I give that further old fellow (pointing to Philoxenus) over to you to get nicely pacified; I’ll make up to this bear, (indicating Nicobulus) and we’ll see if we can’t lure them inside here.
Soror
Meum pensum ego lepide accurabo, quamquam odiost mortem amplexari.
(without enthusiasm)
I’ll take care of my stint nicely
enough, even though
it is sickening to hug a death’s-head.
Bacch.
Facito ut facias.
See you do it.
Soror
Taceas. tu tuom facito: ego quod dixi haud mutabo.
Hush! You do your share, and I won’t fail to keep my word.
Nic.
Quid illaec illic in consilio duae secreto consultant?
What are they scheming, those two, in that secret session?
Phil.
Quid ais tu, homo?
(awkwardly) I say, old fellow.
Nic.
Quid me vis?
What do you want?
Phil.
Pudet dicere me tibi quiddam.
There’s something I’m ashamed to tell you.
Nic.
Quid est quod pudeat?
What is it you are ashamed of?
Phil.
Sed amico homini tibi quod volo credere
certumst.
nihili sum.
But to a good
friend like you—yes, I’m going to
own up to
what I want. (pauses)
I’m an ass.
Nic.
Istuc iam pridem scio. sed qui nihili es? id memora.
I have known that
for some time. But why are you an ass?
Explain that.
Phil.
Tactus sum vehementer visco;
cor stimulo foditur.
(with a wry
smile) I’m most confoundedly caught in
bird-lime; my
heart’s pierced by a goad.
Nic.
Pol tibi multo aequius est coxendicem.
sed quid istuc est?
etsi
iam ego ipsus quid sit probe scire puto me;
1160
verum audire etiam ex te studeo.
Jove! much more to the point, if it were your nether portions! But what do you mean? And yet I think I have a pretty fair notion myself what it is already; however, I’m anxious to have it from your own lips.
Phil.
Viden hanc?
Do you see this girl? (pointing to the Sister)
Nic.
Video.
I do.
Phil.
Haud mala est mulier.
(approvingly) Not a bad one!
Nic.
Pol vero ista mala et tu nihili.
(indignantly)
Good Lord! She certainly is a bad one, and
you are an ass.
Phil.
Quid multa? ego amo.