Part 17
(_walks slowly toward house_) Now I’ll have a bath, so that I may sacrifice and not hinder my prospective son-in-law from marrying my girl the moment he claims her. (_looking down street toward temple_) Take care now, Faith, do, do, do take care I get my pot back from you safe. I’ve trusted my gold to your good faith, laid it away in your grove and shrine. [EXIT _Euclio_ INTO HOUSE.
_Strob._
Di immortales, quod ego hunc hominem facinus audivi loqui: se aulam onustam auri abstrusisse hic intus in fano Fide. cave tu illi fidelis, quaeso, potius fueris, quam mihi. atque hic pater est, ut ego opinor, huius erus quam amat, virginis.
(_jumping up_) Ye immortal gods! What’s all this I heard the fellow tell of! A pot just crammed with gold hidden in the shrine of Faith here! For the love of heaven, Faith, don’t be more faithful to him than to me. Yes, and he’s the father of the girl that is master’s sweetheart, or I’m mistaken.
ibo hinc intro, perscrutabor fanum, si inveniam uspiam 620 aurum, dum his est occupatus. sed si repperero, o Fides, mulsi congialem plenam faciam tibi fideliam. id adeo tibi faciam; verum ego mihi bibam, ubi id fecero.
I’m going in there: I’ll search that shrine from top to bottom and see if I can’t find the gold somewhere while he’s busy here. But if I come across it--oh, Faith, I’ll pour you out a five pint pot of wine and honey! There now! that’s what I’ll do for you; and when I’ve done that for you, why, I’ll drink it up for myself. [EXIT TO TEMPLE AT A RUN.
IV. 3.
## Scene 3.
RE-ENTER _Euclio_ FROM HOUSE.
_Eucl._
Non temere est quod corvos cantat mihi nunc ab laeva manu; semul radebat pedibus terram et voce croccibat sua: continuo meum cor coepit artem facere ludicram atque in pectus emicare. sed ego cesso currere?
(_excitedly_) It means something--that raven cawing on my left just now! And all the time a-clawing the ground, croaking away, croaking away! The minute I heard him my heart began to dance a jig and jumped up into my throat. But I must run, run! [EXIT TO TEMPLE.
IV. 4.
## Scene 4.
A FEW MOMENTS ELAPSE. THEN THE SOUND OF A SCUFFLE DOWN THE STREET. RE-ENTER _Euclio_ DRAGGING _Strobilus._
_Eucl._
I foras, lumbrice, qui sub terra erepsisti modo, qui modo nusquam comparebas, nunc, cum compares, peris, ego pol te, praestrigiator, miseris iam accipiam modis. 630
Come! out, you worm! crawling up from under-ground just now! A minute ago you weren’t to be found anywhere, and (_grimly_) now you’re found you’re finished! Oh-h-h-h, you felon! I’m going to give it to you, this very instant! (_beats him_)
_Strob._
Quae te mala crux agitat? quid tibi mecum est commerci, senex? quid me adflictas? quid me raptas? qua me causa verberas?
What the devil’s got into you? What business have you got with me, old fellow? What are you pounding me for? What are you jerking me along for? What do you mean by battering me?
_Eucl._
Verberabilissime, etiam rogitas, non fur, sed trifur?
(_still pummelling him_) Mean, eh? You batterissimo. You’re not a thief: you’re three thieves.
_Strob._
Quid tibi surrupui?
What did I steal from you?
_Eucl._
Redde huc sis.
(_threateningly_) You kindly give it back.
_Strob._
Quid tibi vis reddam?
Back? What back?
_Eucl._
Rogas?
A nice question!
_Strob._
Nil equidem tibi abstuli.
I didn’t take a thing from you, honestly.
_Eucl._
At illud quod tibi abstuleras cedo. ecquid agis?
Well, what you took dishonestly, then! Hand it over! Come, come, will you!
_Strob._
Quid agam?
Come, come, what?
_Eucl._
Auferre non potes.
You shan’t get away with it.
_Strob._
Quid vis tibi?
What is it you want?
_Eucl._
Pone.
Down with it!
_Strob._
Id quidem pol te datare credo consuetum, senex.
Down with it, eh! Looks as if you’d downed too much of it yourself already, old boy.
