Latin Text of Epidicus with Language Notes

From the Latin text of W. M. Lindsay, with vocabulary and grammar help by Catherine Tracy

[Note: for the acrostic argumentum (plot summary) that was added to the play perhaps around 150 CE, see page 173]

Helpful Information for Reading the Latin Text

Students who read the play in Latin will see that there are a few ways in which this text differs from the Latin introduced in most beginners’ textbooks. This is partly because, between the time of Plautus and the time of Cicero and Caesar, the spelling of some Latin words changed, and partly because poetic Latin retained some variant forms after they had disappeared from Latin prose. The Latin of Plautus’s day is called “Early Latin”, as opposed to the later “Classical Latin” that most Latin textbooks teach. The following points will enable readers of the Latin text of Epidicus to take in their stride most of the quirks of Plautus’s Latin as they appear in this play.

The letter “u”: When writing, the Romans did not distinguish between the vowel “u” and the semivowel that was later written as “v” (which was pronounced like our “w”), and the Latin text of the play used in this volume (which is Lindsay’s widely used edition from 1903) therefore uses the letter “u” for both the vowel and the semivowel. When written in upper case both the vowel and the semivowel are written like a capital “V”.
For example, in the word “iuuenis” (line 5 of the play), the first “u” is a vowel, while the second is a semivowel, and it would consequently be spelled “iuvenis” in most Latin textbooks (like its English derivative “juvenile”). The reason introductory Latin textbooks distinguish between the two is because it is believed to help beginners learn how to pronounce Latin correctly. Those whose Latin skills have reached the point where they can read this play should have no real trouble distinguishing the vowel “u” from the semivowel “u”.
Avoidance of “uu”: Early Latin tended to avoid placing the vowel “u” immediately after another “u”. For this reason we find that “seruus” (nominative singular) and “seruum” (accusative singular) in Plautus are usually spelled “seruos” and “seruom”, respectively. Similarly we see the Early Latin spellings “aequom”, “confluont”, “emortuom”, “saluos”, “suom”, “tuom”, “uolt”, “uoltu”, etc. (instead of the Classical Latin spellings of these words: “aequum”, “confluunt”, “emortuum”, “saluus”, “suum”, “tuum”, “uult”, “uultu”).
“Quo-/qu-” where you might expect “cu-”: the conjunction that was later spelled “cum” is spelled “quom” in Early Latin (though the same is not true for the preposition “cum”, which is so spelled in both Early and Classical Latin). In this Latin text we also see “quoius/quoiius”, “quoi”, “quor/qur”, and “utquomque” (instead of the Classical Latin “cuius”, “cui”, “cur”, and “utcumque”).
“Qui” where you might expect “quo”, “qua” or “quibus”: the singular and plural ablative forms of the relative and interrogative pronouns, and of the interrogative adjective (which are normally “quo”, “qua”, and “quibus”) can be instead written as “qui” in Plautus. Similarly in this play we see “quicum” (instead of the more standard “quacum”) and “aliqui” (instead of “aliquo”).
The spelling “-ei-” where you might expect “-ī-”: some words that, in Classical Latin, came to be spelled with a long “i” were spelled instead with “ei” in Early Latin; in this play we see “preimum”, “quei”, “sei”, “seic”, “sein”, and “uestei” (instead of the Classical Latin “primum”, “qui”, “si” “sic”, “si+ne”, and “uesti”).
The spelling of prepositional compounds: where a preposition has become the prefix of a word, this Latin text preserves the original spelling, so that we see “inmortales”, “adligabit”, and “adcurentur” (instead of the Classical Latin “immortales”, “alligabit”, and “accurentur”.)
“Aps”, “ap-” where you might expect “a”, “ab-”: the preposition “a” (short for “ab”) before the word “te” was usually “aps” in the time of Plautus. Prepositional compounds that in Classical Latin would begin with “abs-” in Early Latin are spelled “aps-”; thus we see “apscedat”, “apsentem”, “apsoluam”, “apstulit”, and “apsurde”, etc. (instead of the Classical Latin “abscedat”, “absentem”, “absoluam”, “abstulit”, and “absurde).
Superlative adjectives/adverbs ending in “-umus” instead of “-imus”, etc.: in Early Latin the superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs were often spelled with a “-u-” for the penultimate vowel instead of the “-i-” that was standard in Classical Latin. Hence in this play we see the forms “festiuissumus”, “maxumae”, “meritissumo”, “optuma”,“ planissume”, “proxumum”, etc. (instead of the Classical Latin spellings “festiuissimus”, “maximae”, “meritissimo”, “optima”, “planissime”, “proximum”).
The syllable “uo-” where you might expect “ue-”: some words that in Classical Latin include the syllable “ue-” (such as “uertere”) were written instead with the syllable “uo-” (like “uortere”). Hence in this play we find the forms “uorsutior”, “uortitur”, and “uotuit” (instead of the Classical Latin “uertitur”, “uersutior”, and “uetuit”).
“Illic”, “istoc”, etc.: students will be familiar with the “-c” that ends half of the Classical Latin forms of the demonstrative pronoun/adjective “hic”, “haec”, “hoc”. This final “-c” (originally it was “-ce”) could also be added, in Early Latin, to forms of “ille” and “iste”, so we get “illic”, “illoc”, “istac”, “istaec”, “istanc”, “istoc”, “istuc”, etc. (instead of the Classical Latin “ille”, “illo”, “istā”, “ista”, “istam”, “isto”, “istud”).
Variant verb forms:
1. Future in “-so”: in this play we see the alternate future forms “faxo” (from “facio”) and “adempsit” (instead of adimet, from the verb “adimo”). “Faxo” does not, however, simply substitute for “faciam” (which Plautus uses in its essential future sense), but tends to function as a statement of the speaker’s certainty, so should be translated as “I promise” or “definitely”.
2. Future in “-asso”, “-assis”, etc.: in clauses introduced by si, nisi, nei (ni), ubi, or siue, Plautus used an older form of the future tense of some first-conjugation verbs by adding “-asso”, “-assis”, “assit”, etc. to the stem; hence we find “commostrasso”, “comparassit” and “orassis” (instead of the Classical Latin “commonstrabo”, “comparabit”, and “orabis”).¹
3. Future in “-ibo”, “-ibis”, etc.: the future tense signifier “-bi-” which in Classical Latin is used only for the first and second conjugations and in the verb “eo”, can also appear in Early Latin in verbs of the fourth conjugation, so that in this play we see “reperibitur”, “saeuibunt”, and “scibit” (instead of the Classical Latin “reperietur, “saeuient”, and “sciet”).
4. Imperfect in “-ibam”, etc.: The imperfect active forms of fourth-conjugation verbs sometimes have no “-e-” before the tense signifier “-ba-”; thus in this play we see the form “exaudibam” (instead of the more standard “exaudiebam”).
5. Singular imperatives “face” and “duce”: whereas in Classical Latin the singular imperatives of the verbs “dico”, “duco”, “facio”, and “fero” are“ dic”, “duc”, “fac”, and “fer”, respectively, in Early Latin the forms “dice”, “duce”, and “face” (but not “fere”) could be used. In this play we see “duce” and “dice” once each, and “face” twice, but also “fac” several times.
6. “Euenat” and “euenant” instead of “eueniat” and “eueniant”: the present subjunctive third-person singular and plural of the verb “euenio” appears in Early Latin as “euenat” and “evenant”.
7. Present passive infinitive in “-ier”: Plautus sometimes used an older form of the present passive infinitive, which ended in “-er”, so that in this play we see “percontarier” and “praestolarier” (instead of the Classical Latin “percontari” and “praestolari”).
8. Perfect system forms of “sum” in perfect passive tenses: perfect passive forms of verbs that in Classical Latin use “sum”, “eram”, or “ero” (indicative) or “sim”, “essem” (subjunctive) sometimes use instead the perfect system forms “fui”, “fueram”, “fuero” (indicative) and “fuerim”, “fuissem” (subjunctive). Thus in this play we see “fuero elocutus” and “induta fuerit” (instead of the Classical Latin “ero elocutus” and “induta sit”).
9. Present subjunctive of “sum”: alternative forms to the Classical Latin “sim”, “sis”, “sit”, and “sint” often appear in Early Latin as “siem”, “sies”, “siet”, and “sient” (in this play only “sies” and “siet” appear).
Contractions: the final “-s” of words normally ending in “-us” or “-is” was pronounced weakly enough that it did not affect the scansion of the line the way a normal consonant would, and in this version of the Latin text the weak final “-s” is not written. Hence we get “minu’”, “dici’”, “rebu’”, and “priu’”, etc. (contracted from “minus”, “dicis”, “rebus”, and “prius”).
For the same reason, a word ending in “-us” followed by the word “es” or “est”, is written without the final “-s” of the first word and the initial “e-” of “es/est” when the meter requires it. Hence we get “captiost”, “mercatust”, “timidu’s”, and “ueritust”, etc. (instead of “captio est”, “mercatus est”, “timidus es”, and “ueritus est).
The initial “e-” of “es/est” when it follows a word ending in “-m” or in a vowel was either not pronounced or pronounced very lightly, and thus Lindsay’s text does not write that final “-e”. Hence we see “corruptumst”, “ergost”, “tu’s”, and “ubist”, etc. (contracted from “corruptum est”, “ergo est”, “tu es”, and“ubi est”).
When metrically necessary, the interrogatory suffix “-ne/-n” is often shortened to “-n” even when not followed by a word beginning with a vowel, such as “nouistin” (instead of “nouistine”), “meministin” (instead of “meministine”), “perpetuen” (instead of “perpetuene”), and “men” (instead of “mene”).A final “s” disappears before the suffix “-ne” (usually shorted to “-n”), so that we get “ain”, “audin”, “patierin”, “potin”, “satine”, “scin”, “uiden”, etc. (instead of “aisne”, “audisne”, “patierisne”, “potisne”, “satisne”, “scisne”, and “uidesne”).
“Med” instead of “me”: Plautus at least sometimes used the Early Latin ablative/accusative forms of the personal pronouns (med and ted); in this play we find “med” instead of ”me” twice, though he used “me” more commonly.
“-ii-” for the semivowel “-i-”: we see the forms “eiius”, “huiius”, and “quoiius” (instead of the later spellings “eius”, “huius” and “quoius/cuius”).
Poetic forms “mī” and “nīl”: Plautus used the forms “mī” and “nīl” (for “mihi” and “nihil”) when the rhythm of the line required it.
Other common variant forms: Plautus preferred to use the variant form “lubet” and its cognates (such as “lubens” and “lubentius”), instead of the later spelling of these words with “lib-”. We also find the spelling “sacruficas”, “periclum”, and “caussa” (which in Classical Latin would be “sacrificas”, “periculum”, and “causa”).

The Rhythm of Plautus

The actors in Plautus’s plays often broke into song, in a variety of very complicated meters (“meter” refers to the rhythmic structure of the line) that continued the play’s action rather than, like the choral interludes in Greek drama, being a break from the action. Furthermore, much of the dialogue was sung or spoken with accompaniment on one or more musical instruments (usually a woodwind instrument called a tibia and some sort of percussion); these sections of sung or chanted dialogue are commonly called in English “recitative”, like the “spoken” parts of an opera that are sung to accompanying music but that are not self-contained arias or songs. Songs and recitative made up nearly two-thirds of the lines in Plautus’s plays, while the remaining third, written in a meter called iambic senarii, was spoken without music (Duckworth 1952/1971: 363).

Those who want to experience Epidicus in at least some of its metrical complexity are encouraged to consult a book on Latin meter (The Meters of Greek and Latin Poetry by Halporn et al. is a good place to start²). Beginners who have learned the basic rules of elision and vowel length should practice reading the two most common meters of Plautus: trochaic septenarii (which was generally recited or chanted to the music of the tibia), and the spoken passages in the iambic senarius meter.

Trochaic Septenarii

A line of trochaic septenarii is theoretically made up of seven trochees plus an additional anceps (either long or short) syllable at the end. A basic trochee is a long syllable followed by a short syllable (— ⋃), but in a line of Latin trochaic septenarii the short syllable in the first six trochees can be either long or short. An anceps syllable is usually represented by X, so that a trochee, where the so-called short syllable is actually an anceps, would be symbolized like this: — X.

Furthermore, since the important thing about syllable length in Latin meter is literally how long it took to pronounce, two short syllables can replace a long syllable, allowing a so-called trochee to potentially be replaced by a spondee (— —), a dactyl (— ⋃ ⋃), an anapaest (⋃ ⋃ — ), a tribrach (⋃ ⋃ ⋃), or a proceleusmatic (⋃ ⋃ ⋃ ⋃). That so many variations are possible may sound anarchic, but with enough practice it is possible to get a sense of the unifying rhythm that makes each line of trochaic septenarii distinct from the other meters in the play. Plautus used meter changes to differentiate between different characters and different aspects of his plays, so getting a feel for the rhythm will add to an appreciation of the play.

Almost the whole of scene 2 in Act 1 (lines 104–163) is written in trochaic septenarii. We can visualize the scansion of lines 104–105 as follows:

The letters printed in subscript are elided, which means they were either barely pronounced, or not pronounced at all.
A natural pause in the line, where a diaeresis (a word and the metrical foot ending in the same place) coincides with a pause in the sense of the line, is represented by this symbol: ║ and usually appears after the fourth foot. This diaeresis is one of the distinct aspects of a line of trochaic septenarii.
In line 105, the “e” and the “o” of “meorum” are pronounced together as a long syllable (this is called synizesis).
The final syllable of a line of verse can be either long or short regardless of the meter, since a reader or actor would pause at the ends of lines, thereby effectually lengthening a short final syllable.

The following lines of Epidicus are in trochaic septenarii: 1–2; 23; 44–45; 50–51; 86; 88; 90; 91; 93; 95; 97; 99–163; 190–305; 333; 547–733.

Iambic Senarii

A line of iambic senarii is theoretically made up of six iambs. A basic iamb is a short syllable followed by a long: ⋃ —, but the “short” syllable of the iamb in Roman comedy is an anceps (can be either long or short) in all but the last foot; in fact, the anceps is more often long than short in Plautus’s iambic senarii. To further complicate matters, any of the first four iambs in the line can be replaced with a dactyl (a long followed by two shorts: — ⋃ ⋃) or with an anapaest (two shorts followed by a long: ⋃ ⋃ —). Since a long syllable can be replaced by two short syllables (except for the final syllable in a line of iambic senarii), one of Plautus’s iambs can potentially look like this: ⋃ ⋃ ⋃ ⋃.

We can visualize the scansion of lines 310–311, both in the iambic senarius meter, as follows:

The prominent caesurae are here marked with the same notation as for the diaeresis in the trochaic septenarii above: ║.
A caesura is the ending of a word in the middle of a foot; in Plautus a line of iambic senarii usually has a prominent caesura (where a pause in the sense of the line coincides with a caesura) in the third or fourth foot.

The following lines of Epidicus are in iambic senarii: all of the Argumentum; 24; 46–47; 177; 306–319; 382–525.

A dedicated student of Plautine meter will eventually need to learn the more complicated choral meters to fully experience the play, but beginners can start slow, and there is no need to feel discouraged if you can’t scan a particular line. Aim instead to acquire a sense of the rhythm by scanning the less complicated lines. Timothy Moore’s article on introducing students to the music of Roman comedy provides useful suggestions to instructors as to how best to approach teaching scansion in Plautus (Moore 2013).

A word of encouragement: Latin poets took occasional liberties with the strict rules of meter (see section 367: “Special Peculiarities” in Bennett’s New Latin Grammar and Moore 2013: 229–230), which can make scansion more complicated. Furthermore, the plays of Plautus have not come down to us without numerous copying errors creeping in, and though experts attempt to fix these errors (and the faulty meter of a line can be a hint that an error has crept in), sometimes it can be quite challenging to work out the meter of a line. If you find you can’t scan a line properly, move on and try another.

The Play in Latin

PERSONAE

ACROPOLISTIS: FIDICINA (a lyre-player and female slave who was Stratippocles’s girlfriend till just before the action of the play begins; she is first mentioned by Epidicus in Act 1, scene 1 as the “fidicina” that Stratippocles ordered Epidicus to buy for him)

APOECIDES: SENEX (an old man, friend of Periphanes, first appearing in Act 2, scene 1)

CHAERIBVLVS: ADVLESCENS (a freeborn young man, friend of Stratippocles, first appearing in Act 1, scene 2)

DANISTA (the moneylender from whom Stratippocles borrowed in order to buy Telestis; he first appears in Act 5, scene 1)

EPIDICVS: SERVOS (a male slave of Periphanes’s household who is the con-man hero of the play)

FIDICINA (a freedwoman and professional musician who appears in Act 3, scene 4a)

MILES (a wealthy and boastful soldier, first appearing in Act 3, scene 4)

PERIPHANES: SENEX (an old man, father of Stratippocles, first appearing in Act 2, scene 1)

PHILIPPA: MVLIER (a poor middle-aged woman, mother of Telestis; she first appears in Act 4, scene 1)

SERVOS (unnamed male slave belonging to Periphanes’s household who appears in Act 3, scene 3)

STRATIPPOCLES: ADVLESCENS (a freeborn young man, son of Periphanes, who is first mentioned in Act 1, scene 1, and first appears in Act 1, scene 2)

TELESTIS: VIRGO (a freeborn young woman, illegitimate daughter of Philippa and Periphanes; Stratippocles, not knowing she is his half-sister, buys her as a war captive; she first appears in Act 5, scene 1)

THESPRIO: SERVOS (a male slave of Periphanes’s household who appears in Act 1, scene 1

ACTVS I

1.1 EPIDICVS, THESPRIO

Scene summary: Thesprio, a slave in the Athenian household of Periphanes, returns from Thebes where Periphanes’s son Stratippocles has been serving as a soldier. He encounters Epidicus, another of Periphanes’s slaves, and the two begin a comic routine, each insulting the other. We find out that Stratippocles has abandoned his weapons in battle (showing us that he is a cowardly soldier), and that he has borrowed a large sum of money with which he has bought a young woman who was taken captive when the Athenian army had captured Thebes. Epidicus is horrified because, before Stratippocles had left for the war, his young master had been in love with a different young slave woman, a lyre-player called Acropolistis. Stratippocles had insisted that Epidicus find a way to buy Acropolistis for him while he was away in Thebes, and the clever, scheming Epidicus had done so by tricking Periphanes into buying her, after making him believe that Acropolistis was actually his long-lost illegitimate daughter Telestis. The scene ends with Epidicus desperately trying to think of some way to get out of the inevitable punishment he’ll get from Periphanes when his trick is found out.

Epidicus: Heus,³ adulescens! Thesprio: quis properantem me
reprehendit pallio?
Epidicus: familiaris. Thesprio: fateor,⁴ nam odio es⁵ nimium familiariter.⁶
Epidicus: respice uero, Thesprio. Thesprio: oh,
Epidicumne ego conspicor?⁷
Epidicus: sati’⁸ recte oculis uteris.⁹	5
Thesprio: salue. Epidicus: di dent quae uelis.
uenire saluom gaudeo.¹⁰ Thesprio: quid ceterum? Epidicus: quod eo adsolet:¹¹
cena tibi dabitur. Thesprio: spondeo — Epidicus: quid? Thesprio: me accepturum,¹² si dabis.
Epidicus: quid
tu agis?¹³ ut uales?¹⁴ Thesprio: ex-	9a
emplum adesse¹⁵ — Epidicus: intellego. eugae!¹⁶	9b
corpulentior uidere atque habitior.¹⁷ Thesprio: huic gratia.¹⁸	10
Epidicus: quam¹⁹ quidem te iam diu
perdidisse²⁰ oportuit.²¹	11a
Thesprio: minu’²² iam furtificus²³ sum quam antehac. Epidicus: quid ita?²⁴ Thesprio: rapio propalam.²⁵
Epidicus: di inmortales²⁶ te infelicent,²⁷ ut tu es gradibus grandibus!²⁸
nam ut²⁹ apud portum te conspexi, curriculo³⁰ occepi³¹ sequi:
uix adipiscendi³² potestas modo fuit. Thesprio: scurra³³ es. Epidicus: scio	15
te esse equidem hominem militarem. Thesprio: audacter³⁴ quamuis³⁵ dicito.³⁶
Epidicus: quid agis? perpetuen³⁷ ualuisti? Thesprio: uarie.³⁸ Epidicus: qui uarie ualent,
capreaginum³⁹ hominum non placet⁴⁰ mihi neque pantherinum genus.
Thesprio: quid tibi uis dicam nisi quod est? Epidicus: ut illae res ?⁴¹ Thesprio:* probe.⁴²
Epidicus: quid erilis⁴³ noster filius? Thesprio: ualet pugilice atque athletice.⁴⁴	20
Epidicus: uoluptabilem mihi nuntium tuo aduentu adportas, Thesprio.
sed ubist⁴⁵ is? Thesprio: aduenit simul.⁴⁶ Epidicus: ubi is ergost?⁴⁷ nisi si in uidulo⁴⁸
aut si in mellina⁴⁹ attulisti. Thesprio: di te perdant! Epidicus: te uolo —
percontari:⁵⁰ operam da, opera reddetur tibi.⁵¹
Thesprio: ius	25
dicis. Epidicus: me decet.⁵² Thesprio: iam tu autem	25a
nobis praeturam geris?⁵³ Epidicus: quem⁵⁴	25b
dices⁵⁵ digniorem esse hominem hodie Athenis⁵⁶ alterum?
Thesprio: at unum a praetura tua,
Epidice, abest.⁵⁷ Epidicus: quidnam?⁵⁸ Thesprio: scies:	27a
lictores⁵⁹ duo, duo ulmei⁶⁰	27b
fasces uirgarum.⁶¹ Epidicus: uae tibi!
sed quid ais? Thesprio: quid rogas? Epidicus: ubi arma sunt Stratippocli?⁶²
Thesprio: pol⁶³ illa ad hostis⁶⁴ transfugerunt.⁶⁵ Epidicus: armane?⁶⁶ Thesprio: atque quidem cito.⁶⁷	30
Epidicus: serione⁶⁸ dici’⁶⁹ tu?	30a
Thesprio: serio, inquam: hostes habent.	31
Epidicus: edepol⁷⁰ facinus inprobum.⁷¹ Thesprio: at iam ante⁷² alii fecerunt idem.⁷³
erit illi illa res honori.⁷⁴ Epidicus: qui? Thesprio: quia ante aliis fuit.⁷⁵
Mulciber,⁷⁶ credo, arma fecit quae habuit Stratippocles:
trauolauerunt⁷⁷ ad hostis.⁷⁸ Epidicus: tum ille prognatus⁷⁹ Theti⁸⁰	35
sine⁸¹ perdat:⁸² alia adportabunt⁸³ ei Neri⁸⁴ filiae.
id modo uidendum est, ut⁸⁵ materies⁸⁶ suppetat⁸⁷ scutariis,⁸⁸
si in singulis⁸⁹ stipendiis⁹⁰ is ad hostis⁹¹ exuuias⁹² dabit.
Thesprio: supersede⁹³ istis rebu’⁹⁴ iam. Epidicus: tu ipse ubi lubet⁹⁵ finem face.⁹⁶
Thesprio: desiste percontarier.⁹⁷ Epidicus: loquere⁹⁸ ipse: ubist⁹⁹ Stratippocles?	40
Thesprio: est caussa qua caussa¹⁰⁰ simul mecum ire ueritust.¹⁰¹ Epidicus: quidnam¹⁰² id est?
Thesprio: patrem uidere se neuolt¹⁰³ etiamnunc. Epidicus: quapropter?¹⁰⁴ Thesprio: scies.
quia forma lepida et liberali¹⁰⁵ captiuam adulescentulam¹⁰⁶
de praeda¹⁰⁷ mercatust.¹⁰⁸ Epidicus: quid ego ex te audio? Thesprio: hoc quod fabulor.¹⁰⁹
Epidicus: qur¹¹⁰ eam emit? Thesprio: animi¹¹¹ caussa.¹¹² Epidicus: quot illic¹¹³ homo animos habet?	45
nam certo,¹¹⁴ priu’ quam¹¹⁵ hinc¹¹⁶ ad legionem abiit domo,
ipse mandauit¹¹⁷ mihi ab lenone¹¹⁸ ut fidicina,¹¹⁹
quam amabat, emeretur sibi. id¹²⁰ ei impetratum¹²¹ reddidi.¹²²
Thesprio: utquomque¹²³ in alto¹²⁴ uentust,¹²⁵ Epidice, exim¹²⁶ uelum¹²⁷ uortitur.¹²⁸
Epidicus: uae misero mihi, male perdidit me! Thesprio: quid istuc?¹²⁹ quidnam \| est?	50
Epidicus: quid¹³⁰ istanc¹³¹ quam emit, quanti¹³² eam emit? Thesprio: uili.¹³³ Epidicus: haud istuc te rogo.¹³⁴
Thesprio: quid igitur? Epidicus: quot¹³⁵ minis?¹³⁶
Thesprio: tot: quadraginta¹³⁷ minis.	52a
id adeo¹³⁸ argentum¹³⁹ ab danista¹⁴⁰ apud Thebas¹⁴¹ sumpsit¹⁴² faenore¹⁴³
in dies minasque argenti singulas nummis.¹⁴⁴ Epidicus: papae!¹⁴⁵
Thesprio: et is danista aduenit una¹⁴⁶ cum eo, qui argentum petit.	55
Epidicus: di inmortales! ut ego interii¹⁴⁷ basilice!¹⁴⁸ Thesprio: quid iam? aut quid est,
Epidice? Epidicus: perdidit¹⁴⁹ me. Thesprio: quis? Epidicus: ille qui arma perdidit.
Thesprio: nam quid ita? Epidicus: quia cottidie ipse ad me ab legione epistulas
mittebat — sed taceam optumum est,
plus scire satiust¹⁵⁰ quam loqui seruom hominem;¹⁵¹ ea sapientia est.	60
Thesprio: nescio edepol quid [tu] timidu’s,¹⁵² trepidas,¹⁵³ Epidice, ita uoltu¹⁵⁴ tuo
uideor uidere commeruisse¹⁵⁵ hic me apsente¹⁵⁶ in te aliquid mali.¹⁵⁷
Epidicus: potin¹⁵⁸ ut molestus ne sies?¹⁵⁹ Thesprio: abeo. Epidicus: asta,¹⁶⁰ abire¹⁶¹ hinc non sinam.¹⁶²
Thesprio: quid nunc me retines? Epidicus: amatne istam quam emit de praeda? Thesprio: rogas?
deperit.¹⁶³
Epidicus: deagetur¹⁶⁴corium¹⁶⁵ de tergo meo.	65
Thesprio: plusque amat quam te umquam amauit. Epidicus: Iuppiter te perduit!¹⁶⁶
Thesprio: mitte¹⁶⁷ nunciam,¹⁶⁸
nam ille me uotuit¹⁶⁹ domum ue-	67a
-nire, ad Chaeribulum¹⁷⁰ iussit¹⁷¹
huc in proxumum;¹⁷²	68a
ibi manere iussit, eo¹⁷³ uenturust¹⁷⁴ ipsus.¹⁷⁵ Epidicus: quid ita?¹⁷⁶ Thesprio: dicam:
quia patrem priu’¹⁷⁷ conuenire se non uolt¹⁷⁸ neque conspicari,¹⁷⁹	70
quam id argentum, quod debetur pro illa,¹⁸⁰ dinumerauerit.¹⁸¹
Epidicus: eu¹⁸² edepol res turbulentas!¹⁸³ Thesprio: mitte me ut eam¹⁸⁴ nunciam.¹⁸⁵
Epidicus: haecine¹⁸⁶ ubi scibit¹⁸⁷ senex,
puppis¹⁸⁸ pereunda est¹⁸⁹ probe.¹⁹⁰
Thesprio: quid¹⁹¹ istuc ad
me attinet,	75
quo tu intereas¹⁹² modo?
Epidicus: quia perire solus nolo, te cupio perire mecum,
beneuolens cum beneuolente. Thesprio: abi in malam rem maxumam¹⁹³ a me
cum istac¹⁹⁴ condicione.¹⁹⁵ Epidicus: i sane,¹⁹⁶ — siquidem¹⁹⁷ festinas magis.¹⁹⁸
Thesprio: numquam hominem quemquam¹⁹⁹ conueni unde²⁰⁰ abierim²⁰¹ lubentius.²⁰² —	80
Epidicus: illic²⁰³ hinc abiit. solus nunc es.²⁰⁴ quo in loco haec res²⁰⁵ sit uides
Epidice: nisi quid tibi²⁰⁶ in tete²⁰⁷ auxili²⁰⁸ est, apsumptus es.²⁰⁹
tantae in te impendent²¹⁰ ruinae:²¹¹ nisi suffulcis²¹² firmiter,
non potes supsistere:²¹³ itaque in te inruont²¹⁴ montes mali.²¹⁵
neque²¹⁶ ego nunc	85
quo modo²¹⁷
me expeditum²¹⁸ ex impedito²¹⁹ faciam, consilium placet.	86
ego miser
perpuli²²⁰
meis dolis senem²²¹ ut censeret suam²²² sese emere filiam:	88
is suo
filio
fidicinam²²³ emit, quam ipse²²⁴ amat, quam abiens mandauit²²⁵ mihi.	90
si sibi nunc alteram	90a
ab legione adduxit animi caussa,²²⁶ corium²²⁷ perdidi.
nam ubi senex
senserit²²⁸	92a
sibi data esse uerba,²²⁹ uirgis dorsum dispoliet meum.²³⁰ —
at enim tu
praecaue.²³¹	94a
at enim — bat enim!²³² nihil est istuc.²³³ plane hoc corruptumst²³⁴ caput.	95
nequam²³⁵ homo es,
Epidice.	96a
qui²³⁶ lubidost²³⁷ male loqui? — quia tute te<te>²³⁸ deseris.²³⁹ —
quid faciam?
men²⁴⁰ rogas?	98a
tuquidem²⁴¹ antehac aliis solebas dare consilia mutua.²⁴²
aliquid²⁴³ aliqua²⁴⁴ reperiundumst.²⁴⁵ sed ego cesso²⁴⁶ ire obuiam²⁴⁷	100
adulescenti, ut quid negoti²⁴⁸ sit sciam? atque ipse illic²⁴⁹ est.
tristis est. cum Chaeribulo incedit aequali²⁵⁰ suo.
huc concedam,²⁵¹ orationem unde²⁵² horum placide²⁵³ persequar.²⁵⁴

1.2 STRATIPPOCLES, CHAERIBVLVS, EPIDICVS

Scene summary: With Epidicus eavesdropping on the conversation, Stratippocles arrives with his friend Chaeribulus and complains to him about the debt he’s incurred for his new slave girl. He gets angry at Chaeribulus for not being able to give him the money he needs, and then says he’ll send the slave Epidicus to work at the mill if he doesn’t find a way to pay his debt for him. Epidicus makes his presence known, and attempts to make Stratippocles aware of how much Epidicus has already risked on his behalf in buying Acropolistis for him with his father’s money. Stratippocles feels no remorse, however, and just demands that Epidicus find a way to pay off his current debt and get rid of Acropolistis (whom Periphanes thinks is his daughter Telestis). Epidicus says that he knows of a rich soldier from Euboea who will buy Acropolistis and promises to find some way to pay off Stratippocles’s debt. Stratippocles, Chaeribulus, and Epidicus all go into Chaeribulus’s house.

