{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/perseus_phi0119_phi017_phi0119.phi017.perseus-eng2/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/perseus_phi0119_phi017_phi0119.phi017.perseus-eng2","id":"perseus_phi0119_phi017_phi0119.phi017.perseus-eng2","license":"CC-BY-SA-4.0","rights_basis":"perseus_github_repo_license_cc_by_sa_4.0","source":"perseus","source_url":"https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-latinLit/blob/master/data/phi0119/phi017/phi0119.phi017.perseus-eng2.xml","summary":null,"tags":["Plautus"],"text":"Dramatis Personae ARCTURUS, who speaks the Prologue. DAEMONES, an aged Athenian, now living at . PLESIDIPPUS, a young Athenian, in love with Palaestra. SCEPARNIO, Servants of Daemones. GRIPUS, TURBALIO, SPARAX, TRACHALIO, the servant of Plesidippus. LABRAX, a Procurer. CHARMIDES, a Sicilian, his guest. FISHERMEN of Cyrene. PTOLEMOCRATIA, Priestess of Venus. PALAESTRA, Young women in the possession of Labrax. AMPELISCA, (Scene.\u2014Near Cyrene, in Africa; not far from the sea-shore, and before the cottage of DAEMONES and the Temple of Venus, which has, probably, a small court before it, surrounded with a low wall.) THE SUBJECT DAEMONES, an aged Athenian, having lost his property, goes to live in retirement near the sea-shore of Cyrene, in the vicinity of the Temple of Venus. It so happens that Labrax, a Procurer, makes purchase of two damsels, Palaestra and Ampelisca, and comes to reside at Cyrene. Plesidippus, a young Athenian, sees Palaestra there, and falls in love with her; and making an arrangement with the Procurer, gives him a sum in part payment for her, on which occasion, Labrax invites him to a sacrifice in the Temple of Venus. A Sicilian guest of his, however, named Charmides, persuades him to carry the young women over to Sicily, where he is sure to make a greater profit by them. On this, the Procurer, accompanied by his guest, sets sail with them. A tempest arises, and they are shipwrecked. The young women escape in a boat, and arriving ashore, are hospitably received by the Priestess of Venus. Labrax and Charmides also escape, and on discovering where the women are, the former attempts to drag them by force from the Temple. On this they are protected by Daemones and Plesidippus, who, through Trachalio, finds out where they are. In the wreck a wallet has been lost, which belongs to Labrax, and in which is a casket enclosing some trinkets belonging to Palaestra. Gripus, a servant of Daemones, draws this up with the rope attached to his net; and by means of these trinkets it is discovered that Palaestra is the daughter of Daemones, whom he had lost in her infancy; on which she is given in marriage to Plesidippus by her father, who becomes reconciled to Labrax. THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. [Supposed to have been written by Priscian the Grammarian.] A FISHERMAN draws a wallet out of the sea in his net (Reti), in which (Ubi) are the trinkets of his master\u2019s daughter, who, having been stolen, had come into the possession of a Procurer as her owner (Dominum). She (Ea), having suffered shipwreck (Naufragio), without knowing it comes under the protection of her own father; she is recognized, and is married to her (Suo) lover Plesidippus. ARCTURUS Arcturus: This is a star near the tail of the Great Bear, whose rising and setting was supposed to be productive of great tempests. The name is derived from its situation, from the Greek words \u03b1\u03c1\u03ba\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 and \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u1f70, the Bear\u2019s tail. It rises in the beginning of October. Pliny mentions it as rising on the 12th, and Columella on the 5th of that month. We may here remark, that the Play is called the Fisherman\u2019s Rope in consequence of the important part which, towards the close, the rope acts in bringing the wallet to shore in the net. The scenery of this Play must have been much more picturesque than that of those of Plautus in general. At the end of the stage is a prospect of the sea, interspersed with rocks in the distance, while others project upon the front of the stage. The City of Cyrene is also seen in the distance; while nearer to the Audience is the Temple of Venus, with an altar in front of it; and adjoining the Temple is the cottage of Daemones. Some other cottages are also seen at a distance. If the comparison may be made, it bears some slight resemblance to the Tempest of Shakspeare. WITH him who sways all nations, seas, and lands, I am a fellow-citizen in the realms of the Gods. I am, as you see As you see: The actor is supposed here to point to a star placed on his forehead, or on the head-dress which he wears., a bright and shining star, a Constellation that ever in its season rises here on earth and in the heavens. Arcturus is my name. By night, I am glittering in the heavens and amid the Gods, passing among mortals in the day. Other Constellations, too, descend from the heavens upon the earth; Jove, who is the ruler of Gods and men\u2014 he disperses us here in various directions among the nations, to observe the actions, manners, piety, and faith of men, just as the means of each avail him. Those who commence villanous suits at law upon false testimony, and those who, in court, upon false oath deny a debt, their names written down, do we return to Jove. Each day does he learn who here is calling for vengeance. Whatever wicked men seek here to gain their cause through perjury, who succeed before the judge in their unjust demands, the same case adjudged does he judge over again, and he fines them in a penalty much greater than the results of the judgment they have gained. The good men written down on other tablets Written down on other tablets: This is not unlike the words of the Psalmist, Psalm lvi., 8: Thou tellest my wanderings; put thou my tears into thy bottle. Are they not in thy book? does he keep. And still these wicked persons entertain a notion of theirs, that they are able to appease Jupiter with gifts, with sacrifice; both their labour and their cost they lose. This, for this reason, is so, because no petition of the perjured is acceptable to Him. If any person that is supplicating the Deities is pious, he will more easily procure pardon for himself than he that is wicked. Therefore I do advise you this, you who are good and who pass your lives in piety and in virtue\u2014 still persevere, that one day you may rejoice that so you did. Now, the reason for which I\u2019ve come hither, I will disclose to you. First, then, Diphilus Diphilus: He was a Greek Comic Poet, from whom Plautus is supposed to have borrowed the plot of several of his Plays. has willed the name of this city to be Cyrene Cyrene : This was a famous city of Libya, said to have been founded by Aristaeus, the son of the Nymph Cyrene. It was situate in a fertile plain, about eleven miles from the Mediterranean, and was the capital of a district called Pentapolis, from the five cities which it contained.. There (pointing to the cottage) dwells Daemones, in the country and in a cottage very close adjoining to the sea, an old gentleman who has come hither in exile from Athens, no unworthy man. And still, not for his bad deserts has he left his country, but while he was aiding others, meanwhile himself he embarrassed: a property honorably acquired he lost by his kindly ways. Long since, his daughter, then a little child, was lost; a most villanous fellow bought her of the thief, and this Procurer This Procurer: Leno. The calling of the lenones was to traffic in young female slaves, to whom they gave an accomplished education, and then sold them or let them out for the purposes of prostitution. The lenones were deservedly reckoned infamous. brought the maiden hither to Cyrene. A certain Athenian youth, a citizen of this city, beheld her as she was going home from the music-school. He begins to love her; to the Procurer he comes; he purchases the damsel for himself at the price of thirty minae, and gives him earnest, and binds the Procurer with an oath. This Procurer, just as befitted him, did not value at one straw his word, or what, on oath, he had said to the young man. He had a guest, a fit match for himself, an old man of Sicily, a rascal from Agrigentum Agrigentum : This was a town of Sicily, on Mount Acragas, about two miles from the sea. Its inhabitants were famed for their luxurious mode of living., a traitor to his native city; this fellow began to extol the beauty of that maiden, and of the other damsels, too, that were belonging to him. On this he began to persuade the Procurer to go together with himself to Sicily; he said that there the men were given to pleasure; that there he might be enabled to become a wealthy man; that there was the greatest profit from courtesans. He prevails. A ship is hired by stealth. Whatever he has, by night the Procurer carries it on board ship from his house; the young man who purchased the damsel of him he has told that he is desirous of performing a vow to Venus. This is the Temple of Venus, here (pointing at it), and here, for that reason, has he invited the youth hither to a breakfast To a breakfast: \u2014 This probably refers to the meal which took place after the sacrifice, for which certain portions of the victim, particularly the entrails, were reserved. See the Miles Gloriosus, l. 712.. From there at once did he embark on board ship, and he carried off the courtesans. Some other persons informed the young man what things were going on, how that the Procurer had departed. When the young man came to the harbour, their ship had got a great way out to sea. When I beheld how that the maiden was being carried off, I brought at the same instant both relief to her and destruction to the Procurer; the storm I rebuked, and the waves of the sea I aroused. For the most violent Constellation of them all am I, Arcturus; turbulent I am when rising, when I set, more turbulent still. Now, cast ashore there, both the Procurer and his guest are sitting upon a rock; their ship is dashed to pieces. But this maiden, and another as well, her attendant,affrighted, have leaped from the ship into a boat. At this moment the waves are bringing them from the rocks to land, to the cottage of this old man, who is living here in exile, whose roof and tiles the storm has stript off. And this is his servant who is coming out of doors. The youth will be here just now, and you shall see him, who purchased the maiden of the Procurer. Now, fare ye well, and may your foes May your foes: The Carthaginians are alluded to; this Play having been written during the second Punic war. distrust themselves. (Exit.) (Enter SCEPARNIO, with a spade on his shoulder.) SCEPARNIO (to himself.) O ye immortal Gods, what a dreadful tempest has Neptune sent us this last night! The storm has unroofed the cottage. What need of words is there? It was no storm, but what Alcmena met with in Euripides In Euridpides: He alludes to a Tragedy of Euripides so named, where a dreadful storm was so accurately represented that at length the Play became a proverbial expression for tempestuous weather. Madame Dacier observes, that it was not strange for Sceparnio to mention this, as he might often have seen it represented at Athens upon the stage. This notion is somewhat far-fetched, as it is not likely that Plautns troubled himself about such a fine point, or that the Audience was gifted with any such nicety of perception as to note his accuracy, even if he had. It has been suggested, and not at all improbably, that Plautus borrowed the Scene of the thunder and lightning in his Amphitryon from this Play of Euripides.; it has so knocked all the tiles from off the roof; more light has it given us, and has added to our windows. (Enter PLESIDIPPUS, at a distance, talking with three CITIZENS.) PLESIDIPPUS I have both withdrawn you from your avocations, and that has not succeeded on account of which I\u2019ve brought you; I could not catch the Procurer down at the harbour. But I have been unwilling to abandon all hope by reason of my remissness; on that account, my friends, have I the longer detained you. Now hither to the Temple of Venus am I come to see, where he was saying that he was about to perform a sacrifice. SCEPARNIO (aloud to himself, at a distance.) If I am wise, I shall be getting ready this clay that is awaiting me. (Falls to work digging.) PLESIDIPPUS (looking round.) Some one, I know not who, is speaking near to me. (Enter