Potestas condecorandi ludos scenicos. Recidere ad paucos. facite, ut vestra auctoritas 40 Meæ auctoritati fautrix adjutrixque sit. Si nunquam avare pretium statui arti meæ, 37. condecorandi] ¶ Of gracing them by affording a tranquil assemblage and favourable hearing. 39. Recidere] T To fall back, into the hands of a few, as it would, to a degree, in this instance, if you were to retract now the favour which you have long since bestowed on Terence. If a play be deserving in itself, let not caprice on your side (per vos) be chargeable for its expulsion. vestra auctoritas] ¶ This whole sentiment, as well as line 45, is highly flattering to the ears of a crowd. 41. Si nunquam] ¶ This and the following two lines are lines 48, 49, 50. of prologue to Heautont, where see notes. 44. qui] The antecedent to this is eum, line 46. 47. accipite,] T See And. iv. 1. 57. 49. pretio emtas meo.] The estimation of the sum to be paid by the Ædiles, being made by me: I, thence, running the risk of being obliged to refund to them what they may have handed to the poet, if the plays fail. D. But, though it is true that the ædiles usually bought the plays from the poets; yet it is evident that actors sometimes purchased them at their own cost, as Paris the actor (in Juv. Sat. vii. 87.) bought the Agave from Statius. R. D. As to what method was pursued in the purchase of plays at their second and following exhibitions, and who might be the purchasers, is a matter involved in the uncertainty of antiquity, concerning which, therefore, we can do little more than conjecture. It is agreed that the ædiles used to purchase the first exhibition from the poet. Then, this line and line 7. of the prologue to the second exhibition of this play may be con sistently explained by supposing:-That, in case of the failure of a piece, in the first ex hibition, in consequence of popular riots or games, the loss was that of the purchasers, the ædiles; the poet not being held answerable for such vicissitudes, and having the power, therefore, after the failure, of redeeming his character by offering it again for sale, when, probably, a chief actor might buy, if the ædiles did not choose to run the risk again. -(Thus we can see the meaning of line 7. of former prologue "ut iterum possit vendere.")-That, on occasion of a third or subsequent attempt, a chief actor became the purchaser, who would have had, by that time, an opportunity of calculating his risk in so doing. Thus Ambivius, by pretio emtas meo, implies that he himself had bought the Hecyra, as he probably had done also with respect to the plays of Cæcilius, after they had failed.This, as far as I can understand, is Colman's view. This accounts for the masterly energy of this alter prologus, so natural from Ambivius, as pleading in a cause, wherein his pecuniary interest, in addition to that of his character as an actor, is intimately involved. We see, then, what important friends these actors must have been to the poets whom they favoured. This prologue I would put forward as, perhaps, one of the finest specimens of Roman eloquence.-The conjecture of Mad. Dacier may as well be noticed; it is this:That the ædiles, when they desired to purchase a piece for the stage, required the manager of the company to appreciate its merit and fix the price; for which price said manager was accountable, if the play failed. ACTUS I-SCENA I. PHILOTIS, SYRA. PER pol quam paucos reperias meretricibus Vel hic Pamphilus jurabat quoties Bacchidi, THE dialogue between Philotis and Syra here, and between them and Parmeno, next scene, serve as the argument to the play, whence these persons are called προτατικαί. 1. IAMBIC TRIMETERS. -Per pol quam] See And. iii. 2. 6. Comp. And. iii. 1. 