Stratippocles: Rem tibi sum elocutus²⁵⁵ omnem, Chaeribule, atque admodum²⁵⁶
meorum maerorum²⁵⁷ atque amorum summam²⁵⁸ edictaui²⁵⁹ tibi.	105
Chaeribulus: praeter²⁶⁰ aetatem et uirtutem stultus es, Stratippocles.
idne pudet te, quia captiuam genere prognatam²⁶¹ bono
in²⁶² praeda es mercatus?²⁶³ quis erit uitio²⁶⁴ qui id uortat tibi?
Stratippocles: qui²⁶⁵ inuident omnis²⁶⁶ inimicos mihi illoc²⁶⁷ facto repperi;²⁶⁸
at pudicitiae eiius²⁶⁹ numquam nec uim nec uitium²⁷⁰ attuli.²⁷¹	110
Chaeribulus: iam istoc²⁷² probior²⁷³ [es] meo quidem animo, quom²⁷⁴ in amore temperes.²⁷⁵
Stratippocles: nihil agit qui diffidentem²⁷⁶ uerbis solatur²⁷⁷ suis;
is est amicus, qui²⁷⁸ in re dubia re iuuat, ubi rest²⁷⁹ opus.
Chaeribulus: quid tibi me uis facere? Stratippocles: argenti²⁸⁰ dare quadraginta²⁸¹ minas,²⁸²
quod danistae²⁸³ detur, unde ego illud sumpsi²⁸⁴ faenore.²⁸⁵	115
Chaeribulus: si hercle²⁸⁶ haberem <pollicerer>.²⁸⁷ Stratippocles: nam quid te igitur retulit
beneficum esse oratione,²⁸⁸ si ad rem²⁸⁹ auxilium emortuom²⁹⁰ est?
Chaeribulus: quin²⁹¹ edepol²⁹² egomet²⁹³ clamore²⁹⁴ differor,²⁹⁵ difflagitor.²⁹⁶
Stratippocles: malim²⁹⁷ istius modi²⁹⁸ mihi amicos furno²⁹⁹ mersos³⁰⁰ quam foro.³⁰¹
sed operam³⁰² Epidici nunc me³⁰³ emere pretio pretioso³⁰⁴ uelim.	120
quem³⁰⁵ quidem ego hominem inrigatum³⁰⁶ plagis³⁰⁷ pistori³⁰⁸ dabo,
nisi hodie priu’³⁰⁹ comparassit³¹⁰ mihi quadraginta minas
quam argenti fuero elocutus³¹¹ ei postremam syllabam.³¹²
Epidicus: salua res est: bene promittit, spero, seruabit fidem.³¹³
sine meo sumptu³¹⁴ paratae iam sunt scapulis³¹⁵ symbolae.³¹⁶	125
adgrediar³¹⁷ hominem. aduenientem peregre³¹⁸ erum³¹⁹ suom³²⁰ Stratippoclem³²¹
impertit³²² salute seruos³²³ Epidicus? Stratippocles: ubi is est? Epidicus: adest.
saluom huc aduenisse³²⁴ — Stratippocles: tam³²⁵ tibi istuc³²⁶ credo quam mihi.
Epidicus: benene usque ualuisti? Stratippocles: a morbo³²⁷ ualui, ab animo aeger fui.
Epidicus: quod ad me attinuit,³²⁸ ego curaui: quod mandasti³²⁹ <tu> mihi,	130
impetratum est;³³⁰ empta ancillast,³³¹ quod tute³³² ad me litteras
missiculabas.³³³ Stratippocles: perdidisti omnem operam. Epidicus: nam qui³³⁴ perdidi?
Stratippocles: quia meo neque cara est cordi neque placet.³³⁵ Epidicus: quid retulit³³⁶
mihi tanto opere³³⁷ te mandare et mittere ad me epistulas?
Stratippocles: illam amabam olim, nunc iam alia cura impendet³³⁸ pectori.	135
Epidicus: hercle miserum est ingratum esse homini id quod facias bene.³³⁹
ego quod bene feci male feci, quia amor mutauit locum.³⁴⁰
Stratippocles: desipiebam³⁴¹ mentis³⁴² quom illa scripta mittebam tibi.
Epidicus: men³⁴³ piacularem³⁴⁴ oportet fieri ob stultitiam tuam,
ut meum tergum tuae stultitiae subdas³⁴⁵ succidaneum?³⁴⁶	140
Stratippocles: quid³⁴⁷ istic³⁴⁸ uerba facimus? huic homini opust³⁴⁹ quadraginta minis
celeriter calidis,³⁵⁰ danistae quas resoluat,³⁵¹ et cito.
Epidicus: dic modo: unde auferre³⁵² me uis? quo a tarpezita³⁵³ peto?
Stratippocles: unde lubet.³⁵⁴ nam ni ante solem occasum³⁵⁵ e lo<culis adferes>³⁵⁶
meam domum ne inbitas:³⁵⁷ tu te in pistrinum³⁵⁸ <conferas.>³⁵⁹	145
Epidicus: facile tu istuc³⁶⁰ sine periclo³⁶¹ et cura, corde³⁶² libero
fabulare;³⁶³ noui³⁶⁴ ego nostros:³⁶⁵ mihi dolet³⁶⁶ quom³⁶⁷ ego uapulo.³⁶⁸
Stratippocles: quid tu nunc? patierin³⁶⁹ ut ego me interimam?³⁷⁰ Epidicus: ne feceris.³⁷¹
ego istuc³⁷² accedam³⁷³ periclum³⁷⁴ potius³⁷⁵ atque audaciam.³⁷⁶
Stratippocles: nunc places, nunc ego te laudo. Epidicus: patiar ego istuc quod lubet.³⁷⁷	150
Stratippocles: quid illa fiet fidicina igitur?³⁷⁸ Epidicus: aliqua res reperibitur,³⁷⁹
aliqua ope exsoluam,³⁸⁰ extricabor³⁸¹ aliqua. Stratippocles: plenus consili’s.³⁸²
noui ego te. Epidicus: est Euboicus³⁸³ miles locuples,³⁸⁴ multo auro potens,³⁸⁵
qui ubi tibi³⁸⁶ istam³⁸⁷ emptam esse scibit³⁸⁸ atque hanc adductam³⁸⁹ alteram,³⁹⁰
continuo³⁹¹ te orabit ultro³⁹² ut illam³⁹³ tramittas³⁹⁴ sibi.	155
sed ubi illa est quam tu adduxisti³⁹⁵ tecum? Stratippocles: iam³⁹⁶ faxo³⁹⁷ hic³⁹⁸ erit.
Chaeribulus: quid hic nunc agimus?³⁹⁹ Stratippocles: eamus intro huc ad te,⁴⁰⁰ ut hunc hodie diem
luculente⁴⁰¹ habeamus. — ⁴⁰² Epidicus: ite intro, ego de re argentaria⁴⁰³
iam senatum⁴⁰⁴ conuocabo in corde consiliarium,⁴⁰⁵
quoi⁴⁰⁶ potissumum⁴⁰⁷ indicatur⁴⁰⁸ bellum, unde argentum auferam.	160
Epidice, uide quid agas, ita res subito haec obiectast⁴⁰⁹ tibi;
non enim nunc tibi dormitandi neque cunctandi⁴¹⁰ copia⁴¹¹ est.
adeundum.⁴¹² senem oppugnare⁴¹³ certumst⁴¹⁴ consilium mihi.⁴¹⁵
ibo intro atque adulescenti dicam nostro erili⁴¹⁶ filio,
ne hinc foras⁴¹⁷ exambulet⁴¹⁸ neue⁴¹⁹ obuiam⁴²⁰ ueniat seni. —	165

ACTVS II

2.1 APOECIDES, PERIPHANES

Scene summary: The two old men, Periphanes and his friend Apoecides, come out of Periphanes’s house (which is next door to Chaeribulus’s). Their conversation tells us that the widowed Periphanes is planning on marrying a woman (whom, we later find out, is called Philippa), the mother of his illegitimate daughter Telestis, but he’s worried about how his son Stratippocles will react.

Apoecides: Plerique⁴²¹ homines, quos quom⁴²² nil⁴²³ refert⁴²⁴ pudet,
ubi pudendum est⁴²⁵ ibi eos deserit⁴²⁶ pudor,	166a
quom usust⁴²⁷ ut pudeat.⁴²⁸
is⁴²⁹ adeo⁴³⁰ tu’s.⁴³¹ quid est quod⁴³² pudendum siet,⁴³³
genere gnatam⁴³⁴ bono⁴³⁵ pauperem⁴³⁶ domum
ducere te uxorem?⁴³⁷	170
praesertim⁴³⁸ eam, qua ex⁴³⁹ tibi commemores⁴⁴⁰ hanc quae domist⁴⁴¹
filiam prognatam.⁴⁴²	171–2
Periphanes: reuereor filium.⁴⁴³ Apoecides: at pol⁴⁴⁴ ego te credidi⁴⁴⁵
uxorem, quam tu extulisti,⁴⁴⁶ pudore exsequi,⁴⁴⁷
quoiius⁴⁴⁸ quotiens sepulcrum uides, sacruficas⁴⁴⁹	175
ilico⁴⁵⁰ Orco⁴⁵¹ hostiis,⁴⁵² neque adeo iniuria,⁴⁵³
quia licitumst⁴⁵⁴ eam tibi uiuendo⁴⁵⁵ uincere. Periphanes: oh!⁴⁵⁶
Hercules⁴⁵⁷ ego fui, dum illa mecum fuit;
neque sexta aerumna⁴⁵⁸ acerbior Herculi⁴⁵⁹ quam⁴⁶⁰ illa mihi obiectast.⁴⁶¹
Apoecides: pulchra edepol⁴⁶² dos⁴⁶³ pecuniast.⁴⁶⁴ Periphanes: quae quidem pol non maritast.⁴⁶⁵	180

2.2 EPIDICVS, APOECIDES, PERIPHANES

Scene summary: Epidicus comes out and sees the old men before they see him. He overhears Periphanes planning a marriage for Stratippocles and worrying about a rumour that Stratippocles has been devoting himself to a young lyre-playing slave-woman (we know she is Acropolistis). Epidicus hits on a scheme to cheat Periphanes out of the money needed to repay Stratippocles’s debt. He pretends he’s been searching for them all over town to tell them the news that the legion has arrived home from the war in Thebes, and that he has overheard two women who say that Stratippocles was planning on borrowing the money to buy, and then manumit, his lyre-playing girlfriend. Periphanes is very upset at his son for ruining his credit and wasting money like this, and gladly takes Epidicus’s advice, which is to arrange a marriage for Stratippocles to some unnamed woman, and to buy Acropolistis himself but arrange for her to be sent out of the city and out of Stratippocles’s reach. Epidicus persuades Periphanes not to involve himself personally in the purchase of the slave woman (ostensibly to ensure that Stratippocles won’t find out that his own father has bought her), and promises him that he’ll recoup the money and even make a profit by selling her on to a wealthy Rhodian soldier (perhaps the same soldier as the Euboean one Epidicus mentioned act 1, scene 2). Periphanes agrees to send his friend Apoecides with Epidicus to carry out the purchase.

Epidicus: St!⁴⁶⁶
tacete, habete animum bonum.⁴⁶⁷
liquido⁴⁶⁸ exeo foras⁴⁶⁹ auspicio, aui⁴⁷⁰ sinistera;⁴⁷¹	183–4
acutum cultrum habeo, senis⁴⁷² qui⁴⁷³ exenterem⁴⁷⁴ marsuppium.⁴⁷⁵	185
sed eccum⁴⁷⁶ ipsum ante⁴⁷⁷ aedis⁴⁷⁸ conspicor⁴⁷⁹ <cum> Apoecide
qualis⁴⁸⁰ uolo uetulos⁴⁸¹ duo.
iam ego me conuortam⁴⁸² in hirudinem⁴⁸³ atque eorum exsugebo⁴⁸⁴ sanguinem,
senati⁴⁸⁵ qui columen⁴⁸⁶ cluent.⁴⁸⁷
Apoecides:⁴⁸⁸ continuo⁴⁸⁹ ut maritus⁴⁹⁰ fiat. Periphanes: laudo consilium tuom.⁴⁹¹	190
nam ego illum audiui in amorem⁴⁹² haerere⁴⁹³ apud nescioquam⁴⁹⁴ fidicinam,
id⁴⁹⁵ ego excrucior.⁴⁹⁶ Epidicus: di hercle omnes me adiuuant, augent, amant:
ipsi hiquidem⁴⁹⁷ mihi dant uiam, quo pacto⁴⁹⁸ ab se⁴⁹⁹ argentum auferam.
age nunciam⁵⁰⁰ orna⁵⁰¹ te, Epidice, et palliolum⁵⁰² in collum⁵⁰³ conice⁵⁰⁴
itaque adsimulato⁵⁰⁵ quasi⁵⁰⁶ per urbem totam hominem quaesiueris.⁵⁰⁷	195
age, si quid agis.⁵⁰⁸ di inmortales!⁵⁰⁹ utinam conueniam⁵¹⁰ domi⁵¹¹
Periphanem, per omnem urbem quem sum defessus⁵¹² quaerere:⁵¹³
per medicinas,⁵¹⁴ per tostrinas,⁵¹⁵ in gymnasio atque in foro,
per myropolia⁵¹⁶ et lanienas⁵¹⁷ circumque argentarias.⁵¹⁸
rogitando sum raucus⁵¹⁹ factus, paene in cursu concidi.⁵²⁰	200
Periphanes: Epidice! Epidicus: Epidicum quis est qui reuocat? Periphanes: ego sum, Periphanes.
Apoecides: et ego Apoecides sum. Epidicus: et egoquidem⁵²¹ sum Epidicus. sed, ere,⁵²² optuma⁵²³
uos uideo opportunitate⁵²⁴ ambo aduenire. Periphanes: quid rei est?⁵²⁵
Epidicus: mane, <mane>, sine⁵²⁶ respirem quaeso.⁵²⁷ Periphanes: immo⁵²⁸ adquiesce.⁵²⁹ Epidicus: animo malest.⁵³⁰
Apoecides: recipe anhelitum.⁵³¹ Periphanes: clementer,⁵³² requiesce. Epidicus: animum aduortite.⁵³³	205
a legione omnes remissi sunt domum⁵³⁴ Thebis.⁵³⁵ Apoecides: <quis hoc>
scit factum? Epidicus: ego ita dico factum esse. Periphanes: scin⁵³⁶ tu istuc?⁵³⁷ Epidicus: scio.
Periphanes: qui⁵³⁸ tu scis? Epidicus: quia ego ire uidi milites plenis⁵³⁹ uiis;⁵⁴⁰
arma referunt et iumenta⁵⁴¹ ducunt. Periphanes: nimi’⁵⁴² factum bene!
Epidicus: tum captiuorum quid⁵⁴³ ducunt secum! pueros, uirgines,	210
binos,⁵⁴⁴ ternos,⁵⁴⁵ alius quinque; fit concursus⁵⁴⁶ per uias,
filios suos quisque⁵⁴⁷ uisunt.⁵⁴⁸ Periphanes: hercle rem gestam bene!⁵⁴⁹
Epidicus: tum meretricum⁵⁵⁰ numerus tantus quantum in urbe omni fuit
obuiam⁵⁵¹ ornatae⁵⁵² occurrebant suis quaequae⁵⁵³ amatoribus,
eos captabant.⁵⁵⁴ id adeo⁵⁵⁵ qui⁵⁵⁶ maxume animum aduorterim?⁵⁵⁷	215
pleraeque⁵⁵⁸ eae sub uestimentis secum habebant retia.⁵⁵⁹
quom⁵⁶⁰ ad portam⁵⁶¹ uenio, atque ego illam illi uideo⁵⁶² praestolarier⁵⁶³
et cum ea tibicinae⁵⁶⁴ ibant quattuor. Periphanes: quicum,⁵⁶⁵ Epidice?
Epidicus: cum illa quam tuo’⁵⁶⁶ gnatus⁵⁶⁷ annos multos deamat,⁵⁶⁸ deperit,⁵⁶⁹
ubi⁵⁷⁰ fidemque⁵⁷¹ remque⁵⁷² seque teque properat perdere;⁵⁷³	220
ea praestolabatur⁵⁷⁴ illum apud portam. Periphanes: uiden⁵⁷⁵ ueneficam?⁵⁷⁶
Epidicus: sed uestita,⁵⁷⁷ aurata,⁵⁷⁸ ornata⁵⁷⁹ ut⁵⁸⁰ lepide,⁵⁸¹ ut concinne,⁵⁸² ut noue!⁵⁸³
Periphanes: quid erat induta?⁵⁸⁴ an regillam⁵⁸⁵ induculam⁵⁸⁶ an mendiculam?⁵⁸⁷
Epidicus: impluuiatam,⁵⁸⁸ ut istae faciunt uestimentis nomina.
Periphanes: utin⁵⁸⁹ impluuium⁵⁹⁰ induta fuerit?⁵⁹¹ Epidicus: quid istuc⁵⁹² tam mirabile est?	225
quasi⁵⁹³ non fundis⁵⁹⁴ exornatae⁵⁹⁵ multae incedant⁵⁹⁶ per uias.
at tributus⁵⁹⁷ quom⁵⁹⁸ imperatus est, negant⁵⁹⁹ pendi⁶⁰⁰ potis;⁶⁰¹
illis quibu’⁶⁰² tributus maior penditur, pendi potest.⁶⁰³
quid istae quae⁶⁰⁴ uestei⁶⁰⁵ quotannis⁶⁰⁶ nomina inueniunt noua?
tunicam rallam,⁶⁰⁷ tunicam spissam,⁶⁰⁸ linteolum caesicium,	230
indusiatam, patagiatam, caltulam aut crocotulam,
supparum aut — subnimium, ricam, basilicum⁶⁰⁹ aut exoticum,⁶¹⁰
cumatile aut plumatile, carinum aut cerinum — gerrae⁶¹¹ maxumae!⁶¹²
cani⁶¹³ quoque etiam ademptumst⁶¹⁴ nomen. Periphanes: qui?⁶¹⁵ Epidicus: uocant Laconicum.⁶¹⁶
haec uocabula⁶¹⁷ auctiones⁶¹⁸ subigunt⁶¹⁹ ut faciant uiros.	235
Apoecides: quin⁶²⁰ tu ut⁶²¹ occepisti⁶²² loquere?⁶²³ Epidicus: occepere⁶²⁴ aliae mulieres
duae sic post⁶²⁵ me fabulari⁶²⁶ inter sese⁶²⁷ — ego abscessi⁶²⁸ sciens⁶²⁹
paullum⁶³⁰ ab illis, dissimulabam⁶³¹ earum operam⁶³² sermoni dare;
nec satis exaudibam,⁶³³ nec sermonis⁶³⁴ fallebar⁶³⁵ tamen,
quae loquerentur. Periphanes: id lubidost⁶³⁶ scire. Epidicus: ibi⁶³⁷ illarum altera	240
dixit illi quicum⁶³⁸ ipsa ibat — Periphanes: quid? Epidicus: tace ergo, ut audias —
postquam illam sunt conspicatae,⁶³⁹ quam tuo’⁶⁴⁰ gnatus deperit:⁶⁴¹
“quam⁶⁴² facile et quam fortunate euenit⁶⁴³ illi, opsecro,⁶⁴⁴
mulieri quam liberare uolt⁶⁴⁵ amator!” “quisnam⁶⁴⁶ is est?”
inquit⁶⁴⁷ altera illi. ibi⁶⁴⁸ illa nominat Stratippoclem	245
Periphanei⁶⁴⁹ filium. Periphanes: perii⁶⁵⁰ hercle! quid ego ex te audio?
Epidicus: hoc quod actumst.⁶⁵¹ egomet⁶⁵² postquam id illas audiui loqui,⁶⁵³
coepi⁶⁵⁴ rusum⁶⁵⁵ uorsum⁶⁵⁶ ad illas pauxillatim⁶⁵⁷ accedere,⁶⁵⁸
quasi retruderet⁶⁵⁹ hominum me uis⁶⁶⁰ inuitum. Periphanes: intellego.
Epidicus: ibi⁶⁶¹ illa interrogauit illam: “qui⁶⁶² scis? quis id dixit tibi?”	250
“quin⁶⁶³ hodie adlatae⁶⁶⁴ tabellae sunt ad eam a Stratippocle,
eum⁶⁶⁵ argentum sumpsisse⁶⁶⁶ apud Thebas ab danista faenore,
id paratum et sese ob eam rem⁶⁶⁷ id ferre.” Periphanes: certo ego occidi!⁶⁶⁸
Epidicus: haec sic aibat:⁶⁶⁹ se audiuisse ex eapse⁶⁷⁰ atque epistula.
Periphanes: quid ego faciam? nunc consilium a te expetesso,⁶⁷¹ Apoecides.	255
Apoecides: reperiamus⁶⁷² aliquid⁶⁷³ calidi,⁶⁷⁴ conducibilis⁶⁷⁵ consili.⁶⁷⁶
nam ille quidem aut iam⁶⁷⁷ hic⁶⁷⁸ aderit,⁶⁷⁹ credo hercle, aut iam⁶⁸⁰ adest. Epidicus: si aequom⁶⁸¹ siet⁶⁸²
me plus sapere⁶⁸³ quam uos, dederim uobis consilium catum⁶⁸⁴
quod laudetis, ut ego opino,⁶⁸⁵ uterque — Periphanes: ergo ubi id⁶⁸⁶ est, Epidice?
Epidicus: atque ad eam rem⁶⁸⁷ conducibile. Apoecides: quid⁶⁸⁸ istuc⁶⁸⁹ dubitas dicere?	260
Epidicus: uos priores⁶⁹⁰ esse oportet, nos posterius⁶⁹¹ dicere,
qui plus sapitis. Periphanes: heia uero!⁶⁹² age dice. Epidicus: at deridebitis.⁶⁹³
Apoecides: non edepol faciemus. Epidicus: immo⁶⁹⁴ si placebit utitor,⁶⁹⁵
consilium si non placebit, reperitote⁶⁹⁶ rectius.⁶⁹⁷
mihi istic⁶⁹⁸ nec seritur⁶⁹⁹ nec metitur,⁷⁰⁰ nisi ea quae tu uis uolo.	265
Periphanes: gratiam habeo;⁷⁰¹ fac participes⁷⁰² nos tuae sapientiae.
Epidicus: continuo⁷⁰³ arbitretur⁷⁰⁴ uxor tuo gnato atque ut fidicinam
illam quam is uolt liberare, quae illum corrumpit⁷⁰⁵ tibi,
ulciscare⁷⁰⁶ atque ita curetur, usque ad mortem⁷⁰⁷ ut seruiat.⁷⁰⁸
Apoecides: fieri oportet. Periphanes: facere cupio quiduis⁷⁰⁹ dum⁷¹⁰ id fiat modo. Epidicus: em!⁷¹¹	270
nunc occasiost⁷¹² faciundi, priu’ quam⁷¹³ in urbem aduenerit,
sicut⁷¹⁴ cras hic aderit, hodie non uenit. Periphanes: qui⁷¹⁵ scis? Epidicus: scio.
quia mihi alius dixit qui illinc⁷¹⁶ uenit mane⁷¹⁷ hic adfore.⁷¹⁸
Periphanes: quin tu eloquere,⁷¹⁹ quid faciemus? Epidicus: sic faciundum censeo,⁷²⁰
quasi⁷²¹ tu cupias liberare fidicinam animi gratia⁷²²	275
quasique ames uehementer tu illam. Periphanes: quam ad rem istuc refert?⁷²³ Epidicus: rogas?
ut enim praestines⁷²⁴ argento, priu’ quam⁷²⁵ ueniat filius,
atque ut⁷²⁶ eam te⁷²⁷ in libertatem⁷²⁸ dicas emere — Periphanes: intellego.
Epidicus: ubi erit empta,⁷²⁹ ut⁷³⁰ aliquo⁷³¹ ex urbe amoueas;⁷³² nisi quid⁷³³ tuast⁷³⁴
secu’⁷³⁵ sententia. Periphanes: immo⁷³⁶ docte!⁷³⁷ Epidicus: quid tu autem, Apoecides?	280
Apoecides: quid ego⁷³⁸ iam nisi te commentum⁷³⁹ nimis⁷⁴⁰ astute⁷⁴¹ intellego?⁷⁴²
Epidicus: iam igitur amota ei⁷⁴³ fuerit⁷⁴⁴ omnis consultatio⁷⁴⁵
nuptiarum,⁷⁴⁶ ne grauetur⁷⁴⁷ quod uelis.⁷⁴⁸ Periphanes: uiue⁷⁴⁹ sapis⁷⁵⁰
et placet. Epidicus: tum tu igitur calide⁷⁵¹ quidquid acturu’s⁷⁵² age.
Periphanes: rem⁷⁵³ hercle loquere.⁷⁵⁴ Epidicus: et repperi⁷⁵⁵ haec te qui⁷⁵⁶ apscedat⁷⁵⁷ suspicio.⁷⁵⁸	285
Periphanes: sine⁷⁵⁹ me scire. Epidicus: scibis,⁷⁶⁰ audi. Apoecides: sapit hic pleno pectore.⁷⁶¹
Epidicus: opus est⁷⁶² homine qui illo⁷⁶³ argentum deferat⁷⁶⁴ pro fidicina;
nam te nolo neque opu’⁷⁶⁵ factost.⁷⁶⁶ Periphanes: quid⁷⁶⁷ iam? Epidicus: ne te censeat⁷⁶⁸
fili⁷⁶⁹ caussa⁷⁷⁰ facere — Periphanes: docte! Epidicus: quo illum ab illa prohibeas:
ne qua⁷⁷¹ ob⁷⁷² eam suspicionem difficultas euenat.⁷⁷³	290
Periphanes: quem hominem inueniemus ad eam rem utilem? Epidicus: hic⁷⁷⁴ erit optumus;⁷⁷⁵
hic poterit cauere⁷⁷⁶ recte, iura qui et leges tenet.⁷⁷⁷
Periphanes: Epidico habeas gratiam.⁷⁷⁸ Epidicus: sed ego istuc⁷⁷⁹ faciam sedulo:⁷⁸⁰
ego illum conueniam⁷⁸¹ atque adducam huc ad te, quoiiast,⁷⁸² fidicinam⁷⁸³
atque argentum ego cum hoc⁷⁸⁴ feram. Periphanes: quanti⁷⁸⁵ emi⁷⁸⁶ potest minimo? Epidicus: illane?	295
ad quadraginta⁷⁸⁷ fortasse⁷⁸⁸ eam posse emi minimo⁷⁸⁹ minis.⁷⁹⁰
uerum si plus dederis referam, nihil in ea re captiost.⁷⁹¹
atque id non decem occupatum⁷⁹² tibi erit argentum dies.⁷⁹³
Periphanes: quidum?⁷⁹⁴ Epidicus: quia enim mulierem alius illam adulescens deperit,⁷⁹⁵
auro opulentus, magnus miles Rhodius,⁷⁹⁶ raptor hostium,	300
gloriosus:⁷⁹⁷ hic emet illam de te et dabit aurum lubens.⁷⁹⁸
face⁷⁹⁹ modo, est lucrum⁸⁰⁰ hic tibi amplum.⁸⁰¹ Periphanes: deos quidem oro. Epidicus: impetras.⁸⁰²
Apoecides: quin⁸⁰³ tu is⁸⁰⁴ intro atque huic argentum promis?⁸⁰⁵ ego uisam⁸⁰⁶ ad forum.
Epidice, eo⁸⁰⁷ ueni. Epidicus: ne abitas⁸⁰⁸ priu’⁸⁰⁹ quam ego ad te uenero.
Apoecides: usque⁸¹⁰ opperiar.⁸¹¹ — Periphanes: sequere tu intro. — Epidicus: i numera,⁸¹²
nil⁸¹³ ego te moror.⁸¹⁴	305

2.3 EPIDICVS

Scene summary: While the two old men are indoors getting the money, Epidicus rejoices at how well he’s fooling them. He says that, in the place of Acropolistis, whom he’s supposed to be buying, he’ll hire a different lyre-player. This new lyre-player was to have been hired to play the lyre for a religious sacrifice Periphanes had planned to do, but now Epidicus will coach her to play the part of Acropolistis.

Epidicus: nullum esse opinor⁸¹⁵ ego agrum in agro Attico
aeque⁸¹⁶ feracem⁸¹⁷ quam hic est noster Periphanes:
quin⁸¹⁸ ex occluso⁸¹⁹ atque opsignato⁸²⁰ armario⁸²¹
decutio⁸²² argenti tantum quantum mihi lubet.⁸²³
quod pol ego metuo si senex resciuerit⁸²⁴	310
ne ulmos⁸²⁵ parasitos⁸²⁶ faciat quae⁸²⁷ usque⁸²⁸ attondeant.⁸²⁹
sed me una turbat⁸³⁰ res ratioque,⁸³¹ Apoecidi
quam⁸³² ostendam fidicinam aliquam conducticiam.⁸³³
atque id quoque habeo: mane⁸³⁴ me iussit senex
conducere⁸³⁵ aliquam fidicinam sibi huc domum,	315
dum rem diuinam⁸³⁶ faceret, cantaret⁸³⁷ sibi;
ea conducetur atque ei praemonstrabitur⁸³⁸
quo pacto fiat subdola⁸³⁹ aduorsus⁸⁴⁰ senem.
ibo intro, argentum accipiam ab damnoso⁸⁴¹ sene. —

ACTVS III

3.1 STRATIPPOCLES, CHAERIBVLVS

Scene summary: While Epidicus is in Periphanes’s house getting the money to purchase the supposed Acropolistis, Stratippocles and Chaeribulus come on stage. Stratippocles expresses his worry that Epidicus won’t be able to find a way to pay off his debt, and loses his temper with Chaeribulus for being unable to help.

Stratippocles: Expectando⁸⁴² exedor⁸⁴³ miser atque exenteror⁸⁴⁴	320
quo modo mi⁸⁴⁵ Epidici blanda dicta euenant.⁸⁴⁶
nimi’⁸⁴⁷ diu maceror:⁸⁴⁸ sitne quid necne sit⁸⁴⁹
scire cupio. Chaeribulus: per⁸⁵⁰ illam tibi copiam⁸⁵¹
copiam parare⁸⁵² aliam licet: sciui equidem in principio ili-
co⁸⁵³ nullam tibi esse in illo⁸⁵⁴ copiam. Stratippocles: interii⁸⁵⁵ hercle ego!	325
Chaeribulus: apsurde⁸⁵⁶ faci’⁸⁵⁷ qui angas⁸⁵⁸ te animi;⁸⁵⁹ si hercle ego illum semel prendero,⁸⁶⁰
numquam inridere⁸⁶¹ nos illum inultum⁸⁶² sinam seruom hominem.	327–8
Stratippocles: quid⁸⁶³ illum ferre uis qui, tibi⁸⁶⁴ quoi⁸⁶⁵ diuitiae domi⁸⁶⁶ maxumae sunt,
is⁸⁶⁷ nummum⁸⁶⁸ nullum habes nec sodali⁸⁶⁹ tuo in te copiast.⁸⁷⁰	330
Chaeribulus: si hercle habeam pollicear⁸⁷¹ lubens,⁸⁷² uerum aliquid aliqua aliquo modo
alicunde⁸⁷³ ab aliqui⁸⁷⁴ aliqua tibi spes est fore⁸⁷⁵ mecum fortunam.⁸⁷⁶
Stratippocles: uae tibi, muricide⁸⁷⁷ homo! Chaeribulus: qui⁸⁷⁸ tibi lubet⁸⁷⁹ mihi male loqui?
Stratippocles: quipp’⁸⁸⁰ tu mi⁸⁸¹ aliquid aliquo modo alicunde ab aliquibus⁸⁸² blatis⁸⁸³
quod nusquamst,⁸⁸⁴ neque ego id immitto⁸⁸⁵ in auris⁸⁸⁶ meas,	335
nec mihi plus adiumenti⁸⁸⁷ ades⁸⁸⁸ quam ille qui numquam etiam natust.⁸⁸⁹

3.2 EPIDICVS, STRATIPPOCLES, CHAERIBVLVS

Scene summary: Epidicus joins the two young men and tells Stratippocles that he’s tricked Periphanes into giving him fifty minae, supposedly to buy Acropolistis. He says that he plans on tricking the pimp, who had sold him Acropolistis two days earlier, into telling Periphanes that he’s now just sold a lyre-player to Epidicus for the fifty minae. Epidicus gives the money to Stratippocles and explains the two deceptions he’s played on Periphanes (firstly tricking him into thinking Acropolistis is his daughter Telestis so that he buys her, and secondly tricking him into giving him the purchase price for Acropolistis which will instead be used to pay Stratippocles’s debt). Epidicus tells Stratippocles that Periphanes is arranging to get him married, and Stratippocles says he’ll never agree to get married while his (new) girlfriend is alive. Epidicus tells Stratippocles that he’ll hire a different lyre-player to pretend to be Acropolistis.

