Publius Terentius Afer (Terence), Adelphi, ed. Edward St. John Parry, 5.3

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788 (MICIO. DEMEA.)

MICIO

Parata a nobis sunt, ut dixi, Sostrata,

Ubi vis. Quisnam a me pepulit tam graviter fores?

DEMEA

Hei mihi, quid faciam? quid agam? quid clamem aut querar?
790

O coelum, O terra, O maria Neptuni!

MICIO

Em tibi:

Rescivit omnem rem; id nunc clamat scilicet:

Paratae lites; succurrendum est.

DEMEA

Eccum adest

Communis corruptela nostrum liberum.

MICIO

Tandem reprime iracundiam, atque ad te redi.
795

DEMEA

Repressi, redii: mitto maledicta omnia:

Rem ipsam putemus: dictum hoc inter nos fuit,

Ex te adeo est ortum, ne tu curares meum,

Neve ego tuum? responde.

MICIO

Factum est; non nego.

DEMEA

Cur nunc apud te potat? cur recipis meum?
800

Cur emis amicam Micio? Numqui minus

Mihi idem ius aequum est esse quod mecum est tibi?

Quando ego tuum non euro, ne cura meum.

MICIO

Non aequum dicis; non; nam vetus verbum hoc quidem est;

Communia esse amicorum inter se omnia.
805

DEMEA

Facete! nunc demum istaec nata oratio est.

MICIO

Ausculta paucis, nisi molestum est, Demea.

Principio, si id te mordet, sumtum filii

Quem faciunt, quaeso facito haec tecum cogites:

Tu illos duos olim pro re tollebas tua,
810

Quod satis putabas tua bona ambobus fore,

Et me tum uxorem credidisti, scilicet,

Ducturum: eandem illam rationem antiquam obtine:

Conserva, quaere, parce: fac quam plurimum

Illis relinquas: gloriam tu istam obtine.
815

Mea, quae praeter spem evenere, utantur sine.

De summa nihil decedet: quod hinc accesserit,

Id de lucro putato esse omne. Haec si voles

In animo vere cogitare, Demea,

Et mihi, et tibi, et illis demseris molestiam.
820

DEMEA

Mitto rem: consuetudinem ipsorum.

MICIO

Mane:

Scio: istuc ibam. Multa in homine, Demea,

Signa insunt ex quibus coniectura facile fit,

Duo quum idem faciunt, saepe ut possis dicere,

Hoc licet impune facere huic, illi non licet;
825

Non quod dissimilis res sit, sed quod is qui facit:

Quae ego illis inesse video, ut confidam fore

Ita ut volumus: video sapere, intelligere, in loco

Vereri, inter se amare: scires liberum

Ingenium atque animum; quovis illos tu die
830

Reducas. At enim metuas ne ab re sint tamen

Omissiores paullo. O noster Demea,

Ad omnia alia aetate sapimus rectius:

Solum unum hoc vitium senectus affert hominibus;

Attentiores sumus ad rem omnes quam sat est:
835

Quod illos sat aetas acuet.

DEMEA

Ne nimium modo

Bonae tuae istae nos rationes, Micio,

Et tuus iste animus aequus, subvertant.

MICIO

Tace:

Non fiet: mitte iam istaec: da te hodie mihi:

Exporge frontem.
840

DEMEA

Scilicet, ita tempus fert;

Faciendum est: caeterum rus eras cum filio

Cum primo lucu ibo hinc.

MICIO

Immo de note censeo;

Hodie modo hilarum fac te.

DEMEA

Et istam psaltriam

Una illuc mecum hinc abstraham.

MICIO

Pugnaveris.

Eo pacto prorsum illic alligaris filium:
845

Modo facito ut illam serves.

DEMEA

Ego istuc videro:

Atque illi favillae plena, funi, ac pollinis,

Coquendo sit faxo, et molendo: praeter haec

Meridie ipso faciam ut stipulam colligat:

Tam excoctam reddam atque atram quam carbo est.
850

MICIO

Placet:

Nunc mihi videre sapere; atque equidem filium

Tum etiam si nolit cogam ut cum illa una cubet.

DEMEA

Derides? fortunatus qui istoc animo sies.

Ego sentio—

MICIO

Ah, pergisne?

DEMEA

Iam iam desino.

MICIO

I ergo intro, et cui rei est ei rei hunc sumamus diem.
855

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.) — 5.3 focus

788
(Enter MICIO, from the house of SOSTRATA.)

MICIO

(to SOSTRATA, within.)

Every thing’s ready with us, as I told you, Sostrata, when you like.—Who, I wonder, is making my door fly open with such fury?

(Enter DEMEA in haste, from the house of MICIO.)

DEMEA

Alas! what shall I do? How behave? In what terms exclaim, or how make my complaint? O heavens! O earth! O seas of Neptune!
790

MICIO

(apart.)