DAEMONES, from his house.) DAEMONES Hallo! Sceparnio! SCEPARNIO Who\u2019s calling me by name? DAEMONES He who paid his money for you. SCEPARNIO (turning round.) As though you would say, Daemones, that I am your slave. DAEMONES There\u2019s occasion for plenty of clayPlenty of clay: He probably means clay for the purpose of drying and making tiles with it., therefore dig up plenty of earth. I find that the whole of my cottage must be covered; for now it\u2019s shining through it, more full of holes than a sieve. PLESIDIPPUS (advancing.) Health to you, good father, and to both of you, indeed. DAEMONES Health to you. SCEPARNIO (to PLESIDIPPUS, who is muffled up in a coat.) But whether are you male or female, who are calling him father? PLESIDIPPUS Why really, I\u2019m a man. DAEMONES Then, man, go seek a father elsewhere. I once had an only daughter, that only one I lost. Of the male sex I never had a child. PLESIDIPPUS But the Gods will give\u2014 SCEPARNIO (going on digging.) A heavy mischance to you indeed, I\u2019 faith, whoever you are, who are occupying us, already occupied, with your prating. PLESIDIPPUS (pointing to the cottage.) Pray are you dwelling there? SCEPARNIO Why do you ask that? Are you reconnoitring the place for you to come and rob there? PLESIDIPPUS It befits a slave to be right rich in his savings, whom, in the presence of his master, the conversation cannot escape, or who is to speak rudely to a free man. SCEPARNIO And it befits a man to be shameless and impudent, for him to whom there\u2019s nothing owing, of his own accord to come to the house of another person annoying people. DAEMONES Sceparnio, hold your tongue. (To PLESIDIPPUS.) What do you want, young man? PLESIDIPPUS A mishap to that fellow, who is in a hurry to be the first to speak when his master\u2019s present. But, unless it\u2019s troublesome, I wish to make enquiry of you in a few words. DAEMONES My attention shall be given you, even though in the midst of business. SCEPARNIO (to PLESIDIPPUS.) Rather, be off with you to the marsh, and cut down some reeds Some reeds: From this we learn that the cottage of Daemones was covered with a kind of thatch. This and l. 18 of the Miles Gloriosus are probably the earliest instances in which thatched roofs are mentioned., with which we may cover the cottage, while it is fine weather. DAEMONES Hold your tongue. Do you tell me (to PLESIDIPPUS) if you have need of anything. PLESIDIPPUS Inform me on what I ask you; whether you have seen here any frizzle-headed fellow, with grey hair, a worthless, perjured, fawning knave. DAEMONES Full many a one; for by reason of fellows of that stamp am I living in misery. PLESIDIPPUS Him, I mean, who brought with him to the Temple of Venus here two young women, and who was to make preparations for himself to perform a sacrifice either to-day or yesterday. DAEMONES By my faith, young man, for these very many days past I haven\u2019t seen any one sacrificing there; and yet it can\u2019t be unknown to me if any one does sacrifice there. They are always asking here for water, or for fire, or for vessels, or for a knife, or for a spit, or for a pot for cooking A pot for cooking: Aula extaris. Literally, a pot for holding the entrails of the animals sacrificed., or something or other. What need is there of words? I procured my vessels and my well, for the use of Venus, and not my own. There has now been a cessation of it for these many days past. PLESIDIPPUS According to the words you utter, you tell me I\u2019m undone. DAEMONES Really, so far as I\u2019m concerned, I\u2019 faith, you may be safe and sound. SCEPARNIO (stopping in his digging.) Hark you, you that are roaming about Temples for the sake of your stomach, \u2019twere better for you to order a breakfast to be got ready at home. Perhaps you\u2019ve been invited here Been invited here: It was the custom of Parasites to prowl about the Temples, for the purpose of joining in the feasts which sometimes took place at the conclusion of the sacrifice. to breakfast. He that invited you, hasn\u2019t he come at all? PLESIDIPPUS \u2019Tis the fact. SCEPARNIO There\u2019s no risk then in your betaking yourself hence home without your breakfast. It\u2019s better for you to be a waiter upon Ceres than upon Venus; the latter attends to love, Ceres attends to wheat. PLESIDIPPUS (to DAEMONES.) This fellow has been making sport of me in a digraceful manner. DAEMONES (looking out at the side.) O ye immortal Gods, Sceparnio, what means those people near the sea-shore? SCEPARNIO According to my notion, they\u2019ve been invited to a parting breakfast To a parting breakfast: Prandium propter viam. Thornton has the following Note here: This is a sorry joke, even for Sceparnio, on so serious and melancholy an occasion, and cannot be well expressed in our tongue. When the ancients were about to undertake any voyage, they used to make a sacrifice to Hercules before they set off, which was for that reason called propter viam; and the custom was to burn all they didn\u2019t eat. Wherefore Sceparnio says laverunt, which signifies they have consumed their all as well as they have bathed. alluding to the ship being lost.. DAEMONES How so? SCEPARNIO Why, because, after dinner, I fancy, they yesterday washed themselves clean; their ship has gone to pieces out at sea. DAEMONES (looking steadfastly.) Such is the fact. SCEPARNIO But, I\u2019 faith, on dry land our cottage and tiles have done the same. DAEMONES Oh dear! what unfortunate creatures you are; (to SCEPARNIO) how the shipwrecked people are swimming. PLESIDIPPUS Prithee, where are these people? DAEMONES (pointing to the distance.) This way, to the right; don\u2019t you see them near the shore? PLESIDIPPUS (looking the same way.) I see them; (to his FRIENDS) follow me. I only wish it may be he that I\u2019m seeking, that most accursed fellow. (To DAEMONES and SCEPARNIO.) Fare you well. SCEPARNIO If you hadn\u2019t put us in mind, we should have thought of that ourselves. (Exeunt PLESIDIPPUS and FRIENDS. SCEPARNIO looks out towards the sea.) But, O Palaemon Palaemon: This was one of the names of Melicerta. or Portunus, the son of Athamas and Ino. Athamas being about to slay him and Ino, they leaped into the sea, where they became sea Divinities., hallowed associate of Neptune, who art said to be the partner of Hercules, what shocking thing do I see? DAEMONES What do you see? SCEPARNIO I see two young women sitting in a boat alone. How the poor things are being tossed about That\u2019s good, that\u2019s good, well done. The surge is driving the boat away from the rock towards the shore. Not a pilot could have ever done it better. I don\u2019t think that I ever saw billows more huge. They are saved, if they can escape those waves. Now, now\u2019s the danger; it has sent one overboard! See you that one whom the waves have thrown out of the boat? Still, she\u2019s in a shallow place; she\u2019ll easily wade through it now. O capital! now she\u2019s safe; she has escaped from the water; she\u2019s now on shore. But that other one has now sprung towards the land from the boat\u2014from her alarm she has fallen into the waves upon her knees. She has got up again; if she takes this direction, the matter\u2019s safe; (a pause) but she has taken to the right, to utter destruction. Ah, she will be wandering all the day\u2014 DAEMONES What signifies that to you? SCEPARNIO If she should fall down from that rock towards which she is wending her way, she\u2019ll be putting a period to her wandering. DAEMONES If you are about to dine this evening at their expense, I think you may then be concerned for them, Sceparnio; if you are going to eat at my house, I wish your services to be devoted to myself. SCEPARNIO You ask what\u2019s good and proper. DAEMONES Then follow me this way. SCEPARNIO I follow I follow: The Scene of the wreck, previously described by Sceparnio, was probably not visible to the Audience, but was depicted by him while directing his view towards the side of the stage.. (Exeunt.) (Enter PALAESTRA, at a distance, with her clothes torn and drenched.) PALAESTRA (to herself.) By heavens, the mishaps of mortals are spoken of as much less bitter than the sharp pangs that are inflicted in the experience of them Has this then pleased the Deity, that I, clad in this guise, should, in my terror, be cast upon a spot unknown? Shall I then declare that I have been born to this wretched lot? Do I receive this meed in return for my exemplary piety? For to me it would not prove a hardship to endure this laborious lot, if I had conducted myself undutifully towards my parents or the Gods; but if studiously I have exerted myself to beware of that, then, unduly and unjustly, Deities, you send upon me this. For what henceforth shall the glaringly impious receive, if after this fashion you pay honor to the guiltless? But if I knew that I or my parents had done anything wicked, now should I have grieved the less. But the wickedness of this master of mine is pressing hard upon me, his impiety is causing my woes; everything has he lost in the sea; these are the remains (looking at her dress) of his property. Even she, who was carried together with me in the boat, was washed out by the violence of the waves; I am now alone. If she at least If she at least: Exactly the same sentiment occurs to Defoe\u2019s hero, Robinson Crusoe, when he visits the Spanish ship wrecked off his island: I cannot explain by any possible energy of words what a strange longing or hankering of desires I felt in my soul upon this sight, breaking out sometimes thus, O that there had been but one or two, nay, or but one soul saved out of this ship, to have escaped to me, that I might have had one companion, one fellow-creature to have spoken to me and to have conversed with! had been saved for me, through her aid my affliction here would have been lighter to me. Now, what hope or aid or what counsel shall I receive, a spot so lonesome here have I lighted upon alone? Here are the rocks, here roars the sea, and not one individual comes across my path. This dress that I am clothed in forms all my riches quite entirely; nor know I with what food or roof I am to be provided. What hope have I through which to desire to live? Neither am I acquainted with the place, nor was I ever here before. At least I could have wished for some one who would point out to me either a road or a path from these spots; so much am I now at a loss for advice whether to go this way or that; neither, indeed, do I see Neither, indeed, do I see: She is unable to see the Temple of Venus and the house of Daemones, by reason of the high crags among which she is wandering, some of which are represented in the front of the stage. anywhere near here a cultivated spot. Cold, distraction, and alarm, have taken possession of all my limbs. My parents, you know not of this, that I am now thus wretched; I that was born a woman entirely free, was so to no purpose. Am I at all the less in servitude now, than if I had been born a slave? And never in any way has it been a profit to those who for their own sakes reared me up. (She advances forward, and rests on one side against the cliff.) (Enter AMPELISCA, at a distance, on the other side of the stage, in a similar condition.) AMPELISCA (to herself.) What is there better for me, what more to my advantage, than to shut out life from my body? So wretched am I in my existence, and so many deadening cares are there in my breast; so despicable is my lot; I care not for my life; I have lost the hope with which I used to comfort myself. All places have I now rambled about, and through each covert spot have I crawled along, to seek my fellow-slave with voice, eyes, ears, that I might trace her out. And still I find her nowhere, nor have I yet determined whither to go, nor where to seek her, nor, in the meantime, do I find any person here to give me an answer, of whom I might make enquiry. No place, too, is there on earth more solitary than are these spots and this locality. And yet, if she lives, never while I exist will I cease before I discover her alive. PALAESTRA (aloud.) Whose voice is it that sounds close by me here? AMPELISCA (starting.) I am alarmed. Who\u2019s speaking near me? PALAESTRA Prithee, kind Hope, do come to my aid. AMPELISCA It\u2019s a woman: a woman\u2019s voice reaches my ears. Will you not rescue wretched me from this alarm? PALAESTRA Surely a woman\u2019s voice reached my ears. Prithee is it Ampelisca? AMPELISCA Is it you, Palaestra, that I hear? PALAESTRA But