Epidicus: fecisti iam officium tuom,⁸⁹⁰ me meum nunc facere oportet.
per⁸⁹¹ hanc curam quieto⁸⁹² tibi licet esse — hoc quidem iam periit:⁸⁹³
ni quid tibi hinc in spem referas,⁸⁹⁴ oppido⁸⁹⁵ hoc⁸⁹⁶ pollinctum est;⁸⁹⁷
crede modo mihi: sic ego ago, sic egerunt nostri.⁸⁹⁸	340
pro di inmortales,⁸⁹⁹ mihi hunc diem dedistis luculentum!⁹⁰⁰
ut⁹⁰¹ facilem atque impetrabilem!⁹⁰² sed ego hinc migrare⁹⁰³ cesso,⁹⁰⁴
ut importem⁹⁰⁵ in coloniam⁹⁰⁶ hunc <meo> auspicio⁹⁰⁷ commeatum.⁹⁰⁸
mihi cesso quom⁹⁰⁹ sto. sed quid hoc? ante aedis⁹¹⁰ duo sodales⁹¹¹
erum et Chaeribulum conspicor.⁹¹² quid hic agitis? accipe hoc sis.⁹¹³	345
Stratippocles: quantum⁹¹⁴ hic inest? Epidicus: quantum sat⁹¹⁵ est et plus satis:⁹¹⁶ superfit.⁹¹⁷
decem minis⁹¹⁸ plus attuli⁹¹⁹ quam tu danistae debes.
dum⁹²⁰ tibi ego placeam atque opsequar⁹²¹ meum tergum flocci facio.⁹²²
Stratippocles: nam quid⁹²³ ita? Epidicus: quia ego tuom⁹²⁴ patrem faciam parenticidam.⁹²⁵
Stratippocles: quid istuc est uerbi?⁹²⁶ Epidicus: nil moror⁹²⁷ uetera⁹²⁸ et uolgata⁹²⁹ uerba.	350
“peratum ductare” †at† ego follitum ductitabo.⁹³⁰
nam leno⁹³¹ omne argentum apstulit⁹³² pro fidicina (ego resolui,⁹³³
manibus his⁹³⁴ denumeraui⁹³⁵) pater suam natam quam⁹³⁶ esse credit;
nunc iterum ut fallatur⁹³⁷ pater tibique auxilium apparetur⁹³⁸
inueni;⁹³⁹ nam ita suasi⁹⁴⁰ seni atque hanc habui orationem	355
ut quom⁹⁴¹ rediisses,⁹⁴² ne tibi eiius⁹⁴³ copia⁹⁴⁴ esset. Stratippocles: eugae!⁹⁴⁵
Epidicus: ea iam domist⁹⁴⁶ pro⁹⁴⁷ filia. Stratippocles: <iam> teneo.⁹⁴⁸ Epidicus: nunc auctorem⁹⁴⁹
dedit mi⁹⁵⁰ ad hanc rem Apoecidem, is apud forum manet⁹⁵¹ me
†quasiquae amaret† caueat.⁹⁵² Stratippocles: hau⁹⁵³ male. Epidicus: iam ipse \| cautor⁹⁵⁴ captusst.⁹⁵⁵
ipse in meo collo tuo’⁹⁵⁶ pater cruminam⁹⁵⁷ collocauit;⁹⁵⁸	360
is adornat,⁹⁵⁹ adueniens⁹⁶⁰ domi extemplo⁹⁶¹ ut maritus⁹⁶² fias.
Stratippocles: uno persuadebit modo,⁹⁶³ si illam quae adducta est mecum
mihi adempsit⁹⁶⁴ Orcus.⁹⁶⁵ Epidicus: nunc ego hanc astutiam⁹⁶⁶ institui.⁹⁶⁷
deueniam⁹⁶⁸ ad lenonem domum⁹⁶⁹ egomet⁹⁷⁰ solus, eum ego docebo,
si quid⁹⁷¹ ad eum adueniam,⁹⁷² ut sibi esse datum⁹⁷³ argentum dicat	365
pro fidicina, argenti minas⁹⁷⁴ se habere quinquaginta.⁹⁷⁵
(quippe⁹⁷⁶ ego qui nudiustertius⁹⁷⁷ meis manibus denumeraui⁹⁷⁸
pro illa tua amica quam pater suam filiam esse retur):⁹⁷⁹
ibi⁹⁸⁰ leno sceleratum⁹⁸¹ caput suom⁹⁸² inprudens⁹⁸³ alligabit,⁹⁸⁴
quasi pro illa argentum acceperit quae tecum adducta nunc est.	370
Stratippocles: uorsutior⁹⁸⁵ es quam rota⁹⁸⁶ figularis. Epidicus: iam ego parabo⁹⁸⁷
aliquam dolosam⁹⁸⁸ fidicinam, nummo⁹⁸⁹ conducta quae sit,⁹⁹⁰
quae se emptam⁹⁹¹ simulet,⁹⁹² quae senes duo docte⁹⁹³ ludificetur.⁹⁹⁴
eam ducet simul⁹⁹⁵ Apoecides ad tuom⁹⁹⁶ patrem. Stratippocles: ut parate!⁹⁹⁷
Epidicus: eam permeditatam,⁹⁹⁸ meis dolis⁹⁹⁹ astutiisque¹⁰⁰⁰ onustam¹⁰⁰¹	375
mittam. sed nimi’¹⁰⁰² longum¹⁰⁰³ loquor, diu me estis demorati.¹⁰⁰⁴
haec scitis iam ut futura sint. abeo. — Stratippocles: bene ambulato.¹⁰⁰⁵
Chaeribulus: nimi’ doctus illic¹⁰⁰⁶ ad male faciendum.¹⁰⁰⁷ Stratippocles: me equidem certo¹⁰⁰⁸
seruauit¹⁰⁰⁹ consiliis suis. Chaeribulus: abeamus intro hinc ad me.¹⁰¹⁰
Stratippocles: atque aliquanto¹⁰¹¹ lubentius¹⁰¹² quam aps¹⁰¹³ te sum egressus¹⁰¹⁴ intus;¹⁰¹⁵	380
uirtute atque auspicio Epidici cum praeda¹⁰¹⁶ in castra redeo. —

3.3 PERIPHANES, APOECIDES, SERVOS

Scene summary: Periphanes admits in a soliloquy that he himself behaved badly when he was younger, so he shouldn’t judge his son Stratippocles too harshly. Apoecides arrives with the hired lyre-player whom he believes is Acropolistis. Periphanes directs a slave to lead her into his house but instructs the slave to keep this low-class sex worker well away from the woman he believes is his virginal daughter Telestis. Apoecides raves about Epicicus’s cleverness at (as he thinks) tricking the hired lyre-player into thinking she’d merely been hired for the day instead of having been bought.

Periphanes: non oris¹⁰¹⁷ caussa¹⁰¹⁸ modo homines aequom¹⁰¹⁹ fuit
sibi habere speculum¹⁰²⁰ ubi os contemplarent¹⁰²¹ suom,¹⁰²²
sed qui perspicere¹⁰²³ possent [cor¹⁰²⁴ sapientiae,
igitur perspicere ut possint] cordis copiam;¹⁰²⁵	385
ubi id inspexissent,¹⁰²⁶ cogitarent¹⁰²⁷ postea¹⁰²⁸
uitam ut uixissent olim in adulescentia.
fuit conducibile¹⁰²⁹ hoc quidem mea sententia.¹⁰³⁰
uel¹⁰³¹ [quasi]¹⁰³² ego[met],¹⁰³³ qui dudum¹⁰³⁴ fili¹⁰³⁵ caussa coeperam¹⁰³⁶
ego me excruciare¹⁰³⁷ animi,¹⁰³⁸ quasi quid¹⁰³⁹ filius	390
meu’¹⁰⁴⁰ deliquisset¹⁰⁴¹ med¹⁰⁴² erga¹⁰⁴³ aut [quasi] non pluruma¹⁰⁴⁴
malefacta mea essent solida¹⁰⁴⁵ in adulescentia.
profecto¹⁰⁴⁶ deliramus¹⁰⁴⁷ interdum¹⁰⁴⁸ senes.
sed meu’¹⁰⁴⁹ sodalis¹⁰⁵⁰ it¹⁰⁵¹ cum praeda¹⁰⁵² Apoecides.
uenire saluom¹⁰⁵³ mercatorem¹⁰⁵⁴ gaudeo.¹⁰⁵⁵	395
quid fit?¹⁰⁵⁶ Apoecides: di deaeque te adiuuant. Periphanes: omen placet.
Apoecides: quin omini omnis¹⁰⁵⁷ suppetunt¹⁰⁵⁸ res¹⁰⁵⁹ prospere.¹⁰⁶⁰
sed tu †hanc iubes† intro¹⁰⁶¹ abduci.¹⁰⁶² Periphanes: heus!¹⁰⁶³ foras
exite huc aliquis.¹⁰⁶⁴ duce¹⁰⁶⁵ istam intro mulierem.
atque audin?¹⁰⁶⁶ Seruos: quid uis? Periphanes: caue¹⁰⁶⁷ siris¹⁰⁶⁸ cum filia	400
mea copulari¹⁰⁶⁹ hanc neque conspicere.¹⁰⁷⁰ iam tenes?¹⁰⁷¹
in aediculam¹⁰⁷² istanc¹⁰⁷³ sorsum¹⁰⁷⁴ concludi¹⁰⁷⁵ uolo.
diuortunt¹⁰⁷⁶ mores uirgini longe ac lupae.¹⁰⁷⁷
Apoecides: docte et sapienter dicis. num<quam> nimi’¹⁰⁷⁸ potest
pudicitiam¹⁰⁷⁹ quisquam¹⁰⁸⁰ suae seruare filiae.	405
edepol ne¹⁰⁸¹ istam * temperi¹⁰⁸² gnato tuo
sumu’¹⁰⁸³ praemercati.¹⁰⁸⁴ Periphanes: quid¹⁰⁸⁵ iam? Apoecides: quia dixit mihi
iam dudum¹⁰⁸⁶ se alius tuom¹⁰⁸⁷ uidisse hic filium:
hanc edepol rem¹⁰⁸⁸ apparabat.¹⁰⁸⁹ Periphanes: plane hercle hoc quidem est.
Apoecides: ne¹⁰⁹⁰ tu habes seruom¹⁰⁹¹ graphicum¹⁰⁹² et quantiuis preti,¹⁰⁹³	410
non carust¹⁰⁹⁴ auro contra.¹⁰⁹⁵ ut ille fidicinam
fecit †nescire† esse emptam tibi!¹⁰⁹⁶
ita ridibundam¹⁰⁹⁷ atque hilaram¹⁰⁹⁸ huc adduxit simul.¹⁰⁹⁹
Periphanes: mirum hoc qui¹¹⁰⁰ potuit fieri. Apoecides: te pro filio
facturum dixit rem esse diuinam¹¹⁰¹ domi,	415
quia Thebis¹¹⁰² saluos¹¹⁰³ redierit.¹¹⁰⁴ Periphanes: recte¹¹⁰⁵ institit.
Apoecides: immo¹¹⁰⁶ ipsus¹¹⁰⁷ illi¹¹⁰⁸ dixit conductam esse¹¹⁰⁹ eam
quae¹¹¹⁰ hic administraret¹¹¹¹ ad rem diuinam tibi.¹¹¹²
[facturum hoc dixit rem esse diuinam tibi domi]¹¹¹³
ego illic¹¹¹⁴ med¹¹¹⁵ autem sic adsimulabam:¹¹¹⁶ quasi	420
stolidum,¹¹¹⁷ combardum¹¹¹⁸ me faciebam.¹¹¹⁹ Periphanes: Immo ita decet.¹¹²⁰
Apoecides: res¹¹²¹ magna amici apud forum agitur,¹¹²² ei uolo
ire aduocatus.¹¹²³ Periphanes: at quaeso,¹¹²⁴ ubi erit otium,¹¹²⁵
reuortere¹¹²⁶ ad me extemplo.¹¹²⁷ Apoecides: continuo¹¹²⁸ hic ero. —
Periphanes: nihil homini amicost¹¹²⁹ opportuno¹¹³⁰ amicius:¹¹³¹	425
sine tuo labore quod uelis actumst¹¹³² tamen.
ego si adlegassem¹¹³³ aliquem ad hoc negotium
minus hominem doctum minu’que¹¹³⁴ ad hanc rem callidum,¹¹³⁵
os sublitum esset,¹¹³⁶ itaque me albis dentibus¹¹³⁷
meu’¹¹³⁸ derideret¹¹³⁹ filius meritissumo.¹¹⁴⁰	430
atque haec stultitiast¹¹⁴¹ me illi uitio¹¹⁴² uortere¹¹⁴³
egomet¹¹⁴⁴ quod factitaui¹¹⁴⁵ in adulescentia,
quom¹¹⁴⁶ militabam:¹¹⁴⁷ pugnis memorandis¹¹⁴⁸ meis¹¹⁴⁹
eradicabam¹¹⁵⁰ hominum auris,¹¹⁵¹ quando occeperam.¹¹⁵²
sed quis illic¹¹⁵³ est quem huc aduenientem conspicor¹¹⁵⁴	435
suam qui undantem¹¹⁵⁵ chlamydem¹¹⁵⁶ quassando¹¹⁵⁷ facit?

3.4 MILES, PERIPHANES

Scene summary: A swaggering soldier arrives looking for Periphanes. After a comic exchange of boastful military claims, the soldier says that he wants to buy the slave woman that he hears Periphanes has just bought. He had been planning to buy her, manumit her, and make her his concubine, and now wants to buy her back from Periphanes. Periphanes agrees to sell her for sixty minae (ten more than he thinks he paid for her).

Miles: Caue¹¹⁵⁸ praeterbitas¹¹⁵⁹ ullas aedis¹¹⁶⁰ quin roges,¹¹⁶¹
senex hic ubi habitat Periphanes Platenius.
incertus tuom¹¹⁶² caue ad me rettuleris¹¹⁶³ pedem.¹¹⁶⁴
Periphanes: adulescens, si istunc¹¹⁶⁵ hominem quem tu quaeritas¹¹⁶⁶	440
tibi commostrasso,¹¹⁶⁷ ecquam¹¹⁶⁸ aps¹¹⁶⁹ te inibo gratiam?¹¹⁷⁰
Miles: uirtute belli armatus promerui¹¹⁷¹ ut mihi
omnis mortalis agere deceat gratias.
Periphanes: non repperisti,¹¹⁷² adulescens, tranquillum locum
ubi tuas uirtutes explices¹¹⁷³ ut postulas.¹¹⁷⁴	445
nam strenuiori¹¹⁷⁵ deterior¹¹⁷⁶ si praedicat¹¹⁷⁷
suas pugnas, de illius¹¹⁷⁸ illae fiunt sordidae.¹¹⁷⁹
sed istum quem quaeris Periphanem Platenium
ego sum, si quid uis.¹¹⁸⁰ Miles: nemp’¹¹⁸¹ quem in adulescentia
memorant¹¹⁸² apud reges armis, arte duellica	450
diuitias¹¹⁸³ magnas indeptum?¹¹⁸⁴ Periphanes: immo,¹¹⁸⁵ si audias
meas pugnas, fugias manibus dimissis¹¹⁸⁶ domum.
Miles: pol ego magis unum¹¹⁸⁷ quaero meas¹¹⁸⁸ quoi¹¹⁸⁹ praedicem¹¹⁹⁰
quam illum qui memoret suas¹¹⁹¹ mihi. Periphanes: hic non est locus;
proin¹¹⁹² tu alium quaeras quoi centones¹¹⁹³ sarcias.¹¹⁹⁴	455
Miles: animum aduorte¹¹⁹⁵ ut quod¹¹⁹⁶ ego ad te aduenio intellegas.
meam amicam audiui te esse mercatum.¹¹⁹⁷ Periphanes: attatae!¹¹⁹⁸
nunc demum scio ego hunc qui sit: quem dudum¹¹⁹⁹ Epidicus
mihi praedicauit militem. adulescens, itast¹²⁰⁰
ut dicis, emi.¹²⁰¹ Miles: uolo te uerbis pauculis¹²⁰²	460
si tibi molestum¹²⁰³ non est. Periphanes: non edepol scio
molestum necne¹²⁰⁴ sit, nisi dicis quid uelis.
Miles: mihi illam ut tramittas,¹²⁰⁵ argentum accipias. Periphanes: adest?¹²⁰⁶
Miles: nam quid¹²⁰⁷ ego apud te uera¹²⁰⁸ parcam¹²⁰⁹ proloqui?
ego illam uolo hodie facere libertam¹²¹⁰ meam	465
mihi concubina¹²¹¹ quae sit. Periphanes: te apsoluam¹²¹² breui:¹²¹³
argenti quinquaginta¹²¹⁴ mihi illa empta est minis;¹²¹⁵
si sexaginta¹²¹⁶ mihi denumerantur¹²¹⁷ minae,
tuas possidebit¹²¹⁸ mulier faxo¹²¹⁹ ferias;¹²²⁰
atque ita profecto¹²²¹ ut¹²²² eam ex hoc exoneres¹²²³ agro.¹²²⁴
Miles: estne empta mihi istis legibus?¹²²⁵ Periphanes: habeas licet.	470
Miles: conciliauisti¹²²⁶ pulchre.¹²²⁷ Periphanes: heus!¹²²⁸ foras¹²²⁹ educite¹²³⁰
quam introduxistis¹²³¹ fidicinam. atque etiam fides,¹²³²
ei quae accessere,¹²³³ tibi addam¹²³⁴ dono¹²³⁵ gratiis.¹²³⁶

3.4a PERIPHANES, MILES, FIDICINA

Scene summary: When the soldier sees the hired lyre-player instead of Acropolistis, he tells Periphanes that it’s the wrong woman, and Periphanes begins to realize that Epidicus has cheated him. The hired lyre-player tells him that she has been a freedwoman for five years and was told she was being hired to play her lyre for an old man who would be performing a religious sacrifice. She also says that she knows the real Acropolistis, who has, she says, recently been freed by Stratippocles. Periphanes expresses shame and anger at how well Epidicus had tricked him.

Periphanes: age accipe hanc sis.¹²³⁷ Miles: quae te intemperiae¹²³⁸ tenent?¹²³⁹	475
quas tu mihi tenebras¹²⁴⁰ trudis?¹²⁴¹ quin¹²⁴² tu fidicinam
produci¹²⁴³ intus¹²⁴⁴ iubes? Periphanes: haec ergo est fidicina.
hic alia nullast.¹²⁴⁵ Miles: non mihi nugari¹²⁴⁶ potes.
quin tu huc producis fidicinam Acropolistidem?¹²⁴⁷
Periphanes: haec inquamst.¹²⁴⁸ Miles: non haec inquamst. non nouisse¹²⁴⁹ me	480
meam rere¹²⁵⁰ amicam posse? Periphanes: hanc, inquam, filius
meu’¹²⁵¹ deperibat¹²⁵² fidicinam. Miles: haec non est ea.
Periphanes: quid? non est? Miles: non est. Periphanes: unde haec igitur gentiumst?¹²⁵³
equidem hercle argentum pro hac dedi. Miles: stulte datum¹²⁵⁴
reor,¹²⁵⁵ peccatum¹²⁵⁶ largiter.¹²⁵⁷ Periphanes: immo¹²⁵⁸ haec east.¹²⁵⁹	485
nam seruom misi qui illum sectari¹²⁶⁰ solet
meum gnatum:¹²⁶¹ is ipse hanc destinauit¹²⁶² fidicinam.
Miles: em¹²⁶³ istic¹²⁶⁴ homo te articulatim¹²⁶⁵ concidit,¹²⁶⁶ senex,
tuo’ seruos.¹²⁶⁷ Periphanes: quid “concidit”? Miles: sic suspiciost,¹²⁶⁸
nam pro fidicina haec cerua¹²⁶⁹ supposita¹²⁷⁰ est tibi.	490
senex, tibi os est sublitum¹²⁷¹ plane et probe.
ego illam requiram¹²⁷² iam ubi ubi¹²⁷³ est. bellator, uale. —
Periphanes: eugae,¹²⁷⁴ eugae! Epidice, frugi’s,¹²⁷⁵ pugnasti,¹²⁷⁶ homo es,
qui me emunxisti¹²⁷⁷ mucidum,¹²⁷⁸ minimi preti.¹²⁷⁹
mercatus¹²⁸⁰ te hodie est de lenone¹²⁸¹ Apoecides?	495
Fidicina: fando¹²⁸² ego istunc hominem numquam audiui ante hunc diem
neque me quidem emere quisquam ulla pecunia
potuit: plus iam sum libera quinquennium.¹²⁸³
Periphanes: quid tibi negotist¹²⁸⁴ meae domi igitur? Fidicina: audies.
conducta¹²⁸⁵ ueni ut fidibus¹²⁸⁶ cantarem seni,	500
dum rem diuinam¹²⁸⁷ faceret. Periphanes: fateor¹²⁸⁸ me omnium
hominum esse Athenis Atticis minimi preti.¹²⁸⁹
sed tu nouistin¹²⁹⁰ fidicinam Acropolistidem?
Fidicina: tam facile quam me.¹²⁹¹ Periphanes: ubi habitat? Fidicina: postquam¹²⁹² liberast¹²⁹³
ubi habitet dicere admodum¹²⁹⁴ incerte scio.¹²⁹⁵	505
Periphanes: eho¹²⁹⁶ an libera illa est? quis eam liberauerit
uolo scire, si scis. Fidicina: id quod audiui audies.
Stratippoclem aiunt Periphanei¹²⁹⁷ filium
apsentem¹²⁹⁸ curauisse¹²⁹⁹ ut fieret libera.
Periphanes: perii¹³⁰⁰ hercle si istaec¹³⁰¹ uera sunt; planissume.¹³⁰²	510
meum exenterauit¹³⁰³ Epidicus marsuppium.¹³⁰⁴
Fidicina: haec sic audiui. numquid¹³⁰⁵ me uis ceterum?¹³⁰⁶
Periphanes: malo cruciatu¹³⁰⁷ ut pereas atque abeas cito.¹³⁰⁸
Fidicina: fides¹³⁰⁹ non reddis?¹³¹⁰ Periphanes: neque fides neque tibias.¹³¹¹
propera¹³¹² sis¹³¹³ fugere hinc si te di amant. Fidicina: abiero.¹³¹⁴	515
flagitio¹³¹⁵ cum maiore post reddes tamen.¹³¹⁶ —
Periphanes: quid nunc? qui in tantis positus sum¹³¹⁷ sententiis¹³¹⁸
eamne ego sinam¹³¹⁹ impune?¹³²⁰ immo¹³²¹ etiam si alterum
tantum¹³²² perdundumst,¹³²³ perdam potius quam¹³²⁴ sinam
me impune inrisum esse,¹³²⁵ habitum¹³²⁶ depeculatui.¹³²⁷	520
ei!¹³²⁸ seic¹³²⁹ data esse uerba¹³³⁰ praesenti¹³³¹ palam!¹³³²
ac me minoris¹³³³ facio prae¹³³⁴ illo, qui omnium
legum atque iurum fictor,¹³³⁵ condictor¹³³⁶ cluet;¹³³⁷
is etiam sese sapere¹³³⁸ memorat:¹³³⁹ malleum¹³⁴⁰
sapientiorem uidi excusso¹³⁴¹ manubrio.¹³⁴²	525

ACTVS IV

4.1 PHILIPPA, PERIPHANES

Scene summary: Philippa, the mother of Telestis, arrives on stage, expressing anxiety and sadness because her daughter has been taken captive. She is looking for Periphanes, and finally sees him. They eventually recognize each other, having not seen each other for many years. Periphanes remembers his part in the affair (during which he had helped her out financially) as having been more generous than Philippa does, since she was left with a child to bring up and no husband. Periphanes tells Philippa the good news that he has their daughter Telestis safe in his house, and he calls for her to be brought outside to see her mother.

Philippa: Si quid est homini¹³⁴³ miseriarum¹³⁴⁴ quod miserescat,¹³⁴⁵ miser ex animost.¹³⁴⁶
id ego experior,¹³⁴⁷ quoi¹³⁴⁸ multa in unum locum confluont¹³⁴⁹ quae
meum pectu’¹³⁵⁰ pulsant¹³⁵¹
simul: multiplex¹³⁵² aerumna¹³⁵³ exercitam¹³⁵⁴ habet,
paupertas, pauor¹³⁵⁵ territat¹³⁵⁶ mentem animi,	530
neque ubi meas conlocem¹³⁵⁷ spes¹³⁵⁸ habeo mi usquam¹³⁵⁹ munitum¹³⁶⁰ locum.
ita gnata¹³⁶¹ mea hostiumst¹³⁶² potita¹³⁶³ neque ea nunc ubi sit scio.
Periphanes: quis illaec¹³⁶⁴ est mulier timido pectore¹³⁶⁵ peregre¹³⁶⁶ adueniens
quae ipsa se miseratur?¹³⁶⁷ Philippa: in his dictust¹³⁶⁸ locis habitare mihi
Periphanes. Periphanes: me nominat haec; credo ego illi¹³⁶⁹ hospitio¹³⁷⁰ usu’¹³⁷¹ uenit.	535
Philippa: peruelim¹³⁷² mercedem¹³⁷³ dare qui monstret eum mi hominem [aut] ubi habitet.
Periphanes: noscito¹³⁷⁴ ego hanc, nam uideor nescio ubi¹³⁷⁵ mi¹³⁷⁶ uidisse prius.
estne ea an non east¹³⁷⁷ quam animus retur¹³⁷⁸ meus?
Philippa: di boni! uisitaui¹³⁷⁹ * * antidhac?¹³⁸⁰
Periphanes: certo¹³⁸¹ east * *	540
quam in Epidauro	540a
pauperculam¹³⁸² memini¹³⁸³ comprimere¹³⁸⁴	540b
Philippa: plane hicine¹³⁸⁵ est
qui mi in Epidauro uirgini primu’¹³⁸⁶ pudicitiam¹³⁸⁷ perpulit.¹³⁸⁸	541a
Periphanes: quae meo compressu¹³⁸⁹ peperit¹³⁹⁰ filiam quam domi nunc habeo.
quid si¹³⁹¹ adeam¹³⁹² — Philippa: hau scio¹³⁹³ an congredias¹³⁹⁴ — Periphanes: si haec east. Philippa: sin is est homo,
sicut¹³⁹⁵ anni multi dubia¹³⁹⁶ dant. Periphanes: longa dies¹³⁹⁷ meum incertat¹³⁹⁸ animum.
sin¹³⁹⁹ east quam incerte autumo,¹⁴⁰⁰ hanc congrediar astu.¹⁴⁰¹	545
Philippa: muliebris¹⁴⁰² adhibenda¹⁴⁰³ mihi malitia¹⁴⁰⁴ nunc est.
Periphanes: compellabo.¹⁴⁰⁵ Philippa: orationis aciem¹⁴⁰⁶ contra¹⁴⁰⁷ conferam.¹⁴⁰⁸
Periphanes: salua sies.¹⁴⁰⁹ Philippa: salutem¹⁴¹⁰ accipio mihi et meis.¹⁴¹¹ Periphanes: quid ceterum?
Philippa: saluos¹⁴¹² sis: quod credidisti¹⁴¹³ reddo.¹⁴¹⁴ Periphanes: haud accuso¹⁴¹⁵ fidem.¹⁴¹⁶
nouin¹⁴¹⁷ ego te? Philippa: si ego te noui, animum inducam¹⁴¹⁸ ut tu noueris.¹⁴¹⁹	550
Periphanes: ubi te uisitaui? Philippa: inique¹⁴²⁰ iniuriu’s.¹⁴²¹ Periphanes: quid iam? Philippa: quia
tuae memoriae interpretari¹⁴²² me aequom¹⁴²³ censes.¹⁴²⁴ Periphanes: commode¹⁴²⁵
fabulata’s.¹⁴²⁶ Philippa: mira¹⁴²⁷ memoras,¹⁴²⁸ <Periphane.¹⁴²⁹> Periphanes: em¹⁴³⁰ istuc¹⁴³¹ rectius.¹⁴³²
meministin?¹⁴³³ Philippa: memini id quod memini. Periphanes: at in Epidauro — Philippa: ah! guttula¹⁴³⁴
pectus ardens mihi aspersisti.¹⁴³⁵ Periphanes: uirgini pauperculae	555
tuaeque matri me leuare¹⁴³⁶ paupertatem?¹⁴³⁷ Philippa: tun¹⁴³⁸ is es
qui per¹⁴³⁹ uoluptatem tuam in me aerumnam¹⁴⁴⁰ obseuisti¹⁴⁴¹ grauem?
Periphanes: ego sum. salue. Philippa: salua¹⁴⁴² sum quia te esse saluom¹⁴⁴³ sentio.¹⁴⁴⁴
Periphanes: cedo¹⁴⁴⁵ manum. Philippa: accipe; aerumnosam¹⁴⁴⁶ et miseriarum¹⁴⁴⁷ compotem¹⁴⁴⁸
mulierem retines.¹⁴⁴⁹ Periphanes: quid est quod¹⁴⁵⁰ uoltus¹⁴⁵¹ †te turbat†¹⁴⁵² tuos?¹⁴⁵³	560
Philippa: filiam quam ex te suscepi¹⁴⁵⁴ — Periphanes: quid eam?¹⁴⁵⁵ Philippa: eductam¹⁴⁵⁶ perdidi.¹⁴⁵⁷
hostium est potita.¹⁴⁵⁸ Periphanes: habe animum lenem et tranquillum. tace.
domi meae¹⁴⁵⁹ eccam¹⁴⁶⁰ saluam et sanam. nam postquam audiui ilico¹⁴⁶¹
e meo seruo illam esse captam, continuo¹⁴⁶² argentum dedi
ut emeretur.¹⁴⁶³ ille eam rem adeo¹⁴⁶⁴ sobrie¹⁴⁶⁵ et frugaliter¹⁴⁶⁶	565
accurauit¹⁴⁶⁷ ut — ut ad alias res est impense¹⁴⁶⁸ inprobus.¹⁴⁶⁹
Philippa: fac uideam,¹⁴⁷⁰ sei¹⁴⁷¹ mea,¹⁴⁷² sei saluam <me> uis.¹⁴⁷³ Periphanes: eho!¹⁴⁷⁴ istinc,¹⁴⁷⁵ Canthara,¹⁴⁷⁶
iube Telestidem¹⁴⁷⁷ huc prodire¹⁴⁷⁸ filiam ante¹⁴⁷⁹ aedis¹⁴⁸⁰ meam,
ut suam uideat matrem. Philippa: remigrat¹⁴⁸¹ animus nunc demum mihi.

4.2 ACROPOLISTIS, PERIPHANES, PHILIPPA

Scene summary: Acropolistis (whom Periphanes has been made to believe is his daughter Telestis) comes out, calling Periphanes “father”. Philippa says that the woman is not Telestis, and Acropolistis says she was told by Epidicus to pretend to be Telestis. Periphanes is enraged and threatens to have Epidicus executed when he finds him.

Acropolistis: quid est, pater, quod me exciuisti¹⁴⁸² ante aedis? Periphanes: ut matrem tuam	570
uideas, adeas,¹⁴⁸³ aduenienti¹⁴⁸⁴ des¹⁴⁸⁵ salutem¹⁴⁸⁶ atque osculum.¹⁴⁸⁷
Acropolostis: quam meam matrem?¹⁴⁸⁸ Periphanes: quae exanimata¹⁴⁸⁹ exsequitur¹⁴⁹⁰ aspectum¹⁴⁹¹ tuom.¹⁴⁹²
Philippa: quis istaec¹⁴⁹³ est quam tu osculum mi¹⁴⁹⁴ ferre iubes? Periphanes: tua filia.
Philippa: haecine?¹⁴⁹⁵ Periphanes: haec. Philippa: egone osculum huic dem? Periphanes: qur¹⁴⁹⁶
non, quae ex te nata sit?¹⁴⁹⁷
Philippa: tu homo insanis. Periphanes: egone? Philippa: tune. Periphanes: qur?¹⁴⁹⁸ Philippa: quia ego hanc quae siet¹⁴⁹⁹	575
neque scio neque noui¹⁵⁰⁰ neque ego hanc oculis uidi ante hunc diem.
Periphanes: scio quid¹⁵⁰¹ erres:¹⁵⁰² quia uestitum¹⁵⁰³ atque ornatum¹⁵⁰⁴ immutabilem¹⁵⁰⁵
habet haec, *
Philippa: * aliter¹⁵⁰⁶ catuli¹⁵⁰⁷ longe¹⁵⁰⁸ olent,¹⁵⁰⁹ aliter sues.¹⁵¹⁰
ne¹⁵¹¹ ego me nego nosse¹⁵¹² hanc quae sit. Periphanes: pro¹⁵¹³ deum atque hominum fidem!	580
quid? ego lenocinium¹⁵¹⁴ facio qui habeam alienas¹⁵¹⁵ domi¹⁵¹⁶
atque argentum egurgitem¹⁵¹⁷ domo prosus?¹⁵¹⁸ quid¹⁵¹⁹ tu, quae patrem
tuom¹⁵²⁰ uocas me atque osculare, quid stas stupida? quid taces?
Acropolostis: quid¹⁵²¹ loquar uis? Periphanes: haec negat se tuam esse matrem. Acropolostis: ne fuat¹⁵²²
si non uolt:¹⁵²³ equidem hac inuita¹⁵²⁴ tamen ero¹⁵²⁵ matris¹⁵²⁶ filia;	585
non med¹⁵²⁷ istanc¹⁵²⁸ cogere¹⁵²⁹ aequom¹⁵³⁰ est meam esse matrem si neuolt.¹⁵³¹
Periphanes: qur¹⁵³² me igitur patrem uocabas? Acropolistis: tua istaec¹⁵³³ culpast,¹⁵³⁴ non mea.
non patrem ego te nominem,¹⁵³⁵ ubi tu tuam me appelles¹⁵³⁶ filiam?
hanc quoque etiam, si me appellet filiam, matrem uocem.
negat haec filiam me suam esse: non ergo haec mater mea est.	590
postremo¹⁵³⁷ haec mea culpa non est: quae didici¹⁵³⁸ dixi omnia;
Epidicus mihi fuit magister.¹⁵³⁹ Periphanes: perii!¹⁵⁴⁰ plaustrum¹⁵⁴¹ perculi.¹⁵⁴²
Acropolistis: numquid¹⁵⁴³ ego ibi, pater, peccaui? Periphanes: si hercle te umquam audiuero
me patrem uocare, uitam tuam ego interimam.¹⁵⁴⁴ Acropolistis: non uoco.
ubi¹⁵⁴⁵ uoles pater esse ibi¹⁵⁴⁶ esto;¹⁵⁴⁷ ubi noles ne fueris¹⁵⁴⁸ pater.	595
Philippa: quid <si> \| ob eam rem¹⁵⁴⁹ hanc emisti¹⁵⁵⁰ quia tuam gnatam¹⁵⁵¹ ratu’s,¹⁵⁵²
quibu’¹⁵⁵³ de signis agnoscebas?¹⁵⁵⁴ Periphanes: nullis. Philippa: qua re¹⁵⁵⁵ filiam
credidisti nostram?¹⁵⁵⁶ Periphanes: seruos¹⁵⁵⁷ Epidicus dixit mihi.
Philippa: quid si seruo aliter uisum est,¹⁵⁵⁸ non poteras nouisse,¹⁵⁵⁹ opsecro?¹⁵⁶⁰
Periphanes: quid ego,¹⁵⁶¹ qui illam ut¹⁵⁶² preimum¹⁵⁶³ uidi, numquam uidi postea?	600
Philippa: perii misera! Periphanes: ne fle,¹⁵⁶⁴ mulier. intro abi,¹⁵⁶⁵ habe animum bonum;
ego illam reperiam.¹⁵⁶⁶ Philippa: hinc¹⁵⁶⁷ Athenis¹⁵⁶⁸ ciuis eam emit Atticus:
adulescentem equidem dicebant emisse. Periphanes: inueniam, tace.
abi¹⁵⁶⁹ modo intro atque hanc asserua¹⁵⁷⁰ Circam¹⁵⁷¹ Solis¹⁵⁷² filiam.
ego relictis rebus¹⁵⁷³ Epidicum operam quaerendo dabo:¹⁵⁷⁴	605
si inuenio exitiabilem¹⁵⁷⁵ ego illi faciam hunc ut fiat diem. —

ACTVS V

5.1 STRATIPPOCLES, EPIDICVS, DANISTA, TELESTIS

Scene summary: Epidicus expresses terror at the punishment he knows Periphanes is planning for him, since he has seen Periphanes and Apoecides buying straps for tying him up. He begs for help in running away, but Stratippocles is unsympathetic. The moneylender arrives with Telestis, and Stratippocles goes indoors to bring out the money he owes the moneylender. While Stratippocles is indoors, Epidicus recognizes Telestis as Periphanes’s illegitimate daughter, since he’d brought her some birthday gifts some years before (presumably at Periphanes’s order). She is delighted to learn that she has found her father, and when Stratippocles comes outdoors and pays off the moneylender, she greets him as her brother. Stratippocles is disappointed to find that his newly acquired slave girlfriend has turned out to be his sister but Epidicus tells him to keep quiet and to make do with Acropolistis instead. Epidicus knows that his discovery of the real Telestis will turn Periphanes’s rage into gratitude, and so no longer plans to run away.