Here’s for you! he has discovered all about the affair; and of course is now raving about it; a quarrel is the consequence; I must assist him,¹ however.

DEMEA

See, here comes the common corrupter of my children.

MICIO

Pray moderate your passion, and recover yourself.
795

DEMEA

I have moderated it; I am myself; I forbear all reproaches; let us come to the point: was this agreed upon between us,—proposed by yourself, in fact,—that you were not to concern yourself about my son, nor I about yours? Answer me.

MICIO

It is the fact,—I don’t deny it.

DEMEA

Why is he now carousing at your house? Why are you harboring my son ? Why do you purchase a mistress for him, Micio? Is it at all fair, that I should have any less justice from you, than you from me? Since I do not concern myself about your son, don’t you concern yourself about mine.
800

MICIO

You don’t reason fairly.

DEMEA

No?²

MICIO

For surely it is a maxim of old,

that among themselves all things are common to friends.³
805

DEMEA

Smartly said; you’ve got that speech up for the occasion.

MICIO

Listen to a few words, unless it is disagreeable, Demea. In the first place, if the extravagance your sons are guilty of distresses you, pray do reason with yourself.

You formerly brought up the two suitably to your circumstances, thinking that your own property would have to suffice for them both; and, of course, you then thought that I should marry. Adhere to that same old rule of yours,—save, scrape together, and be thrifty for them; take care to leave them as much as possible,
810

and take that credit to yourself: my fortune, which has come to them beyond their expectation, allow them to enjoy; of your capital there will be no diminution; what comes from this quarter, set it all down as so much gain. If you think proper impartially to consider these matters in your mind, Demea,
815

you will save me and yourself, and them, considerable uneasiness.
820

DEMEA

I don’t speak about the expense; their morals—

MICIO

Hold; I understand you; that point I was coming to.⁴ There are in men, Demea, many signs from which a conjecture is easily formed; so that when two persons do the same thing, you may often say,

this one may be allowed to do it with impunity, the other may not; not that the thing itself is different, but that he is who does it. I see signs in them, so as to feel confident that they will turn out as we wish. I see that they have good sense and understanding, that they have modesty upon occasion, and are affectionate to each other; you may infer
825

that their bent and disposition is of a pliant nature; at any time you like you may reclaim them. But still, you may be apprehensive that they will be somewhat too apt to neglect their interests. O my dear Demea, in all other things we grow wiser with age; this sole vice does old age bring upon men:
830

we are all more solicitous about our own interests than we need be; and in this respect age will make them sharp enough.
835

DEMEA

Only take care, Micio, that these fine reasonings of yours, and this easy disposition of yours, do not ruin us in the end.

MICIO

Say no more; there’s no danger of that. Now think no further of these matters. Put yourself to-day into my hands;

smooth your brow.
840

DEMEA

Why, as the occasion requires it, I must do so; but to-morrow I shall be off with my son into the country at day-break.

MICIO

Aye, to-night, for my share; only keep yourself in good-humor for the day.

DEMEA

I’ll carry off that Music-girl along with me as well.

MICIO

You will gain your point;

by that means you will keep your son fast there; only take care to secure her.
845

DEMEA

I’ll see to that; and what with cooking and grinding, I’ll take care she shall be well covered with ashes, smoke, and meal; besides all this, at the very mid-day⁵ I’ll set her gathering stubble;

I’ll make her as burned and as black as a coal.
850

MICIO

You quite delight me; now you seem to me to be wise; and for my part I would then compel my son to go to bed with her, even though he should be unwilling.

DEMEA

Do you banter me? Happy man, to have such a temper! I feel—

MICIO

Ah ! at it again!

DEMEA

I’ll have done then at once.

MICIO

Go in-doors then, and let’s devote this day to the object⁶ to which it belongs.
855
(Goes into the house.)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

MICIO Parata a nobis sunt, ut dixi, Sostrata, Ubi vis. Quisnam a me pepulit tam graviter fores?

DEMEA Hei mihi, quid faciam? quid agam? quid clamem aut querar? 790 O coelum, O terra, O maria Neptuni!

MICIO Em tibi: Rescivit omnem rem; id nunc clamat scilicet: Paratae lites; succurrendum est.

DEMEA Eccum adest Communis corruptela nostrum liberum.

MICIO Tandem reprime iracundiam, atque ad te redi. 795

DEMEA Repressi, redii: mitto maledicta omnia: Rem ipsam putemus: dictum hoc inter nos fuit, Ex te adeo est ortum, ne tu curares meum, Neve ego tuum? responde.

MICIO Factum est; non nego.

DEMEA Cur nunc apud te potat? cur recipis meum? 800 Cur emis amicam Micio? Numqui minus Mihi idem ius aequum est esse quod mecum est tibi? Quando ego tuum non euro, ne cura meum.

