Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Hecyra, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 5.4

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Line

← Previous

841 (PAMIPHILUS. PARMENO. BACCHIS.)

PAMPHILUS

Vide, mi Parmeno, etiam sodes ut mihi haec certa et clara attuleris,

Ne me in breve coniicias tempus gaudio hoc falso frui.

PARMENO

Visum est.

PAMPHILUS

Certen?

PARMENO

Certe.

PAMPHILUS

Deus sum, si hoc ita est.

PARMENO

Verum reperies.

PAMPHILUS

Manedum sodes: timeo ne aliud credam, atque aliud nunties.

PARMENO

Maneo.
845

PAMPHILUS

Sic te dixisse opinor, invenisse Myrrhinam

Bacchidem annulum suum habere.

PARMENO

Factum.

PAMPHILUS

Eum quem olim ei dedi;

Eaque hoc te mihi nuntiare iussit: itane est factum?

PARMENO

Ita, inquam.

PAMPHILUS

Quis me est fortunatior, venustatisque adeo plenior?

Egone te pro hoc nuntio quid donem? Quid? quid? Nescio.

PARMENO

At ego scio.
850

PAMPHILUS

Quid?

PARMENO

Nihil enim.

Nam neque in nuntio neque in me ipso tibi boni quid sit scio.

PAMPHILUS

Egon, qui ab Orco mortuum me reducem in lucem feceris,

Sinam sine munere a me abire? Ah, nimium me ingratum putas.

Sed Bacchidem eccam video stare ante ostium.

Me exspectat, credo: adibo.
855

BACCHIS

Salve, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS

O Bacchis, O mea Bacchis, servatrix mea.

BACCHIS

Bene factum, et volup est.

PAMPHILUS

Factis ut credam facis;

Antiquamque adeo tuam venustatem obtines,

Ut voluptati obitus, sermo, adventus tuus, quocunque adveneris,

Semper siet.
860

BACCHIS

Ac tu ecastor morem antiquum atque ingenium obtines,

Ut unus omnium homo te vivat nusquam quisquam blandior.

PAMPHILUS

Ha! ha! hae! tun mihi istuc?

BACCHIS

Recte amasti, Pamphile, uxorem tuam;

Nam nunquam ante hunc diem meis oculis eam, quod nossem, videram.

Perliberalis visa est.

PAMPHILUS

Dic verum.

BACCHIS

Ita me Di ament, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS

Dic mihi, harum rerum numquid dixti iam patri?
865

BACCHIS

Nihil.

PAMPHILUS

Neque opus est

Adeo muttito: placet non fieri hoc itidem ut in comoediis,

Omnia omnes ubi resciscunt: hic quos par fuerat resciscere

Sciunt; quos non autem aequum est scire neque resciscent neque scient.

BACCHIS

Immo etiam hoc qui occultari facilius credas dabo.

Myrrhina ita Phidippo dixit, iuriiurando meo
870

Se fidem habuisse, et propterea te sibi purgatum.

PAMPHILUS

Optime est;

Speroque hanc rem esse eventuram nobis ex sententia.

PARMENO

Here, licetne scire ex te hodie quid sit quod feci boni;

Aut quid istuc est quod vos agitis?

PAMPHILUS

Non licet.

PARMENO

Tamen suspicor.

Egone hunc ab Orco mortuum? quo pacto?
875

PAMPHILUS

Nescis, Parmeno,

Quantum hodie profueris mihi, et me ex quanta aerumna extraxeris.

PARMENO

Immo vero scio; neque hoc imprudens feci.

PAMPHILUS

Ego istuc satis scio.

BACCHIS

An temere quicquam Parmenonem praetereat quod facto usus sit?

PAMPHILUS

Sequere me intro, Parmeno.

PARMENO

Sequor. Equidem plus hodie boni

Feci imprudens quam sciens ante hunc diem unquam.
880

Ω

Plaudite.

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

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.) — 5.4 focus

841 (Enter PAMPHILUS and PARMENO, from the house of LACHES, on the other side of the stage.)

PAMPHILUS

Once more, take care, will you, my dear Parmeno, that you have brought me a faithful and distinct account, so as not to allure me for a short time to indulge in these transient joys.

PARMENO

I have taken care.

PAMPHILUS

For certain?

PARMENO

For certain.

