons whom they commend. With regard, then, to these pursuits, I enjoin you not to taint your disposition with them. Live after my fashion, and according to the ancient manners; what I am prescribing to you, the same do you remember and practise. I have no patience with these fashionable manners, upsetting preconceived notions, with which good men are now disgracing themselves.

295

If you follow these my injunctions to you, many a good maxim will take root in your breast.

300

LYSITELES

From my earliest youth, even up to this present age, I have always, father, paid all submission to the injunctions you have given. So far as my nature was concerned, I considered that I was free; so far as your injunctions were concerned, I deemed it proper that my mind should pay all submission to you.

PHILTO

The man who is struggling with his inclination from his earliest age, whether he ought to prefer to be so, as his inclination thinks it proper that he should be, or whether, rather so as his parents and his relations wish him to be—if his inclination conquers that man, it is all over with him; he is the slave of his inclination and not of himself. But if he conquers his inclination, he truly lives and shall be famed as a conqueror of conquerors.

305

If you have conquered your inclination rather than your inclination you, you have reason to rejoice. ’Tis better by far that you should be such as you ought to be, than such as pleases your inclination. Those who conquer the inclination will ever be esteemed better men than those whom the inclination subdues.

310

LYSITELES

I have ever esteemed these maxims as the shield of my youthful age; never to betake myself to any place where vice was the order of the day ² ,

never to go to stroll about at night, nor to take from another that which is his. I have taken all precautions, my father, that I might not cause you uneasiness; I have ever kept your precepts in due preservation ³ by my own rule of conduct.

315

PHILTO

And do you reproach me, because you have acted aright? For yourself have you done so, not for me: my life, indeed, is nearly past ⁴ ; this matter principally concerns your own.

Keep on overlaying ⁵ good deeds with other good deeds, that the rain may not come through. He is the upright man who is not content with it, however upright and however honest he may chance to be. He who readily gives satisfaction to himself, is not the upright man, nor is he really honest: he who thinks but meanly of himself, in him is there a tendency to well-doing.

320

LYSITELES

For this reason, father, I have thought that since there is a certain thing that I wish for,

I would request it of you.

325

PHILTO

What is it? I am already longing to give assent.

LYSITELES

A young man here, of noble family, my friend and years’ mate, who has managed his own affairs but heedlessly and unthinkingly—I wish, father, to do him a service, if you are not unwilling.

PHILTO

From your own means, I suppose?

LYSITELES

From my own means—for what is yours is mine, and all mine is yours.

PHILTO

What is he doing? Is he in want?

330

LYSITELES

He is in want.

PHILTO

Had he property?

LYSITELES

He had.

PHILTO

How did he lose it? Was he connected with public business ⁶ , or with commercial matters? Had he merchandise or wares to sell, when he lost his property?

LYSITELES

None of these.

PHILTO

What then?

LYSITELES

I’ faith, my father, by his good-nature. Besides, to indulge his tastes, he wasted some part of it in luxury.

PHILTO

By my troth now! a fellow spoken of boldly, and as on familiar terms;—one, indeed, who has never dissipated his fortune by any good means, and is now in want. I cannot brook that, with qualities of that description, he should be your friend.

335

LYSITELES

’Tis because he is without any bad disposition that I wish to relieve his wants.

PHILTO

He deserves ill of a beggar who gives him what to eat or to drink;

for he both loses that which he gives and prolongs for the other a life of misery. I do not say this because I am unwilling and would not readily do what you desire; but when I apply these expressions to that same person, I am warning you beforehand, so to have compassion on others, that others may not have to pity you.

340

LYSITELES

I am ashamed to desert him, and to deny him aid in his adversity.

PHILTO

I’ troth, shame is preferable to repentance by just as many letters ⁷ as it consists of.

345

LYSITELES

In good sooth, father, by the care of the Gods, and of my forefathers, and your own, I may say that we possess much property, honestly obtained. If you do a service to a friend, it ought not to make you repent that you have done so; it ought rather to cause you shame if you do not do it.

PHILTO

If from great wealth you subtract something, does it become more or less?

LYSITELES

Less, father. But do you know what is wont to be repeated to the niggardly citizen ⁸ ? That which thou hast mayst thou not have, and mayst thou have that misfortune which thou hast not; since thou canst neither endure it to be enjoyed by thyself nor by another.

350

PHILTO

I know, indeed, that so it usually is: but, my son, he is the truly niggardly man ⁹ that has nought with which to pay his dues.

LYSITELES

By the care of the Gods, we have, father, both enough for us to enjoy ourselves, and with which to do kind offices to kind-hearted men.

355

PHILTO

Troth, I am not able to refuse you anything that you; ask of me. Whose poverty do you wish to relieve? Speak out boldly to your father.

LYSITELES

That of this young man Lesbonicus, the son of Charmides, who lives there.

(He points to the house of CHARMIDES.)

PHILTO

Why, hasn’t he devoured both what he had, and what he had not ¹⁰ ?

LYSITELES

Censure him not, my father: many things happen to a man which he likes, many, too, which he does not like.

PHILTO

Troth, you say falsely, son; and you are doing so now not according to your usual wont. For the prudent man, i’ faith, really frames his own fortunes for himself: many things, therefore, do not happen which he does not like, unless he is a bungling workman.

LYSITELES

Much labour is requisite for this workmanship in him who seeks to be a clever workman in fashioning his life—but he is still very young.

365

PHILTO

Not by years but by disposition is wisdom acquired. Age is the relish of wisdom—wisdom is the nutriment of old age. However, come, say what you wish now to give him.

LYSITELES

Nothing at all, father.

Do you only not hinder me from accepting it if he should give anything to me.

370

PHILTO

And will you be relieving his poverty by that, if you shall accept anything of him?

LYSITELES

By that very means, my father.

PHILTO

Faith, I wish that you would instruct me in that method.

LYSITELES

Certainly. Do you know of what family he is born?

PHILTO

I know—of an extremely honourable one.

LYSITELES

He has a sister—a fine young woman now grown up: I wish, father,

to take her without a portion for my wife.

375

PHILTO

A wife without a portion?

LYSITELES

Just so—your riches saved as well. By these means you will be conferring an extreme favour on him, and in no way could you help him to greater advantage.

PHILTO

Am I to suffer you to take a wife without a portion?

LYSITELES

You must suffer it, father; and by these means you will be giving an estimable character to our family.

PHILTO

I could give utterance to many a learned saying, and very fluently too: this old age of mine retains stories of old and ancient times. But, since I see that you are courting friendship and esteem for our family, although I have been opposed to you, I thus give my decision—I will permit you; ask for the girl, and marry her.

380

LYSITELES

May the Gods preserve you to me.

But, to this favour add one thing.

385

PHILTO

But what is this one thing?

LYSITELES

I will tell you. Do you go to him, do you solicit him, and do you ask for her yourself.

PHILTO

Think of that now.

LYSITELES

You will transact it much more speedily: all will be made sure of that you do. One word of yours in this matter will be of more consequence than a hundred of mine.

PHILTO

See, now, how, in my kindness, I have undertaken this matter.

My assistance shall be given.

390

LYSITELES

You really are a kind father. This is the house here he dwells. (He points to the house of CHARMIDES.) Lesbonicus is his name. Mind and attend to the business; I will await you at home.

(Exit.)