Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Hecyra, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 5.1

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727 (BACCHIS. LACHES.)

BACCHIS

Non hoc de nihilo est quod Laches me nunc conventam esse expetit;

Nec pol me multum fallit quin quod suspicor sit quod velit.

LACHES

Videndum est ne minus propter iram hanc impetrem quam possiem;

Aut ne quid faciam plus quod post me minus fecisse satius sit.
730

Aggrediar. Bacchis, salve.

BACCHIS

Salve, Lache.

LACHES

Edepol credo te nonnihil mirari, Bacchis,

Quid sit quapropter te huc foras puerum evocare iussi.

BACCHIS

Ego pol quoque etiam timida sum, quum venit mihi in mentem quae sim,

Ne nomen mihi quaesti obsiet; nam mores facile tutor.
735

LACHES

Si vera dicis, nihil tibi est a me pericli, mulier;

Nam aetate iam ea sum ut non siet peccato mihi ignosci aequum:

Quo magis omnes res cautius ne temere faciam accuro:

Nam si id facis facturave es bonas quod par est facere,

Inscitum offerre iniuriam tibi immerenti iniquum est.
740

BACCHIS

Est magna ecastor gratia de istac re quam tibi habeam:

Nam qui post factam iniuriam se expurget, parum mihi prosit.

Sed quid istuc est?

LACHES

Meum receptas filium ad te Pamphilum.

BACCHIS

Ah!

LACHES

Sine dicam. Uxorem hanc prius quam duxit, vestrum amorem pertuli.

Mane: nondum etiam dixi id quod volui. Hic nunc uxorem habet:
745

Quaere alium tibi firmiorem, dum tibi tempus consulendi est;

Nam neque ille hoc animo erit aetatem, neque pol tu eadem istac aetate.

BACCHIS

Quis id ait?

LACHES

Socrus.

BACCHIS

Mene?

LACHES

Te ipsam; et filiam abduxit suam;

Puerumque ob eam rem clam voluit natus qui est extinguere.

BACCHIS

Aliud si scirem qui firmare meam apud vos possem fidem
750

Sanctius quam iusiurandum, id pollicerer tibi, Lache,

Me segregatum habuisse, uxorem ut duxit, a me Pamphilum.

LACHES

Lepida es; sed scin quid volo potius sodes facias?

BACCHIS

Quid vis? cedo.

LACHES

Eas ad mulieres huc intro, atque istuc iusiurandum idem

Polliceare illis: exple animum iis, teque hoc crimine expedi.
755

BACCHIS

Faciam; quod pol, si esset alia ex hoc quaestu, haud faceret scio,

Ut de tali causa nuptae mulieri se ostenderet.

Sed nolo falsa fama esse gnatum suspectum tuum,

Nec leviorem vobis, quibus est minime aequum, viderier

Immerito; nam meritus de me est quod queam illi ut commodem.
760

LACHES

Facilem benevolumque lingua tua iam tibi me reddidit;

Nam non sunt solae arbitratae hae: ego quoque etiam credidi.

Nunc quum ego te esse praeter nostram opinionem comperi,

Fac eadem ut sis porro; nostra utere amicitia ut voles.

Aliter si facias — sed reprimam me, ne aegre quicquam ex me audias.
765

Verum te hoc moneo unum: amicus qualis sim aut quid possiem

Potius quam inimicus periclum facias.

Hecyra. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). ed. Edward St. John Parry. London. 1857.

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

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

Hecyra; The Mother-in-Law Perseus (Terence. The Comedies of Terence. Riley, Henry Thomas; Colman, George, translators. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1872.) — 5.1 focus

727 (Enter BACCHIS attended by her WOMEN.)

BACCHIS

(to her WOMEN.)

It is not for nothing that Laches now desires to speak with me; and, i’ faith, I am not very far from mistaken in making a guess what it is he wants me for.

LACHES

(to himself.)

I must take care that I don’t, through anger, miss gaining, in this quarter what I otherwise might,

and that I don’t do any thing which hereafter it would have been better I had not done. I’ll accost her. (Accosts her.) Bacchis, good-morrow to you!
730

BACCHIS

Good-morrow to you, Laches!