PAMPHILUS

I am quite a God, if it is so!

PARMENO

You’ll find it true.

PAMPHILUS

Just stay, will you; I fear that I’m believing one thing, and you are telling another.

PARMENO

I am staying.
845

PAMPHILUS

I think you said to this effect—that Myrrhina had discovered that Bacchis has her ring.

PARMENO

It is the fact.

PAMPHILUS

The one I formerly gave to her; and she has desired you to tell me this: is such the fact?

PARMENO

Such is so, I tell you.

PAMPHILUS

Who is there happier than I, and, in fact, more full of joyousness? What am I to present you for these tidings? What?—what? I know not.

PARMENO

But I know.
850

PAMPHILUS

What?

PARMENO

Why, nothing; for neither in the tidings nor in myself do I know of there being any advantage to you.

PAMPHILUS

What! am I to suffer you, who have caused me, when dead, to be restored from the shades to life—to leave me unrewarded? Oh, you deem me too thankless! But look—I see Bacchis standing before the door;

she’s waiting for me, I suppose; I’ll accost her.
855

BACCHIS

Save you, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS

Oh Bacchis! Oh my Bacchis—my preserver!

BACCHIS

It is a fortunate thing, and gives me great delight.

PAMPHILUS

By your actions, you give me reason to believe you, and so much do you retain your former charming qualities, that wherever you go, the meeting with you, your company, your conversation,

always give pleasure.
860

BACCHIS

And you, upon my word, possess your former manners and disposition; so much so that not a single man living is more engaging than you.

PAMPHILUS

(laughing.)

Ha, ha, ha! do you tell me so?

BACCHIS

You had reason, Pamphilus, for being so fond of your wife. For never before to-day did I set eyes upon her, so as to know her: she seems a very gentle person.

PAMPHILUS

Tell the truth.

BACCHIS

So may the Gods bless me, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS

Tell me, have you as yet told any of these matters to my father?
865

BACCHIS

Not a word.

PAMPHILUS

Nor is there need, in fact; therefore keep it a secret: I don’t wish it to be the case here as it is in the Comedies,¹ where every thing is known to every body. Here, those’ who ought to know, know already; but those who ought not to know, shall neither hear of it nor know it.

BACCHIS

Nay more, I will give you a proof why you may suppose that this may be the more easily concealed.

Myrrhina has told Phidippus to this effect—that she has given credit to my oath, and that, in consequence, in her eyes you are exculpated.
870

PAMPHILUS

Most excellent; and I trust that this matter will turn out according to our wishes.

PARMENO

Master, may I not be allowed to know from you what is the good that I have done to-day, or what it is you are talking about?

PAMPHILUS

You may not.

PARMENO

Still I suspect.

I restore him, when dead, from the shades below.² In what way?
875

PAMPHILUS

You don’t know, Parmeno, how much you have benefited me to-day, and from what troubles you have extricated me.

PARMENO

Nay, but indeed I do know: and I did not do it without design.

PAMPHILUS

I know that well enough (ironically).

BACCHIS

Could Parmeno, from negligence, omit any thing that ought to be done?

PAMPHILUS

Follow me in, Parmeno.

PARMENO

I’ll follow; for my part, I have done more good to-day,

without knowing it, than ever I did, knowingly, in all my life.
880

(Coming forward.)

Grant us your applause.³

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

PAMPHILUS Vide, mi Parmeno, etiam sodes ut mihi haec certa et clara attuleris, Ne me in breve coniicias tempus gaudio hoc falso frui.

PARMENO Visum est.

PAMPHILUS Certen?

PARMENO Certe.

PAMPHILUS Deus sum, si hoc ita est.

PARMENO Verum reperies.

PAMPHILUS Manedum sodes: timeo ne aliud credam, atque aliud nunties.

PARMENO Maneo. 845

PAMPHILUS Sic te dixisse opinor, invenisse Myrrhinam Bacchidem annulum suum habere.

PARMENO Factum.

PAMPHILUS Eum quem olim ei dedi; Eaque hoc te mihi nuntiare iussit: itane est factum?

PARMENO Ita, inquam.

PAMPHILUS Quis me est fortunatior, venustatisque adeo plenior? Egone te pro hoc nuntio quid donem? Quid? quid? Nescio.

PARMENO At ego scio. 850

PAMPHILUS Quid?

