Amphitryo, Asinaria, Aulularia, Bacchides, Captivi | Page 8

tassel hanging from his: Amphitryon will not have this mark. They are
marks that none of the household here will be able to see, but you will.
sed Amphitruonis illic est servos Sosia: a portu illic nunc cum lanterna
advenit. abigam iam ego illum advenientem ab aedibus. 150 adeste: erit
operae pretium hic spectantibus Iovem et Mercurium facere
histrioniam.
(looking down street) But there is Amphitryon’s servant Sosia--just
coming from the harbour with a lantern. I’ll bustle him away from
the house as soon as he gets here. Watch now! It will be worth your
while to attend when Jove and Mercury take up the histrionic art. (steps
aside)

ACTVS I
ACT I
(Time, night.)
Sos.
Qui me alter est audacior homo aut qui confidentior, iuventutis mores
qui sciam, qui hoc noctis solus ambulem? quid faciam nunc, si tres viri
me in carcerem compegerint? inde cras quasi e promptaria cella
depromar ad flagrum, nec causam liceat dicere mihi, neque in ero
quicquam auxili nec quisquam sit quin me malo omnes esse dignum
deputent.
ENTER Sosia, LANTERN IN HAND.
(stopping and peering around timorously) Who’s a bolder man, a
more audacious man than I am--know all about the young bloods and
their capers, I do, yet here I am strolling around all alone at this time of
night! (_seems to hear something and jumps_) What if the police
should lock me up in jail? To-morrow I should be taken out of that
preserve closet and get served--to a rope’s end; and not a word
would they let me say for myself,[C] and not a bit of help could I get
from master, and there wouldn’t be a soul but what would reckon I
deserved a hiding.
[Footnote C: Being a slave]
ita quasi incudem me miserum homines octo validi caedant: 159-160
ita peregre adveniens hospitio publicitus accipiar. 161-162 haec eri
immodestia coegit, me qui hoc noctis a portu ingratiis excitavit. nonne
idem hoc luci me mittere potuit?
Those eight strong wardens would pound my poor carcass just as if I
was an anvil: that is how I should be entertained on coming home from
abroad--a public reception. (disgustedly) It’s master’s

impatience forced me into this, routing me out from the harbour at this
time of night, against my will. Might have sent me on the same errand
by daylight, mightn’t he?
opulento homini hoc servitus dura est, hoc magis miser est divitis
servos noctesque diesque assiduo satis superque est, quod facto aut
dicto adeost opus, quietus ne sis.
This is where it comes hard slaving it for a nabob, this is where a
plutocrat’s servant is worse off--night and day there’s work
enough and more for him, no end, always something to be done, yes, or
said, so that you can’t rest.
ipse dominus dives, operis et laboris expers, 170 quodcumque homini
accidit libere, posse retur: aequom esse putat, non reputat laboris quid
sit[10] (172) ergo in servitute expetunt multa iniqua: (174) habendum
et ferundum hoc onust cum labore.
And your plutocrat of a master, that never does a handsturn of work
himself, takes it for granted that any whim that comes into a man’s
head can be gratified: yes, he counts that the fair thing, and never takes
account of how much the work is. Ah, I tell you, there’s a great
deal of injustice this slavery lets you in for: you’ve got to take your
load and carry it, and that is work.
Mer.
Satius me queri illo modo servitutem: hodie qui fuerim liber, cum nunc
potivit pater servitutis, his qui verna natus est queritur.
(aside) It would be more in order for Mercury to do some of this
grumbling about menial station--was free this very day, and now his
father has made a slave of him. It’s this fellow, a born drudge, that
is grumbling.
Sos.
Sum vero verna verbero: num numero mi in mentem fuit, 180 dis

advenientem gratias pro meritis agere atque alloqui? ne illi edepol si
merito meo referre studeant gratiam, aliquem hominem allegent qui
mihi advenienti os occillet probe, quoniam bene quae in me fecerunt
ingrata ea habui atque inrita.
(frightened again) I need a drubbing, I do, drudge that I am. I was not
too quick, was I, to think of addressing the gods and giving ’em due
thanks on my arrival? Oh Lord! if they took a notion to pay me back
my dues, they’d commission some one to mash my face for me in
fine shape on my arrival, now that I haven’t appreciated the good
turns they’ve done me and have let ’em go for nothing. (makes
sure he is safe)
Mer.
Facit ille quod volgo haud solent, ut quid se sit dignum sciat.
(aside) Rather uncommon that,--his knowing what he deserves to get.
Sos.
Quod numquam opinatus fui neque alius quisquam civium