Stratippocles: male¹⁵⁷⁶ morigerus¹⁵⁷⁷ mihi est danista,¹⁵⁷⁸ quei¹⁵⁷⁹ a me argentum non petit
neque illam adducit quam <emi> ex praeda.¹⁵⁸⁰ sed eccum¹⁵⁸¹ incedit¹⁵⁸² Epidicus.
quid illuc est quod¹⁵⁸³ illi caperrat¹⁵⁸⁴ frons¹⁵⁸⁵ seueritudine?¹⁵⁸⁶
Epidicus: si undecim¹⁵⁸⁷ deos praeter¹⁵⁸⁸ sese secum adducat Iuppiter,	610
ita non omnes ex cruciatu¹⁵⁸⁹ poterunt eximere¹⁵⁹⁰ Epidicum.
Periphanem emere lora¹⁵⁹¹ uidi, ibi aderat una¹⁵⁹² Apoecides;
nunc homines me quaeritare¹⁵⁹³ credo. senserunt, sciunt
sibi data esse uerba.¹⁵⁹⁴ Stratippocles: quid agis,¹⁵⁹⁵ mea Commoditas?¹⁵⁹⁶ Epidicus: quod¹⁵⁹⁷ miser.
Stratippocles: quid est tibi? Epidicus: quin¹⁵⁹⁸ tu mihi adornas¹⁵⁹⁹ ad fugam¹⁶⁰⁰ uiaticum¹⁶⁰¹	615
priu’ quam¹⁶⁰² pereo? nam per urbem duo defloccati¹⁶⁰³ senes
quaeritant me, in manibus gestant¹⁶⁰⁴ copulas¹⁶⁰⁵ secum simul.¹⁶⁰⁶
Stratippocles: habe bonum animum. Epidicus: quippe¹⁶⁰⁷ ego quoi¹⁶⁰⁸ libertas in mundo¹⁶⁰⁹ sitast.¹⁶¹⁰
Stratippocles: ego te seruabo.¹⁶¹¹ Epidicus: edepol me illi melius¹⁶¹² si nancti fuant.¹⁶¹³
sed quis haec est muliercula¹⁶¹⁴ et ille grauastellus,¹⁶¹⁵ qui uenit?	620
Stratippocles: hic est danista, haec illa est autem quam [ego] emi de praeda. Epidicus: haecinest?¹⁶¹⁶
Stratippocles: haec est. estne ita ut tibi dixi? aspecta¹⁶¹⁷ et contempla,¹⁶¹⁸ Epidice:
usque ab unguiculo¹⁶¹⁹ ad capillum¹⁶²⁰ summumst¹⁶²¹ festiuissuma.¹⁶²²
estne consimilis¹⁶²³ quasi¹⁶²⁴ quom¹⁶²⁵ signum¹⁶²⁶ pictum¹⁶²⁷ pulchre aspexeris?¹⁶²⁸
Epidicus: e tuis uerbis meum futurum¹⁶²⁹ corium¹⁶³⁰ pulchrum¹⁶³¹ praedicas,¹⁶³²	625
quem¹⁶³³ Apelles¹⁶³⁴ ac Zeuxis¹⁶³⁵ duo¹⁶³⁶ pingent¹⁶³⁷ pigmentis¹⁶³⁸ ulmeis.¹⁶³⁹
Stratippocles: di inmortales!¹⁶⁴⁰ sicin¹⁶⁴¹ iussi¹⁶⁴² ad me ires?¹⁶⁴³ pedibus plumbeis¹⁶⁴⁴
qui¹⁶⁴⁵ perhibetur¹⁶⁴⁶ priu’¹⁶⁴⁷ uenisset quam tu aduenisti mihi.
Danista: haec edepol remorata¹⁶⁴⁸ med¹⁶⁴⁹ est. Stratippocles: siquidem¹⁶⁵⁰ istius gratia
id¹⁶⁵¹ remoratu’s¹⁶⁵² quod¹⁶⁵³ ista uoluit, nimium aduenisti cito.¹⁶⁵⁴	630
Danista: age age,¹⁶⁵⁵ apsolue¹⁶⁵⁶ <me> atque argentum numera,¹⁶⁵⁷ ne comites¹⁶⁵⁸ morer.¹⁶⁵⁹
Stratippocles: pernumeratumst.¹⁶⁶⁰ Danista: tene¹⁶⁶¹ cruminam:¹⁶⁶² huc¹⁶⁶³ inde.¹⁶⁶⁴ Stratippocles: sapienter¹⁶⁶⁵ uenis.
opperire¹⁶⁶⁶ dum ecfero¹⁶⁶⁷ ad te argentum. Danista: matura.¹⁶⁶⁸ Stratippocles: domist.¹⁶⁶⁹ —
Epidicus: satin¹⁶⁷⁰ ego oculis¹⁶⁷¹ utilitatem¹⁶⁷² optineo¹⁶⁷³ sincere¹⁶⁷⁴ an parum?¹⁶⁷⁵
uideon¹⁶⁷⁶ ego Telestidem¹⁶⁷⁷ te, Periphanei¹⁶⁷⁸ filiam,	635
ex Philippa matre natam Thebis,¹⁶⁷⁹ Epidauri¹⁶⁸⁰ satam?¹⁶⁸¹
Telestis: quis tu homo es qui meum parentum nomen memoras¹⁶⁸² et meum?
Epidicus: non me nouisti?¹⁶⁸³ Telestis: quod quidem nunc ueniat in mentem mihi.¹⁶⁸⁴
Epidicus: non meministi¹⁶⁸⁵ me auream¹⁶⁸⁶ ad te adferre¹⁶⁸⁷ natali¹⁶⁸⁸ die
lunulam¹⁶⁸⁹ atque anellum¹⁶⁹⁰ aureolum¹⁶⁹¹ in digitum?¹⁶⁹² Telestis: memini, mi¹⁶⁹³ homo.	640
tune is es? Epidicus: ego sum, et istic¹⁶⁹⁴ frater qui te mercatust¹⁶⁹⁵ tuos.¹⁶⁹⁶
* * alia matre, uno patre.¹⁶⁹⁷
Telestis: quid¹⁶⁹⁸ pater meu’?¹⁶⁹⁹ uiuost?¹⁷⁰⁰ Epidicus: animo¹⁷⁰¹ liquido¹⁷⁰² et tranquillo¹⁷⁰³ es,¹⁷⁰⁴ tace.
Telestis: di me ex perdita¹⁷⁰⁵ seruatam cupiunt si uera autumas.¹⁷⁰⁶
Epidicus: non habeo ullam occasionem¹⁷⁰⁷ ut apud te falsa fabuler.¹⁷⁰⁸	645
Stratippocles: accipe argentum hoc, danista. hic sunt quadraginta¹⁷⁰⁹ minae.¹⁷¹⁰
siquid erit dubium¹⁷¹¹ immutabo.¹⁷¹² Danista: bene fecisti, bene uale. —
Stratippocles: nunc enim tu mea es. Telestis: soror quidem edepol, ut tu aeque¹⁷¹³ scias.
salue, frater. Stratippocles: sanan¹⁷¹⁴ haec est? Epidicus: sana, si appellat suom.¹⁷¹⁵
Stratippocles: quid? ego <quo> modo¹⁷¹⁶ huic <sum> frater factus, dum intro eo atque exeo?¹⁷¹⁷	650
Epidicus: quod boni est¹⁷¹⁸ id tacitus¹⁷¹⁹ taceas¹⁷²⁰ tute¹⁷²¹ tecum et gaudeas.¹⁷²²
Stratippocles: perdidisti¹⁷²³ et repperisti¹⁷²⁴ me, soror. Epidicus: stultu’s,¹⁷²⁵ tace.
tibi quidem quod¹⁷²⁶ ames domi praestost,¹⁷²⁷ fidicina, \| opera mea;¹⁷²⁸
et sororem in libertatem idem¹⁷²⁹ opera concilio¹⁷³⁰ mea.
Stratippocles: Epidice, fateor¹⁷³¹ — Epidicus: abi¹⁷³² intro ac iube¹⁷³³ huic aquam calefieri;¹⁷³⁴	655
cetera haec posterius¹⁷³⁵ faxo¹⁷³⁶ scibis¹⁷³⁷ ubi erit otium.¹⁷³⁸
Stratippocles: sequere¹⁷³⁹ hac¹⁷⁴⁰ me, soror. Epidicus: ego ad uos Thesprionem iussero¹⁷⁴¹
huc transire. sed memento,¹⁷⁴² si quid¹⁷⁴³ saeuibit¹⁷⁴⁴ senex,
suppetias¹⁷⁴⁵ mihi cum sorore ferre. Stratippocles: facile¹⁷⁴⁶ istuc¹⁷⁴⁷ erit. —
Epidicus: Thesprio, exi istac¹⁷⁴⁸ per hortum, adfer domum¹⁷⁴⁹ auxilium mihi,	660
magnast¹⁷⁵⁰ res. minoris multo facio¹⁷⁵¹ quam dudum¹⁷⁵² senes.
remeabo¹⁷⁵³ intro, ut adcurentur¹⁷⁵⁴ aduenientes hospites.
eadem¹⁷⁵⁵ haec intus edocebo¹⁷⁵⁶ quae ego scio Stratippoclem.
non fugio, domi adesse certumst;¹⁷⁵⁷ neque ille haud¹⁷⁵⁸ obiciet¹⁷⁵⁹ mihi
pedibus¹⁷⁶⁰ sese prouocatum.¹⁷⁶¹ abeo intro, nimi’¹⁷⁶² longum loquor. —	665

5.2 PERIPHANES, APOECIDES, EPIDICVS

Scene summary: Periphanes is still enraged at Epidicus, and Apoecides is exhausted from helping him look for Epidicus, and he blames Periphanes. Epidicus calmly strolls up, and surprises Periphanes by demanding that the latter tie him up with the straps he’s bought. Epidicus, with his hands bound, admits that he tricked Periphanes into paying thirty minae to buy Stratippocles’s lyre-playing girlfriend (Acropolistis) and to pretend that she was his daughter Telestis. Epidicus also admits that he gave Stratippocles the fifty minae that Periphanes had meant to be given to the pimp in exchange for Acropolistis. Epidicus says Periphanes shouldn’t yell at him so angrily, as though he were merely a slave, saying that he has earned his freedom and that Periphanes will understand if he goes into his house. When Periphanes sees the real Telestis, he feels badly for having been so angry at Epidicus and wants to untie him. Epidicus, milking Periphanes’s gratitude and guilt as much as he can, won’t let him untie the bonds until Periphanes has begged his pardon, promised him some new clothes, promised to free him, and to provide for him as his freedman. Epidicus magnanimously accepts these offers and allows Periphanes to untie him. The play ends with the troop of actors celebrating the man (Epidicus) who has won his freedom through bad behaviour, and they ask the audience for a round of applause.

Periphanes: Satine¹⁷⁶³ illic¹⁷⁶⁴ homo ludibrio¹⁷⁶⁵ nos uetulos¹⁷⁶⁶ decrepitos¹⁷⁶⁷ duos
habet?¹⁷⁶⁸ Apoecides: immo edepol tuquidem¹⁷⁶⁹ miserum med¹⁷⁷⁰ habes miseris modis.
Periphanes: tace sis, modo sine¹⁷⁷¹ me hominem apisci.¹⁷⁷² Apoecides: dico ego tibi iam, ut scias:
alium tibi te comitem meliust¹⁷⁷³ quaerere; ita, dum te sequor,
lassitudine¹⁷⁷⁴ inuaserunt¹⁷⁷⁵ misero¹⁷⁷⁶ in genua flemina.¹⁷⁷⁷	670
Periphanes: quot illic homo hodie me exemplis¹⁷⁷⁸ ludificatust¹⁷⁷⁹ atque te,
ut¹⁷⁸⁰ illic autem exenterauit¹⁷⁸¹ mihi opes argentarias!¹⁷⁸²
Apoecides: apage¹⁷⁸³ illum a me! nam ille quidem Volcani iratist¹⁷⁸⁴ filius:
quaqua¹⁷⁸⁵ tangit, omne amburit,¹⁷⁸⁶ si astes,¹⁷⁸⁷ aestu¹⁷⁸⁸ calefacit.¹⁷⁸⁹
Epidicus: duodecim¹⁷⁹⁰ dis¹⁷⁹¹ plus quam¹⁷⁹² in caelo deorumst¹⁷⁹³ inmortalium¹⁷⁹⁴	675
mihi nunc auxilio¹⁷⁹⁵ adiutores¹⁷⁹⁶ sunt et mecum militant.¹⁷⁹⁷
quidquid ego male feci, auxilia mi¹⁷⁹⁸ et suppetiae¹⁷⁹⁹ sunt domi,
apolactizo¹⁸⁰⁰ inimicos omnis.¹⁸⁰¹ Periphanes: ubi illum quaeram¹⁸⁰² gentium?¹⁸⁰³
Apoecides: dum¹⁸⁰⁴ sine me quaeras, quaeras mea caussa¹⁸⁰⁵ uel¹⁸⁰⁶ medio in mari.¹⁸⁰⁷
Epidicus: quid¹⁸⁰⁸ me quaeris? quid laboras?¹⁸⁰⁹ quid hunc¹⁸¹⁰ sollicitas?¹⁸¹¹ ecce me.	680
num¹⁸¹² te fugi, num ab domo apsum,¹⁸¹³ num oculis concessi¹⁸¹⁴ tuis?
* *
nec tibi supplico.¹⁸¹⁵ uincire¹⁸¹⁶ uis? em,¹⁸¹⁷ ostendo manus;
tu habes lora,¹⁸¹⁸ ego te emere uidi:¹⁸¹⁹ quid nunc cessas?¹⁸²⁰ conliga.¹⁸²¹
Periphanes: ilicet!¹⁸²² uadimonium¹⁸²³ ultro¹⁸²⁴ mihi hic facit.¹⁸²⁵ Epidicus: quin¹⁸²⁶ conligas?	685
Apoecides: edepol mancupium¹⁸²⁷ scelestum!¹⁸²⁸ Epidicus: te profecto,¹⁸²⁹ Apoecides, —
nil¹⁸³⁰ moror mihi deprecari.¹⁸³¹ Apoecides: facile exoras,¹⁸³² Epidice.
Epidicus: ecquid agis?¹⁸³³ Periphanes: tuon¹⁸³⁴ arbitratu?¹⁸³⁵ Epidicus: meo¹⁸³⁶ hercle uero atque hau¹⁸³⁷ tuo¹⁸³⁸
conligandae haec¹⁸³⁹ sunt tibi¹⁸⁴⁰ hodie. Periphanes: at non lubet,¹⁸⁴¹ non conligo.¹⁸⁴²
Apoecides: tragulam¹⁸⁴³ in te inicere¹⁸⁴⁴ adornat,¹⁸⁴⁵ nescioquam¹⁸⁴⁶ fabricam¹⁸⁴⁷ facit.	690
Epidicus: tibi moram¹⁸⁴⁸ faci’¹⁸⁴⁹ quom¹⁸⁵⁰ ego solutus¹⁸⁵¹ asto.¹⁸⁵² age, inquam, conliga.
Periphanes: at mihi magi’¹⁸⁵³ lubet solutum te rogitare. Epidicus: at nihil scies.
Periphanes: quid ago? Apoecides: quid agas? mos geratur.¹⁸⁵⁴ Epidicus: frugi¹⁸⁵⁵ es tu homo, Apoecides.
Periphanes: cedo¹⁸⁵⁶ manus igitur. Epidicus: morantur nihil.¹⁸⁵⁷ atque arte¹⁸⁵⁸ conliga,
nihil uero <hoc> obnoxiosse.¹⁸⁵⁹ Periphanes: facto opere¹⁸⁶⁰ arbitramino.¹⁸⁶¹	695
Epidicus: bene hoc habet.¹⁸⁶² age nunciam¹⁸⁶³ ex me exquire,¹⁸⁶⁴ rogita quod lubet.¹⁸⁶⁵
Periphanes: qua fiducia¹⁸⁶⁶ ausu’s¹⁸⁶⁷ primum quae emptast¹⁸⁶⁸ nudiustertius¹⁸⁶⁹
filiam meam dicere esse? Epidicus: lubuit:¹⁸⁷⁰ ea fiducia.¹⁸⁷¹
Periphanes: ain¹⁸⁷² tu? lubuit? Epidicus: aio.¹⁸⁷³ uel¹⁸⁷⁴ da pignus,¹⁸⁷⁵ ni¹⁸⁷⁶ ea sit filia.
Periphanes: quam negat nouisse¹⁸⁷⁷ mater? Epidicus: ni ergo matris filia est,	700
in meum nummum, in tuom talentum pignus da.¹⁸⁷⁸ Periphanes: enim istaec¹⁸⁷⁹ captiost.¹⁸⁸⁰
sed quis east¹⁸⁸¹ mulier? Epidicus: tui gnati¹⁸⁸² amica, ut omnem rem scias.
Periphanes: dedin¹⁸⁸³ tibi minas¹⁸⁸⁴ triginta¹⁸⁸⁵ ob¹⁸⁸⁶ filiam? Epidicus: fateor¹⁸⁸⁷ datas¹⁸⁸⁸
et eo argento illam me emisse amicam fili fidicinam
pro¹⁸⁸⁹ tua filia: istam ob rem¹⁸⁹⁰ te tetigi¹⁸⁹¹ triginta minis.	705
Periphanes: quomodo me ludos fecisti¹⁸⁹² de illa conducticia¹⁸⁹³
fidicina! Epidicus: factum hercle uero et recte factum iudico.
Periphanes: quid postremo argento factum est quod dedi? Epidicus: dicam tibi:
neque malo homini neque benigno¹⁸⁹⁴ tuo dedi Stratippocli.
Periphanes: qur¹⁸⁹⁵ dare ausu’s?¹⁸⁹⁶ Epidicus: quia mi¹⁸⁹⁷ lubitum est.¹⁸⁹⁸ Periphanes: quae haec, malum,¹⁸⁹⁹ inpudentiast?¹⁹⁰⁰	710
Epidicus: etiam inclamitor¹⁹⁰¹ quasi seruos?¹⁹⁰² Periphanes: quom¹⁹⁰³ tu es liber gaudeo.
Epidicus: merui¹⁹⁰⁴ ut fierem.¹⁹⁰⁵ Periphanes: tu meruisti? Epidicus: uisse¹⁹⁰⁶ intro: ego faxo¹⁹⁰⁷ scies
hoc ita esse.¹⁹⁰⁸ Periphanes: quid est negoti?¹⁹⁰⁹ Epidicus: iam ipsa res dicet tibi.
abi¹⁹¹⁰ modo intro. Apoecides: i,¹⁹¹¹ illuc¹⁹¹² non temerest.¹⁹¹³ Periphanes: adserua¹⁹¹⁴ istum, Apoecides. —
Apoecides: quid illuc, Epidice, est negoti? Epidicus: maxuma¹⁹¹⁵ hercle iniuria	715
uinctus asto,¹⁹¹⁶ quoius¹⁹¹⁷ haec hodie opera¹⁹¹⁸ inuentast¹⁹¹⁹ filia.
Apoecides: ain¹⁹²⁰ tu te illius inuenisse filiam? Epidicus: inueni et domi est.
sed ut acerbum¹⁹²¹ est pro bene factis quom¹⁹²² mali messim¹⁹²³ metas!¹⁹²⁴
Apoecides: quamne¹⁹²⁵ hodie per urbem uterque sumu’¹⁹²⁶ defessi quaerere?
Epidicus: ego sum defessus reperire,¹⁹²⁷ uos defessi quaerere.	720
Periphanes: quid¹⁹²⁸ isti¹⁹²⁹ oratis opere tanto?¹⁹³⁰ <me> meruisse¹⁹³¹ intellego¹⁹³²
ut liceat¹⁹³³ merito¹⁹³⁴ huiius¹⁹³⁵ facere.¹⁹³⁶ cedo¹⁹³⁷ tu ut exsoluam¹⁹³⁸ manus.
Epidicus: ne attigas.¹⁹³⁹ Periphanes: ostende¹⁹⁴⁰ uero. Epidicus: nolo. Periphanes: non aequom¹⁹⁴¹ facis.¹⁹⁴²
Epidicus: numquam hercle hodie, nisi supplicium¹⁹⁴³ mihi das, me solui¹⁹⁴⁴ sinam.¹⁹⁴⁵
Periphanes: optumum¹⁹⁴⁶ atque aequissumum¹⁹⁴⁷ oras. soccos,¹⁹⁴⁸ tunicam, pallium¹⁹⁴⁹	725
tibi dabo. Epidicus: quid deinde porro?¹⁹⁵⁰ Periphanes: libertatem. Epidicus: at postea?
nouo liberto¹⁹⁵¹ opus est¹⁹⁵² quod¹⁹⁵³ pappet.¹⁹⁵⁴ Periphanes: dabitur, praebebo¹⁹⁵⁵ cibum.
Epidicus: numquam hercle hodie, nisi me orassis,¹⁹⁵⁶ solues. Periphanes: oro te, Epidice,
mihi ut ignoscas¹⁹⁵⁷ si quid inprudens¹⁹⁵⁸ culpa¹⁹⁵⁹ peccaui¹⁹⁶⁰ mea.
at ob eam rem¹⁹⁶¹ liber esto.¹⁹⁶² Epidicus: inuitus do hanc ueniam¹⁹⁶³ tibi,	730
nisi¹⁹⁶⁴ necessitate cogar.¹⁹⁶⁵ solue sane¹⁹⁶⁶ si lubet.¹⁹⁶⁷
Grex:¹⁹⁶⁸ hic is homo est qui libertatem malitia¹⁹⁶⁹ inuenit sua.
plaudite¹⁹⁷⁰ et ualete. lumbos¹⁹⁷¹ porgite¹⁹⁷² atque exsurgite.¹⁹⁷³

1 There is some scholarly uncertainty as to the mood and tense of these forms (see Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 178–179).

2 Any good Latin grammar, such as Bennett’s New Latin Grammar or Allen & Greenough’s New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges, will provide a helpfully simplified explanation of Latin meter.

3 heus: “hey!” (used to try to get someone’s attention).

4 fateor, fateri, fassus sum: “admit”, “confess”.

5 odio es (odio is dative of purpose): “you are an object of hatred”.

6 familiaris… familiariter: this is a play on words: familiaris means “fellow slave”, while familiariter means “on friendly terms”.

7 conspicor, conspicari, conspicatus sum: “catch sight of”, “see”.

8 sati’ = satis: “enough”, “sufficiently”.

9 uteris (second-person singular present deponent indicative) < utor, uti, usus sum (+ ablative).

10 uenire saluom gaudeo: “I am glad that you’ve come home safe and sound” (a formulaic greeting).

11 quod eo adsolet: “what’s usual with that [greeting]” (eo is an adverb here, meaning “there”, “in that place”).

12 spondeo me accepturum [esse] is an indirect statement.

13 quid tu agis: “what’s up with you?” “how are you doing?”

14 ut: “how”.

15 exemplum adesse: “the very model of good health is before [you]” (the introductory verb is missing from this indirect statement, or else Epidicus’s intellego is meant to complete it. I have followed Duckworth-Wheeler in moving intellego from Thesprio’s line to Epidicus’).

16 eugae = euge (exclamation of approval or joy): “good”, “well done”.

17 habitior (a comparative adjective < habeo): “better kept”, “in better condition.”

18 huic gratia: “thanks to this” (“this” refers to his left hand).

19 quam (fem. acc. sing. of the relative pronoun; the antecedent is huic in line 10).

20 perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditus: “ruin”, “lose”.

21 oportuit (impersonal verb); translate here as “you ought”.

22 minu’ = minus.

23 furtificus, -a, -um: “thievish”, with the implication of furtive sneakiness.

24 quid ita?: “why so?”

25 propalam (adverb): “openly”, “publicly”.

26 inmortales = immortales.

27 infelico, -are: “grant bad luck”.

28 gradibus grandibus < gradus, -us (m.): “step”, “stride” and grandis, -e (adjective): “huge”, “enormous” (they are datives of reference); translate the phrase: “what enormous steps you’re taking”.

29 ut: “when”.

30 curriculo (adverb): “by running”, “at full speed”.

31 occipio, occipere, occepi / occoepi, occeptum: “begin”.

32 adipiscendi (gerund) < adipiscor, adipisci, adeptus: “overtake”, “catch up”.

33 scurra, -ae (m.): a fashionable man of the town; an idler.

34 audacter (adverb): “boldly”.

35 quamuis (adverb): “as much as you want”.

36 dicito (second-person singular future imperative active) < dico, dicere.

37 perpetuen = perpetue + ne (adverb): “continually”.

38 uarie (adverb): “so-so” (uarie could also mean “spotted” or “striped”, hence Epidicus’s reference to (presumably spotted) goats and leopards. His joke refers to slaves being “striped” due to having been severely beaten.

39 capreaginus, -a, -um: “goatlike”, “goaty” (modifies genus).

40 While placet is singular, its subject is nevertheless qui uarie ualent.

41 ut illae res* (some word(s) missing): “how did it go?”.

42 probe: “fine”.

43 erilis, -e (adjective): “relating to the erus (master)”.

44 pugilice atque athletice: “like a boxer and like an athlete”.

45 ubist = ubi est.

46 simul (adverb): “right now”, “at the same time”.

47 ergost = ergo est.

48 uidulus, -i (m.): “suitcase”.

49 mellina, -ae (f.): a bag made of the skin of a marten or badger (meles).

50 percontari is a complementary infinitive after uolo; te is the direct object of percontari.

51 operam da, opera reddetur tibi: literally “pay attention, [and] attention will be paid to you”. This seems to have been a formulaic phrase used in the law courts, which is why Thesprio jokes about ius in the next line.

52 Epidicus says me decet probably because ius dicis sounds a bit like the name Epidicus (it’s the sort of terrible joke that an audience will enjoy because it’s so terrible).

53 nobis praeturam geris: “you’re acting the praetor for us”.

54 quem... hominem... alterum: “what other man”.

55 dices introduces indirect discourse with the infinitive esse. The accusative subject of esse is quem… hominem… alterum.

56 Athenis (locative).

57 The subject of abest is unum, in line 27.

58 quidnam (from quisnam, quidnam, a more emphatic version of quis, quid).

59 Lictors were officials whose job was to walk in front of magistrates to give them status and authority. Lictors carried bundles of sticks (sometimes including a double axe head) called fasces, which symbolized the magistrate’s authority to scourge and even execute citizens. The urban praetor had two lictors, while the ruling consul had twelve. The modern term “fascism” comes from the Roman fasces.

60 ulmeus, -a, -um: “[made of] elm wood”.

61 uirga, -ae (f.): “sticks,” “rods”.

62 Stratippocli (dative) < Stratippocles, -is.

63 pol: “by Pollux” (see note on page 131 for the use of the swear words pol and edepol).

64 hostīs (accusative plural).

65 transfugio, -ere, -fugi, – : “go over to the enemy”, “desert”.

66 armane = arma + ne (making the sentence into a question).

67 cito (adverb): “quickly”, “speedily”.

68 serio (adverb): “seriously”.

69 dici’ = dicis.

70 edepol: “by Pollux”.

71 facinus inprobum = facinus improbum (accusative of exclamation): “what a shameful deed!”, “what a crime!”

72 iam ante: “before now”.

73 idem: “the same thing”.

74 honori (dative of purpose); erit illi illa res honori “that affair will end up honourably for him”.

75 quia ante aliis fuit: “because it has ended up honourably for others before him”. This may be a disparaging reference to the fugitives from the Battle of Cannae who were thought to have been honoured undeservedly for their defeat (see Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 125).

76 Mulciber, Mulciberis (m.): another name for Vulcan, the Roman blacksmith god, and god of fire generally.

77 trauolauerunt = transuolauerunt < transuolo, -are, -aui, -atus: “fly across”.

78 hostīs (accusative plural).

79 prognatus, -a, -um: “sprung from”, “descended from” (followed by the ablative; the word was archaic even in Plautus’s time, and is here intended to parody the language of tragedy or epic — see de Melo 2013: 340).

80 Theti: alternative ablative form of Thetis, Thetidis (f.), the name of a sea goddess, mother of the Greek hero Achilles.

81 sine (second-person singular present imperative active) < sino, sinere, siui, situm: “allow”, “permit”.

82 sine perdat: “let [that son of Thetis] lose [them].

83 adportabunt = apportabunt.

84 Neri (alternative genitive singular form of Nereus, a sea god and father of Thetis).

85 uidendum est introduces the ut clause (construction found only in Plautus).

86 materies, -ei (f.): “wood”, “material” [for making shields].

87 suppeto, -ere, -iui, -itus (+ dative): “be at hand”, “be equal to”, “be sufficient for”, “agree with”.

88 scutarius, -i (m.): “shield-maker” (the scutarii probably refer to the divine helpers of Vulcan).

89 singuli, -ae, -a: “each”, “every”.

90 stipendium, -i (n.): “military campaign”.

91 ad hostis: “to the enemy” (we would expect hostibus, dative of indirect object).

92 exuuiae, -arum (f.): “spoils”, “booty”.

93 supersedeo, -sedere, -sedi, -sessus: “be superior to”, “refrain from” + ablative.

94 rebu’ = rebus.

95 lubet = libet: “it is pleasing”; ubi lubet: “whenever you want”.

96 face = fac < facio, -ere, feci, factum.

97 percontarier = percontari.

98 loquere (second-person singular present imperative deponent) < loquor, loqui, locutus sum.

99 ubist = ubi est.

100 est caussa quā caussā = est causa quā causā: “there is a reason [that he’s not here] and it’s because…”.

101 ueritust = ueritus est (perfect passive participle masculine nominative singular) < uereor, uereri, ueritus sum.

102 quidnam (from quisnam, quidnam, a more emphatic version of quis, quid).

103 neuolt = non uult.

104 quapropter: “why?” “for what reason?”.

105 formā lepidā et liberali (ablative of description).

106 adulescentula, -ae (f.): “young woman”, “teenaged girl”.

107 de praeda: “from the spoils/booty [he acquired from the campaign]”.

108 mercatust = mercatus est < mercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy”.

109 hoc quod fabulor: “what I’m telling you.”

110 qur = cur.