why don\u2019t I call her by her own name, that she may hear me? (With a loud voice.) Ampelisca! AMPELISCA Ha! who\u2019s that? PALAESTRA \u2019Tis I. AMPELISCA Is it Palaestra?Part of line 237c in the Latin. PALAESTRA It is. AMPELISCA Tell me where Tell me where: It must be remembered that they are still separated by the crags upon the stage, though they are both visible to the Audience. you are. PALAESTRA Troth, I\u2019m now in the midst of a multitude of woes. AMPELISCA I am your partner; and no less is my own share than yours. But I long to see you. PALAESTRA In that wish you are my rival. AMPELISCA Let\u2019s follow our voices with our steps; where are you? PALAESTRA See, here am I. Step onward towards me, and come straight on to meet me. AMPELISCA I\u2019m doing so with care. (They meet in front of the stage.) PALAESTRA Give me your hand. AMPELISCA Take it. PALAESTRA Are you still alive? Prithee, tell me. AMPELISCA You, indeed, make me now wish to live, since I\u2019m empowered to touch you. How hardly can I persuade myself of this, that I am holding you. Prithee, do embrace me (they embrace), my only hope; how you are now easing me of all my woes. PALAESTRA You are beforehand with me in using expressions which belong to me. Now it befits us to be going hence. AMPELISCA Prithee, whither shall we go? PALAESTRA Let\u2019s keep along this sea-shore. (Pointing to the shore.) AMPELISCA Wherever you please, I\u2019ll follow. PALAESTRA Shall we go along thus with our wet clothing? AMPELISCA That which exists, the same must of necessity be borne. (Looking up at the Temple.) But, pray, what\u2019s this? PALAESTRA What is it? AMPELISCA Prithee, don\u2019t you see this Temple? (Pointing towards it.) PALAESTRA Where is it? AMPELISCA On the right hand. PALAESTRA I seem to be looking at a place becoming the Divinities. AMPELISCA There must be people not far hence; it is so delightful a spot. Whoever the God is, I pray him to relieve us from these troubles, and to succour us females, wretched, helpless, and in distress. (They advance towards the Temple, and kneel down before it.) (Enter PTOLEMOCRATIA, the Priestess, from the Temple of Venus.) PTOLEMOCRATIA Who are these, that in their prayers are soliciting aid from my Patroness? For the voice of suppliants has brought me hither out of doors. They pay suit to a kind and compliant Goddess and a Patroness that makes no difficulties, and one who is very benevolent. PALAESTRA Mother, we bid you hail. PTOLEMOCRATIA Maidens, hail to you. But, prithee, whence am I to say that you are hither come with your wet garments, thus wofully arrayed? PALAESTRA Just now, we came from a place there (pointing towards the shore), not a great way from this spot; but it is a great way off from here, whence we have been brought hither. PTOLEMOCRATIA Have you been borne, do you mean, by a ship, the wooden steed The wooden steed: Homer calls ships horses of the sea., over the azure paths? PALAESTRA Even so. PTOLEMOCRATIA Then it were more fitting that you should have come arrayed in white and provided with victims; it isn\u2019t the practice for people to come to this Temple in that fashion. (Pointing at their dresses.) PALAESTRA Prithee, whence would you have us, who have been both cast away at sea, to be bringing victims hither? Now, in want of assistance, do we embrace your knees, we who are of hopes undefined in places unknown, that you may receive us under your roof and shelter us, and that you will pity the miseries of us both, who have neither any place of refuge nor hope at hand, nor have anything whatever of our own beyond that which you see. PTOLEMOCRATIA Give me your hands, arise, both of you, from off your knees; no one among women is more compassionate than I. (They arise from the ground.) But, maidens, my circumstances are poor and limited; with difficulty I support my own existence; Venus I serve for my maintenance. AMPELISCA Prithee, is this a Temple of Venus? PTOLEMOCRATIA I will admit it; I am styled the Priestess of this Temple. But whatever it is, it shall be done by me with a hearty welcome, so far as my means shall suffice. Come with me this way. PALAESTRA Kindly and attentively, mother, do you show your attentions to us. PTOLEMOCRATIA So I ought to do. (They go into the Temple.) (Ente some FISHERMEN, with lines and nets.) A FISHERMAN Persons who are poor live wretchedly in every way, especially those who have no calling and have learned no art. Of necessity must that be deemed enough, whatever they have at home. From our garb, then, you pretty well understand how wealthy we are. These hooks and these rods here are as good to us as a calling and as our clothing. Each day from the city do we come out hither to the sea to seek for forage. Instead of exertion in the wrestling-school and the place for exercise, we have this: sea-urchins, rock-mussels, oysters, limpets Limpets: Balanos. It is not known what shellfish the balani really were., cockles, sea-nettles, sea-mussels and spotted crabs Spotted crabs: It is not known what kind of fish the plagusia was., we catch. After that, we commence our fishing with the hook and among the rocks, and thus we take our food from out of the sea. If success does not befall us, and not any fish is taken, soaked in salt water Soaked in salt water: \u2014 Salsi lautique pure. Thornton says, Madame Dacier supposes that a joke is intended here, from the equivocal meaning of the words, which might mean that they had been entertained with high-seasoned cates, or that they had been washed and cleansed with salt water. salsi, says she, because sea-water is salt; pure, because sea-water washed away all impurities. and thoroughly drenched, we quietly betake ourselves home, and without dinner go to sleep. And since the sea is now in waves so boisterous, no hopes have we; unless we take some cockles, without a doubt we\u2019ve had our dinners. Now let\u2019s adore good Venus here, that she may kindly befriend us to-day. (They advance towards the door of the Temple.) (Enter TRACHALIO, at a distance, in haste.) TRACHALIO (to himself.) I\u2019ve carefully given all attention that I mightn\u2019t pass my master anywhere; for when some time since he went out of the house, he said that he was going to the harbour, and he ordered me to come here to meet him at the Temple of Venus. But see, opportunely do I espy some people standing here of whom I may enquire; I\u2019ll accost them. (Goes up to the FISHERMEN.) Save you, thieves of the sea, shellfish-gatherers and hook-fishers Shellfish-gatherers and hook-fishers: Conchitae \u2014 hamistae. These words are supposed to have been coined by Plautus for the occasion., hungry race of men, how fare ye? How perish apace How perish apace: Thornton has this Note here: There is an humour in the original which could not be preserved in our language. Instead of asking the fishermen Ut valetis? which was the common phrase of salutation, Trachalio addresses them in the opposite term, Ut peritis?\u2014probably un allusion to their perilous calling.? FISHERMEN of Cyrene Just as befits a fisherman with hunger, thirst, and expectation. TRACHALIO Have you seen to-day, while you\u2019ve been standing here, any young man, of courageous aspect, ruddy, stout, of genteel appearance, come by this way, who was taking with him three men in scarfs, with swords? FISHERMEN of Cyrene We know of no one coming this way of that appearance which you mention. TRACHALIO Have you seen any old fellow, bald on the forehead and snub-nosed, of big stature, pot-bellied, with eyebrows awry, a narrow forehead, a knave, the scorn of Gods and men, a scoundrel, one full of vile dishonesty and of iniquity, who had along with him two very pretty-looking young women? FISHERMEN of Cyrene One who has been born with qualities and endowments of that sort, \u2019twere really fitter for him to resort to the executioner than to the Temple of Venus. TRACHALIO But tell me if you have seen him. FISHERMEN of Cyrene Really, no one has passed this way. Fare you well. TRACHALIO Fare ye well. (Exeunt FISHERMEN.) (to himself.) I thought so; it has come to pass as I suspected; my master has been deceived; the cursed Procurer has taken himself off to distant lands. He has embarked on board ship, and carried the women away; I\u2019m a wizard. He invited my master here to breakfast, as well, this very spawn of wickedness. Now what is better for me than to wait here in this spot until my master comes? At the same time, if this Priestess of Venus knows anything more, if I see her, I\u2019ll make enquiries; she\u2019ll give me the information. (Enter AMPELISCA, from the Temple.) AMPELISCA (to the PRIESTESS, within.) I understand; here at this cottage (pointing to it), which is close by the Temple of Venus, you\u2019ve requested me to knock and ask for water. TRACHALIO Whose voice is it that has flown to my ears? AMPELISCA Prithee, who\u2019s speaking here? Who is it that I see? TRACHALIO Isn\u2019t this Ampelisca that\u2019s coming out from the Temple? AMPELISCA Isn\u2019t this Trachalio that I see, the servant of Plesidippus? TRACHALIO It is she. AMPELISCA It is he; Trachalio, health to you. TRACHALIO Health, Ampelisca, to you; how fare you? AMPELISCA In misery I pass a life not far advanced Not far advanced: She seems to mean that, in the prime of life her misfortunes are greater than might have been anticipated by one so young. TRACHALIO Do give some better omen. AMPELISCA Still it behoves all prudent persons to confer and talk together. But, prithee, where\u2019s your master, Plesidippus? TRACHALIO Marry, well said, indeed; as if he wasn\u2019t within there. (Pointing to the Temple.) AMPELISCA By my troth, he isn\u2019t, nor, in fact, has he come here at all. TRACHALIO He hasn\u2019t come? AMPELISCA You say the truth. TRACHALIO That\u2019s not my way, Ampelisca. But how nearly is the breakfast got ready? AMPELISCA What breakfast, I beg of you? TRACHALIO The sacrifice, I mean, that you are performing here. AMPELISCA Prithee, what is it you are dreaming about? TRACHALIO For certain, Labrax invited Plesidippus hither to a breakfast, your master, my master. AMPELISCA By my troth, you\u2019re telling of no wondrous facts: if he has deceived Gods and men, he has only acted after the fashion of Procurers. TRACHALIO Then neither yourselves nor my master are here performing a sacrifice. AMPELISCA You are a wizard. TRACHALIO What are you doing then? AMPELISCA The Priestess of Venus has received here into her abode both myself and Palaestra, after many mishaps and dreadful alarm, and from being in danger of our lives, destitute of aid and of resources. TRACHALIO Prithee, is Palaestra here, the beloved of my master? AMPELISCA Assuredly. TRACHALIO Great joyousness is there in your news, my dear Ampelisca. But I greatly long to know what was this danger of yours. AMPELISCA Last night our ship was wrecked, my dear Trachalio. TRACHALIO How, ship? What story\u2019s this? AMPELISCA Prithee, have you not heard in what way the Procurer intended secretly to carry us away hence to Sicily, and how, whatever there was at home, he placed on board ship? That has all gone to the bottom now. TRACHALIO O clever Neptune, hail to thee! Surely, no dicer is more skilful than thyself. Decidedly a right pleasant throw Right pleasant throw: There is a joke here, which depends on the double meaning of jacere bolum and perdere. The former signifies, to cast a net and to cast a throw of dice. Perdere signifies, to cause to perish, and to break or ruin, in the gamester\u2019s sense. hast thou made; thou didst break a-villain. But where now is the Procurer Labrax? AMPELISCA Perished through drinking, I suppose; Neptune last night invited him to deep potations. TRACHALIO By my troth, I fancy it was given him to drink by way of cup of necessity Cup of necessity: Anancaeum, the cup of necessity, which derived its name from the Greek word \u1f00 \u03bd\u03b1\u03b3\u03ba\u1f75, necessity, was so called from the custom, in feasts, of handing round a large goblet, which all were obliged to empty, without losing a drop. Trachalio alludes to the large draught of salt water which he supposes Labrax has had to swallow at the bidding of Neptune.. How much I do love you, my dear Ampelisca; how pleasing you are; what honied words you do utter. But you and Palaestra, in what way were you saved? AMPELISCA I\u2019ll let you know. Both in affright, we leapt from the ship into a boat, because we saw that the ship was being borne upon a rock; in haste, I unloosed the rope, while