Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Hecyra, Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator), 4.3

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607 (Enter LACHES.)

LACHES

While standing just by here, I have heard, wife, the conversation you have been holding with him. It is true wisdom to be enabled to govern the feelings whenever there is necessity; to do at the present moment what may perhaps, in the end, be necessary to be done.

SOSTRATA

Good luck to it, i’ troth.
610

LACHES

Retire then into the country; there I will bear with you, and you with me.

SOSTRATA

I hope so, i’ faith.

LACHES

Go in-doors then, and get together the things that are to be taken with you. I have now said it.

SOSTRATA

I’ll do as you desire. (Goes into the house.)

PAMPHILUS

Father!

LACHES

What do you want, Pamphilus?

PAMPHILUS

My mother go away? By no means.

LACHES

Why would you have it so?

PAMPHILUS

Because I am as yet undetermined what I shall do about my wife.

LACHES

How is that?

What should you intend to do but bring her home?
615

PAMPHILUS

For my part, I could like, and can hardly forbear it; but I shall not alter my design; that which is most advantageous I shall pursue; I suppose (ironically) that they will be better reconciled, in consequence, if I shall take her back.

LACHES

You can not tell. But it matters nothing to you which they do when she has gone away. Persons of this age are disliked by young people;

it is right for us to withdraw from the world; in fine, we are now a nice by-word. We are, Pamphilus, the old man and the old woman.¹ But I see Phidippus coming out just at the time; let’s accost him.
620

Hecyra. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). Ney York. 1874.

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Funding provided by NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2.

Current edition Perseus

Hecyra; The Mother-in-Law (English) (Terence. The Comedies of Terence. Riley, Henry Thomas; Colman, George, translators. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1872.)

Editions (1)

Hecyra Perseus (Terence. Publii Terentii Comoediae Sex. Parry, Edward St. John, editor. London: Whittaker and Co.; George Bell, 1857.) — 4.3 focus

607 (LACHES. SOSTRATA. PAMPHILUS.)

LACHES

Quem cum istoc sermonem habueris procul hinc stans accepi, uxor.

Istuc est sapere, qui ubicumque opus sit animum possis flectere;

Quod faciendum sit post fortasse idem hoc nunc si feceris.

SOSTRATA

Fors fuat pol.
610

LACHES

Abi rus ergo hinc: ibi ego te et tu me feres.

SOSTRATA

Spero ecastor.

LACHES

I ergo intro, et compone quae tecum simul

Ferantur: dixi.

SOSTRATA

Ita ut iubes faciam.

PAMPHILUS

Pater.

LACHES

Quid vis, Pamphile?

PAMPHILUS

Hinc abire matrem? minime.

LACHES

Quid ita istuc vis?

PAMPHILUS

Quia de uxore incertus sum etiam quid sim facturus.

LACHES

Quid est?

Quid vis facere nisi reducere?
615

PAMPHILUS

Equidem cupio; et vix contineor;

Sed non minuam meum consilium: ex usu quod est id persequar.

Credo ea gratia concordes magis, si non reducam, fore.

LACHES

Nescias. Verum id tua refert nihil utrum illae fecerint,

Quando haec abierit. Odiosa haec est aetas adolescentulis.

E medio aequum excedere est. Postremo iam nos fabula
620

Sumus, Pamphile, senex atque anus.

Sed video Phidippum egredi per tempus: accedamus.

Notes on the current edition

Hecyra; The Mother-In-Law

1. The old man and the old woman: Senex atque anus. In these words he probably refers to the commencement of many of the stories current in those times, which began: There were once upon a time an old man and an old woman. Indeed, almost the same words occur in the Stichus of Plautus, 1. 540, at the commencement of a story:

Fuit olim, quasi ego sum, senex

, There was upon a time an old man, just like me.

Publius Terentius Afer (Terence) Hecyra 4.3

Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator)

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LACHES

While standing just by here, I have heard, wife, the conversation you have been holding with him. It is true wisdom to be enabled to govern the feelings whenever there is necessity; to do at the present moment what may perhaps, in the end, be necessary to be done.

SOSTRATA

Good luck to it, i’ troth.
610

LACHES

Retire then into the country; there I will bear with you, and you with me.

SOSTRATA

I hope so, i’ faith.

LACHES

Go in-doors then, and get together the things that are to be taken with you. I have now said it.

SOSTRATA

I’ll do as you desire. (Goes into the house.)

PAMPHILUS

Father!

LACHES

What do you want, Pamphilus?

PAMPHILUS

My mother go away? By no means.

LACHES

Why would you have it so?

PAMPHILUS

Because I am as yet undetermined what I shall do about my wife.

LACHES

How is that?

What should you intend to do but bring her home?
615

PAMPHILUS

For my part, I could like, and can hardly forbear it; but I shall not alter my design; that which is most advantageous I shall pursue; I suppose (ironically) that they will be better reconciled, in consequence, if I shall take her back.

Current edition Perseus

LACHES

Quem cum istoc sermonem habueris procul hinc stans accepi, uxor.

Istuc est sapere, qui ubicumque opus sit animum possis flectere;

Quod faciendum sit post fortasse idem hoc nunc si feceris.

SOSTRATA

Fors fuat pol.
610

LACHES

Abi rus ergo hinc: ibi ego te et tu me feres.

SOSTRATA

Spero ecastor.

LACHES

I ergo intro, et compone quae tecum simul

Ferantur: dixi.

SOSTRATA

Ita ut iubes faciam.

PAMPHILUS

Pater.

LACHES

Quid vis, Pamphile?