2. "Fidelem haud fermè mulieri invenias virum." paucos] Read, according to Apollodorus, paucis, i. e. singulis singulos. B. 2. Fideles] Persons are fidi in important matters; fideles in more trifling. D. 3. Vel] See Heaut. iv. 6. 2. quotiesquam sancti] How often and how solemnly! 4. ut] For ita ut; see Heaut. ii. 3. 65. quivis] Not Bacchis, only, who was his mistress. 5. illá vivá,] ¶ As long as Bacchis should live. ducturum] ¶ Scil. esse, and connect it with jurabat. It is but natural that persons of the character of Philotis and Syra, should not be pleased, at any marriage, no matter between whom. ducturum, domum !] "Escort home;" from which practice, ducere domum, and afterwards ducere absolutely, came to signify nubere. 6. Hem! duxit.] ¶ And yet, see there! he has married; he has violated his promise. Ergo] This has the effect of reproving a person too slow in acquiescing. Virg. Æn. xi. 707. "Ergo age, care pater, cervici imponere nostræ." D. sedulo] ¶σroudas. This word does not appear to be, as Donatus makes it, derived from sine dolo; though, in many instances sine dolo would very well explain its meaning. 7. moneo, et hortor,] Monemus by advice, hortamur by impulse. To misereat supply te. D. cujusquam] amatoris. 8. Quin] ¶ Wherefore you should not, &c.-pity so much as that you should not. See And. ii. 3. 25. and Heaut. iv. 7. 4. The same here as "quo minus." spolies, mutiles, laceres,] i. e. rob him of all that he possesses, and reduce him to the utmost state of want. A similar metaphor occurs, Phorm. ii. 2. 13. R. D. ¶ See note on “exedent,' Heaut. iii. 1. 53. quemquem] For quemcunque; as Liv. i. 24. where see annotators. Bentley and others read thus, in preference to quemque. R. D. nacta sis.] ¶ Whomsoever you once catch, as it were, in your talons. Comp. Cæsar, B. G. vi. 34. "Germani, quam nacti erant prædam, in occulto relinquunt." Hor. Od. iii. 11. 41. “Quæ, velut nactæ vitulos leænæ, Singulos, ehem, lacerant." and Id. Ep. i. 15. 38. “Quicquid erat nactus prædæ majoris." See iv. 4. 59. 9. Utine] i. e. visne, postulasne ut. eximium neminem habeam ?] i. e. neminem eximam, but treat all in the same manner. Eximius and egregius are properly applied, in sacred rites, to the victims which are chosen, picked out, e grege, to be sacrificed. R. D. 10. nemo quisquam,] Parelcon; quisquam is redundant. D. scito,] T Borrowed from the Greeks. Lucian: Alexuvoíunv är, ïoli, iπ' avτų. 11. paret se,] ¶ "Makes his resolution," lays himself out," as we say. Compare And. v. 4. 6. "Itane huc paratus advenis." abs te] Join, expleat abs te. Quam minimo pretio svam voluptatem expleat. P. Tamen pol eandem injurium est esse omnibus. SENEX si quæret me, modo isse dicito Ad portum, percontatum adventum Pamphili. Audi'n' quid dicam, Scirte? si quæret me, uti Tum dicas: si non quæret, nullus dixeris; 5 Alias ut uti possim causa hac integra. 12. minimo] ¶ Scil. sibi, at the lowest possible cost to himself. See And. i. 1. 109. expleat.] See Heaut. i. 1. 77. 13. Hiscin'] ¶ Scil. blanditiis amatorum; the dative on insidiabere; will you not play wiles on these, to be even with the lover (contrà)? insidiabere?] Insidiari is wicked; but contrà insidiari is excusable. D. 14. eandem esse omnibus.] ¶ To behave to all lovers, severally, in the same manner, (i. e. with complaisance and yet tenacity) is an outrage against each of them, inasmuch as I must be playing the hypocrite to all. Omnibus, the dative, to be connected with "eandem esse." 15. adversarios ?] ¶ As being merely selfish; of the characters described in 11, 12. 