Bacchides
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
681d
681d
MNESILOCHUS
681d
Every jot.
681e
681e
CHRYSALUS
681e
We are done for. How came it into your mind to do this deed so foul?
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MNESILOCHUS
314
I had a suspicion, Chrysalus, by reason of a charge, that Bacchis and he (pointing to PISTOCLERUS) had been playing me false; for that reason, in my anger, I gave up all the gold
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to my father.
685b
685b
CHRYSALUS
685b
What did you say to your father when you gave up the gold?
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MNESILOCHUS
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That I had at once received this gold from his host, Archidemides.
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686b
CHRYSALUS
686b
Eh! by that speech you have this day consigned Chrysalus to the torture; for, when he shall set eyes on me, the old gentleman will carry me off that instant to the executioner.
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MNESILOCHUS
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I’ve besought my father.
689b
689b
CERYS.
689b
I suppose, to do, in fact, the thing that I was speaking of?
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MNESILOCHUS
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Nay, not to punish you, or to blame you at all on account of this business. And with some difficulty I’ve prevailed. Now, Chrysalus, this must be your care.
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CHRYSALUS
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What do you wish should be my care?
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692b
MNESILOCHUS
692b
That once again you should make a second inroad upon the old gentleman. Contrive, devise, invent whatever you please; frame your plansFrame your plans: Conglutina. Literally, glue the pieces together., so that this day you may cleverly deceive the old man unawares, and carry off the gold.
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CHRYSALUS
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It scarcely seems possible to be done.
695b
695b
MNESILOCHUS
695b
Set about it, and you’ll easily effect it.
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CHRYSALUS
321
How the plague easily, for me, whom he has this moment caught out in a lie? Should I entreat him not to believe me at all, he would not venture even to believe me in that.
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MNESILOCHUS
322
Aye, and if you were to hear what things he said about you in my presence.
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CHRYSALUS
323
What did he say?
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699b
MNESILOCHUS
699b
That if you were to say that this sun was the sun,
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he would believe it was the moon, and that that is the night which is now the day.
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CHRYSALUS
325
By my troth, I’ll bamboozle the old chap right well this very day, so that he shan’t have said that for nothing.
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PISTOCLERUS
326
Now, what would you have us do?
702b
702b
CHRYSALUS
702b
Why, nothing, except that I beg you’ll still love on. As for the rest, ask of me as much gold as you please; I’ll find it you. Of what use is it for me to have the name of ChrysalusName of Chrysalus: He alludes to his name as derived from the Greek χρυσὸς, gold., unless I give proofs by fact?
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But now, tell me, Mnesilochus, how much gold is requisite for you.
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MNESILOCHUS
328
There’s occasion for two hundred pieces at once, to pay the Captain for Bacchis.
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CHRYSALUS
329
I’ll find it you.
707b
707b
MNESILOCHUS
707b
Then we have need of some for current expenses.
707c
707c
CHRYSALUS
707c
Aye, aye, I wish us to do each thing deliberately; when I’ve accomplished the one, then I’ll set about the other. First, for the two hundred pieces, I shall direct my engine of war against the old gentleman.
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If with that engine I batter down the tower and the outworks, straight at the gate that instant I’ll attack the old town and the new one; if I take it, then carry to your friends the gold in baskets, just as your heart wishes.
713b
713b
PISTOCLERUS
713b
Our hearts are with you, Chrysalus.
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CHRYSALUS
331
Now, do you go in-doors to Bacchis, Pistoclerus, and quickly bring out—
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PISTOCLERUS
332
What?
715b
715b
CHRYSALUS
715b
A pen, some waxSome wax: This wax was to be used—not to be placed on the surface of the tablets, but in the manner of our sealing-wax, upon the strings with which the tablets were fastened., tablets, and some cord.
715c
715c
PISTOCLERUS
715c
I’ll have them here this instant.
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MNESILOCHUS
333
What now are you about to do? Do tell me that.
716b
716b
CHRYSALUS
716b
Let a breakfast be prepared; there will be you two, and your mistress will make a third with you.
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MNESILOCHUS
334
Just as you say.
718b
718b
CHRYSALUS
718b
Pistoclerus has no mistress?
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718c
MNESILOCHUS
718c
O yes, she’s here; he’s in love with the one sister, I with the other, both of the name of Bacchis.
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CHRYSALUS
335
What were you going to say?
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720b
MNESILOCHUS
720b
This; how we are to manageAre to manage: Mnesilochus is probably going to ask how they are about to arrange, when he is interrupted by Chrysalus, who then asks him what he was going to say, on which he answers that he was going to observe how many there would be at the entertainment..
720c
720c
CHRYSALUS
720c
Where are your couchesYour couches: Biclinium is supposed to mean either a snug room fitted up with only two lecti, or couches for reclining at meals, or else, perhaps with more probability, a couch formed for holding two guests, instead of three, as the common triclinium did. It is not unlikely that the use of these was especially adopted in houses of the character of that kept by Bacchis. laid out?
721b
721b
MNESILOCHUS
721b
Why o you ask that?
721c
721c
CHRYSALUS
721c
So the matter stands; I wish to be informed. You know not what I am about to do, nor what a great exploit I shall attempt.
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MINES.
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Give me your hand, and follow me close, to the door. Peep in.
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CHRYSALUS
337
Hurra! ’Tis a very pretty place, this, and exactly as I could wish it to be.
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PISTOCLERUS
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The things that you ordered—what’s ordered for a good purpose is forthwith done by the obedient.
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CHRYSALUS
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What have you brought?
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PISTOCLERUS
727b
Everything that you bade me bring.
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CHRYSALUS
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Do you take the pen at once, and these tablets.
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MNESILOCHUS
728b
What then?