LACHES

Troth, now, Bacchis, I suppose you somewhat wonder what can be my reason for sending the lad to fetch you out of doors.

BACCHIS

Upon my faith, I am even in some anxiety as well, when I reflect what I am,

lest the name of my calling should be to my prejudice; for my behavior I can easily defend.
735

LACHES

If you speak the truth, you will be in no danger, woman, from me, for I am now of that age that it is not meet for me to receive forgiveness for a fault; for that reason do I the more carefully attend to every particular, that I may not act with rashness; for if you now do, or intend to do, that which is proper for deserving women to do,

it would be unjust for me, in my ignorance, to offer an injury to you, when undeserving of it.
740

BACCHIS

On my word, great is the gratitude that I ought to feel toward you for such conduct; for he who, after committing an injury, would excuse himself, would profit me but little. But what is the matter?

LACHES

You admit my son, Pamphilus, to your house.

BACCHIS

Ah!

LACHES

Just let me speak: before he was married to this woman, I tolerated your amour.

Stay! I have not yet said to you what I intended. He has now got a wife: look out for another person more to be depended on, while you have time to deliberate; for neither will he be of this mind all his life, nor, i’ faith, will you be always of your present age.
745

BACCHIS

Who is it says this?

LACHES

His mother-in-law.

BACCHIS

What! that I—

LACHES

That you do: and she has taken away her daughter; and for that reason, has wished secretly to destroy the child that has been born.

BACCHIS

Did I know any other means whereby I might be enabled to establish my credit with you, more solemn than an oath, I would, Laches, assure you of this, that I have kept Pamphilus at a distance¹ from me ever since he took a wife.
750

LACHES

You are very good. But, pray, do you know what I would prefer that you should do?

BACCHIS

What? Tell me.

LACHES

Go in-doors there (pointing to the house of PHIDIPPUS) to the women, and make the same promise, on oath,

to them; satisfy their minds, and clear yourself from this charge.
755

BACCHIS

I will do so; although, i’ faith, if it had been any other woman of this calling, she would not have done so, I am quite sure; present herself before a married woman for such a purpose! But I do not wish your son to be suspected on an unfounded report, nor appear inconstant, undeservedly, to you, to whom he by no means ought;

for he has deserved of me, that, so far as I am able, I should do him a service.
760

LACHES

Your language has rendered me quite friendly and well disposed toward you; but not only did they think so—I too believed it. Now that I have found you quite different from what I had expected, take care that you still continue the same—make use of my friendship as you please;

if otherwise—; but I will forbear, that you may not hear any thing unkind from me. But this one thing I recommend you make trial what sort of a friend I am, or what I can effect as such, rather than what as an enemy.
765

Publius Terentius Afer (Terence) Hecyra 5.1

ed. Edward St. John Parry

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BACCHIS

Non hoc de nihilo est quod Laches me nunc conventam esse expetit;

Nec pol me multum fallit quin quod suspicor sit quod velit.

LACHES

Videndum est ne minus propter iram hanc impetrem quam possiem;

Aut ne quid faciam plus quod post me minus fecisse satius sit.
730

Aggrediar. Bacchis, salve.

BACCHIS

Salve, Lache.

LACHES

Edepol credo te nonnihil mirari, Bacchis,

Quid sit quapropter te huc foras puerum evocare iussi.

BACCHIS

Ego pol quoque etiam timida sum, quum venit mihi in mentem quae sim,

Ne nomen mihi quaesti obsiet; nam mores facile tutor.
735

LACHES

Si vera dicis, nihil tibi est a me pericli, mulier;

Nam aetate iam ea sum ut non siet peccato mihi ignosci aequum:

Quo magis omnes res cautius ne temere faciam accuro:

Nam si id facis facturave es bonas quod par est facere,

Inscitum offerre iniuriam tibi immerenti iniquum est.
740

BACCHIS

Est magna ecastor gratia de istac re quam tibi habeam:

Nam qui post factam iniuriam se expurget, parum mihi prosit.

Sed quid istuc est?

LACHES

Meum receptas filium ad te Pamphilum.