111 animus, -i (m.): (in this context) “pleasure”, “whim”.

112 caussa = causa.

113 illic = ille.

114 certo: “certainly”.

115 priu’ quam = prius quam: “before”.

116 hinc: “from this place”, “from here”, “hence”.

117 mandauit mihi […] ut fidicina emeretur sibi (indirect command): “he ordered me to buy a lyre-player”.

118 leno, -onis (m.): “pimp”, “brothel keeper”.

119 fidicina, -ae (f.): a woman trained in playing the lyre, who was usually a slave or freedwoman and who was assumed, like all female performers, to be a sex worker.

120 id (refers to the act of buying the fidicina).

121 impetro, -are, -aui, -atum: “achieve”, “bring to pass”.

122 reddo, -ere, reddidi, redditus: (in this context) “render”, “cause [something] to be”. The phrase id ei impetratum reddidi should be translated “I made it happen for him” or “I did what he asked.”

123 utquomque = utcumque: “however”, “whichever way”.

124 altum, -i (n.): “the sea”.

125 uentust = uentus est; uentus, -i (m.): “wind”.

126 exim (adverb): “so”, “in that way”.

127 uelum, -i (n.): “sail”.

128 uortitur = uertitur < uerto, -ere, uerti, uersum: “turn”, “direct”.

129 quid istuc: “what are you talking about”.

130 quid: “anyway”.

131 istanc = istam (here intensifying quam): “that girl whom [he bought]”.

132 quanti (genitive of indefinite price): “for how much [money]”.

133 uilis, -e (adjective): “[for a] cheap [price]”.

134 haud istuc te rogo: “that’s not what I’m asking you.”

135 quot: “how many” is answered by Thesprio with tot: “this many” (no doubt illustrating the number with his fingers).

136 minis (ablative of price) < mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

137 quadraginta (indeclinable): “forty”.

138 adeo: “precisely”, “exactly”.

139 id adeo argentum: “this exact amount of money”.

140 danista, -ae (m.): “moneylender”.

141 apud Thebas: “in Thebes”.

142 sumo, -ere, sumpsi, sumptum: “obtain”, “get”.

143 faenus, faenoris (n.): “interest”, “usury”.

144 nummus, -i (m.): “coin” (possibly a sestertius, a small silver coin, theoretically equal to 2.5 grams of silver); in dies minasque argenti singulas nummis: “at the rate of a sestertius a day for each silver mina” (this is an extortionate rate of interest).

145 papae: an expression of surprise, or, as in this case, of horror.

146 unā: “at the same time”, “along with him”.

147 intereo, interire, interiui / interii, interitus: “perish”, “die”, “be ruined”.

148 basilice (adverb): “royally, “completely”.

149 perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditus: “ruin”, “lose” (note that the same word is used in different ways here and at the end of this line, but the pun is difficult to replicate in English).

150 satiust = satius est; satius = comparative form of satis: “better”.

151 plus scire satiust quam loqui seruom hominem: “it is enough for a slave to know more than he says [aloud]”; seruom = seruum; hominem is in apposition to seruom.

152 timidu’s = timidus es.

153 trepido, -are, -aui, -atum: “tremble”, “be in a state of anxiety”.

154 uoltu = uultu from uultus, -us (m.): “face”, “expression”. The manuscript tradition has uoltum tuom, which Lindsay retains, but the emendation to uoltu tuo makes more sense.

155 commeruisse (supply te as the accusative subject of commeruisse): “that you have gotten involved in” (+ accusative).

156 apsente = absente; me apsente is an ablative absolute.

157 aliquid mali (genitive of the whole): “something bad”.

158 potin = potisne [es].

159 potin ut molestus ne sies: “can you not be annoying?”, “can’t you stop bothering me?” (sies = sis).

160 asto, astare, astiti, -: “wait”, “stay”, “stand near”.

161 abire (supply te as the accusative subject of abire, introduced by sinam).

162 sinam (first-person singular future active indicative) < sino, sinere, siui, situm: “allow”.

163 depereo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum (conjugated like eo, ire): “die”, “be destroyed”; translate here: “fall desperately in love”.

164 deago, -ere, degi, –: “remove”

165 corium, -ii (n.): “skin”, “hide”.

166 perduit = perdat < perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditum: “destroy”, “ruin”.

167 mitto, -ere, misi, missum: here translate as “let go”.

168 nunciam = nunc + iam (emphatic form of nunc).

169 uotuit = uetuit < ueto, uetare, uetui, uetitus: “forbid”.

170 Chaeribulus, another young man, is the friend and neighbour of Stratippocles (the young master).

171 For iussit reuse me… uenire in order to complete the sense of the verb; similarly you need to supply me as object of iussit in line 69.

172 proxumum = proximum, here translate as “next door [house]”.

173 eo: “there”, “to that place”.

174 uenturust = uenturus est.

175 ipsus = ipse.

176 quid ita: “why so?”

177 priu’ = prius; translate with quam in line 71; priu’ … quam: “before”; “until”.

178 uolt = uult < uolo, uelle, uolui, –.

179 conspicor, conspicari, conspicatus sum: “catch sight of”, “see”.

180 illa = the slave girl Stratippocles has just bought on credit.

181 dinumero, dinumerare, dinumeraui, dinumeratus: “pay out”.

182 eu: an exclamation, often of joy, but here of lamentation.

183 res turbulentas (accusative of exclamation): “what a terrible situation!”.

184 eam < eo, ire, iui/ii, itum: “go”.

185 nunciam = nunc + iam.

186 haecine = haec: “these things”; the suffix -ne, while identical in form to the interrogative suffix -ne, here functions as a firm statement or affirmation.

187 scibit = sciet < scio, scire, sciui, scitum.

188 puppis, puppis (f.): “ship”.

189 pereunda est (gerundive, passive periphrastic) < pereo, perire, periui / perii, peritus: “die”, “be ruined”; here translate as “sink” or “be shipwrecked”.

190 probe: “thoroughly”.

191 quid istuc ad me attinet: “why does that concern me?”, “what’s it to me?”.

192 intereo, interire, interii, interitum: “be ruined”, “die”.

193 malam rem maxumam is a euphemistic way of referring to the malam crucem (the cross on which a slave who was given the most extreme penalty would be crucified).

194 istac = istā (feminine ablative singular of iste, ista, istud).

195 condicio, -onis (f.): “option”, “proposal”.

196 sane: “certainly”, “however” (used here to add force to the imperative i).

197 siquidem: “if indeed”, “since”.

198 festinas magis: “you’re in such a hurry”.

199 quemquam < quisquam, cuiusquam: “anyone”, “any [man])”.

200 unde: here translate as “from whom”.

201 abierim (first-person singular perfect subjunctive active) < abeo, -ire, -iui / -ii, -itum: “go away”.

202 lubentius = libentius: “cheerfully”.

203 illic = ille.

204 Epidicus is talking to himself in this speech, hence the use of the second-person singular and the vocative Epidice.

205 res, rei (f.): “matter”, “situation”.

206 tibi (dative of reference).

207 tete = te + te (the suffix -te adds emphasis to the pronoun).

208 auxili (genitive of the whole after quid): “[any] help”.

209 apsumptus = absumptus < absumo, -ere, -sumpsi, -sumptus: “annihilate”, “ruin”.

210 impendeo, -ere: “hang over”.

211 ruina, -ae (f.): “catastrophe”, “disaster”.

212 suffulcio, suffulcire, suffulsi, suffultus: “prop up” (supply te as a direct object).

213 supsistere = subsistere < subsisto, -ere, –stiti, –: “remain standing”.

214 inruont = irruont (third-person plural present indicative active) < irruo, -ere, -ui, -utum: “run headlong into”, “topple down on”, “crash down on”.

215 mali (genitive) < malum, -i (n.): “evil”, “trouble”, “bad luck”.

216 neque (translate with consilium placet): “a plan doesn’t seem good”, “there is no good plan”.

217 quo modo: “how”, “in what way”.

218 expeditum (perfect passive participle; agrees with me) < expedio, expedire, expediui, expeditus: “disengage,” “set free”.

219 impedito (perfect passive participle) < impedio, impedio, impedire, impediui, impeditus: “encumber”, “trap”. Here it modifies a missing ablative me; translate quo modo me expeditum ex impedito faciam: “how I can free myself from this predicament”.

220 perpello, perpellere, perpuli, perpulsus: “compel”, “prevail upon”.

221 senem “old man” refers to the old master Periphanes.

222 suam… filiam is the direct object of emere; sese is the accusative subject of emere.

223 This is the fidicina he mentioned in line 47.

224 ipse here refers to the young master Stratippocles.

225 After mandauit supply ut emerem.

226 caussa = causa.

227 corium, -ii (n.): “skin”, “hide”.

228 sentio, sentire, sensi, sensum: “realize”.

229 sibi data esse uerba: “that he has been tricked / lied to”.

230 dispolio, -are, -aui, -atum: “strip for flogging”; uirgis dorsum dispoliet meum: “he’ll strip my back for a flogging with rods / cudgels”.

231 praecaueo, praecauere, praecaui, praecautum: “beware”.

232 bat: a comic word to rhyme with at, similar to the Yiddish-origin “shm-reduplication” we see in English phrases like “fancy-shmancy”.

233 nihil est istuc: “it’s no use”.

234 corruptumst = corruptum est (the subject is caput).

235 nequam (indeclinable): “worthless”.

236 qui (an old ablative form): “how”, “why”.

237 lubidost = lubido est = libido est: “is it a pleasure [for me]”, “is there a desire [in me]”.

238 The suffix -te adds emphasis to the pronoun.

239 desero, -ere, -serui, -sertus: “abandon”, “give up [on]”.

240 men = me + ne.

241 tuquidem = tu quidem.

242 mutuus, -a, -um: “mutual”, “reciprocal”. This is difficult to translate here, but the idea seems to be that Epidicus used to give advice to others in the expectation of getting advice from them in return.

243 aliquid: “some [scheme]”, some [solution]”.

244 aliqua: “somehow”.

245 reperiundumst = reperiendum est.

246 cesso, -are, -aui, -atum (intransitive): “hold back from”, “delay” (+ infinitive).

247 obuiam (adverb): “in the way”, “to meet” (+ dative).

248 negoti = negotii (genitive of the whole after quid): “[what sort] of trouble / situation”.

249 illic = ille.

250 aequalis, -e: “peer”, “friend of the same age”.

251 concedam (future indicative) < concedo, -ere, -cessi, -cessum: “withdraw”, “move back”.

252 unde: “from which place”, “where”.

253 placide (adverb): “quietly”.

254 persequor, -sequi, -cutus sum (present subjunctive, either hortatory or purpose clause after a missing ut): “follow” (in the sense of “hear”), “note down”.

255 eloquor, eloqui, elocutus sum: “tell in detail” (+ dative of person told).

256 admodum (adverb): “fully”, “thoroughly”.

257 maeror, maeroris (m.): “sadness”, “misery”. “woe”.

258 summa, -ae (f.): “main point”, “sum total”.

259 edicto, -are, -aui, -atum: “tell”, “lay out” (+ dative of person told).

260 praeter: “contrary to” (+ accusative).

261 prognatus, -a, -um: “descended from”.

262 in: “amongst” (+ ablative praedā).

263 mercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy”.

264 uitio qui id uortat tibi: “who would blame you for it”.

265 qui: “those who”.

266 omnı̄s = omnēs (masculine accusative plural).

267 illoc = illo.

268 reperio, reperire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

269 eiius = eius.

270 uitium, -ii (n.): “crime”, “violation”.

271 affero, afferre, attuli, allatum (or adfero, adferre, adtuli, adlatum): “bring”, “deliver”, “use” (+ accusative).

272 istoc = isto: “by that very fact”.

273 probior (masc. nom. sing. comparative): “[you are] more honourable” (supply es) < probus, -a, -um.

274 quom = cum.

275 tempero, -are, -aui, -atus: “control oneself”.

276 diffido, -ere, diffisus sum: “lack confidence”, “despair”.

277 solor, -ari, -atus sum: “console”, “comfort”.

278 qui in re dubia re iuuat ubi re est opus: “who, in difficult circumstances, gives actual help when there’s a need for it.”

279 rest = re est.

280 argentum, -i (n.): “silver”, “money”.

281 quadraginta (indeclinable): “forty”.

282 mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

283 danista, -ae (m.): “moneylender”.

284 sumo, -ere, sumpsi, sumptum: “obtain”, “get”.

285 faenus, -oris (n.): “interest”; “usury”.

286 hercle: “by Hercules!” (see note on page 136 for the use of hercle and mehercle).

287 pollicerer (apodosis of a present contrary-to-fact conditional sentence, with si haberem being the protasis): first-person singular imperfect subjunctive deponent < polliceor, polliceri, pollicitus sum: “offer”, “promise”.

288 nam quid te igitur retulit te beneficum esse oratione: “so what was the use of you being generous in your speech”.

289 rem: “the matter at hand”.

290 emortuom = emortuum < emortuus, -a, -um: “dead” (modifies auxilium).

291 quin: “but”, “really”.

292 edepol: “by Pollux” (a mild oath).

293 egomet = ego + -met: “I, myself”.

294 clamore: (in this instance) “verbal harassment by debt collectors”.

295 differo, differre, distuli, dilatum: “disturb”.

296 difflagito, difflagitare, difflagitaui, difflagitatus: “dun”, “harass for debt repayment”.

297 malo, malle, malui, –: “prefer”. Lindsay’s text gives this line as: malim istiusmodi mi amicos forno occensos quam foro, but Duckworth-Wheeler’s emendations make more sense here.

298 modus, -i (m.): “type”, “kind” (istius modi is a genitive of quality after amicos).

299 furnus, -i (m.): “oven”.

300 mergo, mergere, mersi, mersum: “plunge”, “immerse” (supply esse, with amicos as the accusative subject of the passive infinitive mersum esse).

301 forum, -i (n.): “forum” (where bankruptcies were dealt with before the praetor); the alliteration of furno and foro explains why Stratippocles takes such an extreme view of his indebted friends.

302 opera, -ae (f.): “service”, “help”.

303 me should perhaps be mi/mihi (see Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 177).

304 pretio pretioso (ablative of price): “for a large amount of money”.

305 quem (connecting relative, modifying hominem): translate “that [man]”.

306 inrigatum = irrigatum; irrigo, -are, -aui, -atum: “beat soundly”.

307 plaga, -ae (f.): “blow”, “whiplash”.

308 pistor, -is (m.): “miller”. Flour mills were powered by treadmills turned by animals or humans. It was exhausting work, and being sent to work at a mill was a dreaded punishment. Lucius, a man turned into a donkey in Apuleius’s Metamorphoses (9.11–12), describes what it was like for him to be made to work the treadmill.

309 priu’ = prius; priu’ should be translated with quam in the next line; priu’… quam: “before”.

310 nisi… comparassit: “[unless] he gets hold of”.

311 fuero elocutus = ero elocutus: “I’ll tell (someone in the dative) in detail”. Perfect passive forms that normally use sum, eram, or ero (indicative) or sim, essem (subjunctive) sometimes instead use fui, fueram, fuero (indicative) and fuerim, fuissem (subjunctive) — see Bennett 102, notes 36, 37, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#NtA_36

312 argenti… postremam syllabam: “the last syllable of the [amount] of money”.

313 spero, seruabit fidem: “he’ll keep his word, I hope”.

314 sumptus, -us (m.): “expense”, “charge”.

315 scapula, -ae (f.): “shoulder”, “back”.

316 symbola, -ae (f.): the monetary contribution owed by participants in a group banquet, paid for by the subscribers; here translate as “contributions”, “donations”.

317 adgrediar = aggrediar < aggredior, aggredi, aggressus sum: “approach”.

318 peregre (adverb): “from abroad”.

319 erus, -i (m.): “master”.

320 suom = suum.

321 Stratippoclem (accusative singular).

322 impertit salute: “greets”.

323 seruos = seruus.

324 saluom huc aduenisse (supply gaudeo; a formulaic greeting to someone who has returned from abroad, see line 7): “I’m happy to see you’re safely back again”.

325 tam… quam: “as much… as”.

326 istuc: “as far as that goes”.

327 a morbo… ab animo: “as far as illness goes… in my mind…”.

328 attineo, -ere, -ui, -attentum: “concern”, “pertain to”.

329 mandasti = mandauisti < mando, -are, -aui, -atum: “order”, “entrust”.

330 impetro, -are, -aui, -atus: “achieve”, “get”, “obtain”.

331 ancillast = ancilla est < ancilla, -ae (f.): “female slave”, “slave girl”.

332 The suffix -te adds emphasis to the pronoun.

333 missiculo, -are, -aui, -atum: “send often”, “keep sending”.

334 qui: “how”.

335 cara est… placet (ancilla is the subject of both verbs).

336 quid retulit: “what was the use” (completed by the accusative-infinitive construction).

337 tanto opere: “so much”.

338 impendeo, -ere: “hang over”.

339 miserum est ingratum esse homini id quod facias bene: “it’s upsetting when a favour you do for someone is unappreciated”.

340 amor mutauit locum: “you’ve switched loves” (literally “your love changed place”).

341 desipio, -ere, -ui, –: “be foolish”, “be out of one’s right mind”.

342 mentis (genitive of respect).

343 men = me + ne.

344 piacularis, -e: “sacrificial victim”.

345 subdo, -ere, -didi, -ditum: “substitute”.

346 succidaneus, -a, -um (a rare word referring to another type of sacrificial victim): “substitute victim”.

347 quid: “why”.

348 istic (adverb): “now”, “here”, “there”.

349 opust = opus est.

350 calidis: “red hot” (apparently implying that the minae need to be quick in coming).

351 resoluo, -ere, -solui, -solutum (subjunctive in a relative clause of purpose): “pay”.

352 aufero, -ferre, apstuli, ablatum: “get”, “take”.

353 tarpezita = trapezita, -ae (m.): “moneylender”.

354 lubet = libet: “it is pleasing”; unde lubet: “[borrow it] from wherever you want”.

355 occido, -ere, -cidi, -casum: “set”, “sink”.

356 ni ante solem occasum e lo<culis adferes>: “unless you bring it from some stash before the sun has set”.

357 inbitas = ineas < ineo, -ire, -iui/ii, -itum: “go into”, “enter”.

358 pistrinum, -i (n.): “flour mill” (where slaves or animals were made to push a treadmill for grinding grain into flour).

359 se confero, conferre, contuli, collatum: “take oneself”; “go”.

360 istuc: “about that”.

361 periclo = periculo < periculum, i (n.): “danger”, “risk”.

362 cor, cordis (n.): “heart”.

363 fabulare = fabularis < fabulor, -ari, -atus sum: “speak”.

364 nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

365 nostros (substantive adjective): “our [fellow slaves]”, “our [floggers]” (referring to the slaves whom Stratippocles would order to beat Epidicus).

366 mihi dolet: “I feel pain”.

367 quom = cum.

368 uapulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “be beaten”, “get a beating”.

369 patierin = patierisne < patior, pati, passus sum: “allow”.

370 interimo, -ere, interimi, interemptum: “kill”.

371 ne feceris (prohibitive subjunctive): “don’t do [it]”.

372 istuc (modifies periclum) = istud.

373 accedo, -ere, -essi, -essum: “approach”, “face up to”.

374 periclum = periculum.

375 potius: “rather [than let you kill yourself]”.

376 audacia, -ae (f.): “daring plan”.

377 patiar ego istuc quod lubet: “I’ll endure whatever you want [me to]”.

378 quid illa fiet fidicina igitur: “so what will be done with the lyre-player?”

379 reperibitur = reperietur.

380 exsoluo, -ere, -i, -utum: “solve”, “deliver”, “free”, “discharge” (supply te as the direct object of exsoluam and extricabor.

381 extricor, -ari, -atus sum: “disentangle”, “free”, “release”.

382 consili’s = consili es; consilium, -i/-ii (n.): “scheming”.

383 Euboicus, -a, -um: “Euboean”, “from (or serving as a soldier on) the island of Euboea”.

384 locuples, -pletis: “wealthy”.

385 multio auro potens: “with a lot of buying power”.

386 tibi (dative of reference): “for you”, “on your behalf”.

387 istam (refers to the fidicina, the first girl Stratippocles was in love with).

388 scibit = sciet < scio, scire, sciui, scitum: “know”.

389 adductam (supply esse): “[that the other girl] has been brought [as well]”.

390 hanc… alteram (refers to the second girl whom Stratippocles has just brought home).

391 continuo (adverb): “immediately”.

392 ultro (adverb): “voluntarily”, “on his own initiative”.

393 illam (refers to the fidicina).

394 tramitto, -ere, –misi, -missum: “send over”, “hand over”.

395 adduco, -ere, adduxi, adductum: “bring”.

396 iam: “already”; translate here: “soon”.

397 faxo (alternative form of the first-person singular future indicative active of facio, -ere): “I’ll make [it happen]”, “I promise”, “definitely”.

398 hic: “here”.

399 quid hic nunc agimus: “what should we do now?” (despite the indicative mood this works best as a deliberative question).

400 ad te: “to your house”.

401 luculente (adverb): “excellently”, “well”, “agreeably”.

402 habeamus: “spend”, “pass”, “keep” [this day].

403 de re argentaria: “regarding the money situation”.

404 Epidicus uses the metaphor of the senate to refer to his own internal deliberations as to what course he should take.

405 consiliarius, -a, -um (modifies senatum): “advice-giving”.

406 quoi = cui (dative because of the compound verb indicatur): “[against] whom”.

407 potissumum = potissimum (adverb): “especially”.

408 indico, -ere, indixi, indictum: “publicly declare”.

409 obiectast = obiecta est < obicio/obiicio, -ere, obieci, obiectum: “throw at”, “assign” (+ dative).

410 dormitandi… cunctandi (gerunds): “dozing… delaying”.

411 copia, -ae (f.): “opportunity”.

412 adeundum (gerundive; supply est): “it must be done!”.

413 oppugno, -are, -aui, -atum: “fight against”, “make an attack on”.

414 certumst = certum est.

415 senem oppugnare certumst consilium mihi: “my plan is settled: I’ll make an attack on the old man”.

416 erilis, -e: “relating to the erus (master)”.

417 foras (adverb): “out of doors”.

418 exambulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “stroll out”, “walk out”.

419 neue: “and so that… not”.

420 obuiam (adverb): “into the presence of” (+ dative).

421 plerusque, pleraque, plerumque: “many”, “most”.

422 quom = cum.

423 nil = nihil.

424 quos quom nihil refert pudet: “who feel shame about something that doesn’t [actually] matter”.

425 pudendum est (impersonal use of the gerundive in passive periphrastic): “[when] they ought to feel shame”.

426 desero, -ere, -serui, -sertum: “abandon”.

427 usust = usus est (impersonal; = opus est): “there is need”.

428 ut pudeat (impersonal verb in a substantive clause after usus est; see Bennett 295.6, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect295): “that there should be shame”; translate here: “that he should feel shame”.

429 is: translate here: “this sort of man”.

430 adeo: “precisely”, “exactly”.

431 tu’s = tu es.

432 quid est quod: “what is there that”.

433 siet = sit.

434 gnatam = natam < nata, -ae (f.): “daughter”.

435 genere bono (ablative of separation, see Bennett 215): “from a good family”.

436 pauper, pauperis: “poor”, “poverty-stricken”.

437 domum ducere... uxorem: (literally) “to lead a wife home”; translate here: “marry”.

438 praesertim: “especially”.

439 qua ex = ex qua: “from whom”.

440 commemoro, -are, -aui, -atus (subjunctive because it is a subordinate clause within the indirect discourse of lines 169–170, see Bennett 314): “mention”, “say”.

441 domist = domi est (locative).

442 hanc… filiam prognatam (supply esse; indirect discourse after commemores): “that this daughter… was born”.

443 reuereor filium: “I have respect for my son”, “I’m afraid my son [won’t like it]”.

444 pol: “by Pollux”.

445 te credidi… exsequi (indirect discourse).

446 ecfero/effero, ecferre/efferre, extuli, elatus: “carry out for burial”, “bury”.

447 pudore exsequi: literally “to follow with decency”; translate here: “to show respect to” (+ accusative).

448 quoiius = cuius.

449 sacruficas = sacrificas < sacrifico, -are, -aui, -atum: “sacrifice”, “offer a sacrifice”.

450 ilico: “on the spot”, “immediately”.

451 Orcus, -i (m.): Orcus, god of death and the underworld.

452 hostia, -ae (f.): “sacrificial victim”, “animal sacrifice”.

453 neque adeo inuria: “and rightly too”.

454 licitumst = licitum est < licet, licuit, licitum est (impersonal): “it was lawful”, “it was permitted” (+ dative of the person to whom it was permitted, in this case tibi).

455 uiuendo (gerund; ablative of means).

456 oh (exclamation of surprise, either happy or unhappy): here translate as “ugh!”.

457 Hercules, -is (m.): “Hercules”, or perhaps here “a Hercules”.

458 aerumna, -ae (f.): “distress”, “hardship”, “labour”, “task”; the Sixth Labour of Hercules, according to common Roman versions, was that of the belt of Amazon Hippolyta (Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 218).

459 Herculi (dative).

460 quam illa mihi obiectast: “than that [labour that] was assigned to me”.

461 obiectast = obiecta est (sexta aerumna is the subject of obiectast): “thrown (at); translate here: “assigned (to)”.

462 edepol: “by Pollux”.

463 dos, dotis (f): “dowry”.

464 pecuniast = pecunia est.

465 quae quidem pol non maritast: “yes, by Pollux – at least, it would be if it came without marriage” (maritast = marita est).

466 st: “sh”, “shush” (command to be silent).

467 animum bonum: “good courage”.

468 liquidus, -a, -um: “clear”.

469 foras (adverb): “outside”.

470 auis, -is (f.): “bird”.

471 sinistera = sinistra (ablative feminine singular, modifying aui) < sinister, -tra, -trum: “left”. (Birds seen flying by on the left were usually considered to be a favourable omen).

472 senex, senis (m.): “old man”.

473 qui = quo (ablative of means).

474 exentero, -are, -aui, -atus: “disembowel”; (in the context of a purse or store of money) “empty”. Epidicus’s imagery here suggests that Periphanes and his marsuppium are going to be cut open like an animal sacrifice in Roman religious ritual.

475 marsuppium, -ii (n.): “purse”, “moneybag”.

476 eccum = ecce + hunc: “look, there he is!”.

477 ante (preposition + accusative): “in front of”.

478 aedis/aedes, -is (f.): “building”, “house” (often used in the plural, as here).

479 conspicor, -ari, -atus sum: “notice”, “see”.

480 qualis (masc. plural accusative): “of the kind”.

481 uetulus, -a, -um: “elderly”. There may be a pun here that continues Epidicus’s sacrificial imagery, since uetulos sounds like uitulos (“calves”), animals used in religious sacrifice (see Gellar-Goad 2012 and Barrios-Lech 2014).

482 conuorto/conuerto, -ere, -ti, -sum: “turn [oneself] into”.

483 hirudo, -inis (f.): “leech”.

484 exsugeo, -ere (variant form of ex(s)ugo, -ere, exsuxi, exsuctum): “suck out”.

485 senati = senatūs (genitive singular of senatus, -ūs).

486 columen, -inis (n.): “pillar” (here in the sense of “most valuable member”).

487 cluo, -ere, –, – : “be calling”; “be said to be”.

488 There may be some lines missing here, in which Apoecides probably tried to persuade Periphanes that if he married off his son Stratippocles it would leave Periphanes free to remarry.

489 continuo (adverb): “immediately”.

490 maritus, -a, -um: “married”.

491 tuom = tuum.

492 in amorem = in amore.

493 haereo, -ere, haesi, haesum: “hang around (someone)”, “keep near/close to (someone)”.

494 nescioquam = nescio quam.

495 id (accusative of inner object): “[I’m upset about] it”.

496 excrucio, -are, -aui, -atum: literally “crucify”, but here “torture”, “upset”.

497 hiquidem = hi quidem.

498 pactum, pacti (n.): “manner”, “way”.

499 se (refers to the old men).

500 nunciam = nunc + iam (emphatic form of nunc).

501 orno, -are, -aui, -atum: “dress up”, “equip”; translate here: “get ready”.

502 palliolum, -i (n.): “little pallium”, “little Greek cloak”, “hood”.

503 collum, -i (n.): “neck”.

504 conicio, -ere, conieci, coniectum: “throw over” (Epidicus gathers up the loose folds of his palliolum, and throws them around his neck or over his shoulder in order to look the part of a slave running to carry out an errand for his master).

505 adsimulato (second-person singular future imperative active) < adsimulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “act the part”, “pretend”.

506 quasi (adverb): “as though” (followed by the subjunctive mood).

507 quaesiueris (second-person singular perfect active subjunctive) < quaero, -ere, quaesiui, quaesitum: “seek”, “look for”.

508 age, si quid agis: “act, if you’re going to act”, “if you’re going to do anything, do it”.

509 inmortales = immortales.

510 conuenio, -ire, -ueni, -uentum: “meet”, “meet with”.

511 domi (locative case).

512 defetiscor, -isci, defessus sum: “become exhausted”, “be worn out”.

513 quaerere (this infinitive is used where later Latin would use a gerund).

514 medicinus, -a, um; medicinas modifies a missing tabernas: “doctor’s [offices]”.

515 tostrinas = tonstrinas < tonstrinus, -a, -um: “barber [shops]”, “hairdressers’ [establishments]”

516 myropolium, -ii (n.): “perfumer’s shop”.

517 laniena, lanienae (f): “butcher’s shop”.

518 argentarius, -a, -um: “bankers [counters]”.

519 raucus, -a, -um: “hoarse”.

520 concido, -ere, concidi, concisum: “faint”, “collapse”.

521 egoquidem = ego quidem.

522 erus, -i (m.): “master”.

523 optumā = optimā.

524 optumā opportunitate (ablative of time when).

525 quid rei est: “what’s the matter?”.

526 sino, -ere, siui, situm: “allow”, “let” (+ subjunctive).

527 quaeso: “please”.

528 immo: “by all means”, “indeed”; “on the contrary”, “by no means”.

529 adquiesco / acquiesco, -ere, -eui, -etum: “rest”, “take a break”.

530 animo malest (= animo male est): “I’m feeling faint”.

531 anhelitus, -ūs (m.): “breath”, “breathing”.

532 clementer (adverb): “calmly”, “gradually”.

533 animum aduortite: “pay attention”.

534 domum (accusative of place to which; no need for a preposition with domus): “home[ward]”.

535 Thebis (ablative of place from which): “from Thebes”.

536 scin = scisne.

537 istuc = istud.

538 qui: “how”.

539 plenus, -a, -um: “full”, ”crowded”.

540 plenis uiis (ablative of the way by which; see Bennett 218.9, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect218).

541 iumentum, -i (n.): “mule”, “pack animal”.

542 nimi’ = nimis: “very”.

543 captiuorum quid: “what about the prisoners”.

544 binos (< binus, -a, -um): “in twos”.

545 ternos (< ternus, -a, -um): “in threes”.

546 concursus, -ūs (m.): “collision”, “traffic jam”.

547 quisque (although quisque is singular, it should be taken as the plural subject of uisunt).

548 uiso, uisere, uisi, uisum: “go to see”, “look at”.

549 rem gestam bene (rem gestam is an accusative of exclamation): “things have gone well!”.

550 meretrix, meretricis (f.): “courtesan”, “prostitute”, “[hired] girlfriend”.

551 obuiam (adverb): “into the presence of”, “to meet” (+ dative).

552 orno, -are, -aui, -atum: “dress up”, adorn”.

553 quaequae = quaeque: “each” < quique, quaeque, quidque/quicque/quodque.

554 captabant: “they were on the hunt for”, “they were going to make [them] their prisoners” < capto, -are, -aui, -atum.

555 adeo: “precisely”, “exactly”.

556 qui: “how?”.

557 animum aduorterim: “[how] did I notice?”.

558 plerusque, pleraque, plerumque: “many”, “most”.

559 retia, -ae (f.): “net” (nets were used in hunting, and some Roman women, or perhaps just Roman sex workers, wore net tunics underneath their outer garments).

560 quom = cum.

561 porta, -ae (f.): “gate”, “city gate”.

562 uideo (historical present).

563 praestolarier = praestolari < praestolor, -ari, -atus sum: “wait for” (+ dative of person waited for).

564 tibicina, -ae (f.): “female player of a tibia (a reed instrument originally made from the shin bone of an animal)”.

565 quicum = quācum (feminine ablative singular of the interrogative pronoun).

566 tuo’ = tuos = tuus.

567 gnatus = natus < natus, -i (m.): “son”.

568 deamo, -are, -aui, -atum: “adore”.

569 depereo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum (conjugated like eo, ire): “die”, “be destroyed”; translate here: “fall desperately in love”.

570 ubi = in qua: “in whom”, “because of whom”.

571 fidem: “credit”.

572 rem: “fortune”.

573 ubi = in qua: “in whom”, “because of whom”.

574 praestolabatur < praestolor, -ari, -atus sum: “wait for” (+ dative of person waited for).

