Sos.

      Signi dic quid est?

      What’s on the signet, tell me that?

Mer.

  Cum quadrigis Sol exoriens. quid me captas, carnufex?

      Sol rising in a four horse chariot. (blustering) Why this
      attempt to catch me, caitiff?

Sos.

Argumentis vicit, aliud nomen quaerundum est mihi. nescio unde haec hic spectavit. iam ego hunc decipiam probe; nam quod egomet solus feci, nec quisquam alius affuit, in tabernaclo, id quidem hodie numquam poterit dicere. si tu Sosia es, legiones cum pugnabant maxume, quid in tabernaclo fecisti? victus sum, si dixeris.

(aside) This evidence settles me.  I’ve got to find me a new name.  I don’t understand where he saw all this from. (reflecting) Ah, now I’ll trick him in good style.  Yes, something I did when I was all alone, and not another soul there, in the tent,—­he’ll never be able to tell me about that, anyway. (aloud) Well, if you’re Sosia, what did you do in the tent when the soldiers were in the thick of the fight?  Answer me that and I give in.

Mer.

  Cadus erat vini:  inde implevi hirneam.

      There was a cask of wine:  I drew off a jugful.

Sos.

  Ingressust viam.

      (aside) He’s on the right track.

Mer.

  Eam ego, ut matre fuerat natum, vini eduxi meri. 430

      Then I drained it, wine pure as it came from its mother.

Sos.

  Factum est illud, ut ego illic vini hirneam ebiberim meri.
  mira sunt nisi latuit intus illic in illac hirnea.

      (aside) That’s a fact—­I did drink off a jug of wine,
      neat.  Most probably the fellow was hiding in that same jug!

Mer.

  Quid nunc? vincon argumentis, te non esse Sosiam?

      Well, have I convinced you that you are not Sosia?

Sos.

  Tu negas med esse?

      You deny it, do you?

Mer.

  Quid ego ni negem, qui egomet siem?

      Of course I deny it, being Sosia myself.

Sos.

  Per Iovem iuro med esse neque me falsum dicere.

      No, I am,—­I swear it by Jupiter, and swear I’m not lying,
      too!

Mer.

  At ego per Mercurium iuro, tibi Iovem non credere;
  nam iniurato scio plus credet mihi quam iurato tibi.

      But I swear by Mercury that Jupiter disbelieves you.  Why,
      man, he will take my bare word against your solemn oath, no
      doubt about it.

Sos.

  Quis ego sum saltem, si non sum Sosia? te interrogo.

      For mercy’s sake who am I, if I’m not Sosia?  I ask you that.

Mer.