on favitoribus.
sat habet favitorum semper qui recte facit,
si illis fides est quibus est ea res in manu. 80

'Tis worth has won your wars for you, saith he, not
solicitation or unfairness: why should not the same law hold
for player as for noblest patriot? Worth, not hired support,
should solicit victory. He who plays his part aright ever
has support enough, if it so be that honour dwells in those
whose concern it is to judge his acts.

hoc quoque etiam mihi pater in mandatis dedit,
ut conquaestores fierent histrionibus:
qui sibi mandasset delegati ut plauderent
quive quo placeret alter fecisset minus,
eius ornamenta et corium uti conciderent.

This injunction, too, did Jove lay upon me: that
inspectors should be appointed for the actors, to the end
that whosoever has enjoined claqueurs to clap himself, or
whosoever has endeavoured to compass the failure of another,
may have his player's costume cut to shreds, also his hide.

mirari nolim vos, quapropter Iuppiter
nunc histriones curet; ne miremini:
ipse hanc acturust Iuppiter comoediam.
quid? admirati estis? quasi vero novom
nunc proferatur, Iovem facere histrioniam; 90

I would not have you wonder why Jove is now regardful
of actors; do not so: he himself, Jove, will take part in
this comedy. What? Surprised? As if it were actually a new
departure, this, Jove's turning actor!

etiam, histriones anno cum in proscaemo hic
Iovem invocarunt, venit, auxilio is fuit[9] (92)
hanc fabulam, inquam, hic Iuppiter hodie ipse aget, (94)
et ego una cum illo. nunc vos animum advortite,
dum huius argumentum eloquar comoediae.

Why, just last year when the actors on this very stage
called upon Jupiter, he came,[B] and helped them out.
This play, then, Jove himself will act in to-day, and I
along with him. Now give me your attention while I unfold
the argument of our comedy.

[Footnote B: An allusion to some play in which Jupiter
appeared in time to save some situation.]

Haec urbs est Thebae. in illisce habitat aedibus
Amphitruo, natus Argis ex Argo patre,
quicum Alcumena est nupta, Electri filia.
is nunc Amphitruo praefectust legionibus, 100
nam cum Telobois bellum est Thebano poplo.