575 uiden = uidesne.

576 uenefica, -ae (f.): “poisoner”; translate here: “witch”.

577 uestio, -ire, -iui, -itum: “be dressed up”.

578 auro, -are, -aui, -atum: “gild”, “adorn with gold jewelry”.

579 ornata < orno, -are, -aui, -atum: “dress up”, adorn”.

580 ut: “how” (exclamatory).

581 lepide (adverb): “charmingly” < lepidus, -a, -um.

582 concinne (adverb): “neatly”, “elegantly” < concinnus, -a, -um.

583 noue (adverb) < nouus, -a, -um: “freshly”, “unusually”; translate here: “wearing the latest fashion”.

584 induo, -ere, -ui, -utum: “clothe”, “dress oneself in” (+ accusative quid).

585 regillam: “royal”, “regal”, “queenly” (a rare word probably invented by Plautus < regius, -a, -um).

586 induculam: possibly meaning “lingerie”, “underwear” (also probably invented by Plautus < induo).

587 mendiculam: “beggarly”, “meager” (also probably invented by Plautus < mendicus, -a, -um; opposite of regillam).

588 impluuiatam: “the Skylight”, “Rain-shoot” (either another comic invention of Plautus, or a name for a style or colour of garment < impluuium, -i, see below).

589 utin = ut(i) + -ne.

590 impluuium, -ii (n.): “skylight” (the impluuium was the square opening in the roof of a Roman house’s main room; the word was also used to refer to the shallow trough in the floor underneath that collected the rain water, also called the compluuium). The joke is that Periphanes foolishly interprets Epidicus’s description of the woman’s impluuiatam dress (whatever impluuiatam meant, see note above) as referring to the woman actually wearing the impluuium of a house.

591 induta fuerit = induta sit (perfect passive subjunctive) < induo, -ere, indui, indutum.

592 istuc = istud.

593 quasi (adverb): “as though” (followed by the subjunctive mood).

594 fundus, -i (m.): “estate”.

595 exorno, -are, -aui, -atum (similar to orno, -are, see above).

596 incedo, -ere, -incessi, incessum: “walk”, “march along”.

597 tributus, -us (m.) = tributum, -i (n.): “tax payment”.

598 quom = cum.

599 negant (the subject of negant is the male clients of the prostitutes, not the women themselves).

600 pendo, -ere, pependi, pensum: “pay”.

601 potis = potis esse = posse.

602 quibu’ = quibus.

603 illis quibus tributus maior penditur, pendi potest: “they can pay the bigger tax, the one they pay over to those women, though”.

604 quid, estae quae…: “what is it with those women who…”.

605 uestei = uesti < uestis, -is (f.): “clothing”.

606 quotannis (quot + annus, -i): “every year”, “over the years”.

607 rallam (word found only in Plautus, so the following definition is based on educated guesswork): “thin”. The words that follow are also found only in Plautus, and their definitions are similarly guessed at, though there is little doubt about most of them: linteolum: “made of linen”; caesicium: “blue”; indusiatam: “under[-tunic]”; patagiatam: “with an embroidered edge”; caltulam: “short under-tunic”; crocotulam: “saffron-yellow”; supparum (a word of Oscan origin): “linen robe”; subnimium (a joke word based on the former word sounding like the Latin sub + parum) “slightly-too-much”; ricam: “veil”; cumatile: “sea-coloured”; plumatile: “feather-patterned”; carinum: “nut-brown”; cerinum: “wax-dyed” (Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 244–247).

608 spissus, -a, -um: “thick”.

609 basilicus, -a, -um: “royal”, “regal”.

610 exoticus, -a, -um: “foreign”.

611 gerrae, -arum (f. pl.): “nonsense”.

612 maxumae = maximae.

613 cani (dative singular) < canis, -is (m./f.): “dog”.

614 ademptumst = ademptum est < adimo, -ere, ademi, ademptum: “take” (+ dative of person/thing from whom it is taken).

615 qui: “in what way”, “what do you mean”.

616 Laconicus, -a, -um: “Spartan” (apparently “Spartan” could refer both to a well-known dog breed from the Greek state of Sparta, and a fabric or style of clothing from Sparta).

617 uocabulum, -i (n.): “name”.

618 auctio, auctionis (f.): “auction”, “public sale”.

619 subigo, -ere, -subegi, subactum: “compel”, “force”.

620 quin: “but”.

621 ut: “as” (+ indicative).

622 occipio, -ere, occepi, occeptum: “begin”.

623 loquere = loqueris (second-person singular future indicative deponent) < loquor, loqui, locutus sum.

624 occepere (third-person plural perfect active indicative) < occipio, -ere, occepi, occeptum: “begin”.

625 post: “behind”.

626 fabulor, -ari, -atus sum: “talk”, “chat”.

627 sese = se.

628 abscedo, -ere, abscessi, abscessum: “withdraw”, “step back”.

629 sciens < scio, scire, sciui, scitum: “knowingly”, “intentionally”.

630 paullum = paulum: “a little [bit]”, “a little way”.

631 dissimulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “pretend… not”.

632 operam dare: “pay attention to”, “to listen to” (+ dative).

633 exaudibam = exaudiebam < exaudio, -ire, -iui/ii, -itum: “hear clearly”, “understand”.

634 nec sermonis fallebar: “their conversation wasn’t hidden from me”, “I didn’t miss their conversation” (sermonis is genitive “of respect” after fallebar < fallo, -ere, fefelli, falsus: “deceive”, “disappoint” used in the middle voice sense here).

635 fallo, -ere, fefelli, falsus: “deceive”, “disappoint”.

636 lubidost = libido est.

637 ibi: “then”.

638 quicum = quācum: “with whom”.

639 conspicor, -ari, -atus sum: “catch sight of” (+ accusative).

640 tuo’ = tuos = tuus.

641 deperit < depereo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum (conjugated like eo, ire): “die”, “be destroyed”, “fall desperately in love”.

642 quam… quam: “how… how” (+ adverbs).

643 euĕnit (present tense).

644 opsecro: “please”, “for goodness’ sake”.

645 uolt = uult < uolo, uelle, uolui, —.

646 quisnam < quisnam, quidnam (a more emphatic version of quis, quid).

647 inquit: “says”.

648 ibi: “then”.

649 Periphanei (genitive of Periphanes).

650 pereo, perire, periui / perii, peritum: “die”, “be ruined”, “be lost”.

651 actumst = actum est < ago, -ere, egi, actum; hoc quod actumst: “what was done”, “what happened”.

652 egomet = ego + -met: “I, myself”.

653 loqui < loquor; illas is the accusative subject of this infinitive, and id is its direct object.

654 coepi rursum uorsum ad illas pausillatim accedere: “I began to get gradually closer to them by slowing down”, “I began to slow down little by little so as to let them get closer”.

655 rusum = rursum: “back”, “again”.

656 uorsum = uersum: “towards”.

657 pauxillatim = paulatim: “little by little”, “gradually”.

658 accedo, -ere, accessi, accessum: “approach”, “go near”.

659 retrudo, -ere, –trusi, -trusum: “thrust back”, “force back”.

660 uis, uis (f.): “strength”, “force”; hominum… uis: “force of people”, “crowd”.

661 ibi: “then”.

662 qui = quo: “how”.

663 quin: “but”.

664 affero, afferre, attuli, allatum (or adfero, adferre, adtuli, adlatum): “bring”, “deliver”, “use” (+ accusative).

665 eum… sese (Plautus is inconsistent with his pronouns here: eum is the accusative subject of the infinitive sumpsisse, and refers to Stratippocles, as does the reflexive sese (accusative subject of ferre) in the next line.

666 eum argentum sumpsisse apud Thebas ab danista faenore (see line 53).

667 ob eam rem: “for this/that reason”, “for this/that purpose”.

668 occido, -ere, occidi, occasus: “fall down”, “be ruined”.

669 aibat = aiebat: “[she] claimed”.

670 eapse = ea ipsa.

671 expetesso, -ere, –, – : “want”, “long for”.

672 reperiamus < reperio, reperire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

673 aliquid: “some sort of” (+ genitive).

674 calidus, -a, -um: literally “hot”, but here translate as “quick”, “speedy”.

675 conducibilis, -e: “wise”, “advisable”.

676 consilium, -ii (n.): “plan”, “suggestion”.

677 iam: “soon”.

678 hic: “here”.

679 adsum, adesse, adfui, adfuturus: “be present”.

680 iam: “already”.

681 aequom = aequum: “right”, “fair”.

682 siet = sit.

683 sapio, -ere, sapiui, – : “to be sensible”, “to be wise”.

684 catus, -a, -um: “clever”, “prudent”, “wise”.

685 opino = opinor < opinor, -ari, -atus sum: “suppose”, “think”.

686 id refers to consilium.

687 ad eam rem: “for this very situation”.

688 quid: “why”.

689 istuc = istud.

690 prior, prius: “first”.

691 posterius (adverb): “afterwards”, “second”.

692 heia uero (expresses amused doubt): “ha!”, “yeah, right”.

693 derideo, -ere, derisi, derisum: “laugh [at]”, “make fun [of]”.

694 immo: “OK then”, “indeed”.

695 utitor (second-person singular future active imperative of utor; normally utor takes the ablative, but here it takes the accusative direct object consilium).

696 reperitote (second-person plural future active imperative) < reperio, -ire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

697 rectius (comparative adjective neuter accusative singular) < rectus, -a, -um: “a better one”, “a better [plan]”.

698 istic (adverb): “in this matter”.

699 sero, -ere, seui, satum (impersonal use): “sow”, “plant”, “beget”, “conceive”.

700 meto, -ere, messui, messum (impersonal use): “reap”, “harvest”; mihi istic nec seritur nec metitur appears to be proverbial, meaning “I’ve got no stake here”, “I’m not personally involved”.

701 gratiam habeo: “thank you”.

702 particeps, participis (m.): “sharer”, “partaker”.

703 continuo (adverb): “immediately”.

704 arbitro, -are, -aui, -atum (subjunctive after a missing fac ut): “select” (the verb is normally deponent in Classical Latin, but active in Plautus).

705 corrumpo, -ere, corrupi, corruptum: “ruin”, “corrupt”.

706 ulciscare (second-person singular present subjunctive passive) < ulciscor, -ari, ultus sum: “punish”, “take revenge on”.

707 usque ad mortem: “till [her] dying day”, “for the rest of [her] life”.

708 seruio, -ire, seruiui, seruitum: “be a slave”.

709 quiduis: “anything you like”.

710 dum: “so long as”.

711 em: “there!”; translate here: “OK, look”.

712 occasiost = occasio est: “there’s an opportunity to” (+ genitive gerundive).

713 priu’ quam = prius quam: “before”.

714 sicut: “as”, “since”.

715 qui = quo: “how”.

716 illinc: “from there”.

717 mane (adverb): “in the morning”.

718 adfore = adfuturum esse.

719 eloquere = eloqueris (second-person singular present deponent indicative): “you are explaining”, “you are stating”.

720 censeo, -ere, censui, censum: “think”, “recommend”.

721 quasi (adverb): “as though” (followed by the subjunctive mood).

722 animi gratia: “for you own sake”.

723 quam ad rem istuc refert: “how will that help”.

724 praestino, -are, -aui, -atum: “buy”, “purchase”.

725 priu’ quam = prius quam.

726 ut… dicas (substantive clause of purpose): “[arrange it] so that you [can] say”.

727 te…dicas emere (indirect discourse): “you [can] say that you bought…”.

728 in libertatem: “in order to free her”.

729 emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy”.

730 ut… amoueas (substantive clause of purpose): “[arrange it] so that you remove”.

731 aliquo: “[to] somewhere”.

732 amoueo, -ere, -amoui, amotum: “remove”.

733 quid: “with respect to anything”; translate here: “in any way”.

734 tuast = tua est.

735 secu’ = secus (adverb): “otherwise”, “contrary”, “different”.

736 immo: “by all means”, “indeed”; “on the contrary”, “by no means”.

737 docte: “very clever[ly done]”.

738 quid ego = quid ego dicam.

739 commentum = commentum esse < comminiscor, -i, commentus sum: “devise”, “invent a story”.

740 nimis: “too much”, “exceedingly” (both meanings are implied here in a play on words, since Apoecides thinks he’s praising Epidicus for such an excellent deception against Stratippocles, but the audience knows that Epidicus is actually deceiving the old men).

741 astute < astutus, -a, -um: “clever”, “sly”.

742 intellego, -ere, -exi, ectum: “understand”; translate here: “realize”.

743 ei (dative after compound verb amouere, referring to Stratippocles): “[from] him”.

744 amota … fuerit (future perfect; see note in Act 1, scene 2).

745 consultatio, -onis (f.): “hesitation”, “deliberation”.

746 nuptiae, -arum (f. pl.): “marriage “, ”wedding”.

747 grauor, -ari, -atus sum: “be annoyed at”, “be upset at”.

748 uelis (subjunctive by attraction to the mood of grauetur; see Bennett 324.1, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect324).

749 uiue (adverb) < uius, -a, -um: “very”.

750 sapis < sapio, -ere, sapiui, – : “to be sensible”, “to be wise”.

751 calide (adverb) < calidus, -a, -um; “quickly”.

752 acturu’s = acturus es (active periphrastic, with a meaning similar to ages).

753 rem: translate here as “truth”, “reality”.

754 loquere = loqueris (present indicative).

755 repperi: “I have found [out]”.

756 qui = quo: “how”.

757 apscedat = abscedat < abscedo, -ere, -abscessi, abscessum: “go away”; translate here: “be diverted from”.

758 suspicio, -onis (f.): “suspicion”, “mistrust”.

759 sine < sino, -ere, siui, situm: “allow”, “let”.

760 scibis = scies, < scio, scire, sciui, scitum: “know”.

761 pleno pectore (ablative of manner): literally: “with full heart/mind”; translate here: “through and through”; the pectus was where wisdom was thought to be located in the body, rather than, as we might believe, the brain.

762 opus est (impersonal): “there is need for”, “we need” (+ ablative of thing/person needed).

763 illo: “to that place”.

764 defero, deferre, detuli, delatum: “deliver”, “bring”, “get”.

765 opu’ = opus.

766 neque opus factost = neque opus facto est: “and there is no need [for you] to do it.

767 quid: “why”.

768 censeat (the subject is the pimp from whom Periphanes would be buying the lyre-player).

769 fili = filii.

770 caussa = causa.

771 qua: “in any way”.

772 ob: “because of” (+ accusative).

773 euenat = eueniat < euenio, -ire, -eni, - entum: “arise”, “come about”, “turn out”.

774 hic: “this man” (referring to Apoecides).

775 optumus = optimus.

776 caueo, -ere, caui, cautum: “be careful”.

777 teneo, -ere, tenui, tentum: “hold”, “grasp”; translate here: “understand”.

778 habeas gratiam: “you should thank” (+ dative of person thanked).

779 istuc = istud.

780 sedulo (adverb): “industriously”, “carefully”, “zealously”.

781 conuenio, -ire, -eni, -entum: “meet”, “go to meet”.

782 quoiiast = quoiia/quoia est = cuia est (from the archaic adjective quoiius/quoius/cuius, -a, -um, related to the genitive singular of qui, quae, quod): “whose [property] she is”.

783 The manuscript tradition, followed by Linday’s text, has fidicina, but the emendation to fidicinam works better.

784 hoc (refers to Apoecides).

785 quanti… minimo (genitive of indefinite price and ablative of indefinite price, respectively): “for how little”, “what is the least amount for which”.

786 emi (present passive infinitive) < emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy”.

787 quadraginta (indeclinable): “forty”.

788 fortasse: “it’s possible that” (+ accusative-infinitive construction).

789 minimo (adverb): “at the lowest”

790 minis (ablative of price) < mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

791 captiost = captio est; captio, -onis (f.): “trickery”, “deceit”.

792 occupo, -are, -aui, -atum: “invest”, “lay out [money]”, “use”.

793 non decem… dies (accusative of duration of time): “not [even] for ten days”.

794 quidum = qui dum: “how does it happen that…?”, “what makes you say that?”, “how so?”.

795 deperit < depereo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum: “he is madly in love with” (+ accusative).

796 It is unclear whether or not this miles Rhodius is the same as the miles Euboicus of line 153; Duckworth believes not, and that the miles Rhodius is invented by Epidicus (Duckworth-Wheeler 1940: 273).

797 gloriosus, -a, -um: “boastful”, “self-glorifying” (soldiers in Plautus always have this characteristic, see his play entitled Miles Gloriosus).

798 lubens = libens: “willingly”.

799 face = fac.

800 lucrum, -i (n.): “profit”.

801 amplus, -a, -um: “big”, “substantial”.

802 impetro, -are, -aui, atum: “achieve”, “get”, “obtain”.

803 quin: “why… not?”, “why don’t you…?”.

804 is < eo, ire, iui/ii, itum.

805 promo, -ere prompsi/promsi, promptum: “bring out”.

806 uiso, -ere, uisi, uisum: “go to”, “visit” (+ ad).

807 eo: “to that place”.

808 abeo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum: “go away”.

809 priu’ = prius.

810 usque: “constantly”, “the whole time”.

811 opperior, -iri, -itus sum: “wait”, “wait for”.

812 numero, -are, -aui, -atum: “count out” (referring to the money).

813 nil = nihil; here translate as: “not at all”.

814 moror, -ari, moratus sum: “delay”.

815 opinor, opinari, opinatus sum: “suppose”, “imagine”.

816 aeque (adverb): “equally”, “to the same extent”.

817 ferax, feracis: “fruitful”, “fertile”.

818 quin: “really”.

819 occludo, -ere, -occlusi, occludum: “closed up”, “locked up”.

820 opsignato = obsignato < obsigno, -are, -aui, -atum: “seal”, “seal up”.

821 armarium, -ii (n.): “chest”, “cupboard”.

822 decutio, decutere, decussi, decussus: “shake out”, “dislodge”.

823 lubet = libet.

824 resciuerit (perfect subjunctive) < rescisco, -ere, -resciui, -rescitum: “learn”, “find out”.

825 ulmus, -i (f.): “elm [rod]”.

826 parasitus, -i (m.): “[human] parasite”, “hanger-on” (a parasitus referred to someone who would hang around wealthy friends in the hopes of getting a meal; the elm rods would be made into “parasites” in the sense that they would never be far from Epidicus’s hide, i.e. Epidicus would be given a severe beating).

827 quae (relative pronoun, the antecedent of which is ulmos).

828 usque (adverb): “continuously”, “without interruption”.

829 attondeo, -ere, attondi, attonsum: “clip”, “shear”; translate here: “thrash”.

830 turbo, -are, -aui, -atum: “disturb”, “concern”.

831 ratio, -onis (f.): “matter”, “consideration”.

832 quam (adverb): “how”.

833 conducticius, -a, -um: “hired”, “rented”.

834 mane (adverb): “in the morning”, “this morning”.

835 conduco, -ere, -xi, -ctum: “bring”, “hire”.

836 rem diuinam: “religious activity”, “sacrifice”.

837 canto, -are, -aui, -atum: “play [music]” (supplying ut will help make better sense of the subjunctive).

838 ei praemonstrabitur: “it will be taught to her beforehand” < praemonstro, -are, -aui, -atum: “show beforehand”, “direct [in advance]”, “guide [in advance]”.

839 subdolus, -a, -um: “sly”, “deceitful”.

840 aduorsus = aduersus (preposition + accusative): “toward”, “against”.

841 damnosus, -a, -um: “wasteful” (Epidicus calls the old man “wasteful” presumably because he ought to be smart enough not to be cheated by Epidicus).

842 expecto, -are, -aui, -atum: “wait”.

843 exedo, -ere, -edi, -esum: “eat up”, “consume”.

844 exentero, -are, -aui, -atum: “disembowel”; here translate as “torture”.

845 mi = mihi.

846 euenant = eueniant < euenio, -ire, -eni, - entum: “arise”, “come about”, “turn out”.

847 nimi’ = nimis.

848 macero, -are, -aui, -atum: “make wet”, “soak”; translate here: “wear down”, “worry”.

849 sitne qui necne sit: “if it’s going to happen or not”.

850 per: “as for”, “as far as [that assistance] is concerned”.

851 copia, -ae (f.): “resources”, “wealth”, “assistance”.

852 paro, -are, -aui, -atum: “prepare”; translate here: “obtain”.

853 ilico (adverb): “immediately”.

854 illo (referring to Epidicus).

855 interii < intereo, interire, interiui / interii, interitus: “perish”, “die”; “be ruined”.

856 apsurde = absurde (adverb < absurdus, -a, -um): “absurdly”.

857 faci’ = facis.

858 ango, -ere, anxi, anctum: “choke”, “cause pain to”.

859 animi (genitive of respect).

860 prehendo/prendo, -ere, prehendi/prendi, prehensum/prensum: “lay hold of”, “catch”.

861 inrideo, -ere, -isi, -isum: “laugh at”, “make fun of”.

862 inultus, -a, -um: “unpunished”.

863 quid: “what”.

864 tibi is dative by attraction to quoi; translate as a nominative.

865 quoi = cui.

866 domi (locative).

867 is (repeating the subject qui in line 329): here translate as “you, who…”.

868 nummus, -i (m.): “coin”.

869 sodalis, -is (m.): “companion”, “friend”, “mate”.

870 copiast = copia est.

871 polliceor, polliceri, pollicitus sum: “offer”, “promise”.

872 lubens = libens: “willingly”.

873 alicunde (adverb): “from some source or other”, “from somewhere”.

874 aliqui = aliquo.

875 fore = futuram esse: “that there will be”.

876 uerum aliquid aliqua aliquo modo / alicunde ab aliqui aliqua tibi spes est fore mecum fortunam: “but there’s some hope of something somehow in some way from some source from someone — that there’ll be good luck for you and me”.

877 muricidus, -a, -um (a rare word, the meaning of which isn’t entirely clear): “stupid”, “cowardly”.

878 qui: “why”.

879 lubet = libet.

880 quipp’ = quippe: “obviously”.

881 mi = mihi.

882 aliquibus = aliquis.

883 blatio, -ire, –, – : “babble”, “blather”.

884 nusquamst = nusquam est: “[which] is nowhere”, “[which] doesn’t exist anywhere”.

885 immitto, -ere, -misi, -missum: “admit”, “let in”.

886 aurı̄s = aures < auris, -is (f.): “ear”.

887 adiumentum, -i (n.): “help”, “support”; adiumenti is a genitive of the whole after plus (translate nec mihi plus adiumenti ades quam ille qui numquam etian natust: “you’re standing by me but [you’re] no more help than someone who was never born”).

888 adsum, adesse, affui, affuturus: “be near”, “be at hand”, “stand by”.

889 natust = natus est < nascor, nasci, natus est: “be born”.

890 tuom = tuum.

891 per: “through”, “by means of”.

892 quietus, -a, -um: “calm”.

893 hoc quidem iam periit (Epidicus says this without Periphanes or the young men hearing): “indeed, he’s lost this [the money] already”.

894 niquid tibi hinc in spem referas: “don’t go hoping otherwise”.

895 opiddo (adverb): “very much”, “completely”.

896 hoc (again refers to the money Epidicus has been given by Periphanes).

897 pollingo, -ere, pollinxi, pollinctum: “wash a corpse”, “prepare a body for burial”.

898 nostri: “our people”, “my ancestors” (given that slaves were considered, by slave-owners, no longer to have parents or ancestors, this may be Epidicus’s resistance to the deracination (uprooting from native family) of slaves; more frivolously, Epidicus may also be referring to how the class of slaves has always behaved, or may be making a reference, as a comic seruos callidus, about how serui callidi in the tradition of Roman Comedy have always behaved — see Barbiero’s forthcoming book: chapter 5).

899 inmortales = immortales.

900 luculentus, -a, -um: “bright”, “brilliant”.

901 ut: “how”.

902 impetrabilis, -e: “pleasing”, “successful”.

903 migro, -are, -aui, -atum: “depart”, “get going”.

904 cesso, -are, -aui, -atum: “be remiss”, “delay”, “cease from”.

905 importo, -are, -aui, -atum: “bring”, “carry”.

906 colonia, -ae (f.): “settlement” (coloniae were towns established by the Romans, often in newly-conquered territory so that the colonia’s new population of former Roman citizens could be counted on to defend Roman interests in the area; Epidicus’s reference to bringing supplies to the colonia is a military metaphor, implying that his efforts to cheat the old man for the young man’s benefit are the equivalent of a military stratagem).

907 meo auspicio: “under my own auspices” (the Romans took the auspices, or readings of what the gods wanted them to do, before important actions such as military maneuvers or, in this case, bringing stolen money to Stratippocles).

908 commeatus, -i (m.): “provisions”, “supplies” (this is an army metaphor).

909 quom = cum.

910 aedīs < aedis/es, -is (f.): “building”, “house” (often used in the plural, as here).

911 sodalis, -is (m.): “companion”, “friend”, “mate”.

912 conspicor, conspicari, conspicatus sum: “catch sight of”, “see”.

913 sis = si uis: “please”, “if you please”.

914 quantus, -a, um: “how much”, “as much as”.

915 sat = satis (adverb): “enough”.

916 plus satis = plus quam satis.

917 superfio, superfieri, superfactus sum: “be left over”, “be more than enough”.

918 decem minis (ablative of degree of difference; see Bennett 223).

919 affero, afferre, attuli, allatum (or adfero, adferre, adtuli, adlatum): “bring”, “deliver”, “use” (+ accusative).

920 dum: “provided that”.

921 opsequar = obsequar < obsequor, -i, obsectus sum: “humour”, “submit to” (+ dative).

922 flocci facere: “to make no account of”, “not to care a straw for” (+ accusative).

923 quid: “why”.

924 tuom = tuum.

925 parenticida, -ae (f.): “parricide”, “murderer of one’s parent” (Plautus probably invented this word).

926 quid istuc est uerbi: “what sort of word is that”.

927 nil moror: “I don’t care about”

928 uetus, -eris (adjective): “old-fashioned”, “ancient”.

929 uolgatus, -a, -um: “commonly used”.

930 “peratum ductare” †at† ego follitum ductitabo (the obeli, or daggers, appear on either side of the word “at” here because the Latin text is corrupt, and it’s not obvious how to emend this rather confusing line, which refers in some way to pera, -ae (f.): “bag”, “wallet” and to follis, -is (m.): “moneybag”. The line relates to parenticidam in line 349 in that a person convicted of having killed his parent was traditionally punished by being sewn into a sack, possibly along with various animals, and drowned).

931 leno, -onis (m.): “pimp”, “brothel keeper”.

932 apstulit = abstulit < aufero, auferre, abstuli, ablatum: “take away”.

933 resoluo, -ere, resolui, resolutum: “release”; translate here: “pay”.

934 manibus his (ablative of means).

935 denumero, -are, -aui, -atum: “pay in full”, “pay down”.

936 quam (accusative of respect): “for [her], whom”, “the one that”.

937 fallo, -ere, fefelli, falsum: “deceive”, “cheat”.

938 apparo, -are, -aui, -atum: “prepare”, “provide”.

939 inuenire + ut (+ subjunctive): “to devise a plan to”.

940 suadeo, -ere, suasi, suasum: “persuade” (+ dative of person persuaded).

941 quom = cum.

942 rediisse < redeo, -ire, -ii, -itum: “return”, “come back”.

943 eiius = eius.

944 eiius copia: “access to her”.

945 eugae (exclamation): “good”, “well done”.

946 domist = domi est.

947 pro: “in place of”.

948 teneo, -ere, tenui, tentum: “hold”, “grasp”; translate here: “understand”.

949 auctor, -oris (m.): translate here “adviser” (describing Apoecidem).

950 mi = mihi.

951 maneo -ere, mansi, mansum: “remain”, “stay”; translate here: “wait for”.

952 †quasiquae amaret† caueat (the text is corrupt, as evidenced by the obeli, or daggers, surrounding “quasique amaret”; translate as “supposedly to keep an eye on things”).

953 hau = haud: “not”.

954 cautor, -oris (m.): “cautious/wary person”.

955 captust = captus est.

956 tuo’ = tuos = tuus.

957 crumina, -ae (f.): “pouch”, “purse”, “small moneybag”.

958 colloco, -are, -aui, -atum: “put”, “[put in] place”.

959 adorno, -are, -aui, -atum: “get ready”, “prepare”.

960 adueniens agrees with the subject of fias.

961 extemplo: “immediately”.

962 maritus, -a, -um: “married”.

963 uno persuadebit modo: “In [only] one way will [my father] persuade [me]”.

964 adempsit (old form of the future tense) < adimo, -ere, ademi, ademptum: “take” (+ dative of person/thing from whom it is taken).

965 Orcus, -i (m.): Orcus, god of death and the underworld.

966 astutia, -ae (f.): “trick”, “stratagem”.

967 instituo, -ere, -ui, -utum: “set up”, “prepare”.

968 deuenio, -ire, -ueni, -uentum: “come to”, “reach”.

969 ad lenonem domum: “to the pimp, at his house”.

970 egomet = ego + -met: “I, myself”.

971 si quid: “if at all”.

972 si quid ad eum adueniam: “if I go see him at all” (the text may be corrupt, but probably Epidicus means that, if he has to bring Periphanes and/or Apoecides to the pimp to verify his story, the pimp will back him up).

973 esse datum… se habere (both infinitives in indirect discourse after dicat).

974 mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

975 quinquaginta (indeclinable): “fifty”.

976 quippe: “obviously”.

977 nudiustertius = nudius tertius; nudius = num/nunc dies (always paired with an ordinal number): “it is now the … day since” (because the Romans counted inclusively, nudiustertius means “the day before yesterday”).

978 denumero, -are, -aui, -atum: “pay in full”, “pay down”.

979 reor, reri, ratus sum: “think”, “suppose”, “believe”.

980 ibi: “then”.

981 sceleratus, -a, -um: “criminal”, “wicked”.

982 suom = suum.

983 inprudens = imprudens: “unaware”, “unsuspecting”.

984 adligabit = alligabit < alligo, -are, -aui, -atum: “implicate/involve in”.

985 uorsutior = uersutior, comparative form < uersutus, -a, -um: “clever”, “ingenious”.

986 rota figularis: “potter’s wheel”.

987 paro, -are, -aui, -atum: “prepare”, “provide”, “obtain”.

988 dolosus, -a, -um: “crafty”, “cunning”, “deceitful”.

989 nummus, -i (m.): “coin”.

990 conduco, - ere, -xi, -ctum: “bring”, “hire”.

991 emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy”.

992 simulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “pretend”.

993 docte (adverb < doctus, -a, -um): “cleverly”.

994 ludificor, -ari, -atus sum: “make fun of”, “fool”.

995 simul: “[together] with him”.

996 tuom = tuum.

997 ut parate: “how well prepared [you are]”, “what good planning”.

998 permeditatus, -a, -um: “well-prepared”, “well-trained”.

999 dolus, -i (m.): “trick”.

1000 astutiis < astutia, -ae (f.): “trick”, “stratagem”.

1001 onustus, -a, -um: “burdened”, “laden”; translate here: “full of”.

1002 nimi’ = nimis.

1003 longum (adverb): “for [too] long”.

1004 demoror, -ari, -atus sum: “detain”, “cause delay”.

1005 ambulato (second-person singular future imperative active) < ambulo, -are, -aui, atum.

1006 illic = ille.

1007 nimi’ doctus illic ad male faciendum: “that guy is too good at double-dealing”.

1008 certo: “certainly”.

1009 seruo, -are, -aui, -atum: “save”.

1010 ad me: “[to] my house”.

1011 aliquanto (adverb): “by some amount”, “a bit”.

1012 lubentius = libentius: “cheerfully”.

1013 aps = a.

1014 egredior, -i, egressus sum: “come out”, “go out”.

1015 intus: “within”, “inside”.

1016 praeda, -ae (f.): “booty”, “[war] prize”.

1017 os, oris (n.): “face”.

1018 caussa = causa.

1019 aequom = aequum: “right”, “fair”.

1020 speculum, -i (n.): “mirror”.

1021 contemplo, -are, -aui, -atum: “observe”, “contemplate”.

1022 suom = suum.

1023 perspicio, -ere, perspexi, perspectum: “see through”, “examine”, “observe”.

1024 cor, cordis (n.): “heart” (square brackets enclose text that may not be entirely authentic).

1025 copia, -ae (f.): “resources”, “fulness”.

1026 inspicio, -ere, inspexi, inspectum: “examine”, “inspect”, “consider”.

1027 cogito, -are, -aui, -atum: “think”, “consider”, “reflect on”.

1028 postea (adverb): “afterwards”.

1029 conducibilis, -e: “wise”, “advisable”.

1030 meā sententiā: “in my opinion”.

1031 uel: “or”, “actually”, “indeed”, “even”, “if you prefer”.

1032 quasi (adverb): “as if”, “just as though”.

1033 ego[met] = ego + -met: “I, myself”.

1034 dudum (adverb): “a little while ago”, “formerly”.

1035 fili = filii.

1036 coepio, -ere, coepi, coeptum: “begin”.