16. Aut quá] ¶ Aut injurium est, ipsos adversarios eâdem via a te capi, quâ viâ illi te captent. And eadem vid means, by an ostentation of blanditia, suggested only by a mercenary spirit; and thus she says, "you are to catch (capere) them in the same traps in which they strive to catch (captare) you." 17. istac] ¶ Quam video tibi esse. 18. hæc] Quam sentio mihi esse. tentia ? ¶ i. e. the sentiments which she has just now been endeavouring to inculcate. sen modo isse] ¶ The force of modo, here, marks the slave; no matter when Laches may enquire for Parmeno, Scirtus is to say that he has just gone a moment before; that he may not be expected home as soon as he otherwise should. He calls, from the street, to Scirtus who is within. 2. portum] The Piraeus; as the scene is at Athens. percontatum] From contus, used by seamen, to try the depths and ground. But percunctatur is from cunctis, when a thing a cunctis perquiritur. D. ¶ This is the active supine, governing adventum.— Pamphilus, as we learn from the sequel, had been despatched by his father, Laches, to the island of Imbrus, to look after an inheritance left to his family at the recent death of an old relation. 4. Tum dicas:] ¶ i. e. volo uti tum dicas, scil, me modo ivisse. nullus dixeris ;] If no questions are asked, say nothing; for it will be better, if he should not learn that I am absent, at all. On modo ísse, see line 1. and on nullus, see And. ii. 2. 33. 5. Aliàs, &c.] That I may be able at another time to make use of this excuse (scil. of going to enquire for Pamphilus) for my leaving the house, as a fresh one; i. e. to have it in reserve, as an excuse to give for going out of doors. This causa will only be integra for a future occasion, if Laches shall ask no questions now. Sed videone ego Philotium? unde hæc advenit? S. Salve mecastor, Parmeno. PA. Et tu ædepol, Syra. PA. Ædepol te desiderium Athenarum, arbitror, 15 Consilium contemsisse. PH. Non dici potest, Nam illic haud licebat, nisi præfinito, loqui, PH. Sed quid hoc negoti est? modo quæ narravit mihi 6. Sed videone] Our poet introduces Philotis, as just come from abroad, in order to afford him an opportunity for bringing in a narrative of events; for, had she been residing at Athens, she would have no questions to ask of Parmeno. D. T Compare the greeting of Mysis and Crito, And. iv. 5. 6. Philotium ?] Observe the license of Philotium, then Philotis. D. 8. Salve mecastor,] Anciently, persons greeting, who wished to show earnestness, added an oath. The me is either redundant, or the same as μà, as the Greeks say u rov Απόλλωνα. D. Et tu ædepol,] Edepol is in derision of mecastor; and Syra, of Parmeno. D. 9. oblectasti] vitam jucundè transegisti. Sometimes taken in a reproachful sense. Plaut. Asin. i. 2. 13. "sordido vitam oblectabas pane." R. D. tam diu ?] ¶ While you were abroad. D. 10. me] Tauntingly; responding to te. 12. Biennium-perpetuum] ¶ During an everlasting two-years, which seemed as if it would never end. illum tuli.] So, Cic. Verr. "hoc uno prætore per triennium pertulisse." E. 13. desiderium Athenarum] ¶ Regret for Athens. Te is the object of "cepisse." arbitror,] "I am thinking." He expresses a good humoured taunt against one, who having chosen a strange land in preference to their common home, is obliged now to reprobate her own caprice. 15. Consilium] Scil. of leaving Athens, and going off to Corinth. 16. eram] The imperfect; "was wishing day after day." 18. Agitarem] See Heaut. iv. 4. 11. liberè] ¶ In freedom from the bondage of restraint to which I have since been subject; as explained next line. 19. Nam illic] T Nam illic (apud militem) haud mihi licebat loqui, nisi loquerer sub præfinito (i. e. nisi præfiniretur) quæ (from quis) illi placerent. I had not liberty of speaking, unless when previous instruction had been given as to what words would be agreeable to him. Præfinito is the ablative absolute, and "Quæ-illi-placerent," or negotio (the general representative for all sentences or phrases of whatever form) may be considered as its substantive. So, Hor. "Excepto, quod non simul esses, cætera lætus." See Heaut. ii. 3. 