MICIO Non aequum dicis; non; nam vetus verbum hoc quidem est; Communia esse amicorum inter se omnia. 805

DEMEA Facete! nunc demum istaec nata oratio est.

DEMEA Mitto rem: consuetudinem ipsorum.

DEMEA Ne nimium modo Bonae tuae istae nos rationes, Micio, Et tuus iste animus aequus, subvertant.

MICIO Tace: Non fiet: mitte iam istaec: da te hodie mihi: Exporge frontem. 840

DEMEA Scilicet, ita tempus fert; Faciendum est: caeterum rus eras cum filio Cum primo lucu ibo hinc.

MICIO Immo de note censeo; Hodie modo hilarum fac te.

DEMEA Et istam psaltriam Una illuc mecum hinc abstraham.

MICIO Pugnaveris. Eo pacto prorsum illic alligaris filium: 845 Modo facito ut illam serves.

DEMEA Ego istuc videro: Atque illi favillae plena, funi, ac pollinis, Coquendo sit faxo, et molendo: praeter haec Meridie ipso faciam ut stipulam colligat: Tam excoctam reddam atque atram quam carbo est. 850

MICIO Placet: Nunc mihi videre sapere; atque equidem filium Tum etiam si nolit cogam ut cum illa una cubet.

DEMEA Derides? fortunatus qui istoc animo sies. Ego sentio—

MICIO Ah, pergisne?

DEMEA Iam iam desino.

MICIO I ergo intro, et cui rei est ei rei hunc sumamus diem. 855

Current edition Perseus

MICIO (to SOSTRATA, within.) Every thing’s ready with us, as I told you, Sostrata, when you like.—Who, I wonder, is making my door fly open with such fury? (Enter DEMEA in haste, from the house of MICIO.)

DEMEA Alas! what shall I do? How behave? In what terms exclaim, or how make my complaint? O heavens! O earth! O seas of Neptune! 790

MICIO (apart.) Here’s for you! he has discovered all about the affair; and of course is now raving about it; a quarrel is the consequence; I must assist him, 1 however.

DEMEA See, here comes the common corrupter of my children.

MICIO Pray moderate your passion, and recover yourself. 795

DEMEA I have moderated it; I am myself; I forbear all reproaches; let us come to the point: was this agreed upon between us,—proposed by yourself, in fact,—that you were not to concern yourself about my son, nor I about yours? Answer me.

MICIO It is the fact,—I don’t deny it.

DEMEA Why is he now carousing at your house? Why are you harboring my son ? Why do you purchase a mistress for him, Micio? Is it at all fair, that I should have any less justice from you, than you from me? Since I do not concern myself about your son, don’t you concern yourself about mine. 800

MICIO You don’t reason fairly.

DEMEA No? 2

MICIO For surely it is a maxim of old, that among themselves all things are common to friends. 3 805

DEMEA Smartly said; you’ve got that speech up for the occasion.

DEMEA I don’t speak about the expense; their morals—

DEMEA Only take care, Micio, that these fine reasonings of yours, and this easy disposition of yours, do not ruin us in the end.

MICIO Say no more; there’s no danger of that. Now think no further of these matters. Put yourself to-day into my hands; smooth your brow. 840

DEMEA Why, as the occasion requires it, I must do so; but to-morrow I shall be off with my son into the country at day-break.

MICIO Aye, to-night, for my share; only keep yourself in good-humor for the day.

DEMEA I’ll carry off that Music-girl along with me as well.

MICIO You will gain your point; by that means you will keep your son fast there; only take care to secure her. 845

DEMEA I’ll see to that; and what with cooking and grinding, I’ll take care she shall be well covered with ashes, smoke, and meal; besides all this, at the very mid-day 5 I’ll set her gathering stubble; I’ll make her as burned and as black as a coal. 850

MICIO You quite delight me; now you seem to me to be wise; and for my part I would then compel my son to go to bed with her, even though he should be unwilling.

DEMEA Do you banter me? Happy man, to have such a temper! I feel—

MICIO Ah ! at it again!

DEMEA I’ll have done then at once.

MICIO Go in-doors then, and let’s devote this day to the object 6 to which it belongs. 855 (Goes into the house.)

Stable identifiers

MICIO

Parata a nobis sunt, ut dixi, Sostrata,

Ubi vis. Quisnam a me pepulit tam graviter fores?

DEMEA

Hei mihi, quid faciam? quid agam? quid clamem aut querar?
790

O coelum, O terra, O maria Neptuni!

MICIO

Em tibi:

Rescivit omnem rem; id nunc clamat scilicet:

Paratae lites; succurrendum est.

DEMEA

Eccum adest

Communis corruptela nostrum liberum.