1037 excrucio, -are, -aui, -atum: literally “crucify”, but here “torture”, “upset”.

1038 animi (genitive of respect).

1039 quid = aliquid: “[with respect to] something”, “in some way”.

1040 meu’ = meus.

1041 delinquo, -ere, deliqui, delictum: “fail”, “do wrong”.

1042 med = me.

1043 erga: “towards”, “in relation to”, “against”.

1044 pluruma = plurima.

1045 solidus, -a, -um: “substantial”, “serious”.

1046 profecto (adverb): “certainly”.

1047 deliro, -are, -aui, -atum: literally “deviate from the straight line”; translate here: “be crazy”, “be out of one’s wits”, “be silly”.

1048 interdum (adverb): “sometimes”, “now and then”.

1049 meu’ = meus.

1050 sodalis, -is (m.): “companion”, “friend”, “mate”.

1051 it < eo, ire, iui/ii, itum.

1052 praeda, -ae (f.): “booty”, “[war] prize”.

1053 saluom = saluum.

1054 mercator, -oris (m.): “trader”, “merchant”, “buyer”.

1055 uenire saluom... gaudeo (see line 7): Periphanes is being humorous by greeting Apoecides as though he has been away on a long voyage. He addresses him as mercator because he’s been on a shopping trip, though the audience knows that Apoecides has not been directly involved in the supposed purchase at all.

1056 quid fit: “how goes it”.

1057 omnı̄s = omnes.

1058 suppeto, -ere, -iui, -itus (+ dative): “be at hand”, “be equal to”, “be sufficient for”, “agree with”.

1059 res (nominative plural) < res, rei.

1060 prospere (adverb from prosperus, -a, -um: “fortunate”, “favourable”). Lindsay’s emendation of the manuscript tradition to prosperae here is less convincing than the original prospere.

1061 intro: “[to the] inside”, “[to the] indoors”.

1062 abduco, -ere, abduxi, abductum: “lead away”.

1063 heus: “hey!” (used to try to get someone’s attention).

1064 exite… aliquis (the singular aliquis is often paired with the plural imperative exite).

1065 duce (the original form of the second-person singular present imperative active of duco, -ere (later duc).

1066 audin = audis + ne: “do you hear”.

1067 caueo, -ere, caui, cautum: “guard against”, “ensure that… not”.

1068 siris = siueris (perfect subjunctive second-person singular) < sino, -ere, siui, situm: “allow”.

1069 copulor, -ari, copulatus sum: “associate”.

1070 conspicio, -ere, conspexi, conspectum: “look at”.

1071 teneo, -ere, tenui, tentum: “hold”, “grasp”, “understand”.

1072 aedicula, -ae (f.): “[small] room”, “[small] house”.

1073 istanc = istam.

1074 sorsum = seorsum (adverb < seorsus, -a, -um): “separately”, “apart”.

1075 concludo, -ere, conclusi, conclusum: “confine”, “limit”, “shut up”.

1076 diuorto/diuerto, -ere, -ti, -sum: “differ”, “be dissimilar”.

1077 lupa, -ae: “female wolf”; translate here: “prostitute”.

1078 nimi’ = nimis.

1079 pudicitia, -ae (f.): “modesty”, “purity”.

1080 quisquam, quaequam, quicquam/quidquam: “anyone, anything”, “someone, something”.

1081 ne (interjection followed by a personal or demonstrative pronoun): “really”, “indeed”.

1082 temperi = tempori (adverb): “at the right time”, “in time”, “seasonably”.

1083 sumu’ = sumus.

1084 praemercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy before (+ someone in the dative)”.

1085 quid: “why”.

1086 dudum: (adverb): “a little while ago”, “formerly”.

1087 tuom = tuum.

1088 hanc… rem (referring to Stratippocles’s planned purchase of the fidicina).

1089 apparo, -are, -aui, -atum: “get ready”.

1090 ne (interjection followed by a personal or demonstrative pronoun): “really”, “indeed”.

1091 seruom = seruum.

1092 graphicus, -a, -um: “picture-perfect”, “artistic”, “clever”.

1093 quantiuis preti = quanti uis preti (genitive of price): “of whatever price you want”, “priceless”, “worth any price”.

1094 carust = carus est.

1095 non carust auro contra: “he’s worth his weight in gold” (auro contra: “when weighed against gold”).

1096 ut ille fidicinam / fecit †nescire† esse emptam tibi (the text is corrupt but means something like “how he managed to keep the lyre-player from realizing she’d been bought for you”.

1097 ridibundus, -a, um: “laughing”.

1098 hilarus, -a, -um: “light-hearted”.

1099 simul: “[together] with him”.

1100 qui (an old ablative form): “how”, “why”.

1101 rem… diuinam: “religious activity”, “sacrifice”.

1102 Thebis (locative).

1103 saluos = saluus.

1104 redierit (third-person singular perfect subjunctive active < redeo, -ire, -iui/ii, -itum).

1105 insisto, -ere, institi, – :“set about”, “proceed”; recte institit: “he handled it well”, “he did the right thing”.

1106 immo: “by all means”, “indeed”; “on the contrary”, “by no means”.

1107 ipsus = ipse.

1108 illi (dative, referring to the fidicina).

1109 conduco, - ere, -xi, -ctum: “bring”, “hire”.

1110 quae = ut ea (relative clause of purpose).

1111 administro, -are, -aui, -atum: “administer”; translate here: “assist”.

1112 tibi (dative of reference after administraret).

1113 [facturum hoc dixit rem esse diuinam tibi domi] (this line, essentially repeating line 415, probably doesn’t belong here).

1114 illic: “there”.

1115 med = me.

1116 adsimulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “pretend”.

1117 stolidus, -a, -um: “slow”, “obtuse”.

1118 combardus, -a, -um: “stupid”.

1119 me faciebam: “I made myself [look/act]”.

1120 immo ita decet: “you acted exactly as you should”, “indeed that was appropriate”; translate here: “very appropriate”.

1121 res, rei (f.): “matter”; translate here: “[legal] case”.

1122 ago, -ere, egi, actum: “do”, “act”; translate here: “conduct”.

1123 aduocatus, -i (m.): “advocate”, “witness”.

1124 quaeso: “please”.

1125 otium, -ii (n.): “leisure”, “[a] break”, “spare moment”.

1126 reuorto/reuerto, -ere, -ti, –sum: “come back”, “return”.

1127 extemplo (adverb): “immediately”.

1128 continuo (adverb): “immediately”.

1129 amicost = amico est.

1130 opportunus, -a, -um: “useful”.

1131 amicius (comparative adjective from amicus, -a, -um; neuter nominative singular agreeing with nihil).

1132 actumst = actum est.

1133 adlegassem = adlegauissem (first-person singular pluperfect subjunctive active < adlego, -are, -aui, -atum: “dispatch”, “send [someone] to do a job”).

1134 minu’que = minusque.

1135 callidus, -a, -um: “clever”, “shrewd”, “ingenious”.

1136 os sublitum esset: “he would have been deceived” (again, the audience would have found this irony hilarious, but Periphanes has no idea that both he and Apoecides are the ones being tricked). alicui os sublinere literally means “to smear someone’s face”, but figuratively means “to make a fool of someone”, “outwit someone”.

1137 albis dentibus: literally “with white teeth”; figuratively “by laughing out loud”.

1138 meu’ = meus.

1139 derideo, -ere, derisi, derisum: “laugh [at]”, “make fun [of]”.

1140 meritissumo = meritissimo (superlative adverb): “most justly”, “very deservedly”.

1141 stultitiast = stultitia est.

1142 uitium, -ii (n.): “fault”, “vice”, “defect”.

1143 atque haec stultitiast me illi uitio uortere: “and it’s stupid for me to blame him”.

1144 egomet = ego + -met: “I, myself”.

1145 factito, -are, -aui, -atum: “do frequently”, “practice”.

1146 quom = cum.

1147 milito, -are, -aui, -atum: “serve as a soldier”, perform military service”, “serve in the army”, “make war”.

1148 memoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “remember”, “reminisce”, “speak of”, “mention”.

1149 pugnis memorandis meis: “because of talking about my battles”, “from reminiscing about my war stories”.

1150 eradico, -are, -aui, -atum: “root out”, “eradicate”.

1151 auris, -is (f.): “ear”.

1152 occipio, -ere, -cepi, -ceptum: “begin”.

1153 illic = ille.

1154 auris, -is (f.): “ear”.

1155 undo, -are, -aui, -atum: “wave”, “billow”.

1156 chlamys, clamydos/is (f.): “[Greek] cloak”, “[military] cloak”.

1157 quasso, -are, -aui, -atum: “shake repeatedly”, “flourish”, “swagger”.

1158 caueo, -ere, caui, cautum: “be careful”.

1159 praeterbitas = praetereas < praetereo, -ire, -iui/ii, -itum: “go by”, “go past”, “pass by”.

1160 aedis/aedes, -is (f.): “building”, “house” (often used in the plural, as here).

1161 quin roges: “without asking”.

1162 tuom = tuum.

1163 rettuleris (second-person singular perfect subjunctive active) < refero, referre, rettuli, relatum: “carry back”, “bring back”.

1164 incertus tuom caue ad me rettuleris pedem: “make sure you don’t return without finding it out”.

1165 istunc = istum.

1166 quaerito, -are, -aui, -atum: “seek”, “look for”.

1167 commostrasso = commonstrasso (alternative future tense of commo(n)stro, -are, -aui, -atum); si… commostrasso: “if I show”, “if I point [him] out”.

1168 ecqui, ecquae/ecqua, ecquod: “is there any”, “some sort of”.

1169 aps = a.

1170 ecquam abs te inibo gratiam: “will I put you under an obligation”, “will you be grateful to me”.

1171 promereo, -ere, promerui, promeritum: “deserve”, “earn”.

1172 reperio, -ire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

1173 explico, -are, -aui, -atum: “show off”, “display”.

1174 postulo, -are, -aui, -atum: “claim”, “require”, “ask for”, “want”.

1175 strenuiori (dative singular comparative adjective) < strenuus, -a, -um: “active”, “vigorous”.

1176 deterior, -ius (nominative singular comparative adjective): “lesser”, “weaker”.

1177 praedico, -are, -aui, -atum: “announce”, “proclaim”, “boast about”.

1178 de illius (referring to the streniori of line 446): “in contrast with the other man’s military achievements”.

1179 sordidus, -a, -um: “low”, “humble”, “pathetic”.

1180 si quid uis: “if you want anything”.

1181 nemp’ = nempe: “really”.

1182 memoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “remember”, “reminisce”, “speak of”, “mention”.

1183 diuitiae, -arum (f. pl.): “wealth”.

1184 indipiscor, indipisci, indeptus sum: “overtake”; translate here: “acquire”.

1185 immo: “by all means”, “indeed”; “on the contrary”, “by no means”.

1186 manibus dimissis: literally “with hands let loose”; translate here: “as fast as you could run”.

1187 unum = quendam: “someone”.

1188 meas = meas pugnas.

1189 quoi = cui.

1190 praedico, -are, -aui, -atum: “announce”, “proclaim”, “boast about”.

1191 suas = suas pugnas.

1192 proin (adverb): “therefore”, “so then”.

1193 cento, -onis (m.): “garment or blanket made from patchwork”.

1194 sarcio, -ire, sarsi, sartum: “patch”, “mend”, “restore”; quoi centones sarcias: literally “for whom you can mend your patchwork cloth”; translate here: “to whom you can tell your [tall] tales”, “who’ll listen to your story-telling”.

1195 animum aduorte: “pay attention”.

1196 quod (accusative of the inner object): “about which”, “regarding which”.

1197 mercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy”.

1198 attatae (an expression of surprise or amazement).

1199 dudum (adverb): “a little while ago”, “formerly”.

1200 itast = ita est.

1201 emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy” (supply eam or amicam as the direct object).

1202 pauculus, -a, -um (diminutive of paucus, -a, -um); uolo te uerbis pauculis (supply conloqui): “I want to have a few little words with you”.

1203 molestus, -a, -um: “annoying”, “[a] bother”.

1204 necne: “whether… or not”.

1205 tramittas = transmittas < transmitto, -ere, -misi, -missum: “hand over” (supply uolo before ut tramittas and [ut] accipias).

1206 adest: “is it here”, “do you have [the money] with you”.

1207 quid: “why”.

1208 uerus, -a, -um: “true”.

1209 parco, -ere, peperci, parsum: “refrain from”.

1210 liberta, ae (f.): “freedwoman”, “former slave”.

1211 concubina, -ae (f.): “concubine”, “common-law wife”, “mistress”, “girlfriend” (in Rome, concubines were free or freedwomen who lived in a marriage-like relationship with a man of usually higher status. Any children they produced were considered illegitimate; they did not enter their father’s patria potestas, and they inherited their mother’s legal status, whatever that might be).

1212 apsoluam = absoluam < absoluo, -ere, absolui, absolutum: “free”, “let [someone] off”.

1213 breui (adverb): “quickly”, “soon”.

1214 quinquaginta (indeclinable): “fifty”.

1215 mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

1216 sexaginta (indeclinable): “sixty”.

1217 denumero, -are, -aui, -atum: “pay in full”, “pay down”.

1218 possideo, -ere, possedi, possessum: “be master of”, “possess”, “take possession of”; translate here: “occupy”.

1219 faxo (alternative form of the first-person singular future indicative active of facio, -ere): “I’ll make [it happen]”; translate here: “I promise”.

1220 feriae, -arum (f. pl.): “religious festival”, “holiday”; translate here: “leisure time”.

1221 profecto (adverb): “certainly”.

1222 ita… ut (+ subjunctive): “on condition that”.

1223 exonero, -are, -aui, -atum: “remove”.

1224 ager, agri (m.): “field”; translate here: “land” (here it refers either to “Attic land”, meaning the territory around Athens where the play is supposedly set, or “my land”, meaning Periphanes’s property).

1225 lex, legis (f.): “law”; translate here: “condition” (istis legibus is an ablative of attendant circumstances: “under those conditions”).

1226 concilio, -are, -aui, -atum: “bring together”; translate here: “buy”.

1227 pulchre (adverb): “excellently” (conciliauisti pulchre: “you’ve made a good bargain”).

1228 heus: “hey!” (used to try to get someone’s attention).

1229 foras (adverb): “out of doors”.

1230 educo, -ere, eduxi, eductum: “lead out”, “bring out”.

1231 introduco, -ere, -duxi, -ductum: “lead in”, “lead inside”.

1232 fides, fidium (f. pl.): “lyre”.

1233 accedo, -ere, -cessi, -cessum: “go with” (+ dative).

1234 addo, -ere, addidi, additum: “add”.

1235 dono: “as a gift”.

1236 gratiis: “as a favour”, “for nothing”, “for free”.

1237 sis = si uis: “please”, “if you please”.

1238 intemperia, -ae (f.): “insanity”, “foolishness”.

1239 teneo, -ere, tenui, tentum: “hold”, “possess”.

1240 tenebrae, -arum (f. pl.): “darkness”, “concealment”.

1241 trudo, -ere, trusi, trusum: “thrust”, “push”, “drive”, “force”; quas tu mihi tenebras trudis: “what concealment are you pushing on me”; translate here: “what trick are you playing on me”.

1242 quin: “why… not?”, “why don’t you…?”.

1243 produco, -ere, -duxi, -ductum: “bring out”.

1244 intus: “from within”, “from inside”.

1245 nullast = nulla est.

1246 nugor, -ari, nugatus sum: “trick [someone]”, “act like a fool”.

1247 Acropolistis, Acropolistidis (f.): the name of the first lyre-player that Stratippocles had told Epidicus to buy for him while he was away on campaign. Epidicus has, as you remember, told Periphanes that she was his illegitimate daughter (see line 88).

1248 haec inquamst = haec inquam est: “I say that this is she”, “she’s the one, I tell you”.

1249 nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1250 rere (second-person singular present passive indicative) < reor, reri, ratus sum: “reckon”, “think”, “believe”.

1251 meu’ = meus.

1252 depereo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -tum (conjugated like eo, ire): “die”, “be destroyed”, “fall desperately in love”.

1253 unde haec igitur gentiumst?: “where in the world did she come from then?”

1254 datum = datum esse (its accusative subject is argentum).

1255 reor, reri, ratus sum: “think”, “suppose”, “believe”.

1256 peccatum, -i (n.): “mistake” (supply fuisse, the subject of which would be the purchase of the wrong fidicina).

1257 largiter (adverb): “in abundance”, “greatly”.

1258 immo: “by no means”.

1259 east = ea est.

1260 sector, sectari, sectatus sum: “follow continually”, “attend”.

1261 gnatum = natum < natus, -i (m.): “son”.

1262 destino, -are, -aui, -atum: “arrange the purchase of”.

1263 em (expression of surprise, in a good or bad sense): “hah!”.

1264 istic (adverb): “now”, “here”, “there”.

1265 articulatim: “limb from limb”, “point by point”, “in detail”.

1266 concido, -ere, concidi, concisum: “cut to pieces”, “kill”, “destroy”.

1267 tuo’ seruos = tuus seruus.

1268 suspiciost = suspicio est; sic suspiciost: “that’s what I suspect”.

1269 cerua, -ae (f.): “doe”, “deer”.

1270 supposita = subposita < subpono, -ere, -posui, -positum: “substitute”.

1271 tibi os est sublitum: “you’ve been deceived”; alicui os sublinere literally means “to smear someone’s face”, but figuratively means “to make a fool of someone”, “outwit someone”.

1272 requiro, -ere, requisiui, requisitum: “require”, “seek”, “ask for”.

1273 ubi ubi: “wherever”.

1274 eugae (exclamation): “good”, “well done” (here meant ironically: “well that’s just PERFECT!”).

1275 frugi’s = frugi es; frugi (indeclinable adjective): “worthy”, “frugal”, “virtuous” (this is an attribute often applied to slaves who thriftily save up money in their peculia (personal savings) in order that they might eventually buy their own freedom).

1276 pugnasti = pugnauisti < pugno, -are, -aui, -atum: “fight”.

1277 emungo, -ere, emunxi, emunctum: “wipe/blow the nose”; “cheat”.

1278 mucidus, -a, -um: “sniveling”, “snotty”.

1279 minimi preti (genitive of price after me… mucidum): “of little value”, “worthless”.

1280 mercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy”.

1281 leno, -onis (m.): “pimp”, “brothel keeper”.

1282 fando (gerund) < for, fari, fatus sum: “speak”, “say”; here translate fando: “by report”.

1283 quinquennium, -ii/-i (n.): “for five years”, “a period of five years”.

1284 negotist = negotii est < negotium, -i/ii (n.): “business”.

1285 conduco, - ere, -xi, -ctum: “bring”, “hire”.

1286 fides, fidium (f. pl.): “lyre”.

1287 rem diuinam: “religious activity”, “sacrifice”.

1288 fateor, fateri, fassus sum: “admit”, “confess”.

1289 minimi preti (genitive of price): “of little value”, “worthless”.

1290 nouistin = nouisti+ne < nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1291 tam facile quam me: “as well as I know myself”.

1292 postquam: “after”, “since”.

1293 liberast = libera est < libero, -are, -aui, atum: “set free”, “emancipate”.

1294 admodum (adverb): “fully”, “thoroughly”.

1295 ubi habitet dicere admodum incerte scio: “to tell [you] where she’s living, I don’t really know for sure”; “I’m really not sure where she’s living”.

1296 eho (an exclamation of surprise, amazement, anger, or a preface to giving someone an order or request).

1297 Periphanei (genitive).

1298 apsentem = absentem.

1299 curo, -are, -aui, -atum: “arrange”, “see/attend to”, “take care of”.

1300 pereo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum: “die”, “be ruined”, “be lost”.

1301 istaec = ista.

1302 planissume = planissime: “totally”.

1303 exentero, -are, -aui, -atum: “disembowel”; (in the context of a purse or store of money) “empty”.

1304 marsuppium, -ii (n.): “purse”, “moneybag”.

1305 numquid (a strengthened form of num): “surely… not?”, “can it be that…?”.

1306 numquid me uis ceterum: “can I do anything else for you?”.

1307 cruciatus, -us (m.): “torture”, “crucifixion”.

1308 malo cruciatu ut pereas atque abeas cito: “[I want you] to get out of here and go die on a cross”.

1309 fides, -ium (f. pl.): “lyre”.

1310 reddo, -ere, reddidi, redditum: “return”, “give back”.

1311 tibia, -ae (f.): “flute”, “woodwind instrument” (originally made from the tibia or shin bone of an animal).

1312 properā (second-person singular present imperative active) < propero, -are, -aui, -atum: “be quick”, “hurry”, “go quickly”).

1313 sis (second-person singular present subjunctive active) < sum, esse; used here to emphasize the peremptory nature of Periphanes’s command and is best not translated literally (see Lindsay 1904: 58–59).

1314 abiero (first-person singular future perfect indicative active) < abeo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum.

1315 flagitium, -ii (n.): “shame”, “scandal”.

1316 flagitio cum maiore post reddes tamen: “but you’ll give it [the lyre] back with the big scandal [I’ll spread around]”, “but you’ll give it back or I’ll make trouble for you”.

1317 pono, -ere, posui, positum: “put”, “place”, “set”.

1318 sententia, -ae (f.): “judgment”, “opinion”.

1319 sino, sinere, siui, situm: “allow”.

1320 impune (adverb): “with impunity”, “without punishment”.

1321 immo: “by no means”.

1322 alterum tantum: “as much again”, “as large a sum”.

1323 perdundumst = perdundum est < perdo, -ere, perdidi, perditum: “ruin”, “lose”.

1324 potius quam: “rather than”.

1325 inrisum = irrisum < irrideo, -ere, irrisi, irrisum: “make fun of”, “laugh at”.

1326 habitum [esse]: “to be regarded as”.

1327 habitum [esse] peculatui: “to have been held as source of plunder”, “to have been cheated”.

1328 ei (exclamation): “oh”.

1329 seic = sic.

1330 data esse uerba: “to have been tricked / lied to” (see note in Act 1, scene 1).

1331 praesens, praesentis (praesenti agrees with a missing mihi): “at hand”, “present”, “in person”.

1332 palam (adverb): “openly”.

1333 minoris (genitive of value): “of less worth”, “lowlier”.

1334 prae: “in front of”.

1335 fictor, -oris (m.): “maker”.

1336 condictor, -oris (m.): “one who fixes or arranges”.

1337 clueo, -ere: “be spoken of”, “hear oneself called”.

1338 sapio, -ere, sapiui, – : “to be sensible”, “to be wise”.

1339 memoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “remember”, “reminisce”, “speak of”, “mention”.

1340 malleus, -ei (m.): “hammer”.

1341 excutio, -ere, excussi, excussum: “shake out or off”; translate here: “knock off”.

1342 manubrium, -ii (n.): “handle”.

1343 homini (dative of possession with est).

1344 miseria, -ae (f.): “suffering”, “misery”.

1345 miseresco, -ere: “have compassion”.

1346 animost = animo est; si quid est homini miseriarum quod miserescat, miser ex animost: “if a person suffers so much that she pities herself, she is well and truly pitiable”.

1347 experior, -iri, expertus sum: “put to the test”, “experience”.

1348 quoi = cui.

1349 confluont = confluunt < confluo, -ere, -fluxi, – : “flow together”.

1350 pectu’ = pectus < pectus, pectoris (n.): “breast”, “chest”; translate here: “heart”.

1351 pulso, -are, -aui, -atum: “beat”, “strike”, “hammer”.

1352 multiplex, -plicis: “having many folds”, “having many parts”.

1353 aerumna, -ae: “distress”, “hardship”, “labour”, “task”.

1354 exerceo, -ere, -ui, -itum: “occupy”, “exercise”, “disturb”.

1355 pauor, -oris (m.): “fear”, “panic”.

1356 territo, -are, -aui, -atum: “intimidate”, “keep in a state of fear”.

1357 conlocem = collocem < colloco, -are, -aui, -atum: “place”, “position”.

1358 spes (feminine accusative plural) < spes, spei.

1359 usquam: “anywhere”.

1360 munitus, -a, -um: “safe”.

1361 gnata = nata, -ae (f.): “daughter”.

1362 hostiumst = hostium est; hostis, -is (m.): “stranger”, “foreigner”.

1363 hostiumst potita: “[she] has been captured by the enemy”.

1364 illaec = illa.

1365 pectore < pectus, pectoris (see above).

1366 peregre (adverb): “to/from abroad”.

1367 miseror, -ari, -atus sum: “pity”, “feel sorry for”.

1368 dictust = dictus est.

1369 illi (feminive dative singular, referring to Philippa).

1370 hospitium, -ii (n.): “hospitality”.

1371 usu’ = usus; usu’ uenit (+ ablative): “there is need for”, “it is necessary”.

1372 peruolo, peruelle, peruolui (stronger form of uolo).

1373 merces, mercedis (f.): “pay”, “reward”.

1374 noscito, -are, -aui, -atum: “recognize”, “try to recognize”.

1375 nescio ubi: “I don’t know where”.

1376 mi = mihi.

1377 east = ea est.

1378 reor, reri, ratus sum: “think”, “suppose”, “believe”.

1379 uisito, -are, -aui, -atum: “see”, “go to see”.

1380 antidhac = antehac (adverb): “before this time”, “in the past”; uisitaui … antidhac?: “have I seen [this man] before?”.

1381 certo: “certainly”.

1382 pauperculus, -a, -um: “poor little” (diminutive of pauper, pauperis).

1383 memini, -isse: “remember” (only the perfect tense forms exist).

1384 comprimo, -ere, -pressi, -pressum: “press together”, “restrain”; translate here: “have sex with” (from a male point of view), “sexually penetrate”.

1385 hicine: “here”.

1386 primu’ = primus.

1387 pudicitia, -ae (f.): “chastity”, “virginity”.

1388 perpello, perpellere, perpuli, perpulsum: “compel”, “constrain”, “prevail upon”.

1389 compressus, -us (m.): “pressing together”; translate here: “sexual intercourse” (by a man), “sexual penetration”.

1390 pario, -ere, peperi, paritum/partum: “give birth to”.

1391 quid si: “what if”.

1392 adeo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum: “approach”.

1393 hau = haud: “not”, “not at all”.

1394 congredias (alternative second-person singular present subjunctive active < congredior, -iri, congressus sum: “approach”).

1395 sicut: “as”, “since”.

1396 dubius, -a, -um: “uncertain”.

1397 dies, diei (f.): “day”; translate here: “period of time”.

1398 incerto, -are, -aui, -atum: “make unsure/uncertain”.

1399 sin = si + -ne.

1400 autumo, -are, –aui, -atum: “affirm”, “think/believe”.

1401 astus, -us (m.): “cunning”, “cleverness”.

1402 muliebris, muliebre: “womanly”, “feminine”.

1403 adhibeo, -ere, adhibui, adhibitum: “summon”, “use”.

1404 malitia, -ae (f.): “malice”, “artfulness”, “cunning”.

1405 compello, -are, -aui, -atum: “address”, “speak to”.

1406 orationis aciem: “the sharp edge of my eloquence/speech”.

1407 contra: “against [him]”.

1408 confero, -ferre, -tuli, -latum: “direct”, “aim”.

1409 sies = sis.

1410 salus, salutis (f.): “greeting”, “wishes for good health”.

1411 meis = meis familiaribus: “for my family”.

1412 saluos = saluus.

1413 credo, -ere, credidi, creditum: “believe”, “trust”; translate here: “lend”.

1414 quod credidisti reddo: “I return [the greeting] that you lent me”.

1415 accuso, -are, -aui, -atum: “find fault with”.

1416 fides, fidei (f.): “faith”, “trustworthiness”; translate here: “credit”.

1417 nouin = noui + -ne < nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1418 induco, -ere, -duxi, -ductum: “induce”, “influence”.

1419 si ego te noui, animum inducam ut tu noueris: “if I know you, I’ll persuade myself that you know me”.

1420 inique (adverb < iniquus, -a, -um): “unjustly”, “unfairly”.

1421 iniuriu’s = iniurius es: “you’re being unfair” (Plautus sometimes pairs an adjective and adverb that mean essentially the same thing).

1422 interpretor, -ari, -atus sum: “explain”, “interpret”; translate here: “assist”, “jog [your memory]” (+ dative tuae memoriae).

1423 aequom = aequum.

1424 censeo, -ere, censui, censitum: “think”, “recommend”.

1425 commode (adverb): “rightly”, “appropriately”, “skillfully”.

1426 fabulata’s = fabulata es < fabulor, -ari, -atus sum: “speak”.

1427 mirus, -a, -um: “amazing”, “surprising”.

1428 memoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “remember”, “reminisce”, “speak of”, “mention”.

1429 Periphane (vocative).

1430 em (expression of surprise, in a good or bad sense): “there!”, “hah!”.

1431 istuc = istud.

1432 rectius (comparative adverb from rectus, -a, -um): “more rightly”.

1433 meministin = meministi + -ne < memini, meminisse: “remember” (only the perfect tense forms exist).

1434 guttulā (ablative singular) < guttula, -ae (f.): “little drop”.

1435 aspergo, -ere, aspersi, aspersum: “sprinkle”.

1436 me leuare (accusative-infinitive construction after meministin in line 554).

1437 meministin… in Epidauro… uirgini pauperculae tuaeque matri me leuare paupertam: “do you remember that in Epidaurus I lightened the poverty of a penniless young girl and of your mother”.

1438 tun = tu + -ne.

1439 per: “for the sake of” (+ accusative).

1440 aerumna, -ae (f.): “distress”, “hardship”, “labour”, “task”.

1441 obsero, -ere, obseui, obsitum: “sow”, “plant”, “bring”.

1442 salua… saluom (Philippa takes Periphanes’s greeting salue literally).

1443 saluom = saluum.

1444 sentio, -ire, sensi, sensum: “perceive”.

1445 cedo (archaic singular imperative related to do, dare): “give”.

1446 aerumnosus, -a, -um (adjectival form of aerumna, -a see above).

1447 miseria, -ae (f.): “suffering”, “misery”.

1448 compos, compotis: “in possession of”; translate here: “afflicted with” (+ genitive).

1449 retineo, -ere, retinui, retentus: “hold”; translate here: “hold the hand of”.

1450 quid est quod: “why is that”, “why”.

1451 uoltus/uultus, -ūs (m.): “face”, “facial expression”.

1452 quid est quod uoltus †te turbat† tuos? should probably be emended, as Duckworth suggests, to quid est quod uoltus turbatur tuos: “why is your face so troubled?”.

1453 tuos = tuus.

1454 suscipio, -ere, suscepi, susceptum: “receive”, “bear [a child]”.

1455 quid eam: “what about her?”.

1456 eductam = educatam < educo, -are, -aui, -atum: “raise / bring up [a child]”.

1457 perdo, -ere, perdidi, perditum: “ruin”, “lose”.

1458 hostium est potita: “[she] has been captured by the enemy”.

1459 domi meae (locative).

1460 eccam = ecce eam (ecce usually means “look!”, “behold”, and frequently, as here, refers to someone off stage).

1461 ilico (adverb): “immediately”.

1462 continuo (adverb): “immediately”.

1463 emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy”.

1464 adeo: “precisely”, “exactly”.

1465 sobrie (adverb from sobrius, -a, -um: “sober”, “sensible”).

1466 frugaliter (adverb < frugalis, -e: “useful”, “prudent”); see note in Act 3, scene 4a.

1467 accuro, -are, -aui, -atum: “attend to”, “take care of”, “perform with care”.

1468 impense: “exceedingly” < impensus, -a, -um: “great”, “ample”.

1469 inprobus = improbus < improbus, -a, -um: “wicked”, “greedy”, “shameless”.

1470 fac uideam: “let me see [her]”.

1471 sei = si.

1472 sei mea: “if she is mine”.

1473 sei saluam <me> uis: “if you want me to be well”.

1474 eho (an exclamation of surprise, amazement, anger, or a preface to giving someone an order or request).

1475 istinc: “from [in] there”.

1476 Canthara, -ae: a woman’s name.

1477 Telestis, Telestidis: the name of Periphanes’s and Philippa’s illegitimate daughter.

1478 prodeo, -ire, -iui, -itum: “come out”.

1479 ante (preposition + accusative): “in front of”.

1480 aedis/aedes, -is (f.): “building”, “house” (often used in the plural, as here).

1481 remigro, -are, -aui, -atum: “move back”, “return”.

1482 excio, -ire, -iui, -itum: “rouse”, “send for”, “summon”.

1483 adeas < adeo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum: “approach”.

1484 aduenienti (dative singular of the present active participle of aduenio, -ire, -ueni, -uentum).

1485 des < do, dare, dedi, datum.

1486 salus, salutis (f.): “greeting”, “wishes for good health”.

1487 osculum, -i (n.): “kiss”.

1488 quam meam matrem (accusative direct object of an implied ut… uideam, adeam carried over from 570–571): “[so that I may come and see] which mother of mine?”.

1489 exanimo, -are, -aui, -atum: “alarm”, “exhaust”, “be out of breath”.