PARMENO Nihil enim. Nam neque in nuntio neque in me ipso tibi boni quid sit scio.

PAMPHILUS Egon, qui ab Orco mortuum me reducem in lucem feceris, Sinam sine munere a me abire? Ah, nimium me ingratum putas. Sed Bacchidem eccam video stare ante ostium. Me exspectat, credo: adibo. 855

BACCHIS Salve, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS O Bacchis, O mea Bacchis, servatrix mea.

BACCHIS Bene factum, et volup est.

PAMPHILUS Factis ut credam facis; Antiquamque adeo tuam venustatem obtines, Ut voluptati obitus, sermo, adventus tuus, quocunque adveneris, Semper siet. 860

BACCHIS Ac tu ecastor morem antiquum atque ingenium obtines, Ut unus omnium homo te vivat nusquam quisquam blandior.

PAMPHILUS Ha! ha! hae! tun mihi istuc?

BACCHIS Recte amasti, Pamphile, uxorem tuam; Nam nunquam ante hunc diem meis oculis eam, quod nossem, videram. Perliberalis visa est.

PAMPHILUS Dic verum.

BACCHIS Ita me Di ament, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS Dic mihi, harum rerum numquid dixti iam patri? 865

BACCHIS Nihil.

PAMPHILUS Neque opus est Adeo muttito: placet non fieri hoc itidem ut in comoediis, Omnia omnes ubi resciscunt: hic quos par fuerat resciscere Sciunt; quos non autem aequum est scire neque resciscent neque scient.

BACCHIS Immo etiam hoc qui occultari facilius credas dabo. Myrrhina ita Phidippo dixit, iuriiurando meo 870 Se fidem habuisse, et propterea te sibi purgatum.

PAMPHILUS Optime est; Speroque hanc rem esse eventuram nobis ex sententia.

PARMENO Here, licetne scire ex te hodie quid sit quod feci boni; Aut quid istuc est quod vos agitis?

PAMPHILUS Non licet.

PARMENO Tamen suspicor. Egone hunc ab Orco mortuum? quo pacto? 875

PAMPHILUS Nescis, Parmeno, Quantum hodie profueris mihi, et me ex quanta aerumna extraxeris.

PARMENO Immo vero scio; neque hoc imprudens feci.

PAMPHILUS Ego istuc satis scio.

BACCHIS An temere quicquam Parmenonem praetereat quod facto usus sit?

PAMPHILUS Sequere me intro, Parmeno.

PARMENO Sequor. Equidem plus hodie boni Feci imprudens quam sciens ante hunc diem unquam. 880

Ω Plaudite.

Current edition Perseus

PAMPHILUS Once more, take care, will you, my dear Parmeno, that you have brought me a faithful and distinct account, so as not to allure me for a short time to indulge in these transient joys.

PARMENO I have taken care.

PAMPHILUS For certain?

PARMENO For certain.

PAMPHILUS I am quite a God, if it is so!

PARMENO You’ll find it true.

PAMPHILUS Just stay, will you; I fear that I’m believing one thing, and you are telling another.

PARMENO I am staying. 845

PAMPHILUS I think you said to this effect—that Myrrhina had discovered that Bacchis has her ring.

PARMENO It is the fact.

PAMPHILUS The one I formerly gave to her; and she has desired you to tell me this: is such the fact?

PARMENO Such is so, I tell you.

PAMPHILUS Who is there happier than I, and, in fact, more full of joyousness? What am I to present you for these tidings? What?—what? I know not.

PARMENO But I know. 850

PAMPHILUS What?

PARMENO Why, nothing; for neither in the tidings nor in myself do I know of there being any advantage to you.

PAMPHILUS What! am I to suffer you, who have caused me, when dead, to be restored from the shades to life—to leave me unrewarded? Oh, you deem me too thankless! But look—I see Bacchis standing before the door; she’s waiting for me, I suppose; I’ll accost her. 855

BACCHIS Save you, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS Oh Bacchis! Oh my Bacchis—my preserver!

BACCHIS It is a fortunate thing, and gives me great delight.

PAMPHILUS By your actions, you give me reason to believe you, and so much do you retain your former charming qualities, that wherever you go, the meeting with you, your company, your conversation, always give pleasure. 860

BACCHIS And you, upon my word, possess your former manners and disposition; so much so that not a single man living is more engaging than you.