they were in dismay. The storm separated us from them with the boat in a direction to the right. And so, tossed about by winds and waves, in a multitude of ways, we, wretched creatures, during the livelong night half dead, the wind this day has scarce borne us to the shore. TRACHALIO I understand; thus is Neptune wont to do; he is a very dainty Aedile Very dainty Aedile: It was the duty of the Aediles at Rome to visit the markets and inspect the wares, like the Agoranomus, or market-officer, of the Greeks. See the Miles Gloriosus, l. 727, and the Note.; if any wares are bad, over he throws them all. AMPELISCA Woe to your head and life! TRACHALIO To your own, my dear Ampelisca. I was sure that the Procurer would do that which he has done; I often said so. It were better I should let my hair grow Let my hair grow: It is supposed to have been the custom of soothsayers and diviners to let their hair grow to a greater length than usual, and set up for a soothsayer. AMPELISCA Did you not take care then, you and your master, that he shouldn\u2019t go away, when you knew this? TRACHALIO What could he do? AMPELISCA If he was in love, do you ask what he could do? Both night and day he should have kept watch; he should have been always on his guard. But, by my troth, he has done like many others; thus finely has Plesidippus taken care of her. TRACHALIO For what reason do you say that? AMPELISCA The thing is evident. TRACHALIO Don\u2019t you know this? Even he who goes to the bath to bathe, while there he carefully keeps an eye upon his garments, still they are stolen; inasmuch as some one of those that he is watching is a rogue; the thief easily marks him for whom he\u2019s upon the watch; the keeper knows not which one is the thief. But bring me to her; where is she? AMPELISCA Well then, go here into the Temple of Venus; you\u2019ll find her sitting there, and in tears. TRACHALIO How disagreable is that to me already. But why is she weeping? AMPELISCA I\u2019ll tell you; she\u2019s afflicting herself in mind for this; because the Procurer took away a casket from her which she had, and in which she kept that by which she might be enabled to recognize her parents; she fears that this has been lost. TRACHALIO Where was that little casket, pray? AMPELISCA There, on board the ship; he himself locked it up in his wallet, that there mightn\u2019t be the means by which she might recognize her parents. TRACHALIO O scandalous deed! to require her to be a slave, who ought to be a free woman. AMPELISCA Therefore she now laments that it has gone to the bottom along with the ship. There, too, was all the gold and silver of the Procurer. TRACHALIO Some one, I trust, has dived and brought it up. AMPELISCA For this reason is she sad and disconsolate, that she has met with the loss of them. TRACHALIO Then have I the greater occasion to do this, to go in and console her, that she mayn\u2019t thus distress herself in mind. For I know that many a lucky thing has happened to many a one beyond their hopes. AMPELISCA But I know too that hope has deceived many who have hoped. TRACHALIO Therefore a patient mind is the best remedy for affliction. I\u2019ll go in, unless you wish for anything. (Goes into the Temple.) AMPELISCA Go. (To herself.) I\u2019ll do that which the Priestess requested me, and I\u2019ll ask for some water here at the neighbour\u2019s; for she said that if I asked for it in her name, they would give it directly. And I do think that I never saw a more worthy old lady, one to whom I should think that it is more befitting for Gods and men to show kindness. How courteously, how heartily, how kindly, how, without the least difficulty, she received us into her home, trembling, in want, drenched, shipwrecked, half dead; not otherwise, in fact, than if we had been her own offspring. How kindly did she herself, just now, tucking up her garments, make the water warm for us to bathe. Now, that I mayn\u2019t keep her waiting, I\u2019ll fetch some water from the place where she requested me. (Knocking at the door of DAEMONES.) Hallo, there, is there any one in the cottage? is any one going to open this door? Will any one come out? (Enter SCEPARNIO, from the cottage of DAEMONES.) SCEPARNIO Who is it so furiously making an attack upon our door? AMPELISCA It\u2019s I. SCEPARNIO Well now, what good news is there? (Aside.) Dear me, a lass of comely appearance, i\u2019 troth. AMPELISCA Greeting to you, young man. SCEPARNIO And many greetings to you, young woman. AMPELISCA I\u2019m come to you\u2014 SCEPARNIO I\u2019ll receive you with a welcome, if you come in the evening, by-and-by, just such as I could like; for just now I\u2019ve no means For just now I\u2019ve no means: This line has greatly puzzled the Commentators. Sceparnio, however, seems to mean that at present he is busy, and cannot attend to her, but that in the evening he will be at her service. It has been suggested that a double entendre is meant; and such may possibly be the case, though the pungency of the passage is lost by reason of the hiatus in the next line. The meaning may, however, be harmless, and he may intend to say that at present he is busy thatching the house, but that at nightfall he will have finished, when she may count upon being hospitably entertained. to receive you, a damsel, thus early in the morning But what have you to say, my smiling, pretty one. (Chucks her under the chin.) AMPELISCA Oh, you\u2019re handling me too familiarly. (Moves away.) SCEPARNIO O ye immortal Gods! she\u2019s the very image of Venus. What joyousness there is in her eyes, and, only do see, what a skin \u2019tis of the vulture\u2019s tint Of the vulture\u2019s tint: There is a poor joke here upon the words subaquilum and subvulturium. Sceparnio means to describe the complexion of Ampelisca as somewhat resembling the colour of an eagle. By mistake, he happens to mention a vulture, and immediately corrects himself, as, from its sordid habits, he may be deemed to be paying her an ill compliment.,\u2014rather, the eagle\u2019s, indeed, I meant to say. Her breasts, too, how beautiful; and then what expression on her lips! (Takes hold of her.) AMPELISCA (struggling.) I\u2019m no common commodity for the whole township No common commodity for the whole township: Pollucta pago. The portion of the sacrifice to Hercules which was given to the common people was said to be pollucta, whence the present adaptation of the epithet. Echard seems to have contemplated translating this, I\u2019m no pie for every one\u2019s cutting up!; can\u2019t you keep your hands off me? SCEPARNIO (patting her.) Won\u2019t you let me touch you, gentle one, in this manner, gently and lovingly? AMPELISCA When I have leisure, then I\u2019ll be giving my attention to toying and dalliance to please you; for the present, prithee, do either say me Yes or No to the matter for which I was sent hither. SCEPARNIO What now is it that you wish? AMPELISCA (pointing to her pitcher.) To a shrewd person, my equipment would give indications of what it is I want. SCEPARNIO To a shrewd woman, this equipment, too, of mine, would give indication of what it is I want. AMPELISCA (pointing to the Temple.) The Priestess there of Venus, requested me to fetch some water from your house here. SCEPARNIO But I\u2019m a lordly sort of person; unless you entreat me, you shan\u2019t have a drop. We dug this well with danger to ourselves, and with tools of iron. Not a drop can be got out of me except by means of plenty of blandishments. AMPELISCA Prithee, why do you make so much fuss about the water\u2014a thing that even enemy affords to enemy? SCEPARNIO Why do you make so much fuss about granting a favour to me, that citizen grants to citizen? AMPELISCA On the contrary, my sweet one, I\u2019ll even do everything for you that you wish. SCEPARNIO O charming! I am favoured; she\u2019s now calling me her sweet one. The water shall be given you, so that you mayn\u2019t be coaxing me in vain. Give me the pitcher. AMPELISCA Take it (gives it to him): make haste and bring it out, there\u2019s a dear. SCEPARNIO Stay a moment; I\u2019ll be here this instant, my sweet one. (Goes into the cottage.) AMPELISCA What shall I say to the Priestess for having delayed here so long a time? How, even still, in my wretchedness do I tremble, when with my eyes I look upon the sea. (She looks towards the shore.) But what, to my sorrow, do I see afar upon the shore? My master, the Procurer, and his Sicilian guest. both of whom wretched I supposed to have perished in the deep. Still does thus much more of evil survive for us than we had imagined. But why do I delay to run off into the Temple, and to tell Palaestra this, that we may take refuge at the altar before this scoundrel of a Procurer can come hither and seize us here? I\u2019ll betake myself away from this spot; for the necessity suddenly arises for me to do so. (Runs into the Temple.) (Enter SCEPARNIO, from the cottage.) SCEPARNIO (to himself.) O ye immortal Gods, I never did imagine that there was so great delight in water; how heartily I did draw this. The well seemed much less deep than formerly. How entirely without exertion did I draw this up. With all deference With all deference: Praefiscine. This word was generally used as being supposed to avert the evil eye, when persons spake in high terms of themselves. There is some drollery in Sceparnio using it, when speaking in disparagement of himself. to myself, am I not a very silly fellow,in having only to-day made a commencement of being in love Of being in love: Not for the pleasure of loving, but for the comparative ease of drawing the water, which was probably one of his employments.? (Turning slowly round, he holds out the pitcher.) Here\u2019s the water for you, my pretty one; here now, I would have you carry it with as much pleasure as I carry it, that you may please me. (Stares around him.) But where are you, my tit-bit? Do take this water, please; where are you? (Again looks about.) I\u2019 troth, she\u2019s in love with me, as I fancy; the roguish one\u2019s playing bo-peep Playing bo-peep: Both Horace and Virgil mention the game of hiding, or bo-peep, as a favorite one with the girls of their day. Where are you? Are you going now to take this pitcher? Where are you, I say? You\u2019ve carried the joke far enough. Really, do be serious at last. Once more, are you going to take this pitcher? Where in the world are you? (Looks about.) I\u2019 troth, I don\u2019t see her anywhere, for my part; she\u2019s making fun of me. I\u2019 faith, I shall now set down this pitcher in the middle of the road. But yet, suppose any person should carry away from here this sacred pitcher of Venus, he would be causing me some trouble. I\u2019 faith, I\u2019m afraid that this woman\u2019s laying a trap for me, that I may be caught with the sacred pitcher of Venus. In such case, with very good reason, the magistrate will be letting me die in prison, if any one shall see me holding this. For it\u2019s marked with the name; itself tells its own tale, whose property it is. Troth now, I\u2019ll call that Priestess here out of doors, that she may take this pitcher. I\u2019ll go there to the door. (He knocks.) Hallo there! Ptolemocratia. (Calling aloud.) Take this pitcher of yours, please; some young woman, I don\u2019t know who, brought it here to me. (A pause.) It must then be carried in-doors by me. I\u2019ve found myself a job, if, in fact, of my own accord, water is to be carried by me for these people as well. (Goes into the Temple with the pitcher.) (Enter LABRAX, dripping wet, followed by CHARMIDES, at a distance, in the same plight.) LABRAX (grumbling to himself.) The person that chooses himself to be wretched and a beggar, let him trust himself and his life to Neptune. For if any one has any dealings at all with him, he sends him back home equipped in this guise. (Surveying himself.) By my troth, Liberty, you were a clever one, who were never willing Who were never wiling: He probably alludes to some current proverb of the day, which may, with considerable truth, have said that liberty forsakes a man when he goes or board ship. to put even a foot, I\u2019 faith, on board ship with me. But (looking round) where\u2019s this guest of mine that has proved my ruin? Oh, see, here he comes. CHARMIDES Where the plague are you hurrying to, Labrax? For really I cannot follow you so fast. LABRAX I only wish that you had perished by direful tornments in Sicily before I had looked upon you with my eyes, you on whose account this