Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Adelphi, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 4.1

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517 (CTESIPHO. SYRUS.)

CTESIPHO

Ain patrem hinc abisse rus?

SYRUS

Iamdudum.

CTESIPHO

Dic sodes.

SYRUS

Apud villam est.

Nunc cum maxime operis aliquid facere credo.

CTESIPHO

Utinam quidem,

Quod cum salute eius fiat, ita se defatigarit velim,

Ut triduo hoc perpetuo prorsum e lecto nequeat surgere.
520

SYRUS

Ita fiat, et istoc si quid potis est rectius.

CTESIPHO

Ita: nam hunc diem

Misere nimis cupio, ut coepi, perpetuum in laetitia degere:

Et illud rus nulla alia causa tam male odi, nisi quia prope est:

Quod si abesset longius,

Prius nox oppressisset illic quam huc reverti posset iterum.
525

Nunc ubi me illic non videbit iam huc recurret, sat scio.

Rogitabit me ubi fuerim; quem ego hodie toto non vidi die.

Quid dicam?

SYRUS

Nihilne in mentem?

CTESIPHO

Nunquam quicquam.

SYRUS

Tanto nequior.

Cliens, amicus, hospes, nemo est vobis?

CTESIPHO

Sunt: quid postea ?

SYRUS

Hisce opera ut data sit.
530

CTESIPHO

Quae non data sit? non potest fieri.

SYRUS

Potest.

CTESIPHO

Interdiu: sed si hic pernocto, causae quid dicam, Syre?

SYRUS

Vah, quam vellem etiam noctu amicis operam mos esset dari.

Quin tu otiosus es: ego illius sensum pulchre calleo.

Quum fervit maxime tam placidum quam ovem reddo.

CTESIPHO

Quo modo?

SYRUS

Laudarier te audit libenter: facio te apud illum Deum:
535

Virtutes narro.

CTESIPHO

Meas?

SYRUS

Tuas: homini ilico lacrimae cadunt

Quasi puero gaudio. Hem tibi autem.

CTESIPHO

Quidnam est?

SYRUS

Lupus in fabula.

CTESIPHO

Pater est?

SYRUS

Ipsus est.

CTESIPHO

Syre, quid agimus?

SYRUS

Fuge modo intro: ego videro.

CTESIPHO

Si quid rogabit, nusquam tu me: audistin?

SYRUS

Potin ut desinas?

Adelphi. 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

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

Translations (1)

Adelphi; or, The Brothers Perseus (Terence. The Comedies of Terence. Riley, Henry Thomas; Colman, George, translators. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1872.) — 4.1 focus

517
(Enter CTESIPHO and SYRUS from the house of MICIO.)

CTESIPHO

My father gone into the country, say you?

SYRUS

(with a careless air.)

Some time since.

CTESIPHO

Do tell me, I beseech you.

SYRUS

He is at the farm at this very moment,¹ I warrant—hard at some work or other.

CTESIPHO

I really wish, provided it be done with no prejudice to his health, I wish that he may so effectually tire himself,

that, for the next three days together, he may be unable to arise from his bed.
520

SYRUS

So be it, and any thing still better than that,² if possible.

CTESIPHO

Just so; for I do most confoundedly wish to pass this whole day in merry-making as I have begun it; and for no reason do I detest that farm so heartily as for its being so near town. If it were at a greater distance,

night would overtake him there before he could return hither again. Now, when he doesn’t find me there, he’ll come running back here, I’m quite sure; he’ll be asking me where I have been, that I have not seen him all this day: what am I to say?
525

SYRUS

Does nothing suggest itself to your mind?

CTESIPHO

Nothing whatever.

SYRUS

So much the worse³—have you no client, friend, or guest?

CTESIPHO

I have; what then?

SYRUS

You have been engaged with them.
530

CTESIPHO

When I have not been engaged? That can never do.

SYRUS

It may.

CTESIPHO

During the daytime; but if I pass the night here, what excuse can I make, Syrus?