BACCHIS

Ah!

LACHES

Sine dicam. Uxorem hanc prius quam duxit, vestrum amorem pertuli.

Mane: nondum etiam dixi id quod volui. Hic nunc uxorem habet:
745

Quaere alium tibi firmiorem, dum tibi tempus consulendi est;

Nam neque ille hoc animo erit aetatem, neque pol tu eadem istac aetate.

BACCHIS

Quis id ait?

LACHES

Socrus.

BACCHIS

Mene?

LACHES

Te ipsam; et filiam abduxit suam;

Puerumque ob eam rem clam voluit natus qui est extinguere.

BACCHIS

Aliud si scirem qui firmare meam apud vos possem fidem
750

Sanctius quam iusiurandum, id pollicerer tibi, Lache,

Me segregatum habuisse, uxorem ut duxit, a me Pamphilum.

LACHES

Lepida es; sed scin quid volo potius sodes facias?

BACCHIS

Quid vis? cedo.

LACHES

Eas ad mulieres huc intro, atque istuc iusiurandum idem

Polliceare illis: exple animum iis, teque hoc crimine expedi.
755

BACCHIS

Faciam; quod pol, si esset alia ex hoc quaestu, haud faceret scio,

Ut de tali causa nuptae mulieri se ostenderet.

Sed nolo falsa fama esse gnatum suspectum tuum,

Nec leviorem vobis, quibus est minime aequum, viderier

Immerito; nam meritus de me est quod queam illi ut commodem.
760

Current edition Perseus

BACCHIS

(to her WOMEN.)

It is not for nothing that Laches now desires to speak with me; and, i’ faith, I am not very far from mistaken in making a guess what it is he wants me for.

LACHES

(to himself.)

I must take care that I don’t, through anger, miss gaining, in this quarter what I otherwise might,

and that I don’t do any thing which hereafter it would have been better I had not done. I’ll accost her. (Accosts her.) Bacchis, good-morrow to you!
730

BACCHIS

Good-morrow to you, Laches!

LACHES

Troth, now, Bacchis, I suppose you somewhat wonder what can be my reason for sending the lad to fetch you out of doors.

BACCHIS

Upon my faith, I am even in some anxiety as well, when I reflect what I am,

lest the name of my calling should be to my prejudice; for my behavior I can easily defend.
735

BACCHIS

On my word, great is the gratitude that I ought to feel toward you for such conduct; for he who, after committing an injury, would excuse himself, would profit me but little. But what is the matter?

LACHES

You admit my son, Pamphilus, to your house.

BACCHIS

Ah!

BACCHIS

Who is it says this?

LACHES

His mother-in-law.

BACCHIS

What! that I—

LACHES

That you do: and she has taken away her daughter; and for that reason, has wished secretly to destroy the child that has been born.

BACCHIS

Did I know any other means whereby I might be enabled to establish my credit with you, more solemn than an oath, I would, Laches, assure you of this, that I have kept Pamphilus at a distance¹ from me ever since he took a wife.
750

LACHES

You are very good. But, pray, do you know what I would prefer that you should do?

BACCHIS

What? Tell me.

LACHES

Go in-doors there (pointing to the house of PHIDIPPUS) to the women, and make the same promise, on oath,

to them; satisfy their minds, and clear yourself from this charge.
755

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

BACCHIS Non hoc de nihilo est quod Laches me nunc conventam esse expetit; Nec pol me multum fallit quin quod suspicor sit quod velit.

LACHES Videndum est ne minus propter iram hanc impetrem quam possiem; Aut ne quid faciam plus quod post me minus fecisse satius sit. 730 Aggrediar. Bacchis, salve.

BACCHIS Salve, Lache.

LACHES Edepol credo te nonnihil mirari, Bacchis, Quid sit quapropter te huc foras puerum evocare iussi.