PAMPHILUS

Hinc abire matrem? minime.

LACHES

Quid ita istuc vis?

PAMPHILUS

Quia de uxore incertus sum etiam quid sim facturus.

LACHES

Quid est?

Quid vis facere nisi reducere?
615

PAMPHILUS

Equidem cupio; et vix contineor;

Sed non minuam meum consilium: ex usu quod est id persequar.

Credo ea gratia concordes magis, si non reducam, fore.

LACHES

Nescias. Verum id tua refert nihil utrum illae fecerint,

Quando haec abierit. Odiosa haec est aetas adolescentulis.

E medio aequum excedere est. Postremo iam nos fabula
620

Sumus, Pamphile, senex atque anus.

Sed video Phidippum egredi per tempus: accedamus.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

LACHES While standing just by here, I have heard, wife, the conversation you have been holding with him. It is true wisdom to be enabled to govern the feelings whenever there is necessity; to do at the present moment what may perhaps, in the end, be necessary to be done.

SOSTRATA Good luck to it, i’ troth. 610

LACHES Retire then into the country; there I will bear with you, and you with me.

SOSTRATA I hope so, i’ faith.

LACHES Go in-doors then, and get together the things that are to be taken with you. I have now said it.

SOSTRATA I’ll do as you desire. (Goes into the house.)

PAMPHILUS Father!

LACHES What do you want, Pamphilus?

PAMPHILUS My mother go away? By no means.

LACHES Why would you have it so?

PAMPHILUS Because I am as yet undetermined what I shall do about my wife.

LACHES How is that? What should you intend to do but bring her home? 615

PAMPHILUS For my part, I could like, and can hardly forbear it; but I shall not alter my design; that which is most advantageous I shall pursue; I suppose (ironically) that they will be better reconciled, in consequence, if I shall take her back.

Current edition Perseus

LACHES Quem cum istoc sermonem habueris procul hinc stans accepi, uxor. Istuc est sapere, qui ubicumque opus sit animum possis flectere; Quod faciendum sit post fortasse idem hoc nunc si feceris.

SOSTRATA Fors fuat pol. 610

LACHES Abi rus ergo hinc: ibi ego te et tu me feres.

SOSTRATA Spero ecastor.

LACHES I ergo intro, et compone quae tecum simul Ferantur: dixi.

SOSTRATA Ita ut iubes faciam.

PAMPHILUS Pater.

LACHES Quid vis, Pamphile?

PAMPHILUS Hinc abire matrem? minime.

LACHES Quid ita istuc vis?

PAMPHILUS Quia de uxore incertus sum etiam quid sim facturus.

LACHES Quid est? Quid vis facere nisi reducere? 615

PAMPHILUS Equidem cupio; et vix contineor; Sed non minuam meum consilium: ex usu quod est id persequar. Credo ea gratia concordes magis, si non reducam, fore.

LACHES Nescias. Verum id tua refert nihil utrum illae fecerint, Quando haec abierit. Odiosa haec est aetas adolescentulis. E medio aequum excedere est. Postremo iam nos fabula 620 Sumus, Pamphile, senex atque anus. Sed video Phidippum egredi per tempus: accedamus.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

LACHES

While standing just by here, I have heard, wife, the conversation you have been holding with him. It is true wisdom to be enabled to govern the feelings whenever there is necessity; to do at the present moment what may perhaps, in the end, be necessary to be done.

SOSTRATA

Good luck to it, i’ troth.
610

LACHES

Retire then into the country; there I will bear with you, and you with me.

SOSTRATA

I hope so, i’ faith.

LACHES

Go in-doors then, and get together the things that are to be taken with you. I have now said it.

SOSTRATA

I’ll do as you desire. (Goes into the house.)

PAMPHILUS

Father!

LACHES

What do you want, Pamphilus?

PAMPHILUS

My mother go away? By no means.

LACHES

Why would you have it so?

PAMPHILUS

Because I am as yet undetermined what I shall do about my wife.

LACHES

How is that?

What should you intend to do but bring her home?
615

PAMPHILUS

For my part, I could like, and can hardly forbear it; but I shall not alter my design; that which is most advantageous I shall pursue; I suppose (ironically) that they will be better reconciled, in consequence, if I shall take her back.

LACHES

Quem cum istoc sermonem habueris procul hinc stans accepi, uxor.

Istuc est sapere, qui ubicumque opus sit animum possis flectere;

Quod faciendum sit post fortasse idem hoc nunc si feceris.

SOSTRATA

Fors fuat pol.
610

LACHES

Abi rus ergo hinc: ibi ego te et tu me feres.

SOSTRATA

Spero ecastor.

LACHES

I ergo intro, et compone quae tecum simul

Ferantur: dixi.

SOSTRATA

Ita ut iubes faciam.

PAMPHILUS

Pater.

LACHES

Quid vis, Pamphile?

PAMPHILUS

Hinc abire matrem? minime.

LACHES

Quid ita istuc vis?

PAMPHILUS

Quia de uxore incertus sum etiam quid sim facturus.

LACHES

Quid est?

Quid vis facere nisi reducere?
615

PAMPHILUS

Equidem cupio; et vix contineor;

Sed non minuam meum consilium: ex usu quod est id persequar.

Credo ea gratia concordes magis, si non reducam, fore.

LACHES

Nescias. Verum id tua refert nihil utrum illae fecerint,

Quando haec abierit. Odiosa haec est aetas adolescentulis.

E medio aequum excedere est. Postremo iam nos fabula
620

Sumus, Pamphile, senex atque anus.

Sed video Phidippum egredi per tempus: accedamus.