Captivi: The Captives (646b-700)

I’ll tell you:

with a thin face, sharp nose, light hair, dark eyes, somewhat ruddy, with hair rather crisp and curling,

The description is like.

Aye, so much so, indeed, that I’ve this day, much to my sorrow, got into the midst of this, i’ faith. Woe to those unfortunate rods which this day will be meeting their end upon my back.

I see that I’ve been imposed upon.

Why, fetters, do you delay to run towards me and to embrace my legs, that I may have you in custody?

And have these two rascally captives really deceived me this day with their tricks? The other one pretended that he was the servant, and this one that he himself was the master.

I’ve lost the kernel; for a security, I’ve left the shell. To such a degree have they imposed upon me[*], both on this side and that, with their trickeries. Still, this fellow shall never have the laugh against me. Colaphus, Cordalio, Corax[*] (to the SLAVES), go you away and bring out the thongs.

Are we to be sent to gather faggots[*]? (The SLAVES go and bring the thongs from the house.)

Put the manacles on this whipp’d villain.

What’s the matter? What have I done wrong?

Do you ask the question? You weeder and sower of villanies, and in especial their reaper.

Ought you not to have ventured to say the harrower first? For countrymen always harrow before they weed.

Why, with what assurance he stands before me.

It’s proper for a servant, innocent and guiltless, to be full of confidence, most especially before his master.

Bind this fellow’s hands tightly, will you.

I am your own—do you command them to be cut off even. But what is the matter on account of which you blame me?

Because me and my fortunes, so far as in you singly lay, by your rascally and knavish stratagems you have rent in pieces, and have distracted my affairs and spoiled all my resources and my plans, in that you’ve thus robbed me of Philocrates by your devices,

I thought that he was the slave, you the free man. So did you say yourselves, and in this way did you change names between you.

I confess that all was done so, as you say, and that by a stratagem he has got away from you, through my aid and cleverness;

and prithee, now, do you blame me for that, i’ faith?

Why, it has been done with your extreme torture for the consequence.

So I don’t die by reason of my misdeeds, I care but little. If I do die here, then he returns not, as he said he would; but when I’m dead, this act will be remembered to my honor,

that I caused my captive master to return from slavery and the foe, a free man, to his father in his native land; and that I preferred rather to expose my own life to peril, than that he should be undone.

Take care, then, to enjoy that fame at Acheron.

He who dies for virtue’s sake, still does not perish.

When I’ve tortured you in the most severe manner, and for your schemes put you to death, let them say either that you have perished or that you have died; so long as you do die, I don’t think it matters if they say you live.

I’ faith, if you do do so, you’ll do it not without retribution, if he shall return here, as I trust that he will return.

O ye immortal Gods! I understand it now; now I know what the case really is. My friend Philocrates is at liberty with his father, in his native land. ’Tis well;

nor have I any person to whom I could so readily wish well. But this thing grieves me, that I’ve done this person a bad turn, who now on account of me and my talking is in chains.