BACCHIS Ego pol quoque etiam timida sum, quum venit mihi in mentem quae sim, Ne nomen mihi quaesti obsiet; nam mores facile tutor. 735

LACHES Si vera dicis, nihil tibi est a me pericli, mulier; Nam aetate iam ea sum ut non siet peccato mihi ignosci aequum: Quo magis omnes res cautius ne temere faciam accuro: Nam si id facis facturave es bonas quod par est facere, Inscitum offerre iniuriam tibi immerenti iniquum est. 740

BACCHIS Est magna ecastor gratia de istac re quam tibi habeam: Nam qui post factam iniuriam se expurget, parum mihi prosit. Sed quid istuc est?

LACHES Meum receptas filium ad te Pamphilum.

BACCHIS Ah!

LACHES Sine dicam. Uxorem hanc prius quam duxit, vestrum amorem pertuli. Mane: nondum etiam dixi id quod volui. Hic nunc uxorem habet: 745 Quaere alium tibi firmiorem, dum tibi tempus consulendi est; Nam neque ille hoc animo erit aetatem, neque pol tu eadem istac aetate.

BACCHIS Quis id ait?

LACHES Socrus.

BACCHIS Mene?

LACHES Te ipsam; et filiam abduxit suam; Puerumque ob eam rem clam voluit natus qui est extinguere.

BACCHIS Aliud si scirem qui firmare meam apud vos possem fidem 750 Sanctius quam iusiurandum, id pollicerer tibi, Lache, Me segregatum habuisse, uxorem ut duxit, a me Pamphilum.

LACHES Lepida es; sed scin quid volo potius sodes facias?

BACCHIS Quid vis? cedo.

LACHES Eas ad mulieres huc intro, atque istuc iusiurandum idem Polliceare illis: exple animum iis, teque hoc crimine expedi. 755

BACCHIS Faciam; quod pol, si esset alia ex hoc quaestu, haud faceret scio, Ut de tali causa nuptae mulieri se ostenderet. Sed nolo falsa fama esse gnatum suspectum tuum, Nec leviorem vobis, quibus est minime aequum, viderier Immerito; nam meritus de me est quod queam illi ut commodem. 760

Current edition Perseus

BACCHIS (to her WOMEN.) It is not for nothing that Laches now desires to speak with me; and, i’ faith, I am not very far from mistaken in making a guess what it is he wants me for.

LACHES (to himself.) I must take care that I don’t, through anger, miss gaining, in this quarter what I otherwise might, and that I don’t do any thing which hereafter it would have been better I had not done. I’ll accost her. (Accosts her.) Bacchis, good-morrow to you! 730

BACCHIS Good-morrow to you, Laches!

LACHES Troth, now, Bacchis, I suppose you somewhat wonder what can be my reason for sending the lad to fetch you out of doors.

BACCHIS Upon my faith, I am even in some anxiety as well, when I reflect what I am, lest the name of my calling should be to my prejudice; for my behavior I can easily defend. 735

BACCHIS On my word, great is the gratitude that I ought to feel toward you for such conduct; for he who, after committing an injury, would excuse himself, would profit me but little. But what is the matter?

LACHES You admit my son, Pamphilus, to your house.

BACCHIS Ah!

BACCHIS Who is it says this?

LACHES His mother-in-law.

BACCHIS What! that I—

LACHES That you do: and she has taken away her daughter; and for that reason, has wished secretly to destroy the child that has been born.

BACCHIS Did I know any other means whereby I might be enabled to establish my credit with you, more solemn than an oath, I would, Laches, assure you of this, that I have kept Pamphilus at a distance 1 from me ever since he took a wife. 750

LACHES You are very good. But, pray, do you know what I would prefer that you should do?

BACCHIS What? Tell me.

LACHES Go in-doors there (pointing to the house of PHIDIPPUS) to the women, and make the same promise, on oath, to them; satisfy their minds, and clear yourself from this charge. 755

Stable identifiers

BACCHIS

Non hoc de nihilo est quod Laches me nunc conventam esse expetit;

Nec pol me multum fallit quin quod suspicor sit quod velit.

LACHES

Videndum est ne minus propter iram hanc impetrem quam possiem;

Aut ne quid faciam plus quod post me minus fecisse satius sit.
730

Aggrediar. Bacchis, salve.

BACCHIS

Salve, Lache.

