Latin III A Conversation from Roman Comedy Translation

ME: Filium unum adulescentem habeo. Ah, cur dixi me habere? Immo habui, Chreme; nunc utrum habeam necne incertum est.

I have one young son. Ah, why did I say that I have one. On the contrary, I had one, Chremes; whether or not I have one now is uncertain.

ME: Et tu!

And you!

CH: Ego arbitror te in adverso in filium tuum ingenio esse et illum quidem velle tibi parere. Sed nec tu illum satis noveras, nec te ille. Tu illum numquam ostendisti quanti penderes, nec tibi ille est ausus credere. Sed spero illum tibi salvum adfuturum esse. Tibi parce, Menedeme! Absens filius te hoc facere vult.

I think that you are not of a hostile disposition toward your son and that guy indeed wants to spare you. But you did not know that guy enough, not did that guy you. You never showed him how much you valued him, not did that guy dare to trust you. But I hope that that guy will come near you as a safe. Spare yourself, Menedemus! Your absent son wants you to do this.

CH: Si ita vis, bene vale!

If you wish it so, goodbye!

ME: Scies. Puellam paurerem ille nimis amare coeperant. Illum semper admonebam: "Debes, mi fili, studere divitiis et honoribus, non falsis ludis amoris. Ego, cum eram istud aetatis, praemia et gloriam in exercitu inveni." Nunc Clinia cum militibus in Asiam discessit, ut regi serviat et mihi placeat.

You will know. That guy had begun to love a poor girl too much. I was always warning that guy: "You ought, my son, to study riches and honors, not false games of love. I, when I was that age, found rewards and glory in the army." Now Clinia departed into Asia with the soldiers, so that he might serve the king and please me.

CH: Quid ais?

What did you say?

CH: Cur?

Why?

ME: Utinam ne ei persuasissem! Meo filio, quem adiuvare debeam, gravissime nocui! Mihi ignoscere non possum. Itaque, dum Clinia propter me multa mala patitur, poenas ipse etiam dabo, in agro laborans, opibus parcens, illi absenti serviens.

Would that I not have persuaded him! I harmed my son, whom I should have helped most seriously! I am not able to ignore myself. And so, while Clinia suffered many bad things on account of me, but I myself will pay penalties also, working in the fields, sparing riches, serving those absent.

ME: Tu non debes mirari, si laborare potius desidero.

You ought not to be amazed, if I desire to work more.