misfortune has befallen me. CHARMIDES I only wish that on the day on which you admitted me into your house, I had laid me down in a prison sooner. I pray the immortal Gods, that so long as you live, you may have all your guests just like your own self. LABRAX In your person I admitted misfortune into my house. What business had I to listen to a rogue like you, or what to depart hence? Or why to go on board ship, where I have lost even more wealth Even more wealth: He means that he has not only lost his existing property by the shipwreck, but his hopes of profit as well on his arrival at Sicily, by means of his traffic with Palaestra and Ampelisca. than I was possessor of? CHARMIDES Troth, I\u2019m far from being surprised if your ship has been wrecked, which was carrying yourself, a villain, and your property villanously acquired. LABRAX You\u2019ve utterly ruined me with your wheedling speeches. CHARMIDES A more accursed dinner of yours have I been dining upon than the ones that were set before Thyestes and Tereus Thyestes and Tereus: Atreus killed the children of his brother Thyestes, and served them up to their father. Progne slew her son Itys, and set him before his father Tereus, who had ravished and mutilated her sister Philomela.. LABRAX I\u2019m dying; I\u2019m sick at heart. Prithee, do hold up my head. CHARMIDES By my troth, I could very much wish that you would vomit up your lungs. LABRAX Alas! Palaestra and Ampelisca, where are you now? CHARMIDES Supplying food for the fishes at the bottom, I suppose. LABRAX You have brought beggary upon me by your means, while I was listening to your bragging lies. CHARMIDES You have reason deservedly to give me many hearty thanks, who from an insipid morsel by my agency have made you salt Have made you salt: Ex insulso salsum. The humour in this passage depends on the double meaning of the word salsus, which signifies saited, and, figuratively, sharp, clever. witty.. LABRAX Nay, but do you get out from me to extreme and utter perdition. CHARMIDES You be off; I was just going to do that very thing. LABRAX Alas! what mortal being is there living more wretched than I? CHARMIDES I am by very far much more wretched, Labrax, than yourself. LABRAX How so? CHARMIDES Because I am not deserving of it, whereas you are deserving. LABRAX O bulrush, bulrush, I do praise your lot, who always maintain your credit for dryness. CHARMIDES (his teeth chattering.) For my part, I\u2019m exercising myself for a skirmishing fight For a skirmishing fight: Thornton has this Note on this passage: Velitatio signifies a skirmish, which was. usually made by the velites, that is, the light-harnessed soldiers; and these men always made use of darts, whose points would glitter at a distance, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Now Charmides, trembling with cold, compares himself to these velites, or skirmishers, who never keep their places; and his words, which came out broken and by piecemeal, to the unequal glimmerings or flashes of their darts., for, from my shivering, I utter all my words in piecemeal flashes. LABRAX By my troth, Neptune, you are a purveyor of chilly baths; since I got away from you with my clothes, I\u2019ve been freezing. No hot liquor-shop Hot-liquor shop: See the Trinummus, l. 1013, and the Note. at all for sure does he provide; so salt and cold the potions that he prepares. CHARMIDES How lucky are the blacksmiths who are always sitting among hot coals; they are always warm. LABRAX I only wish that I were now enjoying the lot of the duck, so as, although I had just come from out of the water, still to be dry. CHARMIDES What if I some way or other let myself out at the games for a hobgoblin For a hobgoblin: Manducus was a huge figure exhibited on the stage and at public shows, with huge teeth craunching, and a wide mouth\u2014probably not unlike some of the idols of the South Sea Islanders.? LABRAX For what reason? CHARMIDES Because, I\u2019 faith, I\u2019m chattering aloud with my teeth. But I\u2019m of opinion that, with very good reason, I\u2019ve had this ducking. LABRAX How so? CHARMIDES Why, haven\u2019t I ventured to go on board ship with yourself, who have been stirring up the ocean for me from the very bottom? LABRAX I listened to you when advising me; you assured me that there in Sicily was very great profit from courtesans; there, you used to say, I should be able to amass wealth. CHARMIDES Did you expect, then, you unclean beast, that you were going to gobble up the whole island of Sicily? LABRAX What whale, I wonder, has gobbled up my wallet where all my gold and silver was packed up? CHARMIDES That same one, I suppose, that has swallowed my purse, which was full of silver in my travelling-bag. LABRAX Alas! I\u2019m reduced even to this one poor tunic (stretching it out) and to this poor shabby cloak; I\u2019m done for to all intents. CHARMIDES Then you may even go into partnership with me; we have got equal shares. LABRAX If at least my damsels had been saved, there would have been some hope. Now, if the young man Plesidippus should be seeing me, from whom I received the earnest for Palaestra, he\u2019ll then be causing me some trouble in consequence. (He begins to cry.) CHARMIDES Why cry, you fool? Really, by my troth, so long as your tongue shall exist, you have abundance with which to make payment to everybody Payment to everybody: He means, that his readiness to commit perjury will save him the trouble of finding money to pay with as he can always swear that he has paid already.. (Enter SCEPARNIO, from the Temple.) SCEPARNIO (to himself, aloud.) What to-do is this, I\u2019d like to know, that two young women here in the Temple, in tears, are holding in their embrace the statue of Venus, dreading I know not what in their wretchedness? But they say that this last night they have been tossed about, and to-day cast on shore from the waves. LABRAX (overhearing.) Troth now, young man, prithee, where are these young women that you are talking of? SCEPARNIO Here (pointing) in the Temple of Venus. LABRAX How many are there? SCEPARNIO Just as many as you and I make. LABRAX Surely, they are mine. SCEPARNIO Surely, I know nothing about that. LABRAX Of what appearance are they? SCEPARNIO Good-looking; I could even fall in love with either of them, if I were well liquored. LABRAX Surely, they are the damsels. SCEPARNIO Surely, you are a nuisance; be off, go in and see, if you like. LABRAX These must be my wenches in here, my dear Charmides. CHARMIDES Jupiter confound you, both if they are and still if they are not. LABRAX I\u2019ll straightway burst into this Temple of Venus here. CHARMIDES Into the bottomless pit, I would rather. (LABRAX rushes into the Temple, and shuts the door.) Prithee, stranger, show me some spot where I may go to sleep. SCEPARNIO Go to sleep there, wherever you please (points to the ground); no one hinders, it\u2019s free to the public. CHARMIDES (pointing to his clothes.) But do you see me, in what wet clothes I\u2019m dressed? Do take me under shelter; lend me some dry clothes, while my own are drying; on some occasion I\u2019ll return you the favour. SCEPARNIO See, here\u2019s my outer coat, which alone is dry; that, if you like, I\u2019ll lend you. (Takes it off and holds it out to him.) In that same I\u2019m wont to be clothed, by that same protected, when it rains. Do you give me those clothes of yours; I\u2019ll soon have them dried. CHARMIDES How now, are you afraid that, as I\u2019ve been washed bare Washed bare: The poor joke here turns on the double meaning of the word eluo, which, in the passive, means to be shipwrecked, and in the active, either to bathe or to be ruined in one\u2019s fortunes. It is not very dissimilar to an expression common with us, and might be rendered, I wasn\u2019t cleaned out enough at sea fast night, but you want to clean me out still more. Sceparnio takes the word in the sense of to bathe, and says, Bathe or anoint yourself; I don\u2019t care a fig. Anointing followed immediately after bathing, last night at sea, I mayn\u2019t be made bare again here upon shore? SCEPARNIO Wash you bare, or anoint you well, I don\u2019t care one fig One fig: Ciccum. Ciccum was the thin skin in the pomegranate that divided the kernels.. I shall never entrust anything to you unless upon a pledge being taken. Do you either sweat away or perish with cold, be you either sick or well. I\u2019ll put up with no stranger-guest in my house; I\u2019ve had disagreements enough. (Puts on his coat again, and goes into the house of DAEMONES.) CHARMIDES What, are you off? (A pause.) He\u2019s a trafficker in slaves for money For money: His meaning is, he is so inhuman, that surely he is a slave-dealer, and nothing less. ; whoever he is, he has no bowels Has no bowels: Non est misericors. Literally, he is not merciful. of compassion. But why in my wretchedness am I standing here, soaking? Why don\u2019t I rather go away from here into the Temple of Venus, that I may sleep off this debauch which I got with drinking last night against the bent of my inclination? Neptune has been drenching us with salt water as though we were Greek wines Were Greek wines: He uses this comparison because it was the custom of the ancients to mix sea-water with all the Greek wines, except the Chian, which Horace styles maris expers, unmixed with the sea., and so he hoped that our stomachs might be vomited up with his salt draughts. What need of words? If he had persisted in inviting us a little longer, we should have gone fast asleep there; as it is, hardly alive has he sent us off home. Now I\u2019ll go see the Procurer, my boon companion, what he\u2019s doing within. (Goes into the Temple.) (Enter DAEMONES, from his house.) DAEMONES (to himnself.) In wondrous ways In wondrous ways: It is somewhat singular that the same three lines as this and the two following occur in the Mercator, at the beginning of Act II. do the Gods make sport of men, in wondrous fashions do they send dreams in sleep. Not the sleeping, even, do they allow to rest. As, for example, I, this last night which has gone by, dreamed a wonderful and a curious dream. A she-ape seemed to be endeavouring to climb up to a swallow\u2019s nest; and she was not able thence to take them out. After that, the ape seemed to come to me to beg me to lend a ladder to her. I in these terms gave answer to the ape, that swallows are the descendants of Philomela Of Philomela: The Poets generally represent Progne as changed into a swallow, and Philomela into a nightingale. Ovid, however, on one occasion, mentions Philomela as being changed into a swallow. They were the daughters of Pandion, king of Athens, the native place of Daemones. and of Progne. I expostulated with her, that she might not hurt those of my country. But then she began to be much more violent, and seemed gratuitously to be threatening me with vengeance. She summoned me to a court of justice. Then, in my anger, I seemed to seize hold of the ape by the middle, in what fashion I know not; and I fastened up with chains this most worthless beast. Now to what purpose I shall say that this dream tends, never have I this day been able to come to any conclusion. (A loud noise is heard in the Temple.) But what\u2019s this noise that arises in this Temple of Venus, my neighbour? My mind\u2019s in wonder about it. (Enter TRACHALIO, in haste, from the Temple.) TRACHALIO (aloud.) O citizens of Cyrene, I implore your aid, countrymen, you who are near neighbours to these spots, bring aid to helplessness, and utterly crush a most vile attempt. Inflict vengeance, that the power of the wicked, who wish themselves to be distinguished by crimes, may not be stronger than of the guiltless. Make an example for the shameless man, give its reward to modest virtue; cause that one may be allowed to live here rather under the control of the laws than of brute force. Hasten hither into the Temple of Venus; again do I implore your aid, you who are here at hand and who hear my cries. Bring assistance to those who, after the recognized usage, have entrusted their lives to Venus and to the Priestess of Venus, under their protection. Wring ye the neck of iniquity before it reaches yourselves. DAEMONES What\u2019s all this to-do? TRACHALIO (embracing his knees.) By these knees of yours, I do entreat you, old gentleman, whoever you are\u2014 DAEMONES Nay, but do you let go my knees, then, and tell me why it is that you are making a noise? TRACHALIO I do beg and entreat you, that if you hope this year that you