ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
Χαρίσιός σε προσμένει, Χαιρέστρατε.142
τίς ὅδ’ ἐστι δή, γλυκύτατε;
ΧΑΙΡΕΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
ὁ τῆς νύμφης πατήρ.
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
ἀλλὰ τί παθὼν ὡς ἄθλιός τις…
ὁ τρισκακοδαίμων…145
…
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
οὕτως ἀγαθόν τι σοι γένοιτο, μὴ λέγε
…
ΣΜΙΚΡΙΝΗΣ
οὐκ ἐς κόρακας; οἰμώξει μακρά.160
εἴσειμι νῦν εἴσω, σαφῶς τε πυθόμενος
ὅπως ἔχει τὰ τῆς θυγατρός, βουλεύσομαι
ὅντινα τρόπον πρὸς τοῦτον ἤδη προσβαλῶ.
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
φράσωμεν αὐτῷ τοῦτον ἥκοντ’ ἐνθάδε;
ΧΑΙΡΕΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
φράσωμεν. οἷον κίναδος· οἰκίαν ποεῖ165
ἀνάστατον.
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
πολλὰς ἐβουλόμην ἅμα.
ΧΑΙΡΕΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
πολλάς;
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
μίαν μὲν τὴν ἐφεξῆς.
ΧΑΙΡΕΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
τὴν ἐμήν;
ΑΒΡΟΤΟΝΟΝ
τὴν σήν γ’. ἴωμεν δεῦρο πρὸς Χαρίσιον.
ΧΑΙΡΕΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
ἴωμεν· ὡς καὶ μειρακυλλίων ὄχλος
εἰς τὸν τόπον τις ἔρχεθ’ ὑποβεβρεγμένων170
οἷς μὴ ’νοχλεῖν εὔκαιρον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ.
vocabulary
προσμένω: to wait
γλυκύτατος -η -ον: sweetie, dearest
νύμφη -ης ἡ: young wife, bride
ἄθλιος -α -ον: unhappy, miserable
τρισκακοδαίμων -ον: thrice-unlucky
κόραξ -ακος ὁ: crow
οἰμώζω οἰμώξομαι: to suffer tragically
εἴσειμι: to enter, go into
εἴσω: within, into
προσβάλλω -βαλῶ: strike, attack
ἐνθάδε: here, there
κίναδος -ους τό: fox (a Sicilian word used to refer to someone who is sneaky and cunning)
ἀνάστατος -ον: unsteady, unstable
δεῦρο: here
μειρακύλλιον τό: youth, punk
ὄχλος -ου ὁ: crowd
ὑποβρέχω ὑποβραχήσομαι ὑπεβράχην ὑποβέβρεγμαι: to drench (perf. mid., “to be hammered”)
ἐνοχλέω: to be in a crowd
εὔκαιρος -ον: well-timed
notes
143: Habrotonon is asking about Smikrines.
144 τί παθὼν: lit. “Having suffered what?” meaning “What happened to him?” that he’s so wretched.
Part of this page of the script is missing. The standard line numbering supposes only about ten lines are missing, but there could have been more. When the script resumes, Chairestratos and Habrotonon are still talking, but Smikrines now also seems involved.
158-159: These lines are incomplete, but the sense may be that Habrotonon is reacting to criticism from Smikrines.
160 οὐκ ἐς κόρακας: “Won’t you (throw yourself) to the crows?” A standard insult like “Go to hell!” οἰμώξει: > οἰμώζω, 2nd sing. fut. dep. ind. (see note on line 133)
164 ἥκοντ(α): > ἥκω, masc. acc. sing. pres. part. act.
166-167: The exact meaning of the conversation in these lines is uncertain, but it seems that Habrotonon is flirting with Chairestratos.
168-169 ἴωμεν: > ἔρχομαι, 1st pl. pres. subj. act. “Let’s go.”
169: The mob are the chorus members who perform between the acts of the play. They might double as drunk party guests at Charisios’ house, but the script makes no other reference to them or their identity.
translation
HABROTONON
(exiting house/entering stage)
Charisios is waiting for you, Chairestratos –
(noticing Smikrines)
sweetie, who’s that?
CHAIRESTRATOS
(sarcastic tone/mock cheerfulness)
He’s the father of the bride.
HABROTONON
What’s the poor wretch suffered? (145) He looks just like some miserable professor!
CHAIRESTRATOS
(to audience, now as narrator, while HABROTONON and SMIKRINES continue arguing in pantomime)
Oops, we’ll just fast forward through this bit shall we? No need to get bogged down in the unpleasant details… let’s just pick up from… here!
HABROTONON
(159) Bless your heart, but don’t talk to me like that!
SMIKRINES
Go to hell, you’ll regret this! I’m going inside! Now that I see how things are for my daughter, I’ll plan my attack!
(exits to his own house)
HABROTONON
Should we warn him this guy’s coming here?
CHAIRESTRATOS
(resigned to getting involved)
(165) Yeah, let’s warn him. What a snake! He certainly knows how to crack a house’s foundation!
HABROTONON
(attention pivoting from SMIKIRINES to CHAIRESTRATOS, change in motivation)
There are more foundations I’d like to see…
CHAIRESTRATOS
Yeah?
HABROTONON
The one next door at least!
CHAIRESTRATOS
Mine?
HABROTONON
Yes, yours!
(hearing the CHORUS approaching)
But c’mon, let’s go see Charisios (points to the house)
CHAIRESTRATOS
(noticing the approaching noise of the CHORUS)
Let’s go, sounds like there’s a crowd of drunken troublemakers getting close, (170) it seems like a good time not to be out here.