_Eucl._
Pone hoc sis, aufer cavillam, non ego nunc nugas ago.
Down with it, I tell you! None of your repartee! I’m not in the humour for trifling now.
_Strob._
Quid ego ponam? quin tu eloquere quidquid est suo nomine. non hercle equidem quicquam sumpsi nec tetigi.
Down with what? Come along, speak out and give it its name, whatever it is. Hang it all, I never took a thing nor touched a thing, and that’s flat.
_Eucl._
Ostende huc manus. 640
Show me your hands.
_Strob._
Em tibi, ostendi, eccas.
(_stretching them out_) All right--there they are: have a look.
_Eucl._
Video. age ostende etiam tertiam.
(_dryly_) I see. Come now, the third one: out with it.
_Strob._
Laruae hunc atque intemperiae insaniaeque agitant senem facisne iniuriam mihi?
(_aside_) He’s got ’em! The old chap’s mad, stark, staring mad! (_to Euclio, virtuously_) Now aren’t you doing me an injury?
_Eucl._
Fateor, quia non pendes, maximam atque id quoque iam fiet, nisi fatere.
I am, a hideous injury--in not hanging you. And I’ll soon do that, too, if you don’t confess.
_Strob._
Quid fatear tibi?
Confess what?
_Eucl._
Quid abstulisti hinc?
What did you carry off from here? (_pointing toward temple_)
_Strob._
Di me perdant, si ego tui quicquam abstuli nive adeo abstulisse vellem.
(_solemnly_) May I be damned, if I carried off a thing of yours. (_aside_) Likewise if I didn’t want to.
_Eucl._
Agedum, excutedum pallium.
Come on, shake out your cloak.
_Strob._
Tuo arbitratu.
(_doing so_) Anything you say.
_Eucl._
Ne inter tunicas habeas.
Um! probably under your tunic.
_Strob._
Tempta qua lubet.
(_cheerfully_) Feel anywhere you please.
_Eucl._
Vah, scelestus quam benigne: ut ne abstulisse intellegam. novi sycophantias. age rusum ostende huc manum dexteram.
Ugh! you rascal! How obliging you are! That I may think you didn’t take it! I’m up to your dodges. (_searches him_) Once more now--out with your hand, the right one.
_Strob._
Em.
(_obeying_) There you are.
_Eucl._
Nunc laevam ostende.
Now the left one.
_Strob._
Quin equidem ambas profero. 650
(_obeying_) Why, certainly: here’s the both of ’em.
_Eucl._
Iam scrutari mitto. redde huc.
Enough of this searching. Now give it here.
_Strob._
Quid reddam?
What?
_Eucl._
A, nugas agis, certe habes.
Oh-h! Bosh! You must have it!
_Strob._
Habeo ego? quid habeo?
I have it? Have what?
_Eucl._
Non dico, audire expetis. id meum, quidquid habes, redde.
I won’t say: you’re too anxious to know. Anything of mine you’ve got, hand it over.
_Strob._
Insanis: perscrutatus es tuo arbitratu, neque tui me quicquam invenisti penes.
Crazy! You went all through me as much as you liked without finding a solitary thing of yours on me.
_Eucl._
Mane, mane. quis illic est? quis hic intus alter erat tecum simul? perii hercle: ille nunc intus turbat, hunc si amitto hic abierit. postremo hunc iam perscrutavi, his nihil habet. abi quo lubet.
(_excitedly_) Wait, wait! (_turns toward temple and listens_) Who’s in there? Who was that other fellow in there along with you? (_aside_) My Lord! this is awful, awful! There’s another one at work in there all this time. And if I let go of this one, he’ll skip off. (_pauses_) But then I’ve searched him already: he hasn’t anything. (_aloud_) Off with you, anywhere! (_releases him with a final cuff_)
_Strob._
Iuppiter te dique perdant.
(_from a safe distance_) You be everlastingly damned!
_Eucl._
Haud male egit gratias. ibo intro atque illi socienno tuo iam interstringam gulam. fugin hinc ab oculis? abin an non.