PAMPHILUS (laughing.) Ha, ha, ha! do you tell me so?

BACCHIS You had reason, Pamphilus, for being so fond of your wife. For never before to-day did I set eyes upon her, so as to know her: she seems a very gentle person.

PAMPHILUS Tell the truth.

BACCHIS So may the Gods bless me, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS Tell me, have you as yet told any of these matters to my father? 865

BACCHIS Not a word.

PAMPHILUS Nor is there need, in fact; therefore keep it a secret: I don’t wish it to be the case here as it is in the Comedies, 1 where every thing is known to every body. Here, those’ who ought to know, know already; but those who ought not to know, shall neither hear of it nor know it.

BACCHIS Nay more, I will give you a proof why you may suppose that this may be the more easily concealed. Myrrhina has told Phidippus to this effect—that she has given credit to my oath, and that, in consequence, in her eyes you are exculpated. 870

PAMPHILUS Most excellent; and I trust that this matter will turn out according to our wishes.

PARMENO Master, may I not be allowed to know from you what is the good that I have done to-day, or what it is you are talking about?

PAMPHILUS You may not.

PARMENO Still I suspect. I restore him, when dead, from the shades below. 2 In what way? 875

PAMPHILUS You don’t know, Parmeno, how much you have benefited me to-day, and from what troubles you have extricated me.

PARMENO Nay, but indeed I do know: and I did not do it without design.

PAMPHILUS

Vide, mi Parmeno, etiam sodes ut mihi haec certa et clara attuleris,

Ne me in breve coniicias tempus gaudio hoc falso frui.

PARMENO

Visum est.

PAMPHILUS

Certen?

PARMENO

Certe.

PAMPHILUS

Deus sum, si hoc ita est.

PARMENO

Verum reperies.

PAMPHILUS

Manedum sodes: timeo ne aliud credam, atque aliud nunties.

PARMENO

Maneo.
845

PAMPHILUS

Sic te dixisse opinor, invenisse Myrrhinam

Bacchidem annulum suum habere.

PARMENO

Factum.

PAMPHILUS

Eum quem olim ei dedi;

Eaque hoc te mihi nuntiare iussit: itane est factum?

PARMENO

Ita, inquam.

PAMPHILUS

Quis me est fortunatior, venustatisque adeo plenior?

Egone te pro hoc nuntio quid donem? Quid? quid? Nescio.

PARMENO

At ego scio.
850

PAMPHILUS

Quid?

PARMENO

Nihil enim.

Nam neque in nuntio neque in me ipso tibi boni quid sit scio.

PAMPHILUS

Egon, qui ab Orco mortuum me reducem in lucem feceris,

Sinam sine munere a me abire? Ah, nimium me ingratum putas.

Sed Bacchidem eccam video stare ante ostium.

Me exspectat, credo: adibo.
855

BACCHIS

Salve, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS

O Bacchis, O mea Bacchis, servatrix mea.

BACCHIS

Bene factum, et volup est.

PAMPHILUS

Factis ut credam facis;

Antiquamque adeo tuam venustatem obtines,

Ut voluptati obitus, sermo, adventus tuus, quocunque adveneris,

Semper siet.
860

BACCHIS

Ac tu ecastor morem antiquum atque ingenium obtines,

Ut unus omnium homo te vivat nusquam quisquam blandior.

PAMPHILUS

Ha! ha! hae! tun mihi istuc?

BACCHIS

Recte amasti, Pamphile, uxorem tuam;

Nam nunquam ante hunc diem meis oculis eam, quod nossem, videram.

Perliberalis visa est.

PAMPHILUS

Dic verum.

BACCHIS

Ita me Di ament, Pamphile.

PAMPHILUS

Dic mihi, harum rerum numquid dixti iam patri?
865

BACCHIS

Nihil.

PAMPHILUS

Neque opus est

Adeo muttito: placet non fieri hoc itidem ut in comoediis,

Omnia omnes ubi resciscunt: hic quos par fuerat resciscere

Sciunt; quos non autem aequum est scire neque resciscent neque scient.

BACCHIS

Immo etiam hoc qui occultari facilius credas dabo.

Myrrhina ita Phidippo dixit, iuriiurando meo
870

Se fidem habuisse, et propterea te sibi purgatum.