will have abundance of laserwort and silphium Laserwort and silphium: Sirpe and laserpitium seem to be different names for the same plant, laserwort, from which assaf\u0153tida is distilled. It grew abundantly in Cyrene, which region Catullus calls Laserpitiferae Cyrenae. The juice of this plant seems to have been used in making certain perfumes, for which reason it was exported to Capua., and that that export will arrive at Capua At Capua\u2014Ver. 631. Capua was the chief city of Campania, in Italy, and was famed for its luxury. It was celebrated for its choice perfumes; and in it there was one great street called Seplasia, which consisted entirely of shops, in which unguents and perfumes were sold. safe and sound, and that you may ever enjoy freedom from diseased eyes\u2014 DAEMONES Are you in your senses? TRACHALIO \u2014Or whether you trust that you will have plenty of juice of silphium Juice of silphium: Magudaris is the root or juice of the plant called laserpicium., that you will not hesitate to give me the aid which I shall entreat of you, aged sir. DAEMONES And I, by your legs, and ancles, and back, do entreat you that, if you hope that you will have a crop of elm-twigs, and that a fruitful harvest of beatings will this year be your lot, you will tell me what\u2019s the matter here, by reason of which you are making this uproar. TRACHALIO Why do you choose to speak me ill? For my part, I wished you everything that\u2019s good. DAEMONES And for my part, I\u2019m speaking you well, in praying that things which you deserve may befall you. TRACHALIO Prithee, do prevent this. DAEMONES What\u2019s the matter, then? TRACHALIO (pointing to the Temple.) Two innocent women are inside here, in need of your aid, on whom, against law and justice, an injury has been, is being, glaringly committed here in the Temple of Venus. Besides, the Priestess of Venus is being disgracefully insulted. DAEMONES What person is there of effrontery so great as to dare to injure the Priestess? But these women, who are they? Or what injury is being done to them? TRACHALIO If you give me your attention, I\u2019ll tell you. They have clung to the statue of Venus; a most audacious fellow is now trying to tear them away. They ought, by rights, both of them to be free. DAEMONES What fellow is it that so lightly holds the Gods? In a few words tell me. TRACHALIO One most full of fraud, villany, parricide, and perjury; a lawbreaker, an immodest, unclean, most shameless fellow; to sum up all in one word, he is a Procurer; why need I say more about him? DAEMONES Troth now, you tell of a man that ought to be handed over to retribution. TRACHALIO A villain, to seize the Priestess by the throat. DAEMONES By my troth, but he has done it at his own great peril. (Calls aloud at his door.) Come you out of doors here, Turbalio and Sparax; where are you? TRACHALIO Prithee, do go in, and hasten to their rescue. DAEMONES (impatiently.) And am I to call for them once more? (from the cottage.) DAEMONES Follow me this way.Part of line 658b in the Latin. TRACHALIO Come on now this instant, bid them tear his eyes out, just in the way that cooks do cuttle-fish Cooks do cuttle-fish: This, probably, was a practice of ancient cookery, which, happily, has not come down to our times.. DAEMONES Drag the fellow out here by his legs, just like a slaughtered pig. (DAEMONES and his SERVANTS go into the Temple.) TRACHALIO (listening at the door.) I hear a scuffling; the Procurer, I guess, is being belaboured with their fists; I\u2019d very much like them to knock the teeth out of the jaws of the most villanous fellow. But see, here are the women themselves coming out of the Temple in consternation. (Enter PALAESTRA and AMPELISCA, in haste, from the Temple, with dishevelled locks.) PALAESTRA Now is that time arrived when destitution of all resources and aid, succour and defence, overtakes us. Neither hope nor means is there to bring us aid, nor know we in what direction we should commence to proceed. In exceeding terror now are we both, in this our wretchedness. Such cruelty and such outrage have been committed towards us just now in-doors here by our master, who, in his villany, pushed down the old lady, the Priestess, headlong, and struck her in a very disgraceful manner, and with his violence tore us away from the inner side The inner side: Signo intumo may either mean the statue in the most distant and sacred recess, or the inner side of the statue, to which spot they had retired for safety. of the statue. But as our lot and fortunes are now showing themselves, \u2019twere best to die, nor in our miseries is there anything better than death. TRACHALIO (behind.) What\u2019s this? Whose words are those? Why do I delay to console them? (Aloud.) Harkye, Palaestra, Ampelisca, harkye! PALAESTRA Prithee, who is it that calls us? AMPELISCA Who is it that calls me by name? TRACHALIO If you turn round and look, you\u2019ll know. PALAESTRA (turning round.) O hope of my safety! TRACHALIO Be silent and of good courage; trust me Trust me: At the same time he is afraid to go in. Palaestra sees this, and taunts him with being brave\u2014in words only.. PALAESTRA If only it can be so, let not violence overwhelm us. TRACHALIO What violence? PALAESTRA That same which is driving me to commit violence on myself. TRACHALIO Oh, do leave off; you are very silly. PALAESTRA Then do you leave off at once your consoling me in my misery with words. AMPELISCA Unless you afford us protection in reality In reality: Re, in reality, in contradistinction to words., Trachalio, it\u2019s all over with us. PALAESTRA I\u2019m resolved to die sooner than suffer this Procurer to get me in his power. But still I am of woman\u2019s heart; when, in my misery, death comes into my mind, fear takes possession of my limbs.End of sentence is part of line 686 in the Latin. TRACHALIO By my troth, although this is a bitter affliction, do have a good heart. PALAESTRA Why where, pray, is a good heart to be found for me? TRACHALIO Don\u2019t you fear, I tell you; sit you down here by the altar. (Points to it.) AMPELISCA What can this altar possibly avail us more than the statue here within the Temple of Venus, from which just now, embracing it, in our wretchedness, we were torn by force? TRACHALIO Only you be seated here; then I\u2019ll protect you in this spot. This altar you possess as though your bulwarks Your bulwarks: Moenia. Madame Dacier supposes that these words refer to the walls of a court in front of the Temple, represented on the stage with an altar in the middle, the walls being breast high, which Trachalio compares to entrenchments.; these your fortifications; from this spot will I defend you. With the aid of Venus, I\u2019ll march against the wickedness of the Procurer. PALAESTRA We follow your instructions (they advance to the altar and kneel); and genial Venus, we both of us, in tears, implore thee, embracing this thy altar, bending upon our knees, that thou wilt receive us into thy guardianship, and be our protector; that thou wilt punish those wretches who have set at nought thy Temple, and that thou wilt suffer us to occupy this thy altar with thy permission, we who last night were by the might of Neptune cast away; hold us not in scorn, and do not for that reason impute it to us as a fault, if there is anything that thou shouldst think is not so well attended to Not so well attended to: Bene lautum. There is a joke intended in the use of these words, which may signify either quite tidy or properly arranged; or, on the other hand, well washed, neglect of which certainly could not be imputed to them, by reason of their recent shipwreck. by us as it ought to have been. TRACHALIO I think they ask what\u2019s just; it ought, Venus, by thee to be granted. Thou oughtst to pardon them; \u2019tis terror forces them to do this. They say that thou wast born from a shell Born from a shell: He alludes to the birth of Venus, who was said to have sprung from the sea in a shell. He also seems to joke upon the destitute state of the young women, and to call them mere shells. An indelicate construction has been, by some, put upon the use of the word conchas, while others think it refers to the use made by women of shells, for holding their paints, perfumes, and cosmetics, and that he means thereby to reproach Venus for having allowed them to lose all their property. This, however, seems to be a rather far-fetched notion.; take thou care that thou dost not despise the shells of these. But see, most opportunely the old gentleman is coming out, both my protector and your own. (He goes to the altar.) (Enter DAEMONES, from the Temple, with his two SERVANTS dragging out LABRAX.) DAEMONES Come out of the Temple, you most sacrilegious of men, as many as have ever been born. Do you go (calling to the WOMEN) and sit by the altar. (Not seeing them near the door.) But where are they? TRACHALIO Look round here. DAEMONES (looking round.) Very good; I wanted that I wanted that: He means that the women have done as he wished them to do, in flying to the altar for refuge.. Now bid him come this way. (To LABRAX.) Are you attempting here among us to commit a violation of the laws against the Deities? (To the SERVANTS, who obey with alacrity.) Punch his face with your fists. LABRAX I\u2019m suffering these indignities at your own cost. DAEMONES Why, the insolent fellow\u2019s threatening even. LABRAX I\u2019ve been robbed of my rights; you are robbing me of my female slaves against my will. TRACHALIO Do you then find some wealthy man of the Senate of Cyrene as judge, whether these women ought to be yours, or whether they oughtn\u2019t to be free, or whether it isn\u2019t right that you should be clapped into prison, and there spend your life, until you have worn the whole gaol out with your feet. LABRAX I wasn\u2019t prepared to prophesy for this day that I should be talking with a hang-gallows A hang-gallows: Furcifero. He sneeringly alludes to Trachalio\u2019s position as a slave, and his liability to have the punishment of the furca inflicted on him. like yourself. (Turning to DAEMONES.) You do I summon to judgment. DAEMONES (pointing to TRACHALIO.) In the first place, try it with him who knows you. LABRAX (to DAEMONES.) My suit is with yourself. TRACHALIO But it must be with myself. (Pointing to the WOMEN.) Are these your female slaves? LABRAX They are. TRACHALIO Just come then, touch either of them with your little finger only. LABRAX What if I do touch them? TRACHALIO That very instant, upon my faith, I\u2019ll make a hand-ball A hand-ball: These lines are thus rendered in one version: Instantly I will make you a prize-fighting pair of bellows, and while you are drawing breath, will belabour you with my fists. The allusion, however, is clearly to a ball blown up like our footballs, and struck with the clenched fist, the merit of the game being not to let it come to the ground. of you, and while you\u2019re in the air I\u2019ll belabour you with my fists, you most perjured villain. LABRAX Am I not to be allowed to take away my female slaves from the altar of Venus? DAEMONES You may not; such is the law with us. LABRAX I\u2019ve no concern with your laws; for my part, I shall at once carry them both away from here Away from here: Foras. Probably in allusion to the court before the Temple. If you are in love with them, old gentleman (holding out his hand), you must down here with the ready cash. DAEMONES But these women have proved pleasing to Venus. LABRAX She may have them, if she pays the money.Part of line 727 in the Latin. DAEMONES A Goddess, pay you money? Now then, that you may understand my determination, only do you commence in mere joke to offer them the very slightest violence; I\u2019ll send you away from here with such a dressing, that you won\u2019t know your own self. You, therefore (turning to his SERVANTS), when I give you the signal, if you don\u2019t beat his eyes out of his head, I\u2019ll trim you round about with rods just like beds of myrtle Beds of myrtle: Myrteta. This may allude to bundles of myrtle (which was sacred to Venus), bound with rushes and hung about the Temple, or else to beds of myrtle in front of the Temple, with small fences round them, made of rushes. with bulrushes. LABRAX You are treating me with violence. TRACHALIO What, do you even upbraid us with violence, you flagrant specimen of flagitiousness? LABRAX You, you thrice-dotted villain Thrice-dotted villain: Trifurcifer. Literally, one punished with the furca three times, meaning a