(_aside, dryly_) Nice way he has of showing his gratitude. (_aloud, sternly_) I’ll go in there, and that accomplice of yours--I’ll strangle him on the spot. Are you going to vanish? Are you going to get out, or not? (_advances_)
_Strob._
Abeo.
(_retreating_) I am, I am!
_Eud._
Cave sis[15] te videam. 660
And kindly see I don’t set eyes on you again. [EXIT _Euclio_ TOWARD TEMPLE.
IV. 5.
## Scene 5.
_Strob._
Emortuom ego me mavelim leto malo quam non ego illi dem hodie insidias seni. nam hic iam non audebit aurum abstrudere: credo ecferet iam secum et mutabit locum. attat, foris crepuit. senex eccum aurum ecfert foras. tantisper huc ego ad ianuam concessero.
I’d sooner be tortured to death than not give that old fellow a surprise to-day. (_reflecting_) Well, after this he won’t dare hide his gold here. What he’ll most likely do is bring it out with him and put it somewhere else. (_listening_) Hm-m-m! There goes the door! Aha! the old boy’s coming out with it. I’ll just back up by the doorway for a while. (_hides by Megadorus’s house_)
IV. 6.
## Scene 6
RE-ENTER _Euclio_ WITH POT.
_Eucl._
Fide censebam maxumam multo fidem esse, ea sublevit os mihi paenissume: ni subvenisset corvos, periissem miser. nimis hercle ego illum corvom ad me veniat velim. 670 qui indicium fecit, ut ego illi aliquid boni dicam; nam quod edit tam duim quam perduim.
I used to fancy Faith, of all deities, was absolutely faithful, and here she’s just missed making a downright ass of me. If that raven hadn’t stood by me, I’d be a poor, poor ruined man. By heavens, I’d just like that raven to come and see me, the one that warned me, I certainly should, so that I might pay him a handsome--compliment. As for tossing him a bite to eat, why, that would amount to throwing it away.
nunc hoc ubi abstrudam cogito solum locum. Silvani lucus extra murum est avius, crebro salicto oppletus. ibi sumam locum. certumst, Silvano potius credam quam Fide.
(_meditating_) Let me think now, where is some lonely spot to hide this in? (_after a moment_) There’s that grove of Silvanus outside the wall, solitary, willow thickets all around. There’s where I’ll pick my place. I’d sooner trust Silvanus than Faith, and that’s settled. [EXIT _Euclio_.
_Strob._
Euge, euge, di me salvom et servatum volunt. iam ego illuc praecurram atque inscendam aliquam in arborem indeque observabo, aurum ubi abstrudat senex. quamquam hic manere me erus sese iusserat; 680 certum est, malam rem potius quaeram cum lucro.
Good! Good! The gods are with me. I’m a made man! Now I’ll run on ahead and climb some tree there so as to sight the place where the old fellow hides it. What if master did tell me to wait here! I’d sooner look for a thrashing along with the cash, and that’s settled. [EXIT _Strobilus_.
IV. 7.
## Scene 7.
ENTER _Lyconides_ AND _Eunomia_.
_Lyc._
Dixi tibi, mater, iuxta rem mecum tenes. super Euchoms filia. nunc te obsecro resecroque, mater, quod dudum obsecraveram: fac mentionem cum avonculo, mater mea.
That’s the whole story, mother: you see how it is with me and Euclio’s daughter as well as I do. And now, mother, I beg you, beg you again and again, as I did before: do tell my uncle about it, mother dear.
_Eun._
Scis tute facta velle me quae tu velis, et istuc confido a fratre me impetrassere; et causa iusta est, siquidem ita est ut praedicas, te eam compressisse vinulentum virginem.
Your wishes are mine, dear; you know that yourself: and I feel sure your uncle will not refuse me. It’s a perfectly reasonable request, too, if it’s all as you say and you actually did get intoxicated and treat the poor girl so.
_Lyc._
Egone ut te advorsum mentiar, mater mea? 690
Is it like me to look you in the face and lie, my dear mother?
_Phaed._
Perii, mea nutrix. obsecro te, uterum dolet. Iuno Lucina, tuam fidem!
(_within Euclio’s house_) Oh--oh! Nurse! Nurse dear! Oh, God help me! The pain!
_Lyc._
Em, mater mea, tibi rem potiorem verbo: clamat, parturit.
