Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi | Page 6

post
argumentum huius eloquar tragoediae. quid? contraxistis frontem, quia
tragoediam dixi futuram hanc? deus sum, commutavero.
Now first as to the favour I have come to ask, and then you shall hear
the argument of our tragedy. What? Frowning because I said this was to
be a tragedy? I am a god: I’ll transform it.
eandem hanc, si voltis, faciam ex tragoedia comoedia ut sit omnibus
isdem vorsibus. utrum sit an non voltis? sed ego stultior, quasi nesciam
vos velle, qui divos siem.

I’ll convert this same play from tragedy to comedy, if you like, and
never change a line. Do you wish me to do it, or not? But there! how
stupid of me! As if I didn’t know that you do wish it, when I’m
a deity.
teneo quid animi vostri super hac re siet: faciam ut commixta sit: sit
tragicomoedia. nam me perpetuo facere ut sit comoedia, 60 reges quo
veniant et di, non par arbitror. quid igitur? quoniam his servos quoque
partes habet, faciam sit, proinde ut dixi, tragicomoedia.
I understand your feelings in the matter perfectly. I shall mix things up:
let it be tragi-comedy. Of course it would never do for me to make it
comedy out and out, with kings and gods on the boards. How about it,
then? Well, in view of the fact that there is a slave part in it, I shall do
just as I said and make it tragi-comedy.
nunc hoc me orare a vobis iussit Iuppiter, ut conquaestores singula in
subsellia eant per totam caveam spectatoribus, si cui favitores delegates
viderint, ut is in cavea pignus capiantur togae;
Now here is the favour Jove bade me ask of you: (_with great
solemnity_) let inspectors go from seat to seat throughout the house,
and should they discover claqueurs planted for the benefit of any party,
let them take as security from all such in the house--their togas.
sive qui ambissint palmam histrionibus, sive cuiquam artifici, si per
scriptas litteras 70 sive qui ipse ambissit seu per internuntium, sive
adeo aediles perfidiose cui duint, sirempse legem iussit esse Iuppiter,
quasi magistratum sibi alterive ambiverit.
Or if there be those who have solicited the palm for actors, or for any
artist--whether by letter, or by personal solicitation, or through an
intermediary--or further, if the aediles do bestow the said palm upon
anyone unfairly, Jove doth decree that the selfsame law obtain as
should the said party solicit guiltily, for himself or for another, public
office.
virtute dixit vos victores vivere, non ambitione neque perfidia: qui

minus eadem histrioni sit lex quae summo viro? virtute ambire oportet,
non favitoribus. sat habet favitorum semper qui recte facit, si illis fides
est quibus est ea res in manu. 80
’Tis worth has won your wars for you, saith he, not solicitation or
unfairness: why should not the same law hold for player as for noblest
patriot? Worth, not hired support, should solicit victory. He who plays
his part aright ever has support enough, if it so be that honour dwells in
those whose concern it is to judge his acts.
hoc quoque etiam mihi pater in mandatis dedit, ut conquaestores fierent
histrionibus: qui sibi mandasset delegati ut plauderent quive quo
placeret alter fecisset minus, eius ornamenta et corium uti conciderent.
This injunction, too, did Jove lay upon me: that inspectors should be
appointed for the actors, to the end that whosoever has enjoined
claqueurs to clap himself, or whosoever has endeavoured to compass
the failure of another, may have his player’s costume cut to shreds,
also his hide.
mirari nolim vos, quapropter Iuppiter nunc histriones curet; ne
miremini: ipse hanc acturust Iuppiter comoediam. quid? admirati estis?
quasi vero novom nunc proferatur, Iovem facere histrioniam; 90
I would not have you wonder why Jove is now regardful of actors; do
not so: he himself, Jove, will take part in this comedy. What? Surprised?
As if it were actually a new departure, this, Jove’s turning actor!
etiam, histriones anno cum in proscaemo hic Iovem invocarunt, venit,
auxilio is fuit[9] (92) hanc fabulam, inquam, hic Iuppiter hodie ipse
aget, (94) et ego una cum illo. nunc vos animum advortite, dum huius
argumentum eloquar comoediae.
Why, just last year when the actors on this very stage called upon
Jupiter, he came,[B] and helped them out. This play, then, Jove himself
will act in to-day, and I along with him. Now give me your attention
while I unfold the argument of our comedy.

[Footnote B: An allusion to some play in which Jupiter appeared in
time to save some situation.]
Haec urbs est Thebae. in illisce habitat aedibus Amphitruo, natus Argis
ex Argo patre, quicum Alcumena est nupta, Electri filia. is nunc
Amphitruo praefectust legionibus, 100 nam cum Telobois bellum est
Thebano poplo.
This city here is Thebes. In that house