Perde 1
[Textpart 4]
Since he has gone hence, you are now standing alone, Pseudolus.
PSEUDOLUS
What are you to do now, after you have so largely promised costly delights to your master’s son by your speeches? You, for whom not even one drop of sure counsel is ready, nor yet of silver * * * * nor have you where first you must begin your undertaking,
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nor yet fixed limits for finishing off your web. But just as the poet, when he has taken up his tablets, seeks what nowhere in the world exists, and still finds it, and makes that like truth which really is a fiction; now I’ll become a poet; twenty minae,
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which no-where in the world are now existing, still will I find. And some time since had I said that I would find them for him, and I had attempted to throw a net over our old gentleman; however, by what means I know not, he perceived it beforehand. But my voice and my talking must be stopped;
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for, see! I perceive my master, Simo, coming this way, together with his neighbour, Callipho. Out of this old sepulchre will I dig twenty minae this day, to give them to my master’s son. Now I’ll step aside here, that I may pick up their conversation.
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[Textpart 5]
If now a Dictator If now a Dictator: Though the scene is at Athens, Plautus here makes reference to Roman customs. The Dictator was the highest officer in the Roman Republic, and was only elected upon emergencies. were to be appointed at Athens of Attica out of the spendthrifts or out of the gallants, I do think that no one would surpass my son. For now the only talk of all throughout the city is to the effect that he is trying to set his mistress free,
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SIMO
and is seeking after money for that purpose. Some people bring me word of this; and, in fact, I had long ago perceived it, and had suspected it, but I dissembled on it.
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PSEUDOLUS
Already is his son suspected by him; this affair is nipt in the bud, this business is at a stand-still.
The way is now entirely blocked up against me, by which I had intended to go a-foraging for the money.
He has perceived it beforehand. There’s no booty for the marauders.
CALLIPHO
Those men who carry about and who listen to accusations, should all be hanged, if so it could be at my decision, the carriers by their tongues, the listeners by their ears.
For these things that are told you, that your son in his amour is desirous to chouse you out of money, the chance is that these things so told you are all lies. But sappose they are true, as habits are, now-a-days especially, what has he done so surprising? What new thing, if a young man
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does love, and if he does liberate his mistress?
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PSEUDOLUS
A delightful old gentleman.
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SIMO
I don’t wish him to follow the old-fashioned habits The old-fashioned habits: Vetus nolo faciat. Literally, I do not wish him to do what is old-fashioned. He alludes to the old-fashioned trick of falling into love, and running into extravagance..
CALLIPHO
But still, in vain do you object; or you yourself shouldn’t have done the like in your youthful days. It befits the father to be immaculate, who wishes his son to be more immaculate than he has been himself.
But the mischief and the profligacy you were guilty of might have been distributed throughout the whole population, a share for each man. Are you surprised at it, if the son does take after the father?
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PSEUDOLUS
O Zeus, Zeus O Zeus, Zeus!: Ὦ Ζεῦ, Ζεῦ. Zeus was the Greek name of Jupiter, whose Latin title was formed from Zeus pater, Father Zeus. The use of it in Latin colloquy exactly corresponds with the irreverent French phrase too mach in use with us, O mon Dieu!! how few in number are you considerate men. See, that’s being a father to a son, just as is proper.
SIMO
Who is it that’s speaking here? (Looking round.) Why, surely ’tis my servant Pseudolus. ’Tis he corrupts my son, the wicked scoundrel; he is his leader, he his tutor. I long for him to be put to extreme torture.
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CALLIPHO
This is folly now, thus to keep your anger in readiness. How much better were it