There, mother! There’s better proof than words gives. Her cries! The child!
_Eun._
Ei hac intro mecum, gnate mi, ad fratrem meum, ut istuc quod me oras impetratum ab eo auferam.
(_agitated_) Come, darling, come in to your uncle with me, so that I may persuade him to let it be as you urge.
_Lyc._
I, iam sequar te, mater. sed servom meum Strobilum miror ubi sit, quem ego me iusseram hic opperiri. nunc ego mecum cogito: si mihi dat operam, me illi irasci iniurium est. ibo intro, ubi de capite meo sunt comitia. 700
You go, mother: I’ll follow you in a moment. [EXIT _Eunomia_ INTO _Megadorus’s_ HOUSE. I wonder (_looking around_) where that fellow Strobilus of mine is that I told to wait for me here. (_pauses_) Well, on thinking it over, if he’s doing something for me, it’s all wrong my finding fault with him. (_turning toward Megadorus’s door_) Now for the session that decides my fate. [EXIT.
IV. 8.
## Scene 8.
ENTER _Strobilus_ WITH POT.
_Strob._
Picis divitiis, qui aureos montes colunt, ego solus supero. nam istos reges ceteros memorare nolo, hominum mendicabula: ego sum ille rex Philippus. o lepidum diem, nam ut dudum hinc abii, multo illo adveni prior multoque prius me conlocavi in arborem indeque spectabam aurum ubi abstrudebat senex.
(_elated_) Woodpeckers that haunt the Hills of Gold, eh! I can buy ’em up my own single self. As for the rest of your big kings--not worth mentioning, poor beggarlets! I am the great King Philip. Oh, this is a grand day! Why, after I left here a while ago I got there long before him and was up in a tree long before he came: and from there I spotted where the old chap hid the stuff.
ubi ille abiit, ego me dorsum duco de arbore, exfodio aulam auri plenam. inde ex eo loco video recipere se senem; ille me non videt, 710 nam ego declinavi paululum me extra viam. attat, eccum ipsum. ibo ut hoc condam domum.
After he’d gone I scrabbled down, dug up the pot full of gold! Then I saw him coming back from the place; he didn’t see me, though. I slipped off a bit to one side of the road (_looking down street_) Aha! there he comes! I’ll home and tuck this out of sight. [EXIT _Strobilus_.
IV. 9.
## Scene 9.
ENTER _Euclio_ FRANTIC.
_Eucl._
Perii interii occidi. quo curram? quo non curram? tene, tene. quem? quis? nescio, nil video, caecus eo atque equidem quo eam aut ubi sim aut qui sim nequeo cum animo certum investigare. obsecro vos ego, mi auxilio, oro obtestor, sitis et hominem demonstretis, quis eam abstulerit.
(_running wildly back and forth_) I’m ruined, I’m killed, I’m murdered! Where shall I run? Where shan’t I run? Stop thief! Stop thief! What thief? Who? I don’t know! I can’t see! I’m all in the dark! Yes, yes, and where I’m going, or where I am, or who I am--oh, I can’t tell, I can’t think! (_to audience_) Help, help, for heaven’s sake, I beg you, I implore you! Show the man that took it.
quid est? quid ridetis? novi omnes, scio fures esse hic complures, qui vestitu et creta occultant sese atque sedent quasi sint frugi. quid ais tu? tibi credere certum est, nam esse bonum ex voltu cognosco. hem, nemo habet horum? occidisti. dic igitur, quis habet? nescis? 720
Eh, what’s that? What are you grinning for? I know you, the whole lot of you! I know there are thieves here, plenty of ’em, that cover themselves up in dapper clothes and sit still as if they were honest men. (_to a spectator_) You, sir, what do you say? I’ll trust you, I will, I will. Yes, you’re a worthy gentleman, I can tell it from your face. Ha! none of them has it? Oh, you’ve killed me! Tell me, who has got it, then? You don’t know?
heu me miserum, misere perii, male perditus, pessime ornatus eo: tantum gemiti et mali maestitiaeque hic dies mi optulit, famem et pauperiem.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I’m a ruined man! I’m lost, lost! Oh, what a plight! Oh, such a cruel, disastrous, dismal day-- it’s made a starveling of me, a pauper!
perditissimus ego sum omnium in terra; nam quid mi opust vita, qui tantum auri perdidi, quod concustodivi sedulo? egomet me defraudavi animumque meum geniumque meum; nunc eo alii laetificantur meo malo et damno. pati nequeo.