SYRUS

Dear me, how much I do wish it was the custom for one to be engaged with friends at night as well! But you be easy; I know his humor perfectly well. When he raves the most violently, I can make him as gentle as a lamb.

CTESIPHO

In what way?

SYRUS

He loves to hear you praised: I make a god of you to him, and recount your virtues.
535

CTESIPHO

What, mine?

SYRUS

Yours; immediately the tears fall from him as from a child, for very joy. (Starting.) Hah take care—

CTESIPHO

Why, what’s the matter?

SYRUS

The wolf in the fable⁴—

CTESIPHO

What! my father?

SYRUS

His own self.

CTESIPHO

What shall we do, Syrus?

SYRUS

You only be off in-doors, I’ll see to that.

CTESIPHO

If he makes any inquiries, you have seen me no-where; do you hear?

SYRUS

Can you not be quiet?

(They retreat to the door of MICIO’S house, and CTESIPHO stands in the doorway.)

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CTESIPHO Ain patrem hinc abisse rus?

SYRUS Iamdudum.

CTESIPHO Dic sodes.

SYRUS Apud villam est. Nunc cum maxime operis aliquid facere credo.

CTESIPHO Utinam quidem, Quod cum salute eius fiat, ita se defatigarit velim, Ut triduo hoc perpetuo prorsum e lecto nequeat surgere. 520

SYRUS Ita fiat, et istoc si quid potis est rectius.

SYRUS Nihilne in mentem?

CTESIPHO Nunquam quicquam.

SYRUS Tanto nequior. Cliens, amicus, hospes, nemo est vobis?

CTESIPHO Sunt: quid postea ?

SYRUS Hisce opera ut data sit. 530

CTESIPHO Quae non data sit? non potest fieri.

SYRUS Potest.

CTESIPHO Interdiu: sed si hic pernocto, causae quid dicam, Syre?

SYRUS Vah, quam vellem etiam noctu amicis operam mos esset dari. Quin tu otiosus es: ego illius sensum pulchre calleo. Quum fervit maxime tam placidum quam ovem reddo.

CTESIPHO Quo modo?

SYRUS Laudarier te audit libenter: facio te apud illum Deum: 535 Virtutes narro.

CTESIPHO Meas?

SYRUS Tuas: homini ilico lacrimae cadunt Quasi puero gaudio. Hem tibi autem.

CTESIPHO Quidnam est?

SYRUS Lupus in fabula.

CTESIPHO Pater est?

SYRUS Ipsus est.

CTESIPHO Syre, quid agimus?

SYRUS Fuge modo intro: ego videro.

CTESIPHO Si quid rogabit, nusquam tu me: audistin?

SYRUS Potin ut desinas?

Current edition Perseus

CTESIPHO My father gone into the country, say you?

SYRUS (with a careless air.) Some time since.

CTESIPHO Do tell me, I beseech you.

SYRUS He is at the farm at this very moment, 1 I warrant—hard at some work or other.

CTESIPHO I really wish, provided it be done with no prejudice to his health, I wish that he may so effectually tire himself, that, for the next three days together, he may be unable to arise from his bed. 520

SYRUS So be it, and any thing still better than that, 2 if possible.

SYRUS Does nothing suggest itself to your mind?

CTESIPHO Nothing whatever.

SYRUS So much the worse 3 —have you no client, friend, or guest?

CTESIPHO I have; what then?

SYRUS You have been engaged with them. 530

CTESIPHO When I have not been engaged? That can never do.

SYRUS It may.

CTESIPHO During the daytime; but if I pass the night here, what excuse can I make, Syrus?

SYRUS Dear me, how much I do wish it was the custom for one to be engaged with friends at night as well! But you be easy; I know his humor perfectly well. When he raves the most violently, I can make him as gentle as a lamb.

CTESIPHO In what way?

SYRUS He loves to hear you praised: I make a god of you to him, and recount your virtues. 535

CTESIPHO What, mine?

SYRUS Yours; immediately the tears fall from him as from a child, for very joy. (Starting.) Hah take care—

CTESIPHO Why, what’s the matter?

SYRUS The wolf in the fable 4 —

CTESIPHO What! my father?

