Chapter 82

ENTER FROM _Hegio’s_ HOUSE _Overseers_ AND _Slaves_ WITH _Philocrates_ AND _Tyndarus_ IN FETTERS: THE TWO HAVE EXCHANGED CLOTHES

_Lor._ _Over._

Si di immortales id voluerunt, vos hanc aerumnam exsequi, decet id pati animo aequo: si id facietis, levior labos erit. domi fuistis, credo, liberi: nunc servitus si evenit, ei vos morigerari mos bonust et erili imperio eamque ingeniis vostris lenem reddere. indigna digna habenda sunt, erus quae facit.

(_to captives, patronizingly_) Seeing it’s the will of Heaven you’re in this box, the thing for you to do is to take it calmly: do that, and you won’t have such a hard time of it. At home you were free men, I suppose: since you happen to be slaves at present, it’s a good idea to accept the situation and a master’s orders gracefully, and make things easy to bear by taking ’em the proper way. Anything a master does is right, no matter how wrong it is.

_Captivi_

Oh oh oh. 200

(_protestingly_) Oh-h-h-h!

_Lor._ _Over._

Eiulatione haud opus est, oculis haud[5] lacrimantibus: in re mala animo si bono utare, adiuvat.

There’s no need of howling or crying. It helps to take bad things well.

_Tynd._

At nos pudet, quia cum catenis sumus.

But to be in chains--we feel disgraced!

_Lor._ _Over._

At pigeat postea nostrum erum, si vos eximat vinculis, aut solutos sinat, quos argento emerit.

But it’s disgusted our master would feel later on, if he took the chains off, or let you loose, when he’s paid money for you.

_Tynd._

Quid a nobis metuit? scimus nos nostrum officium quod est, si solutos sinat.

What has he to fear from us? We realise what our duty is, if he should let us loose.

_Lor._ _Over._

At fugam fingitis: sentio quam rem agitis.

Ah yes, you’re planning to run for it! I see what’s afoot.

_Philocr._

Nos fugiamus? quo fugiamus?

Run--we? Where should we run to?

_Lor._ _Over._

In patriam.

Home.

_Philocr._

Apage, haud nos id deceat. fugitivos imitari.

Get out! The idea of our acting like runaway slaves!

_Lor._ _Over._

Immo edepol, si erit occasio, haud dehortor. 210

Lord! why not? I’m not saying you shouldn’t, if you get the chance.

_Tynd._

Unum exorare vos sinite nos.

(_with dignity_) Be good enough to grant us one request.

_Lor._ _Over._

Quidnam id est?

Well, what is it?

_Tynd._

Ut sine hisce arbitris atque vobis nobis detis locum loquendi.

Merely this--give us an opportunity to talk together without being overheard by these good fellows (_pointing to slaves_) and yourselves.

_Lor._ _Over._

Fiat. abscedite hinc: nos concedamus huc. sed brevem orationem incipisse.

All right. (_to slaves_) Away with you! (_to other overseer_) Let’s drop back here. (_to captives_) Make it short, though.

_Tynd._

Em istuc mihi certum erat. concede huc.

Oh yes, that was my intention. (_to Philocrates, drawing him farther from slaves_) Come this way.

_Lor._ _Over._

Abite ab istis.

(_to slaves still hanging about_) Get out and leave ’em alone. (_slaves obey_)

_Tynd._

Obnoxii ambo vobis sumus propter hanc rem, quom quae volumus nos copia est; ea[6] facitis nos compotes.

(_to overseers_) We are much obliged to you, both of us, for the privilege of doing as we wish; we owe it to you.

_Philocr._

Secede huc nunciam, si videtur, procul. ne arbitri dicta nostra arbitrari queant 220 neu permanet palam haec nostra fallacia. nam doli non doli sunt, nisi astu colas, sed malum maxumum, si id palam provenit.

(_to Tyndarus_) Step over here now, if you please, come over, so that no one may catch what we say and leave us with a scheme that has leaked out. (_they move still farther from the overseers_) Shrewd management is what makes a trick a trick, you know: once it gets out, it becomes an instrument of torture.

nam si erus mihi es tu atque ego me tuom esse servom assimulo, tamen viso opust, cauto est opus, ut hoc sobrie sineque arbitris accurate agatur, docte et diligenter; tanta incepta res est: haud somniculose hoc agendum est.

No matter if you are passing as my master and I as your slave, even so we’ve got to be wary, we’ve got to be cautious, so that our plan may be worked out in a clear- headed way, quietly and carefully, with discretion and diligence. It’s a big job we’ve got in hand: we can’t go to sleep over it.

_Tynd._

Ero ut me voles esse.

I will be all you wish me to be, sir.

_Philocr._

Spero.

I hope so.

_Tynd._

Nam tu nunc vides pro tuo caro capite carum offerre me meum caput vilitati. 230

For that matter, sir, you already see that to save a man I love, I am holding my own life cheap, much as I love it.

_Philocr._

Scio.

I realize it.

_Tynd._

At scire memento, quando id quod voles habebis; nam fere maxima pars morem hunc homines habent; quod sibi volunt, dum id impetrant, boni sunt; sed id ubi iam penes sese habent, ex bonis pessimi et fraudulentissimi fiunt: nunc ut mihi te volo esse autumo.[7] (236)

But remember to realize it when you get what you want. For, generally speaking, men have a habit of being fine fellows so long as they are seeking some favour; but when they have obtained it there’s a change, and your fine fellows turn into villainous cheats of the worst description. In all this, sir, I’m telling you how I wish you to act toward me.

_Philocr._

Pol ego si te audeam, meum patrem nominem: (238) nam secundum patrem tu es pater proximus.

By heaven, I might call you my father, if I chose: for next to my real father you are the best one I have.

_Tynd._

Audio.

I know, I know.

_Philocr._

Et propterea saepius te uti memineris moneo: 240 non ego erus tibi, sed servos sum; nunc obsecro te hoc unum-- quoniam nobis di immortales animum ostenderunt suom, ut qui erum me tibi fuisse atque esse conservom velint, quom antehac pro iure imperitabam meo, nunc te oro per precem--

And that’s just why I keep reminding you the oftener to remember what the situation calls for: I’m not your master, I’m a slave. Now I beg this one thing of you--since we have unmistakable proof that it’s Heaven’s will I should no longer be your master but your fellow slave, I, who used to have the right to command you, now implore and entreat you--

per fortunam incertam et per mei te erga bonitatem patris, perque conservitium commune, quod hostica evenit manu, ne me secus honore honestes quam quom servibas mihi, atque ut qui fueris et qui nunc sis meminisse ut memineris.

by the common peril in which we stand and by my father’s kindness to you and by the captivity which the chances of war have brought upon us both, don’t feel less respect for my wishes than you did when you were my slave, and remember, remember carefully, both who you were and who you are now.

_Tynd._

Scio quidem me te esse nunc et te esse me.

Yes, yes, I know that I am you for the time being and that you are I.

_Philocr._

Em istuc si potes memoriter meminisse, inest spes nobis in hac astutia. 250

There! manage to remember to keep that in mind, and this scheme of ours looks likely.

II. 2.