PAMPHILUS

Optime est;

Speroque hanc rem esse eventuram nobis ex sententia.

PARMENO

Here, licetne scire ex te hodie quid sit quod feci boni;

Aut quid istuc est quod vos agitis?

PAMPHILUS

Non licet.

PARMENO

Tamen suspicor.

Egone hunc ab Orco mortuum? quo pacto?
875

PAMPHILUS

Nescis, Parmeno,

Quantum hodie profueris mihi, et me ex quanta aerumna extraxeris.

PARMENO

Immo vero scio; neque hoc imprudens feci.

PAMPHILUS

Ego istuc satis scio.

BACCHIS

An temere quicquam Parmenonem praetereat quod facto usus sit?

PAMPHILUS

Sequere me intro, Parmeno.

PARMENO

Sequor. Equidem plus hodie boni

Feci imprudens quam sciens ante hunc diem unquam.
880

Ω

Plaudite.

PAMPHILUS

Once more, take care, will you, my dear Parmeno, that you have brought me a faithful and distinct account, so as not to allure me for a short time to indulge in these transient joys.

PARMENO

I have taken care.

PAMPHILUS

For certain?

PARMENO

For certain.

PAMPHILUS

I am quite a God, if it is so!

PARMENO

You’ll find it true.

PAMPHILUS

Just stay, will you; I fear that I’m believing one thing, and you are telling another.

PARMENO

I am staying.
845

PAMPHILUS

I think you said to this effect—that Myrrhina had discovered that Bacchis has her ring.

PARMENO

It is the fact.

PAMPHILUS

The one I formerly gave to her; and she has desired you to tell me this: is such the fact?

PARMENO

Such is so, I tell you.

PAMPHILUS

Who is there happier than I, and, in fact, more full of joyousness? What am I to present you for these tidings? What?—what? I know not.

PARMENO

But I know.
850

PAMPHILUS

What?

PARMENO

Why, nothing; for neither in the tidings nor in myself do I know of there being any advantage to you.

PAMPHILUS

What! am I to suffer you, who have caused me, when dead, to be restored from the shades to life—to leave me unrewarded? Oh, you deem me too thankless! But look—I see Bacchis standing before the door;

she’s waiting for me, I suppose; I’ll accost her.
855

BACCHIS

Save you, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS

Oh Bacchis! Oh my Bacchis—my preserver!

BACCHIS

It is a fortunate thing, and gives me great delight.

PAMPHILUS

By your actions, you give me reason to believe you, and so much do you retain your former charming qualities, that wherever you go, the meeting with you, your company, your conversation,

always give pleasure.
860

BACCHIS

And you, upon my word, possess your former manners and disposition; so much so that not a single man living is more engaging than you.

PAMPHILUS

(laughing.)

Ha, ha, ha! do you tell me so?

BACCHIS

You had reason, Pamphilus, for being so fond of your wife. For never before to-day did I set eyes upon her, so as to know her: she seems a very gentle person.

PAMPHILUS

Tell the truth.

BACCHIS

So may the Gods bless me, Pamphilus!

PAMPHILUS

Tell me, have you as yet told any of these matters to my father?
865

BACCHIS

Not a word.

PAMPHILUS

Nor is there need, in fact; therefore keep it a secret: I don’t wish it to be the case here as it is in the Comedies,¹ where every thing is known to every body. Here, those’ who ought to know, know already; but those who ought not to know, shall neither hear of it nor know it.

BACCHIS

Nay more, I will give you a proof why you may suppose that this may be the more easily concealed.

Myrrhina has told Phidippus to this effect—that she has given credit to my oath, and that, in consequence, in her eyes you are exculpated.
870

PAMPHILUS

Most excellent; and I trust that this matter will turn out according to our wishes.

PARMENO

Master, may I not be allowed to know from you what is the good that I have done to-day, or what it is you are talking about?

PAMPHILUS

You may not.

PARMENO

Still I suspect.

I restore him, when dead, from the shades below.² In what way?
875

PAMPHILUS

You don’t know, Parmeno, how much you have benefited me to-day, and from what troubles you have extricated me.

PARMENO

Nay, but indeed I do know: and I did not do it without design.

PAMPHILUS

I know that well enough (ironically).

BACCHIS

Could Parmeno, from negligence, omit any thing that ought to be done?

PAMPHILUS

Follow me in, Parmeno.