MICIO

Tandem reprime iracundiam, atque ad te redi.
795

DEMEA

Repressi, redii: mitto maledicta omnia:

Rem ipsam putemus: dictum hoc inter nos fuit,

Ex te adeo est ortum, ne tu curares meum,

Neve ego tuum? responde.

MICIO

Factum est; non nego.

DEMEA

Cur nunc apud te potat? cur recipis meum?
800

Cur emis amicam Micio? Numqui minus

Mihi idem ius aequum est esse quod mecum est tibi?

Quando ego tuum non euro, ne cura meum.

MICIO

Non aequum dicis; non; nam vetus verbum hoc quidem est;

Communia esse amicorum inter se omnia.
805

DEMEA

Facete! nunc demum istaec nata oratio est.

DEMEA

Mitto rem: consuetudinem ipsorum.

DEMEA

Ne nimium modo

Bonae tuae istae nos rationes, Micio,

Et tuus iste animus aequus, subvertant.

MICIO

Tace:

Non fiet: mitte iam istaec: da te hodie mihi:

Exporge frontem.
840

DEMEA

Scilicet, ita tempus fert;

Faciendum est: caeterum rus eras cum filio

Cum primo lucu ibo hinc.

MICIO

Immo de note censeo;

Hodie modo hilarum fac te.

DEMEA

Et istam psaltriam

Una illuc mecum hinc abstraham.

MICIO

Pugnaveris.

Eo pacto prorsum illic alligaris filium:
845

Modo facito ut illam serves.

DEMEA

Ego istuc videro:

Atque illi favillae plena, funi, ac pollinis,

Coquendo sit faxo, et molendo: praeter haec

Meridie ipso faciam ut stipulam colligat:

Tam excoctam reddam atque atram quam carbo est.
850

MICIO

Placet:

Nunc mihi videre sapere; atque equidem filium

Tum etiam si nolit cogam ut cum illa una cubet.

DEMEA

Derides? fortunatus qui istoc animo sies.

Ego sentio—

MICIO

Ah, pergisne?

DEMEA

Iam iam desino.

MICIO

I ergo intro, et cui rei est ei rei hunc sumamus diem.
855

MICIO

(to SOSTRATA, within.)

Every thing’s ready with us, as I told you, Sostrata, when you like.—Who, I wonder, is making my door fly open with such fury?

(Enter DEMEA in haste, from the house of MICIO.)

DEMEA

Alas! what shall I do? How behave? In what terms exclaim, or how make my complaint? O heavens! O earth! O seas of Neptune!
790

MICIO

(apart.)

Here’s for you! he has discovered all about the affair; and of course is now raving about it; a quarrel is the consequence; I must assist him,¹ however.

DEMEA

See, here comes the common corrupter of my children.

MICIO

Pray moderate your passion, and recover yourself.
795

DEMEA

I have moderated it; I am myself; I forbear all reproaches; let us come to the point: was this agreed upon between us,—proposed by yourself, in fact,—that you were not to concern yourself about my son, nor I about yours? Answer me.

MICIO

It is the fact,—I don’t deny it.

DEMEA

Why is he now carousing at your house? Why are you harboring my son ? Why do you purchase a mistress for him, Micio? Is it at all fair, that I should have any less justice from you, than you from me? Since I do not concern myself about your son, don’t you concern yourself about mine.
800

MICIO

You don’t reason fairly.

DEMEA

No?²

MICIO

For surely it is a maxim of old,

that among themselves all things are common to friends.³
805

DEMEA

Smartly said; you’ve got that speech up for the occasion.

DEMEA

I don’t speak about the expense; their morals—

DEMEA

Only take care, Micio, that these fine reasonings of yours, and this easy disposition of yours, do not ruin us in the end.

MICIO

Say no more; there’s no danger of that. Now think no further of these matters. Put yourself to-day into my hands;

smooth your brow.
840

DEMEA

Why, as the occasion requires it, I must do so; but to-morrow I shall be off with my son into the country at day-break.

MICIO

Aye, to-night, for my share; only keep yourself in good-humor for the day.

DEMEA

I’ll carry off that Music-girl along with me as well.

MICIO

You will gain your point;

by that means you will keep your son fast there; only take care to secure her.
845

DEMEA

I’ll see to that; and what with cooking and grinding, I’ll take care she shall be well covered with ashes, smoke, and meal; besides all this, at the very mid-day⁵ I’ll set her gathering stubble;

I’ll make her as burned and as black as a coal.
850

MICIO

You quite delight me; now you seem to me to be wise; and for my part I would then compel my son to go to bed with her, even though he should be unwilling.

DEMEA

Do you banter me? Happy man, to have such a temper! I feel—

MICIO

Ah ! at it again!

DEMEA

I’ll have done then at once.

MICIO

Go in-doors then, and let’s devote this day to the object⁶ to which it belongs.
855
(Goes into the house.)