thief; or villain three times over. See the Aulularia, l. 281, and the Note (where read punished with the furca)., do you dare to speak abusively to me? TRACHALIO I am a thrice-dotted villain; I confess it; you are a strictly honorable man; ought these women a bit the less to be free? LABRAX What\u2014free? TRACHALIO Aye, and your mistresses, too, I\u2019 faith, and from genuine Greece Genuine Greece : Perhaps in contradistinction to Sicily, which was only colonized by Greeks.; for one of them was born at Athens of free-born parents. DAEMONES What is it I hear from you? TRACHALIO That she (pointing to PALAESTRA) was born at Athens, a free-born woman. DAEMONES (to TRACHALIO.) Prithee is she a countrywoman of mine? TRACHALIO Are you not a Cyrenian? DAEMONES No; born at Athens in Attica, bred and educated there. TRACHALIO Prithee, aged sir, do protect your countrywomen. DAEMONES (aside.) O daughter, when I look on her, separated from me you remind me of my miseries: (aloud) she who was lost by me when three years old; now, if she is living, she\u2019s just about as tall, I\u2019m sure, as she. (Pointing to PALAESTRA.) LABRAX I paid the money down for these two, to their owners, of whatever country they were. What matters it to me whether they were born at Athens or at Thebes, so long as they are rightfully in servitude as my slaves? TRACHALIO Is it so, you impudent fellow? What, are you, a cat prowling after maidens, to be keeping children here kidnapped from their parents and destroying them in your disgraceful calling? But as for this other one, I really don\u2019t know what her country is; I only know that she\u2019s more deserving than yourself, you most abominable rascal. LABRAX Are these women your property? TRACHALIO Come to the trial, then, which of the two according to his back is the more truthful; if you don\u2019t bear more compliments Compliments: Offerumenta, according to Festus, signified an offering to the Gods; and as these were fixed to the walls of the Temples, Trachalio calls the lashes of the scourge or rod, when applied to the back of the delinquent slave, by the same term. upon your back than any ship of war Ship of war: Longa navis. Literally, a long ship. Ships of war were thus called by the Greeks. has nails, then I\u2019m the greatest of liars. Afterwards, do you examine mine, when I\u2019ve examined yours; if it shall not prove to be so untouched, that any leather flask maker Leather flask maker: Ampullarius. A maker of ampullae, or leather bottles. They were of a big-bellied form, with a narrow neck. will say that it is a hide most capital and most sound for the purposes of his business, what reason is there why I shouldn\u2019t mangle you with stripes, even till you have your belly full? Why do you stare at them? If you touch them I\u2019ll tear your eyes out. LABRAX Yet notwithstanding, although you forbid me to do so, I\u2019ll at once carry them off both together with me. DAEMONES What will you do? LABRAX I\u2019ll bring Vulcan; he is an enemy to Venus An enemy to Venus: In so saying, he alludes to the intrigue of Venus with Mars, which was discovered by the device of Vulcan, her injured husband. For the story, see the Metamorphoses of Ovid, B. 4, l. 73, and the Art of Love, B. 2, l. 562.. (Goes towards DAEMONES\u2019 cottage.) TRACHALIO Whither is he going? LABRAX (calling at the door.) Hallo! Is there anybody here? Hallo! I say. DAEMONES If you touch the door, that very instant, upon my faith, you shall get a harvest upon your face with fists for your pitchforksFists for your pitchforks: Mergis pugneis. Echard, in his translation, explains this: As they lift up their pitchforks to heap corn, so will I lift up my fists, and heap a whole harvest of cuffs on your face. Merga means a pitchfork; and, according to Festus, it was so called from its resemblance when dipped into the hay to the action of the mergus, or didapper when dipping into the sea.. SERVANT We keep no fire, we live upon dried figs. DAEMONES I\u2019ll find the fire, if only I have the opportunity of kindling it upon your head. LABRAX Faith, I\u2019ll go somewhere to look for some fire. DAEMONES What, when you\u2019ve found it? LABRAX I\u2019ll be making a great fire here. DAEMONES What, to be burning To be burning: Festus tells us that humanum was a mortuary sacrifice, or offering to the dead. In his question, therefore, Daemones inplies a wish to know whether Labrax is about to put an end to himself. It was allowable to drive away those who fled to the altar by the agency of fire. a mortuary sacrifice for yourself? LABRAX No, but I\u2019ll burn both of these alive here upon the altar. DAEMONES I\u2019d like that. For, by my troth, I\u2019ll forthwith seize you by the head and throw you into the fire, and, half-roasted, I\u2019ll throw you out as food for the great birds. (Aside.) When I come to a consideration of it with myself, this is that ape, that wanted to take away those swallows from the nest against my will, as I was dreaming in my sleep. TRACHALIO Aged sir, do you know what I request of you? That you will protect these females and defend them from violence, until I fetch my master. DAEMONES Go look for your master, and fetch him here. TRACHALIO But don\u2019t let him\u2014 DAEMONES At his own extreme peril, if he touches them, or if he attempts to do so. TRACHALIO Take care. DAEMONES Due care is taken; do you be off. TRACHALIO And watch him too, that he doesn\u2019t go away anywhere. For we have promised either to give the executioner a great talent, or else to produce this fellow this very day. DAEMONES Do you only be off. I\u2019ll not let him get away, while you are absent. TRACHALIO I\u2019ll be back here soon. (Exit TRACHALIO.) (DAEMONES, LABRAX, PALAESTRA, AMPELISCA, and SERVANTS.) DAEMONES (to LABRAX, who is struggling with the SERVANTS.) Which, you Procurer, had you rather do, be quiet with a thrashing, or e\u2019en as it is, without the thrashing, if you had the choice? LABRAX Old fellow, I don\u2019t care a straw for what you say. My own women, in fact, I shall drag away this instant from the altar by the hair, in spite of yourself, and Venus, and supreme Jove. DAEMONES Just touch them. LABRAX (going towards them) I\u2019 troth, I surely will touch them. DAEMONES Just come then; only approach this way. LABRAX Only bid both those fellows, then, to move away from there. DAEMONES On the contrary, they shall move towards you. LABRAX I\u2019 faith, for my own part, I don\u2019t think so. DAEMONES If they do move nearer to you, what will you do? LABRAX I\u2019ll retire. But, old fellow, if ever I catch you in the city, never again, upon my faith, shall any one call me a Procurer, if I don\u2019t give you some most disagreable sport. DAEMONES Do what you threaten. But now, in the meantime, if you do touch them, a heavy punishment shall be inflicted on you. LABRAX How heavy, in fact? DAEMONES Just as much as is sufficient for a Procurer. LABRAX These threats of yours I don\u2019t value one straw; I certainly shall seize them both this instant without your leave. DAEMONES Just touch them. LABRAX By my troth, I surely will touch them. DAEMONES You will touch them, but do you know with what result? Go then, Turbalio, with all haste, and bring hither from out of the house two cudgels. LABRAX Cudgels? DAEMONES Aye, good ones; make haste speedily. (TURBALIO goes in.) I\u2019ll let you have a reception this day in proper style, as you are deserving of. LABRAX (aside.) Alas! cursedly unfortunate. I lost my headpiece in the ship; it would now have been handy for me, if it had been saved. (To DAEMONES.) May I at least address these women? DAEMONES You may not (TURBALIO enters bringing two cudgels.) Well now, by my faith, look, the cudgel-man is coming very opportunely here. LABRAX (aside.) By my troth, this surely is a tingling for my ears. DAEMONES Come, Sparax, do you take this other cudgel. (Giving him one.) Come, take your stand, one on one side, the other on one other. Take your stations both of you. (They stand with lifted cudgels on each side of he altar.) Just so. Now then attend to me: if, I\u2019 faith, that fellow there should this day touch these women with his finger against their inclination, if you don\u2019t give him a reception Their inclination\u2014a reception: Invitos\u2014invitassitis. He here plays upon the resemblance of the words invitos, signifying against their will, and invito, being a verb signifying to invite, and admitting of much the same equivocal use as our expression, to give a warm reception to. with these cudgels even to that degree that he shan\u2019t know which way he is to get home, you are undone, both of you. If he shall call for any one, do you make answer to this fellow in their stead. But if he himself shall attempt to get away from here, that instant, as hard a you can, lay on to his legs with your sticks. LABRAX Are they not even to allow me to go away from here? DAEMONES I\u2019ve said sufficient. And when that servant comes here with his master, he that has gone to fetch his master, do you at once go home. Attend to this with great diligence, will you. (DAEMONES goes into his house.) LABRAX O rare, by my troth, the Temple here is surely changed all of a sudden; this is now the Temple of Hercules Temple of Hercules : Seeing the servants with their cudgels, he is reminded of Hercules, who was thus depicted, and was called by the Poets Claviger. which was that of Venus before; in such fashion has the old fellow planted two statues here with clubs. I\u2019 faith, I don\u2019t know now whither in the world I shall fly from here; so greatly are they both raging now against me, both land and sea. Palaestra! SERVANT What do you want? LABRAX Away with you, there is a misunderstanding between us; that, indeed, is not my Palaestra Not my Palaestra: Echard, borrowing the notion from Madame Dacier, has the following Note on this passage: This Palaestra was a place of public exercise, over the gate of which was a statue of Hercules, with an inscription Palaestra; now Labrax, finding this stout fellow with his club, whom before he had compared to Hercules, answering instead of Palaestra, he wittily alludes to that statue, and says that that Palaestra was none of his. Thornton appears to be right in considering this a far-fetched conceit on the part of the fair Commentatress. that answers. Harkye, Ampelisca. SERVANT Beware of a mishap, will you. LABRAX (aside.) So far as they can, the worthless fellows advise me rightly enough. (Aloud.) But, harkye, I ask you, whether it is any harm to you for me to come nearer to these women? SERVANT Why none at all to ourselves. LABRAX Will there be any harm to myself? SERVANT None at all, if you only take care. LABRAX What is it that I\u2019m to take care against? SERVANT Why, look you, against a heavy mishap. LABRAX Troth now, prithee, do let me approach them. SERVANT Approach them, if you like. LABRAX I\u2019 faith, obligingly done; I return you thanks, I\u2019ll go nearer to them. (Approaches them.) SERVANT Do you stand there on the spot, where you are. (Drags him to his place, with the cudgel over his head.) LABRAX (aside.) By my faith, I\u2019ve come scurvily off in many ways. Still, I\u2019m resolved to get the better of them this day by constantly besieging them. (Enter PLESIDIPPUS and TRACHALIO, at a distance, on the other side of the stage.) PLESIDIPPUS And did the Procurer attempt by force and violence to drag my mistress away from the altar of Venus? TRACHALIO Even so. PLESIDIPPUS Why didn\u2019t you kill him on the instant? TRACHALIO I hadn\u2019t a sword. PLESIDIPPUS You should have taken either a stick or a stone. TRACHALIO What! ought I to have pelted this most villanous fellow with stones like a dog? LABRAX (aside, on seeing them.) By my troth, but I\u2019m undone now; see, here\u2019s Plesidippus; he\u2019ll be sweeping me away altogether this moment with the dust. PLESIDIPPUS Were the damsels sitting on the altar even then when you set out to come to me? TRACHALIO Yes, and now they are sitting in the same place. PLESIDIPPUS Who is now protecting them there? TRACHALIO Some old gentleman, I don\u2019t know who, a neighbour of the Temple of Venus\u2014he gave very kind assistance; he is now protecting them with his servants\u2014I committed them to his charge. PLESIDIPPUS Lead me straight to the Procurer. Where is this fellow? (They go towards LABRAX.) LABRAX Health to you. PLESIDIPPUS I want none of your healths. Make your choice quickly, whether you lad rather be seized by