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CHRYSALUS
341
Write there what I shall bid you; for I wish you to write for this reason,
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that your father may know the hand when he reads it.
343
Write now.
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731b
MNESILOCHUS
731b
What shall I write?
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731c
CHRYSALUS
731c
Health to your father, in your own language.
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PISTOCLERUS
344
Suppose he were to write disease and death, in preference, that would be much better.
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CHRYSALUS
345
Don’t you interrupt us.
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733b
MNESILOCHUS
733b
What you have ordered is now written on the wax.
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733c
CHRYSALUS
733c
Tell me in what terms.
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MNESILOCHUS
346
Mnesilochus sends health to his father.
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734b
CHRYSALUS
734b
Write this, too, quickly:
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My father, Chrysalus is always and everywhere talking at me, and in no measured terms, because I gave you up the gold, and because I did not cheat you of it.
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PISTOCLERUS
348
Stop till he has written it.
737b
737b
CHRYSALUS
737b
It befits the hand of a lover to be active.
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PISTOCLERUS
349
I’ faith, that hand is more active by far at lavishing than at writing.
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MNESILOCHUS
350
Say on; that’s written down.
739b
739b
CHRYSALUS
739b
Now, my dear father, do you henceforth be on your guard against him,
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for he is forming knavish plans to deprive you of the gold, and has declared that he will have it beyond a doubt. Write legibly.
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MNESILOCHUS
352
You only dictate.
742b
742b
CHRYSALUS
742b
And he promises that he will give this gold to me, for me to give away to naughty women, and to consume it and live like a GreekLive like a Greek: It has been before remarked, that the Greek mode of free living had passed into a proverb with the Romans, among whom a person of a licentious mode of life was said congraecare, to live like a Greek. Plautus forgets that the scene is at Athens. in dens of infamy. But, father, do you take care that he does not impose on you this day; I entreat you, do beware.
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MNESILOCHUS
353
Only say on.
745b
745b
CHRYSALUS
745b
Just write on, then.
745c
745c
MNESILOCHUS
745c
Only say what I am to write
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CHRYSALUS
354
But, father, what you promised me I beg that you will remember, that you will not beat him, but keep him in chains at your house at home. Do you give me the wax and cord forthwith. Come, fasten it, and seal it in an instant.
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MNESILOCHUS
355
Prithee, what use is there in this writing after such a fashion,
356
that he is to give no credence to you, and to keep you in chains at home?
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CHRYSALUS
357
Because it pleases me so. Can’t you possibly take care of your own self, and have no thought about me? In confidence in myself I undertook the task, and at my own peril do I carry on the matter.
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MNESILOCHUS
358
You say what’s true.
753b
753b
CHRYSALUS
753b
Give me the tablets.
753c
753c
MNESILOCHUS
753c
Take them.
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753d
CHRYSALUS
753d
Give attention now; Mnesilochus, and you, Pistoclerus, do you take care that each of you goes at once and reclines on his couch
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with his mistress; so ’tis requisite; and on that same spot where the couches are now laid, do you forthwith commence to carouse.
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PISTOCLERUS
360
Anything else?
757b
757b
CHRYSALUS
757b
This, and this especially: when you shall have once taken your places together, don’t you arise anyhow, until the signal shall be given by me.
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PISTOCLERUS
361
O skilful commander!
759b
759b
CHRYSALUS
759b
You ought by this time to have taken your second draught.
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MNESILOCHUS
362
Capital; let’s go.
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760b
CHRYSALUS
760b
Do you take care of your duty, and I’ll do mine.
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CHRYSALUS
363
A tremendously great business am I undertaking, and I have my fears how in this one day I may accomplish it. But now I have occasion for the old blade to be fierce and savage at me. For it suits not this plan of mine
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that the old fellow should be calm when he has beheld me in his presence. I’ll turn him aboutTurn him about: It is not improbable that this figure is borrowed from frying fish in the kitchen—When he is done on one side, I’ll turn him on the Other. this day, finely, if I live. I’ll have him parched as well as ever pea was parchedPea was parched: Frictum cicer, parched vetches. Horace mentions these dainties. They were mostly purchased by the lower orders, and by slaves.. I’ll walk before the door, that when he comes out, at once as he comes up, I may put the lettersPut the letter: His object is to entrap old Nicobulus in such a way that he must of necessity see his son in the company of the damsels, on which he will be inclined the more readily to believe the story that he has formed an intrigue with the wife of the Captain. in his hand.
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NICOBULUS
365
This is a matter of great vexation to me, that Chrysalus has thus escaped me this day.
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CHRYSALUS
366
I’m all right: the old fellow is in a passion. Now’s my time for me to accost my man.
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NICOBULUS
773b
Who speaks hard by? (Looking round.) Why surely this is Chrysalus, I think.
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774b
CHRYSALUS
774b
I’ll accost him.
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NICOBULUS
367
My honest servant, hail to you. What’s doing now? How soon do I set sail for Ephesus, to bring back the gold home from Theotimus? What—silent? I swear by all the Gods, if I didn’t love my son so much as to wish everything done for him that he desires
779.780
that your sides should be wealed now right well with rods, and that in irons at the mill you should be lingering out your life. I’ve learnt of Mnesilochus all your wicked pranks.
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CHRYSALUS
368
Has he accused me? ’Tis very good; I am a bad one, I am a cursed one—a wicked one. Only reflect upon the matter. I’ll utter not one word.
785b
785b
NICOBULUS
785b
What? Hangdog, do you even threaten meEven threaten me: Nicobulus takes it for a threat, when he tells him specta rem modo only reflect upon the matter.?
786c
786c
CHRYSALUS
786c
You’ll find out before long what sort of man he is. He ordered me just now to carry this letter to you. He requested that that which is there written may be done.
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NICOBULUS
369
Give it me.