1490 exsequor, -i, -exsecutus sum: “follow”, “pursue”, “search for”.

1491 aspectus, -ūs (m.): “appearance”, “sight”, “countenance”.

1492 tuom = tuum.

1493 istaec = ista.

1494 mi = mihi.

1495 haecine = haec + -ne.

1496 qur = cur.

1497 nata sit < nascor, nasci, natus sum: “be born”; perfect subjunctive because it’s a relative clause of concession, see Allen and Greenough’s Latin Grammar 535.e, http://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/latin/category-search?field_gl_section_number_value=535.

1498 qur = cur.

1499 siet = sit.

1500 quia ego hanc quae siet / neque scio neque noui: literally “because I don’t know this woman — who she may be — and I don’t recognize [her]”.

1501 quid: “why”.

1502 erro, -are, -aui, -atum: “err”, “make a mistake”, “be confused” (subjunctive because it’s an indirect question).

1503 uestitus, -ūs (m.): “clothing”.

1504 ornatus, -ūs (m.): “adornment”, “accessories”.

1505 immutabilis, -e: “changed”, “liable to be changed” (< immuto, -are: “change”; not to be confused with immutabilis < in + mutabilis: ”unchangeable”).

1506 aliter… aliter (abverb): “one way… another way”.

1507 catulus, -i (m.): “puppy”.

1508 longe (adverb): “by a long way”, “far”, “much”.

1509 oleo, -ere, olui, — : “smell of”, “smell like”.

1510 sus, suis (m./f.): “pig”.

1511 ne (interjection followed by a personal or demonstrative pronoun): “really”, “indeed”.

1512 nosse = nouisse < nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1513 pro: “oh!”, “by…!”, “for the sake of…” (+ accusative).

1514 lenocinium, -ii (n.): “pimping”, “sex trafficking”.

1515 alienus, -a, -um: “strange”, “foreign”.

1516 domi (locative).

1517 egurgito, -are, -aui, -atum: “pour out from” (+ ablative).

1518 prosus/prorsus (adverb): “entirely”, “utterly”.

1519 quid: “why”.

1520 tuom = tuum.

1521 quid: “what”.

1522 fuat = sit.

1523 uolt = uult.

1524 hāc inuitā (ablative absolute): “even if she isn’t willing”, “even without her agreement”.

1525 ero < sum, esse, fui, futurum.

1526 matris (Acropolistis here is referring to her own real mother): “my mother’s”.

1527 med = me.

1528 istanc = istam.

1529 cogo, -ere, coegi, coactum: “compel”, “force”.

1530 aequom = aequum: “right”, “fair”.

1531 neuolt = non uult.

1532 qur = cur.

1533 istaec = ista.

1534 culpast = culpa est.

1535 nomino, -are, -aui, -atum: “name”, “call”.

1536 appello, -are, -aui, -atum: “call”, “name”.

1537 postremo (adverb): “finally”.

1538 disco, -ere, didici, discitum: “learn”.

1539 magister, -tri (m.): “teacher”.

1540 pereo, -ire, -iui/-ii, -itum: “die”, “be ruined”, “be lost”.

1541 plaustrum, -tri (n.): “wagon”.

1542 percello, -ere, perculi, perculsum: “upset”; plaustrum perculi (proverbial saying): “I’ve really messed up”.

1543 numquid (a strengthened form of num): “surely… not?”, “can it be that…?”.

1544 interimo, -ere, interimi, interemptum: “do away with”, “kill”, “put an end to”.

1545 ubi: “when”, “whenever”.

1546 ibi: “then”.

1547 esto (second-person singular future imperative active) < sum, esse, fui, futurus.

1548 fueris (second-person singular perfect subjunctive active) < sum, esse, fui, futurus.

1549 quam ob rem: “for that reason”.

1550 emo, -ere, emi, emptum: “buy”.

1551 gnatam = natam < nata, -ae (f.): “daughter”.

1552 ratu’s = ratus es < reor, reri, ratus sum: “think”, “suppose”, “believe”. Supply esse to make an indirect statement with tuam gnatam esse ratu’s).

1553 quibu’ = quibus.

1554 agnosco, -ere, agnoui, agnitum: “recognize”.

1555 qua re: “why”.

1556 qua re filiam credidisti nostram (supply esse to make an indirect statement).

1557 seruos = seruus.

1558 quid si seruo aliter uisum est: “so if it seemed otherwise to your slave”, “just because your slave made a mistake”.

1559 nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1560 opsecro: “please”, “for goodness’ sake”.

1561 quid ego: “how could I?”.

1562 ut: “since”.

1563 preimum = primum: “for the first time”.

1564 fleo, -ere, fleui, fletum: “weep”, “cry”; ne fle: “stop crying”.

1565 abi (second-person singular present imperative) < abeo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum.

1566 reperio, -ire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

1567 hinc: “from here”.

1568 Athenis (ablative of place from which, referring to the place where Stratippocles, the ciuis Atticus, is from).

1569 abi (second-person singular present imperative) < abeo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum.

1570 asseruo, -are, -aui, -atum: “guard, “watch”.

1571 Circa, -ae (f.): “Circe” (Circe, from Greek mythology, was the daughter of the Sun. She was a witch and lover of Odysseus. It is not a compliment for Periphanes to refer to Acropolistis as “Circe”).

1572 Sol, Solis (m.): “sun”.

1573 relictis rebus (ablative absolute): “with the [other] matter left aside”.

1574 operam quaerendo dabo: “I’ll give attention to seeking”, “I’ll start looking for”.

1575 exitiabilis, -e: “destructive”, “deadly”.

1576 male (used to negate morigerus).

1577 morigerus, - a, -um: “compliant”, “obliging”.

1578 danista, -ae (m.): “moneylender”.

1579 quei = qui.

1580 praeda, -ae (f.): “booty”, “[war] prize”.

1581 eccum = ecce + hunc: “look, there he is!”.

1582 incedo, -ere, incessi, incessum: “walk”, “march along”.

1583 quid illuc quod: “why is it that?”.

1584 caperro, -are, -aui, -atum: “be wrinkled”, “wrinkle”, “furrow”.

1585 frons, frontis (m.): “forehead”, “brow”.

1586 seueritudo, -tudinis (f.): “severity”, “worry”.

1587 undecim (indeclinable; here it qualifies deos): “eleven”.

1588 praeter: “except”, “not including”.

1589 cruciatus, -us (m.): “torture”, “crucifixion”.

1590 eximo, -ere, exemi, exemptum: “extract”, “release”, “save”.

1591 lorum, -i (n.): “leather strap”, “whip”.

1592 unā (adverbial): “at the same time”, “along with him”.

1593 quaerito, -are, -aui, -atum: “seek”, “search for”.

1594 sibi data esse uerba: “that they have been tricked / lied to”.

1595 quid agis: “what are you up to” (this is a standard greeting).

1596 Commoditas, -atis (f.): “timeliness”, “convenience”, “benefit” (Stratippocles uses this nickname for Epidicus perhaps from affection, or more likely as a casual acknowledgment that Epidicus is a useful tool to him).

1597 quod (replies literally to Stratippocles’s greeting): “what [a miserable man would be up to]”.

1598 quin: “why… not?”, “why don’t you…?”.

1599 adorno, -are, -aui, -atum: “get ready”, “prepare”.

1600 fuga, -ae (f.): “escape”, “running away” “exile”.

1601 uiaticus, -a, -um (adjective < uia, -ae): “relating to a journey”; quin tu mihi adornaas ad fugam uiaticum: “why don’t you give me what I’ll need to run away”.

1602 priu’ quam = prius quam: “before”.

1603 defloccatus, -a, -um: “bald”, “shorn”, “fleeced” (probably intended in the sense of “cheated”).

1604 gesto, -are, -aui, -atum: “carry”.

1605 copula, -ae (f.): “rope”, “thong”, “bond”.

1606 simul: “also”, “at the same time”.

1607 quippe: “obviously”.

1608 quoi = cui.

1609 in mundo: “in readiness” (Epidicus is being ironic here, since it is punishment, not freedom, that he actually expects).

1610 sitast = sita est: “[for whom freedom] has been allowed / permitted” < sino, -ere, siui, situm: “allow”.

1611 seruo, -are, -aui, -atum: “guard”, “keep watch over”. “protect”, “save”.

1612 me illi melius: “they’ll guard me better” (Stratippocles used te seruabo to mean “I’ll protect you”, but Epidicus picks up on the other meaning of the word: “guard” or “keep watch over”).

1613 nancti fuant = nancti sunt < nanciscor, nancisci, nanctus sum: “get”, “find”, “meet with”.

1614 muliercula, - ae (f.): “little woman”.

1615 grauastellus, -i (m.): “little old man”.

1616 haecinest = haec + -ne est: “this is she”, “this is her”.

1617 aspicio, -ere, aspexi, aspectum: “look [at]”.

1618 contemplo, -are, -aui, -atum: “gaze [at]”.

1619 unguiculus, -i (m.): “fingernail”, “toenail”.

1620 capilla, -ae (f.): “hair”.

1621 summumst = summum est.

1622 festiuissumus = festiuissimus (superlative < festiuus, -a, -um): “most pleasing”, “prettiest”.

1623 consimilis, -e: “similar”.

1624 quasi (adverb): “as though” (followed by the subjunctive mood).

1625 quom = cum.

1626 signum, -i (n.): “statue”, “picture”.

1627 pictus, -a, -um: “painted”.

1628 aspexeris (second-person singular perfect active subjunctive) < aspicio, -ere, aspexi, aspectum: “look [at]”.

1629 futurum = futurum esse: “[my skin] is going to be”.

1630 corium, -ii (n.): “skin”; “hide”.

1631 pulchrum (here Epidicus means that his skin will be “beautiful” or “pretty as a picture” in the sense that it will be marked with whip lashes).

1632 praedico, -ere, -dixi, -dictum (this is a different verb from praedico, -are): “foretell”, “predict”.

1633 quem (referring to a missing me as antecedent).

1634 Apelles, -is: the name of a famous Greek painter.

1635 Zeuxis, is/-idis: the name of another famous Greek painter.

1636 Apelles atque Zeuxis duo (referring to Periphanes and Apoecides).

1637 pingo, -ere, pinxi, pictum: “paint”.

1638 pigmentum, -i (n.): “pigment”, “paint”.

1639 ulmeus, -a, -um: “made of elmwood” (referring to the elmwood rods with which Epidicus expects to be beaten).

1640 inmortales = immortales.

1641 sicin = sic + -ne: “in this way?”.

1642 iubeo, -ere, iussi, iussum: “order”, “tell” (often followed, as here, by the subjunctive without ut, see Allen and Greenough’s Latin Grammar 565a, http://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/latin/category-search?field_gl_section_number_value=565).

1643 ires < eo, ire, iui/ii, itum.

1644 plumbeus, -a, -um: “leaden”, “made of lead”, “slow” (pedibus plumbeis is an ablative of quality).

1645 qui: “the man who” (this seems to be a reference to some proverbial story about a man with leaden feet).

1646 perhibetur: “is said to be”.

1647 priu’ …quam = prius… quam.

1648 remoror, -ari, -atus sum: “delay”.

1649 med = me.

1650 siquidem: “if indeed”, “accordingly”.

1651 id (referring to the task of bringing Telestis to Stratippocles’s home).

1652 remoratu’s = remoratus es < remoror, -ari, -atus sum: “delay”.

1653 quod: “because”.

1654 cito: “quickly”.

1655 age age: “come on now”.

1656 apsolue = absolue < absoluo, -ere, absolui, absolutum: “pay off”.

1657 numero, -are, -aui, -atum: “count out”.

1658 comes, comitis (m.): “partner”, “associate”.

1659 moror, -ari, -atus sum: “delay”.

1660 pernumeratumst = pernumeratum est < pernumero, -are, -aui, -atum: “count out”, “reckon up”.

1661 teneo, -ere, tenui, tentum: “take”, “hold”.

1662 crumina, -ae (f.): “pouch”, “purse”, “small moneybag”.

1663 huc: “in(to) here”.

1664 indo, indidi, inditum: “put into”.

1665 sapienter (adverb < sapiens, sapientis).

1666 opperire (second-person singular present imperative) < opperior, opperiri, opperitus sum: “wait”, “await”.

1667 ecfero = effero < effero, efferre, extuli, elatus: “carry out”, “bring out”.

1668 maturo, -are, -aui, -atum: “ripen”, “hurry”, “make haste to”.

1669 domist = domi est: “it’s in my house”.

1670 satin = satis + -ne: “enough”, “sufficiently”.

1671 oculis (ablative after utilitatem optineo): “[do I still have the use of my] eyes”.

1672 utilitas, -tatis (f.): “use”, “usefulness”.

1673 optineo, -ere, optinui, optentum: “obtain”, “possess”, “keep”.

1674 sincere (adverb < sincerus, -a, -um): “sincerely”, “genuinely”.

1675 parum (adverb): “not enough”, “insufficiently”.

1676 uideon = uideo + -ne.

1677 Telestidem (accusative form of the name Telestis).

1678 Periphanei (genitive).

1679 Thebis (locative).

1680 Epidauri (locative).

1681 sero, -ere, seui, satum: “sow”, “plant”, “beget”; translate here: “conceive”.

1682 memoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “remember”, “reminisce”, “speak of”, “mention”.

1683 nouisti < nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1684 quod quidem nunc ueniat in mentem mihi (the negative is implied): “not that I can recall right now”.

1685 memini, meminisse: “remember” (only the perfect tense forms exist).

1686 aureus, -a, -um: “gold”, “golden”.

1687 affero, afferre, attuli, allatum (or adfero, adferre, adtuli, adlatum): “bring”, “deliver”, “use” (+ accusative).

1688 natalis, -e: “natal”, “relating to one’s birth”.

1689 lunula, -ae (f.): “little moon”, “moon-shaped ornament”.

1690 anellus, -i (m.): “little ring”.

1691 aureolus, -a, -um: “golden”.

1692 in digitum: “for your finger”, “to wear on your finger”.

1693 mi (vocative) < meus, -a, -um.

1694 istic (adverb): “now”, “here”, “there”.

1695 mercatust = mercatus est < mercor, -ari, -atus sum: “buy”.

1696 tuos = tuus.

1697 alia matre uno patre: “same father, different mothers”.

1698 quid: “what about”.

1699 meu’ = meus.

1700 uiuost = uiuus est: “is he alive”.

1701 animo (ablative of quality; see Bennett’s New Latin Grammar 224, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect224).

1702 liquidus, -a, -um: “clear”, “calm”.

1703 tranquillus, -a, -um: “quiet”, “calm”.

1704 es (2nd person singular present imperative active) < sum, esse, fui, futurus.

1705 ex perdita: “from/after having been lost”.

1706 autumo, -are, -aui, -atum: “say”, “assert”.

1707 occasio, -onis (f.): “occasion”, “opportunity”.

1708 fabulor, -ari, -atus sum: “talk”, “tell”.

1709 quadraginta (indeclinable): “forty”.

1710 mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

1711 siquid erit dubium: “if any [of the coins] are of doubtful integrity” (that is, if the moneylender thinks any of the coins are counterfeit).

1712 immuto, -are, -aui, -atum: “change”.

1713 aeque (adverb): “equally”.

1714 sanan = sana + -ne < sanus, -a, -um: “sane”, “healthy”.

1715 si appellat suom: “if she is calling [you] her own [brother]”.

1716 <quo> modo: “how?”, “in what way?”.

1717 dum intro eo atque exeo: “while I was going in and then out of the house”.

1718 quod boni est (boni is genitive of the whole): “what’s good”, “the good [situation] that we have”.

1719 tacitus, -a, -um: “silent”.

1720 taceo, -ere, tacui, tacitum: “be silent”.

1721 tute = tu + te (emphatic form of tu).

1722 id tacitus taceas tute tecum et gaudeas: “you should just be quiet about it and be happy”.

1723 perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditus: “ruin”, “lose”.

1724 reperio, -ire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

1725 stultu’s = stultus es.

1726 quod ames: “that which you may love”, “an object for your love”.

1727 praestost = praesto est; praesto (adverb): “at hand”, “ready”, “available”.

1728 operā meā: “thanks to my efforts”.

1729 idem (adverb): “likewise”.

1730 concilio, -are, -aui, -atum: “recover”, “regain”.

1731 fateor, fateri, fassus sum: “admit”, “confess”.

1732 abi (second-person singular present imperative) < abeo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum.

1733 iubeo -ere, iussi, iussum: “tell”, “order” (here followed by the infinitive; see Bennett’s New Latin Grammar 295, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect295).

1734 calefieri (present passive infinitive) < calefacio, calefacere, calefeci, calefactum: “make warm/hot”.

1735 posterius (adverb): “later”.

1736 faxo (alternative form of the first-person singular future indicative active < facio, -ere): “I’ll make [it happen]”, “I promise”.

1737 scibis = scies; faxo scibit: ““I’ll make sure you know”, “I’ll fill you in”.

1738 otium, -ii (n.): “leisure”, “spare time”.

1739 sequere (second-person present imperative) < sequor, -i, secutus sum.

1740 hac: “this way”.

1741 iussero (first-person singular future perfect indicative active) < iubeo, -ere, iussi, iussum.

1742 memento (second-person singular imperative active) < memini, meminisse: “remember”; memento… suppetias… ferre: “remember to bring help”.

1743 quid: “in any way”, “at all”, “about anything”.

1744 saeuibit = saeuiet < saeuio, -ire, saeuiui, saeuitum: “rage”, “be/act angry/violent/ferocious”, “vent rage on”.

1745 suppetiae, -arum (f. pl.): “help”, “aid”.

1746 facile (neuter nominative singular form of the adjective).

1747 istuc = istud.

1748 istac = istā: “that way”.

1749 domum (accusative of place to which): “to the house”.

1750 magnast = magna est.

1751 minoris multo facio: “I care a lot less about”.

1752 dudum: “formerly”, “before”.

1753 remeo, -are, -aui, -atum: “go/come back”, “return”.

1754 adcurentur = accurentur < accuro, -are, -aui, -atum: “take care of”, “attend to”.

1755 eadem: “at the same time”, “likewise”.

1756 edoceo, edocere, edocui, edoctum: “teach/inform thoroughly”.

1757 certumst = certum est mihi: “it is determined by me”, “I’m determined”.

1758 neque… haud (the two negatives strengthen each other).

1759 obicio, -ere, obieci, obiectum: “object”, “throw in the teeth of” (+ dat.).

1760 pedibus: “by my running away”.

1761 prouocatum = prouocatum esse (indirect discourse with the accusative subject sese); prouoco, -are, -aui, -atum: “provoke”.

1762 nimi’ = nimis.

1763 satine = satis + -ne: “surely…?”.

1764 illic = ille.

1765 ludibrium, ludibri/ludibrii (n.): “mockery”, “laughingstock”.

1766 uetulus, -a, -um: “elderly”, “aging”.

1767 decrepitus, -a, -um: “worn out”, “feeble”, “decrepit”, “infirm”.

1768 ludibrio… habet: “is making a laughingstock of” (+ acc.).

1769 tuquidem = tu quidem.

1770 med = me.

1771 sine < sino, -ere, -siui, situm: “allow”, “let”.

1772 apiscor, apisci, aptus sum: “reach”, “catch”.

1773 meliust = melius est.

1774 lassitudine (ablative of cause) < lassitudo, lassitudinis (f.): “exhaustion”, “weariness.

1775 inuado, -ere, inuasi, inuasum: “take possession of”.

1776 misero: “for wretched me”.

1777 flemina, -um (n. pl.): “swelling from blood accumulating in the ankles (or, in this case, the knees)”.

1778 quot… exemplis: “in how many ways”.

1779 ludificatust = ludificatus est < ludificor, -ari, -atus sum: “make a mockery of”, “trick”.

1780 ut: “how!” (exclamatory).

1781 exentero, -are, -aui, -atum: “disembowel”; (in the context of a purse or store of money) “empty”.

1782 opes argentarias: “supply of money”.

1783 apage: “be off!”, “let [that man] keep away”.

1784 iratist = irati est.

1785 quaqua: “wherever”, “whatever”.

1786 amburo, -ere, ambussi, ambustum: “scorch”, “burn”.

1787 asto, astare, astiti, -: “wait”; “stay”, “stand near”.

1788 aestus, -ūs (m.): “heat”, “fire”; “rage”.

1789 calefacio, -ere, calefeci, calefactum: “make hot”, “heat”; “trouble”, “vex”.

1790 duodecim (indeclinable, here agreeing with dis): twelve.

1791 dis (ablative of degree of difference).

1792 duodecim dis plus quam in caelo deorumst inmortalium: “twelve gods more than the immortal gods in heaven”.

1793 deorumst = deorum est.

1794 inmortalium = immortalium.

1795 auxilio: “by means of their assistance”.

1796 adiutor, adiutoris (m.): “helper”, “supporter”.

1797 milito, -are, -aui, -atum: “serve as a soldier”, “perform military service”, “serve in the army”, “make war”.

1798 mi = mihi.

1799 suppetiae, -arum (f. pl.): “help”, “aid”.

1800 apolactizo, -are, -aui, -atum: “kick away”, “spurn”.

1801 omnis = omnes.

1802 quaero, -ere, quaesiui, quaesitum: “seek”, “look for”.

1803 ubi… gentium: “where in the world…?”.

1804 dum: “provided that”.

1805 mea caussa: “for all I care”.

1806 uel (adverb): “even”, “if you prefer”.

1807 medio in mari: “in the middle of the sea”.

1808 quid: “why”.

1809 laboro, -are, -aui, -atum: “labour”, “take pains”, “exert oneself”.

1810 hunc (refers to Apoecides).

1811 sollicito, -are, -aui, -atum: “disturb”, “worry”.

1812 num (interrogative particle, usually implying that a negative answer is expected): “surely… not?”.

1813 apsum = absum.

1814 concedo, -ere, -cessi, -cessum: “withdraw”; “move back”.

1815 supplico, -are, -aui, -atum: “supplicate”, “beg for mercy/pardon/help” (+ dative).

1816 uincio, -ire, uinxi, uinctum: “bind”, “restrain”.

1817 em (expression of surprise, in a good or bad sense): “there!”, “ha!”.

1818 lorum, -i (n.): “leather strap”, “whip”.

1819 te emere uidi (indirect discourse; lora is the implied direct object of emere).

1820 cedo, -ere, cessi, cessum: “withdraw”, “leave”.

1821 conligo, -are, -aui, -atum: “bind”, “tie up”.

1822 ilicet: “it’s no use”, “it’s all up”.

1823 uadimonium, -ii (n.): “bail”, “surety”.

1824 ultro (adverb): “of one’s own accord”, “voluntarily”.

1825 uadimonium… facit: “he offers bail”.

1826 quin: “why… not?”, “why don’t you…?”.

1827 mancupium = mancipium: “possession”, “property”; translate here: “slave”.

1828 scelestus, -a, -um: “wicked”.

1829 profecto (adverb): “certainly”.

1830 nil = nihil.

1831 nil moror mihi deprecari: “I don’t need you to intercede for me” (on nil/nihil moror see note in Act 3, scene 2).

1832 exoro, -are, -aui, -atum: “obtain by persuasion”, “prevail”.

1833 ecquid agis: “are you going to do anything or not?”.

1834 tuon = tuo + -ne.

1835 arbitratus, -ūs (m.): “decision”, “wish”, “choice”.

1836 meo = meo arbitratu.

1837 hau = haud.

1838 tuo = tuo arbritratu.

1839 haec = haec manūs.

1840 tibi (dative of agent after passive periphrastic).

1841 lubet = libet (impersonal verb; see Bennett 138, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect138).

1842 Supply eas or tuas manūs after conligo.

1843 tragula, -ae (f.): “dart”, “javelin”.

1844 inicio, -ere, inieci, iniectum: “thow at”.

1845 adorno, -are, -aui, -atum: “get ready”, “prepare”.

1846 nescioquam = nescio quam.

1847 fabrica, -ae (f.): “crafty device”, “trick”.

1848 mora, ae (f.): “delay”, “obstacle”, “hindrance”.

1849 faci’ = facis.

1850 quom = cum.

1851 solutus, -a, -um: “unbound”, “released”, “unrestrained”, “at large”.

1852 asto, astare, astiti, -: “wait”; “stay”, “stand near”.

1853 magi’ = magis.

1854 mos geratur: “let [his] wish be gratified”, “do what he wants”.

1855 frugi (indeclinable adjective): “worthy”, “frugal”, “virtuous” (see note in Act 3, scene 4a).

1856 cedo (archaic singular imperative related to do, dare): “give”.

1857 morantur nihil: “they don’t mind” (on nil/nihil moror see note in Act 3, scene 2).

1858 arte (adverb < artus, -a, -um): “tightly”.

1859 nihil uero <hoc> obnoxiosse: “and don’t go easy on me”, ”and without any compassion” (obnoxiosse = obnoxie: ”subject to qualification”, “in a restricted manner”).

1860 facto opere (ablative absolute): “when the job has been done”.

1861 arbitramino (archaic imperative second-person singular): “give judgment”.

1862 bene hoc habet: “that does it”.

1863 nunciam = nunc + iam (emphatic form of nunc).

1864 exquiro, exquirere, exquisiui, exquisitum: “find out”, “ask”.

1865 lubet = libet.

1866 qua fiducia: “with what boldness”, “with what brazen self-confidence”.

1867 ausu’s = ausus es < audeo, audere, ausus sum: “dare”.

1868 emptast = empta est.

1869 nudiustertius = nudius tertius; nudius = num/nunc dies (always paired with an ordinal number): “it is now the … day since” (because the Romans counted inclusively, nudiustertius means “the day before yesterday”).

1870 lubuit = libuit (perfect tense of impersonal verb libet); “it pleased [me]”, “I wanted to”.

1871 ea fiducia: “with that brazen self-confidence”.

1872 ain = ais + -ne: “you say [that]?”.

1873 aio: “I do say [that]”.

1874 uel: “or”, “actually”, “indeed”, “even”, “if you prefer”.

1875 pignus, pignoris (n.): “bet”, “stake, “wager”, “hostage”; da pignus prompts the following subjunctive (sit).

1876 ni: “if… not”.

1877 nosco, -ere, noui, notum: “get to know”, “know”, “recognize”.

1878 in meum nummum, in tuom talentum pignus da: “bet me a talent (26–32.5 kg of silver) for a coin (of unknown but not high value)”. We can’t be sure what kind of small coin a nummus was (see note in Act 1, scene 1) but whether it was a sesertius, a drachma, or a didrachma, this is a wildly unequal bet, with Periphanes’s stake, if he loses, being between 3,000–24,000 times higher than Epidicus’s).

1879 istaec = ista.

1880 captiost = captio est; captio, captionis (f.): “trick”, “deception”, “fraud”.

1881 east = ea est.

1882 gnati = nati < natus, -i: “son”.

1883 dedin = dedi + -ne.

1884 mina, -ae (f.): a Greek unit of money equivalent to 430g of silver.

1885 triginta (indeclinable): “thirty”.

1886 ob: “in return for”.

1887 fateor, fateri, fassus sum: “admit”, “confess”.

1888 datas (modifies minas).

1889 pro: “instead of”.

1890 istam ob rem: “because of that”, “for that reason” (this is an emendation of a corrupted line: Lindsay’s text has this line as: pro tua filia: is te †abore† tetigi triginta minis).

1891 tango, -ere, tetigi, tactum: “touch”; translate here: “rob by means of a trick”, “cheat [someone] out of [something (ablative)]”.

1892 quomodo me ludos fecisti: “how you fooled me!”.

1893 conducticius, -a, -um: “hired”, “rented”.

1894 benignus, -a, -um: “kindly”, “good”, “good natured”.

1895 qur = cur.

1896 ausu’s = ausus es < audeo, -ere, ausus sum: “dare”.

1897 mi = mihi.

1898 lubitum est = libitum est < libet, -ere, -uit, libitum (impersonal verb): “it pleases” (+ dative of person pleased).

1899 malum (exclamation): “you no-good rascal”.

1900 inpudentiast = impudentia est; quae haec... inpudentiast: “what is this impudence”.

1901 inclamito, -are, -aui, -atum: “abuse”, “scold”.

1902 seruos = seruus.

1903 quom = cum.

1904 mereo, -ere, merui, meritum: “deserve”, “earn”.

1905 fierem (first-person singular subjunctive active) < fio, fieri, factus sum.

1906 uisse = uise < uiso, -ere, uisi, uisum: “go see”, “go look at”, “visit”.

1907 faxo (alternative form of the first-person singular future indicative active of facio, -ere): “I’ll make [it happen]”, “I promise”.

1908 hoc ita esse: “that this is so”.

1909 quid est negoti: “what is this business”, “what is all this about”.

1910 abi (2nd person singular present imperative) < abeo, -ire, -ii/iui, -itum.

1911 i (singular imperative) < eo, ire, iui, itum.

1912 illuc: “there, “in there”.

1913 temerest = temere est; illuc non temerest: “it’s not by chance [that he’s directing you to go] in there”, “there must be some explanation in there”.

1914 adseruo, -are, -aui, -atum: “keep watch”, “guard”.

1915 maxuma = maxima.

1916 asto, astare, astiti, -: “wait”; “stay”, “stand near”.

1917 quoius = cuius.

1918 operā: “by my efforts”.

1919 inuentast = inuenta est < inuenio, -ire, -iui, -itum.

1920 ain = ais + -ne: “are you saying”.

1921 acerbus, -a, -um: “harsh”, “upsetting”.

1922 quom = cum.

1923 messim (accusative singular) < messis, -is (f.): “harvest”, “crop”.

1924 meto, -ere, messui, messum: “reap”, “harvest”.

1925 quam (relative pronoun).

1926 sumu’ = sumus.

1927 reperio, -ire, repperi, repertum: “find”.

1928 quid: “why”.

1929 isti (dative of reference, or dative of advantage; see Bennett 188, http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/bennett.html#sect186).

1930 opere tanto: “so much”.

1931 mereo, -ere, merui, meritum: “deserve”, “earn”.

1932 intellego, -ere, -exi, ectum: “understand”, “realize”.

1933 licet, licuit, licitum est (impersonal): “it is lawful”, “it is permitted”.

1934 merito huiius: “according to his merits”, “as he deserves”.

1935 huiius = huius.

1936 <me> meruisse intellego, ut liceat merito huiius facere: “I realize that I can treat him as he deserves”.

1937 cedo (archaic singular imperative related to do, dare): “give”.

1938 exsoluo, -ere, -solui, –solutum: “untie”, “release”.

1939 ne attigas (prohibitive subjunctive, equivalent to noli/nolite + infinitive) < attigo, -ere, attigi, attactum: “touch”.

1940 ostendeo, -ere, ostendi, — : “show”, “stretch out”.

1941 aequom = aequum.

1942 non aequom facis: “you’re not being fair”.

1943 supplicium, -ii/-i (n.): “supplication”, humble entreaty”; “punishment”.

1944 solui (present infinitive passive) < soluo, -ere, solui, solutum: “release”, “untie”.

1945 sino, -ere, -siui, situm: “allow”, “let”.

1946 optumum = optimum.

1947 aequissumum = aequissimum

1948 soccus, -i (m.): “low-heeled light shoe”, “slipper”.

1949 pallium, ii (n.): “cloak” (technically a Greek cloak).

1950 porro (adverb): “afterwards”, “next”.

1951 libertus, -i (m.): “freedman”, “freed slave”.

1952 opus est (impersonal): “there is need for”; nouo liberto opus est quod pappet: “a freedman needs something that he can eat”.

1953 quod: “something”.

1954 pappo, -are, -aui, -atum: “eat” (specifically eat soft foods like porridge).

1955 praebeo, -ere, praebui, praebitum: “offer”, “supply”.

1956 nisi me orassis (alternative future < oro, -are, -aui, -atum): “[unless] you beg me”.

1957 ignosco, -ere, ignoui, ignotum: “forgive”.

1958 inprudens = imprudens: “without knowing”, “inadvertent[ly]”.

1959 culpā… meā: “because of my own fault”.

1960 pecco, -are, -aui, -atum: “make a mistake”, “be wrong”, “do wrong”.

1961 ob eam rem: “for this/that reason”, “for this/that purpose”.

1962 esto (second-person singular future imperative active) < sum, esse, fui, futurus.

1963 uenia, -ae (f.): “pardon”, “forgiveness”, “kindness”.

1964 nisi: “except”.

1965 cogo, -ere, coegi, coactum: “compel”, “force”.

1966 sane: “certainly”, “however”.

1967 lubet = libet.

1968 grex, gregis (m.): “flock”, “herd”; “troop”; translate here: “company (of actors)”.

1969 malitia, -ae (f.): “wickedness”.

1970 plaudo, -ere, plausi, plausum: “applaud”, “clap”.

1971 lumbus, -i (m.): “loin”.

1972 porgite = porrigite < porrigo, -ere, porrexi, porrectum: “stretch”, stretch out”.

1973 exsurgo, -ere, exsurrexi, exsurrectum: “rise”, “stand up”.