40. nisi præfinito, loqui,] She makes two points here, præfinito and quæ illi placebant, meaning that she was obliged to speak both as much only as he wished, and on the subjects only which pleased him. D. 20. Haud opinor ¶ I do not think that the soldier acted politely in having restricted speech. commode] See Heaut. iii. 2. 10. 22. quid hoc negoti est ?] ¶ The force of negotii, here, is to disparage: "what is this piece of business? what news has Bacchis told me within, here, just now ?" What means all this? There is a spirit of animosity conveyed in these words of Philotis and naturally; see i. 1. 5. note. Hic intus Bacchis? quod ego nunquam credidi Fore, ut ille, hac viva, posset animum inducere 25 Uxorem habere? PA. Habere autem? PH. Eho tu, an non habet? PA. Habet; sed firmæ hæ vereor ut sint nuptiæ. Quam ego, quæ percontor, scire. 24. Fore,] "That it would come to pass, that," &c. quod of preceding line being a conjunction, "but." She introduces this subject, which has made so strong an impression on her, by giving her opinion of it. ut ille, hác vivá] T The same words, nearly, which she had used to Syra, in scene 1. where see notes. animum inducere] ¶ i. e. ducere in animum rò uxorem habere, i. e. nuptias. See And. iii. 3. 40. 25. Habere autem ?] ¶ To have, withal, say you? Habere] He indicates by his pronunciation of this, that the time is near when he is not to have her. D. tu,] ¶ Wishing him to answer in earnest. 26. firma-nuptiæ.] ¶ Compare And. "Tibi generum firmum, et filiæ, invenies, virum," and Hec. iv. 1. 41. "virum satis firmum gnatæ." Ut is for ne non. 27. Ita-faxint,] ¶ Ita-scil. ut firma non sint nuptiæ;-faxint-efficiant. si in rem est Bacchidis:] To show that she entertains this wish, not from malice toward the other party, but from friendship towards Bacchis. D. in rem] For the interest of Bacchis; ab re means, against interest. D. ¶ The dative is also used with in rem, And. iii. 3. 14. "Si in rem est utrique, ut fiant;" where see note. 28. qui istuc credam ita esse ?] Scil. nuptias esse infirmas. D. ¶ Whereby should I believe this? what is your reason for thinking so ? 29. Non est opus prolato :] ¶ There is no need in the thing being spread abroad. i. e. it must not be made public. See Heaut. i. 2. 13. and Heaut. i. 1. 28. PA. Vera hæc prædicat: 30. Nempe eá causa,] ¶ Of course your only reason for desiring me to check my curiosity is your wish that the affair should be kept secret; but in truth my object in asking, is, not to divulge, but to rejoice upon it in silence. 31. Ita] See Heaut. ii. 3. 67. amabunt,] For ament. Æn. i. 273. "donec regina sacerdos Marte gravis geminam partu dabit Ilia prolem." D. 32. gaudeam.] T For she will have reason to be glad, if the nuptiæ are not firmæ. 33. tam dices commode,] T Speak so persuasively. See Heaut. prol. 14. ut tergum meum] That I should incur danger of the lash by placing confidence in you. E. ¶ As I would thus be opening to you the secrets of my master's family. 34. noli] She artfully pretends that she has no desire to hear it; that he may confide more in her secrecy; because curiosity indicates loquacity. Hor. Ep. i. 18. 69. "Percontatorem fugito: nam garrulus idem est." D. noli] T Scil. tergum tuum meam in fidem committere." 66 35. Quasi non] Understand Ita dicis, quasi. D. multo malis] See Heaut. v. 1. 55. 36. Quam ego,-scire.] ¶ Quàm ego, quæ percontor, volo hoc scire. One would think, from your refusal, that you are not much more eager to tell the news to me, than I am to know. But the contrary is the fact. Vera hæc-maximum est] These words are spoken softly to himself. si mihi, &c. aloud. D. She says true, in insinuating that I am more anxious to tell, than she is to learn. |