I’m the forlornest wretch on earth! Ah, what is there in life for me when I’ve lost all that gold I guarded, oh, so carefully! I’ve denied myself, denied my own self comforts and pleasures; yes, and now others are making merry over my misery and loss! Oh, it’s unendurable!
ENTER _Lyconides_ FROM HOUSE OF _Megadorus_.
_Lyc._
Quinam homo hic ante aedis nostras eiulans conqueritur maerens? atque hic quidem Euclio est, ut opinor. oppido ego interii: palamst res, scit peperisse iam, ut ego opinor, filiam suam. nunc mi incertumst abeam an maneam, an adeam an fugiam quid agam edepol nescio. 730
Who in the world is raising all this howling, groaning hullabaloo before our house here? (_looking round_) Upon my word, it’s Euclio, I do believe. (_drawing back_) My time has certainly come: it’s all out. He’s just learned about his daughter’s child, I suppose. Now I can’t decide whether to leave or stay, advance or retreat. By Jove, I don’t know what to do!
IV. 10
## Scene 10.
_Eucl._
Quis homo hic loquitur?
(_hearing sound of voice only_) Who’s that talking here?
_Lyc._
Ego sum miser.
(_stepping forward_) I’m the poor wretch, sir.
_Eucl._
Immo ego sum, et misere perditus, cui tanta mala maestitudoque optigit.
No, no, I’m the poor wretch, a poor ruined wretch, with all this trouble and tribulation.
_Lyc._
Animo bono es.
Keep your courage up, sir.
_Eucl._
Quo, obsecro, pacto esse possum?
For heaven’s sake how can I?
_Lyc._
Quia istuc facinus, quod tuom sollicitat animum, id ego feci et fateor.
Well, sir, that outrage that distresses you--(_hesitantly_) I’m to blame, and I confess it, sir.
_Eucl._
Quid ego ex te audio?
Hey? What’s that?
_Lyc._
Id quod verumst.
The truth.
_Eucl._
Quid ego de te commerui, adulescens, mali. quam ob rem ita faceres meque meosque perditum ires liberos?
How have I ever harmed you, young man, for you to act like this and try to ruin me and my children?
_Lyc._
Deus impulsor mihi fuit, is me ad illam inlexit.
It was some demon got hold of me, sir, and led me on.
_Eucl._
Quo modo?
How is this?
_Lyc._
Fateor peccavisse et me culpam commeritum scio; id adeo te oratum advenio ut animo aequo ignoscas mihi.
I admit I’ve done wrong, sir; I deserve your reproaches, and I know it; more than that, I’ve come to beg you to be patient and forgive me.
_Eucl._
Cur id ausu’s facere, ut id quod non tuom esset tangeres? 740
How did you dare do it, dare touch what didn’t belong to you?
_Lyc._
Quid vis fieri? factum est illud: fieri infectum non potest. deos credo voluisse; nam ni vellent, nori fieret, scio.
(_penitently_) Well, well, sir,--it’s done, and it can’t be undone. I think it must have been fated; otherwise it wouldn’t have happened, I’m sure of that.
_Eucl._
At ego deos credo voluisse ut apud me te in nervo enicem.
Yes, and I think it must have been fated that I’m to shackle you at my house and murder you!
_Lyc._
Ne istuc dixis.
Don’t say that, sir.
_Eucl._
Quid tibi ergo meam me invito tactiost?
Then why did you lay hands on what was mine, without my permission?
_Lyc._
Quia vini vitio atque amoris feci.
It was all because of drink ... and ... love, sir.
_Eucl._
Homo audacissime, cum istacin te oratione huc ad me adire ausum, impudens! nam si istuc ius est ut tu istuc excusare possies, luci claro deripiamus aurum matronis palam, post id si prehensi simus, excusemus ebrios nos fecisse amoris causa. nimis vilest vinum atque amor, 750 si ebrio atque amanti impune facere quod lubeat licet.
