Titus Maccius Plautus — Amphitryo (1519)

In the camp
In the tent—that, indeed, he will never be able to say today,
as is said army
You are Sosia in the camp, when the legions were fighting most fiercely,
In the camp he says this
What did you do in the tent? I am beaten if you tell.
he had I poured the vessel wine there
Me. There was a jar of wine, from there I filled the pitcher. So. He has entered already.
the boy just as I produced
Me. I drank it of pure wine, just as it had been born from the mother.
that one in that base
So. It is a miracle if he did not hide inside in that pitcher.
Sosia in such a vessel
That it happened that I drank up the pitcher of pure wine there.
you may say to conquer
Me. What now? Do I not defeat you with arguments that you are not Sosia?
Sosia Jupiter I lie
So. You deny that I am. Me. Since I do not deny it, who am I myself?
by Jupiter I know Sosia
So. By Jupiter I swear to you that I am, and that I am not speaking falsely.
but he says that Jupiter through God
Me. But I swear by Mercury that Jupiter does not believe you,
For I know he would believe me unsworn more than you sworn.
namely Amphitryon
So. Who am I, at least, if I am not Sosia, I ask you.
hereafter you may be certainly
Me. Where I do not wish to be Sosia, you may certainly be Sosia.
Sosia you will be struck unless by overly known
Now, since I am, you will be beaten unless you depart from here, you nobody.
I look at or I deplore my image
So. Truly, by Castor! When I contemplate him and recognize my own form,
how I saw much
Just as I have often looked into a mirror, he is too like me,
he has similar
He has the same hat and clothing, he is just as similar as I,
proportion figure lips
The same calf, foot, stature, eyes, haircut, nose, lips,
jaws hairs he is all
Jaws, chin, beard, neck, the whole thing—what need is there of words?
he is full of rumors similar of me
If a scarred back, nothing is more similar to this.
be it that that one
But when I think, I am indeed certainly the same one I have always been.
Amphitryon house I understand
I know my master, I know our house, I am certainly sensible and aware.
I obey I will knock at the doors
I will not obey him in what he says, I will knock at the doors.
you receive unless me you ascend
Me. What are you doing? So. Going home. Me. If you were to mount Jupiter’s four-horse chariot now,
from this place to flee
And flee from here, you could hardly escape misfortune.