Exedendum

[PHORMIO. GETA.]

[PHO.] Itane patris ais conspectum veritum hinc abiisse?
[GET.] admodum.
[PHO.] Phanium relictam solam?
[GET.] sic.
[PHO.] et iratum senem?
[GET.] oppido.
[PHO.] ad te summam solum, Phormio, rerum redit.
tute hoc intristi, tibi omnest exedendum: accingere.
[GET.] obsecro te—
[PHO.] si rogabit—
[GET.] in te spes est.
[PHO.] eccere,
quid si reddet—?
[GET.] tu impulisti.
[PHO.] sic opinor.
[GET.] subveni
[PHO.] cedo senem. iam instructa sunt mi in corde consilia omnia.
[GET.] quid ages?
[PHO.] quid vis, nisi uti maneat Phanium atque ex crimine hoc
Antiphonem eripiam atque in me omnem iram derivem senis?
[GET.] o vir fortis atque amicus! verum hoc saepe, Phormio,
vereor, ne istaec fortitudo in nervom erumpat denique.
[Terentius, Phormio 315-325]

[PHORMIO. GETA.]

[PHO.] Do you say he ran away in fear of facing his father?
[GET.] Exactly?
[PHO.] Leaving Phanium alone?
[GET.] Yes.
[PHO.] And the old man furious?
[GET.] Absolutely.
[PHO.] (to himself) The whole thing’s back in your hands, Phormio. You got them into this mess, you must get them out of it*. Gird yourself for action.
[GET.] I implore you—
[PHO.] (to himself) If he asks—
[GET.] Our hope lies in you.
[PHO.] (to himself) Look, what if he replies—?
[GET.] It was you who pushed him into it.
[PHO.] (to himself) That’s it, I think.
[GET.] Help us.
[PHO.] Bring on the old man. All my plans are now drawn up in my mind.
[GET.] What are you going to do?
[PHO.] What do you want, other than that Phanium stays, I rescue Antipho from the charges against him, and I divert all the old man’s anger on to myself?
[GET.] What a brave man you are and a true friend! But I often worry, Phormio, that this bravery of yours will land you in jail.

* Literally, “you cooked this, you must eat it up,” a proverbial expression that, as Donatus points out, is especially suitable for parasites.

(tr. John Barsby, with his note)