The colossal impudence of it! To dare to come to me with a tale like that, you shameless rascal! Why, if it’s legal to clear yourself that way, we should be stripping ladies of their jewellery on the public highways in broad daylight! And then when we were caught we’d excuse ourselves on the score that we were drunk, and did it out of love. Drink and love are altogether too cheap, if your drunken lover can do what he likes and not suffer for it.
_Lyc._
Quin tibi ultro supplicatum venio obstultitiam meam.
Yes, but I’ve come of my own accord sir, to entreat you to pardon my madness.
_Eucl._
Non mi homines placent qui quando male fecerunt purigant. tu illam scibas non tuam esse. non attactam oportuit.
I have no patience with men who do wrong and then try to explain it away. You knew you had no right to act so: you should have kept hands off.
_Lyc._
Ergo quia sum tangere ausus, haud causificor quin eam ego habeam potissimum.
Well, now that I did venture to act so, I have no objection to holding to it, sir,--I ask nothing better.
_Eucl_
Tun habeas me invito meam?
(_more angry_) Hold to it? Against my will?
_Lyc._
Haud te invito postulo, sed meam esse oportere arbitror. quin tu iam invenies, inquam, meam illam esse oportere, Euclio.
I won’t insist on it against your will, sir, but I do think my claim is just. Why, you’ll soon come to realize the justice of it yourself, sir, I assure you.
_Eucl._
Iam quidem hercle te ad praetorem rapiam et tibi scribam dicam, nisi refers.
I’ll march you off to court and sue you, by heaven I will, this minute, unless you bring it back.
_Lyc._
Quid tibi ego referam?
I? Bring what back?
_Eucl._
Quod surripuisti meum. 760
What you stole from me.
_Lyc._
Surripui ego tuom? unde? aut quid id est?
I stole something of yours? Where from? What?
_Eucl._
Ita te amabit Iuppiter ut tu nescis.
(_ironically_) God bless your innocence--you don’t know!
_Lyc._
Nisi quidem tu mihi quid quaeras dixeris.
Not unless you say what you’re looking for.
_Eucl._
Aulam auri, inquam, te resposco, quam tu confessu’s mihi te abstulisse.
The pot of gold, I tell you; I want back the pot of gold you owned up to taking.
_Lyc._
Neque edepol ego dixi neque feci.
Great heavens, man! I never said that or did it, either.
_Eucl._
Negas?
You deny it?
_Lyc._
Pernego immo. nam neque ego aurum neque istaec aula quae siet scio nec novi.
Deny it? Absolutely. Why, I don’t know, haven’t any idea, about your gold, or what that pot is.
_Eucl._
Illam, ex Silvani luco quam abstuleras, cedo. i, refer. dimidiam tecum potius partem dividam. tam etsi fur mihi es, molestus non ero. i vero, refer.
The one you took from the grove of Silvanus--give it me. Go, bring it back. (_pleadingly_) You can have half of it, yes, yes, I’ll divide. Even though you are such a thief, I won’t make any trouble for you. Do, do go and bring it back, oh do!
_Lyc._
Sanus tu non es qui furem me voces. ego te, Euclio, de alia re rescivisse censui, quod ad me attinet; 770 [16]magna est res quam ego tecum otiose, si otium est, cupio loqui.
Man alive, you’re out of your senses, calling me a thief. I supposed you had found out about something else that does concern me, Euclio. There’s an important matter I’m anxious to talk over quietly with you, sir, if you’re at leisure.
_Eucl._
Dic bona fide: tu id aurum non surripuisti?
Give me your word of honour: you didn’t steal that gold?
_Lyc._
Bona.
(_shaking his head_) On my honour.
_Eucl._
Neque eum scis qui abstulerit?
And you don’t know the man that did take it?
_Lyc._
Istuc quoque bona.
Nor that, either, on my honour.
_Eucl._
Atque id si scies qui abstulerit, mihi indicabis?
And if you learn who took it, you’ll inform me?
_Lyc._
Faciam.
I will.
_Eucl._
Neque partem tibi ab eo qui habet indipisces neque furem excipies?
And you won’t go shares with the man that has it, or shield the thief?
_Lyc._
Ita.
No.