SYRUS His own self.

CTESIPHO What shall we do, Syrus?

SYRUS You only be off in-doors, I’ll see to that.

CTESIPHO If he makes any inquiries, you have seen me no-where; do you hear?

SYRUS Can you not be quiet? (They retreat to the door of MICIO’S house, and CTESIPHO stands in the doorway.)

Stable identifiers

CTESIPHO

Ain patrem hinc abisse rus?

SYRUS

Iamdudum.

CTESIPHO

Dic sodes.

SYRUS

Apud villam est.

Nunc cum maxime operis aliquid facere credo.

CTESIPHO

Utinam quidem,

Quod cum salute eius fiat, ita se defatigarit velim,

Ut triduo hoc perpetuo prorsum e lecto nequeat surgere.
520

SYRUS

Ita fiat, et istoc si quid potis est rectius.

SYRUS

Nihilne in mentem?

CTESIPHO

Nunquam quicquam.

SYRUS

Tanto nequior.

Cliens, amicus, hospes, nemo est vobis?

CTESIPHO

Sunt: quid postea ?

SYRUS

Hisce opera ut data sit.
530

CTESIPHO

Quae non data sit? non potest fieri.

SYRUS

Potest.

CTESIPHO

Interdiu: sed si hic pernocto, causae quid dicam, Syre?

SYRUS

Vah, quam vellem etiam noctu amicis operam mos esset dari.

Quin tu otiosus es: ego illius sensum pulchre calleo.

Quum fervit maxime tam placidum quam ovem reddo.

CTESIPHO

Quo modo?

SYRUS

Laudarier te audit libenter: facio te apud illum Deum:
535

Virtutes narro.

CTESIPHO

Meas?

SYRUS

Tuas: homini ilico lacrimae cadunt

Quasi puero gaudio. Hem tibi autem.

CTESIPHO

Quidnam est?

SYRUS

Lupus in fabula.

CTESIPHO

Pater est?

SYRUS

Ipsus est.

CTESIPHO

Syre, quid agimus?

SYRUS

Fuge modo intro: ego videro.

CTESIPHO

Si quid rogabit, nusquam tu me: audistin?

SYRUS

Potin ut desinas?

CTESIPHO

My father gone into the country, say you?

SYRUS

(with a careless air.)

Some time since.

CTESIPHO

Do tell me, I beseech you.

SYRUS

He is at the farm at this very moment,¹ I warrant—hard at some work or other.

CTESIPHO

I really wish, provided it be done with no prejudice to his health, I wish that he may so effectually tire himself,

that, for the next three days together, he may be unable to arise from his bed.
520

SYRUS

So be it, and any thing still better than that,² if possible.

SYRUS

Does nothing suggest itself to your mind?

CTESIPHO

Nothing whatever.

SYRUS

So much the worse³—have you no client, friend, or guest?

CTESIPHO

I have; what then?

SYRUS

You have been engaged with them.
530

CTESIPHO

When I have not been engaged? That can never do.

SYRUS

It may.

CTESIPHO

During the daytime; but if I pass the night here, what excuse can I make, Syrus?

SYRUS

Dear me, how much I do wish it was the custom for one to be engaged with friends at night as well! But you be easy; I know his humor perfectly well. When he raves the most violently, I can make him as gentle as a lamb.

CTESIPHO

In what way?

SYRUS

He loves to hear you praised: I make a god of you to him, and recount your virtues.
535

CTESIPHO

What, mine?

SYRUS

Yours; immediately the tears fall from him as from a child, for very joy. (Starting.) Hah take care—

CTESIPHO

Why, what’s the matter?

SYRUS

The wolf in the fable⁴—

CTESIPHO

What! my father?

SYRUS

His own self.

CTESIPHO

What shall we do, Syrus?

SYRUS

You only be off in-doors, I’ll see to that.

CTESIPHO

If he makes any inquiries, you have seen me no-where; do you hear?

SYRUS

Can you not be quiet?

(They retreat to the door of MICIO’S house, and CTESIPHO stands in the doorway.)