LACHES

Edepol credo te nonnihil mirari, Bacchis,

Quid sit quapropter te huc foras puerum evocare iussi.

BACCHIS

Ego pol quoque etiam timida sum, quum venit mihi in mentem quae sim,

Ne nomen mihi quaesti obsiet; nam mores facile tutor.
735

LACHES

Si vera dicis, nihil tibi est a me pericli, mulier;

Nam aetate iam ea sum ut non siet peccato mihi ignosci aequum:

Quo magis omnes res cautius ne temere faciam accuro:

Nam si id facis facturave es bonas quod par est facere,

Inscitum offerre iniuriam tibi immerenti iniquum est.
740

BACCHIS

Est magna ecastor gratia de istac re quam tibi habeam:

Nam qui post factam iniuriam se expurget, parum mihi prosit.

Sed quid istuc est?

LACHES

Meum receptas filium ad te Pamphilum.

BACCHIS

Ah!

LACHES

Sine dicam. Uxorem hanc prius quam duxit, vestrum amorem pertuli.

Mane: nondum etiam dixi id quod volui. Hic nunc uxorem habet:
745

Quaere alium tibi firmiorem, dum tibi tempus consulendi est;

Nam neque ille hoc animo erit aetatem, neque pol tu eadem istac aetate.

BACCHIS

Quis id ait?

LACHES

Socrus.

BACCHIS

Mene?

LACHES

Te ipsam; et filiam abduxit suam;

Puerumque ob eam rem clam voluit natus qui est extinguere.

BACCHIS

Aliud si scirem qui firmare meam apud vos possem fidem
750

Sanctius quam iusiurandum, id pollicerer tibi, Lache,

Me segregatum habuisse, uxorem ut duxit, a me Pamphilum.

LACHES

Lepida es; sed scin quid volo potius sodes facias?

BACCHIS

Quid vis? cedo.

LACHES

Eas ad mulieres huc intro, atque istuc iusiurandum idem

Polliceare illis: exple animum iis, teque hoc crimine expedi.
755

BACCHIS

Faciam; quod pol, si esset alia ex hoc quaestu, haud faceret scio,

Ut de tali causa nuptae mulieri se ostenderet.

Sed nolo falsa fama esse gnatum suspectum tuum,

Nec leviorem vobis, quibus est minime aequum, viderier

Immerito; nam meritus de me est quod queam illi ut commodem.
760

BACCHIS

(to her WOMEN.)

It is not for nothing that Laches now desires to speak with me; and, i’ faith, I am not very far from mistaken in making a guess what it is he wants me for.

LACHES

(to himself.)

I must take care that I don’t, through anger, miss gaining, in this quarter what I otherwise might,

and that I don’t do any thing which hereafter it would have been better I had not done. I’ll accost her. (Accosts her.) Bacchis, good-morrow to you!
730

BACCHIS

Good-morrow to you, Laches!

LACHES

Troth, now, Bacchis, I suppose you somewhat wonder what can be my reason for sending the lad to fetch you out of doors.

BACCHIS

Upon my faith, I am even in some anxiety as well, when I reflect what I am,

lest the name of my calling should be to my prejudice; for my behavior I can easily defend.
735

BACCHIS

On my word, great is the gratitude that I ought to feel toward you for such conduct; for he who, after committing an injury, would excuse himself, would profit me but little. But what is the matter?

LACHES

You admit my son, Pamphilus, to your house.

BACCHIS

Ah!

BACCHIS

Who is it says this?

LACHES

His mother-in-law.

BACCHIS

What! that I—

LACHES

That you do: and she has taken away her daughter; and for that reason, has wished secretly to destroy the child that has been born.

BACCHIS

Did I know any other means whereby I might be enabled to establish my credit with you, more solemn than an oath, I would, Laches, assure you of this, that I have kept Pamphilus at a distance¹ from me ever since he took a wife.
750

LACHES

You are very good. But, pray, do you know what I would prefer that you should do?

BACCHIS

What? Tell me.

LACHES

Go in-doors there (pointing to the house of PHIDIPPUS) to the women, and make the same promise, on oath,

to them; satisfy their minds, and clear yourself from this charge.
755