your throat wrenched Seized by your throat wrenched: Rapin te obtorto collo. Echard has the following Note: When any person was brought before the Praetor, they always threw his gown or cloak about his neck, and led him that way; and this was called rapi obtorto collo., or be dragged along; choose whichever you please, while you may. LABRAX I wish for neither. PLESIDIPPUS Be off then, Trachalio, with all speed to the sea-shore; bid those persons that I brought with me to hand over this rascal to the executioner, to come from the harbour to the city to meet me; afterwards return hither and keep guard here. I\u2019ll now drag this scoundrelly outcast to justice. (Exit TRACHALIO. Pleusicles addresses LABRAX.) Come, proceed to a court of justice. LABRAX In what have I offended? PLESIDIPPUS Do you ask? Didn\u2019t you receive an earnest of me for this woman (pointing to PALAESTRA), and carry her off from here? LABRAX I didn\u2019t carry her off. PLESIDIPPUS Why do you deny it? LABRAX Troth now, because I put her on board ship; carry her off Carry her off: There is a play or quibble here upon the words avehere and provehere, to carry away, and to put on board ship, for the purpose of being carried away. unfortunately, I couldn\u2019t. For my part, I told you that this day I would make my appearance at the Temple of Venus; have I swerved at all from that? Am I not there? PLESIDIPPUS Plead your cause in the court of justice; here a word is enough. Follow me. (They lay hold of him.) LABRAX (calling aloud.) I entreat you, my dear Charmides, do come to my rescue; I am being seized with my throat wrenched. (Enter CHARMIDES, from the Temple.) CHARMIDES (looking about.) Who calls my name? LABRAX Do you see me how I\u2019m being seized? CHARMIDES I see, and view it with pleasure. LABRAX Don\u2019t you venture to assist me? CHARMIDES What person is seizing you? LABRAX Young Plesidippus. CHARMIDES What you\u2019ve got, put up with; \u2019twere better for you, with a cheerful spirit, to slink to gaol; that has befallen you which many greatly wish for for themselves. LABRAX What\u2019s that? CHARMIDES To find for themselves that which they are seeking. LABRAX I entreat you, do follow me. CHARMIDES You try to persuade me, just like what you are: you are being taken off to gaol, for that reason is it you entreat me to follow you? PLESIDIPPUS (to LABRAX.) Do you still resist? LABRAX I\u2019m undone. PLESIDIPPUS I trust that may prove the truth. You, my dear Palaestra and Ampelisca, do you remain here in the meanwhile, until I return hither. SERVANT I would advise them rather to go to our house, until you return. PLESIDIPPUS I\u2019m quite agreable; you act obligingly. (The SERVANTS open the door of the cottage, and PALAESTRA and AMPELISCA go in.) LABRAX You are thieves to me. SERVANT How, thieves? PLESIDIPPUS Lead him along.Part of line 881c in the Latin. (The SERVANTS seize him.) LABRAX (calling out.) I pray and entreat you, Palaestra. PLESIDIPPUS Follow, you hang-dog. LABRAX Guest, Charmides! CHARMIDES I am no guest of yours; I repudiate your hospitality. LABRAX What, do you slight me in this fashion? CHARMIDES I do so; I\u2019ve been drinking with you once already Once already: He alludes to the drenching he has had in the sea, by reason of his acquaintance with Labrax, and means to say that one such reception is quite sufficient for his life.. LABRAX May the Deities confound you. CHARMIDES To that person of yours, say that. (PLESIDIPPUS leads LABRAX off, followed by the SERVANTS.) I do believe that men are transformed, each into a different beast. That Procurer, I guess, is transformed into a stock-dove A stock-dove: He puns upon the resemblance between the word columbar, a collar, into which the head was inserted by way of punishment, and columbus, a pigeon. The notion of preserving the pun, by using the word stock-dove, is Echard\u2019s. The plural of the word columbar was also used to signify a dove-cot.; for, before long, his neck will be in the stocks. He\u2019ll to-day be building his nest in the gaol. Still, however, I\u2019ll go, that I may be his advocate,\u2014if by my aid he may possibly be sentenced any the sooner. (Enter DAEMONES, from his cottage.Echard remarks that the interval between the last Act and this is filled up with Plesidippus carrying Labrax before the Praetor and his trial, an, likewise with what passes in Daemones\u2019 house. DAEMONES (to himself.) \u2019Twas rightly done, and it is a pleasure this day for me to have given aid to these young women; I have now found some dependants, and both of them of comely looks and youthful age. But my plaguy wife is watching me in all ways, lest I should be giving any hint to the young women. But I wonder what in the world my servant Gripus is about, who went last night to the sea to fish. Troth, he had done wiser if he had slept at home; for now he throws away both his pains and his nets, seeing what a storm there now is and was last night. I\u2019ll thoroughly cook upon my fingers what he has caught to-day; so violently do I see the ocean heaving. (A bell rings.) But my wife\u2019s calling me to breakfast; I\u2019ll return home. She\u2019ll now be filling my ears with her silly prating. (Goes into the cottage.) (Enter GRIPUS, dragging a net enclosing a wallet, by a rope.) GRIPUS (to himself.) These thanks do I return to Neptune, my patron, who dwells in the salt retreats, the abode of fishes, inasmuch as he has despatched me finely laden on my return from his retreats, and from his Temples, laden with most abundant booty, with safety to my boat, which in the stormy sea made me master of a singular and rich haul. In a wondrous and incredible manner has this haul turned out prosperously for me, nor yet have I this day taken a single ounce weight of fish, but only that which I am here bringing with me in my net. For when I arose in the middle of the night, and without sloth, I preferred profit to sleep and rest; in the raging tempest, I determined to try how I might lighten the poverty of my master and my own servitude, not sparing of my own exertions. Most worthless is the man that is slothful, and most detestably do I hate that kind of men. It behoves him to be vigilant who wishes to do his duty in good time; for it befits him not to be waiting until his master arouses him to his duties. For those who sleep on for the love of it, rest without profit to themselves and to their own cost. But now I, who have not been slothful, have found that for myself through which to be slothful if I should choose. (Points to the wallet.) This have I found in the sea to-day; whatever\u2019s in it, it\u2019s something heavy that\u2019s in it; I think it\u2019s gold that\u2019s in it. And not a single person is there my confidant in the matter. Now, Gripus, this opportunity has befallen you, that the Praetor The Praetor: The slave about to be manumitted, or to receive his freedom, was taken before the Praetor, whose lictor laid the vindicta or festuca, the rod of liberty, on the head of the slave, on which he received his freedom. might make you a free man from among the multitude. Now, thus shall I do, this is my determination; I\u2019ll come to my master cleverly and cunningly, little by little I\u2019ll promise money for my freedom, that I may be free. Now, when I shall be free, then, in fine, I\u2019ll provide me land and houses Land and houses: Is not this wonderfully like Alnaschar\u2019s reverie in the Arabian Nights, so aptly quoted in the Spectator? and slaves: I\u2019ll carry on merchandize with large ships: among the grandees I shall be considered a grandee. Afterwards, for the sake of pleasing myself, I\u2019ll build me a ship and I\u2019ll imitate Stratonicus Stratonicus: He was the treasurer of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great, and was famed for his wealth among the Greeks, as Crassus was among the Romans., and I\u2019ll be carried about from town to town. When my greatness is far-spread, I shall fortify some great city: to that city I shall give the name of Gripus, a memorial of my fame and exploits, and there I\u2019ll establish a mighty kingdom. I am resolving here in my mind to prepare for mighty matters. At present I\u2019ll hide this booty. But this grandee (pointing to himself) is about to breakfast upon vinegar Upon vinegar: He alludes to the posca, or vinegar and water, which formed the beverage of the slaves, and which is mentioned by Palaestrio in the Miles Gloriosus, l. 836. and salt, without any good substantial meat. (Gathers up the net, and drags it after him.) (Enter TRACHALIO, in haste.) TRACHALIO Hallo there! stop. GRIPUS Why should I stop? TRACHALIO While I coil up this rope This rope: This is the first mention of the rudens, or netrope, from which the Play derives its name. for you that you are dragging. GRIPUS Now let it alone. TRACHALIO Troth, but I\u2019ll assist you. What\u2019s kindly done to worthy men, isn\u2019t thrown away. GRIPUS There was a boisterous tempest yesterday; no fish have I, young man; don\u2019t you be supposing I have. Don\u2019t you see that I\u2019m carrying my dripping net without the scaly race? TRACHALIO I\u2019 faith, I\u2019m not wishing for fish so much as I am in need of your conversation. GRIPUS Then, whoever you are, you are worrying me to death with your annoyance. TRACHALIO (takes hold of him.) I\u2019ll not allow you to go away from here; stop. GRIPUS Take you care of a mishap, if you please; but why the plague are you dragging me back? TRACHALIO Listen. GRIPUS I won\u2019t listen. TRACHALIO But, upon my faith, you shall listen. GRIPUS Nay but, another time, tell me what you want. TRACHALIO Come now, it\u2019s worth your while at once to hear what I want to tell you. GRIPUS Say on, whatever it is. TRACHALIO See whether any person is following near us. (Looks back.) GRIPUS Why, what reason is there that it should matter to me? TRACHALIO So it is; but can you give me some good advice? GRIPUS What\u2019s the business? Only tell me. TRACHALIO I\u2019ll tell you; keep silence; if only you\u2019ll give me your word that you won\u2019t prove treacherous to me. GRIPUS I do give you my word; I\u2019ll be true to you, whoever you are. TRACHALIO Listen. I saw a person commit a theft; I knew the owner to whom that same property belonged. Afterwards I came myself to the thief, and I made him a proposal in these terms: I know the person on whom that theft was committed; now if you are ready to give me half, I\u2019ll not make a discovery to the owner. He didn\u2019t even give me an answer. What is it fair should be given me out of it? Half, I trust you will say. GRIPUS Aye, even more; but unless he gives it you, I think it ought to be told to the owner. TRACHALIO I\u2019ll act on your advice. Now give me your attention; for it is to yourself all this relates. GRIPUS What has been done by me? TRACHALIO (pointing at the wallet.) I\u2019ve known the person for a long time to whom that wallet belongs. GRIPUS What do you mean? TRACHALIO And in what manner it was lost. GRIPUS But I know in what manner it was found; and I know the person who found it, and who is now the owner. That, I\u2019 faith, is not a bit the more your matter than it is my own. I know the person to whom it now belongs; you, the person to whom it formerly belonged. This shall no individual get away from me; don\u2019t you be expecting to get it in a hurry. TRACHALIO If the owner comes, shan\u2019t he get it away? GRIPUS That you mayn\u2019t be mistaken, no born person is there that\u2019s owner of this but my own self\u2014who took this in my own fishing. TRACHALIO Was it really so? GRIPUS Which fish in the sea will you say is my own? When I catch them, if indeed I do catch them, they are my own; as my own I keep them. They are not claimed as having a right to freedom Claimed as having a right to freedom: Manu asserere was to assert or claim the liberty of a slave by action at law. Gripus applies the term to the fish of the sea, and means to say that when he catches them, he sells them as his own venales, or slaves. nor does any person demand a share in them. In the market I sell them all openly as my own wares. Indeed, the sea is, surely, common to all persons. TRACHALIO I agree to that; prithee, then, why any the less is it proper that this wallet should be common to me? It was found in the sea. GRIPUS Assuredly you are an outrageously impudent fellow; for if this is justice which you are saying, then fishermen would be ruined. Inasmuch as, the moment that the fish were exposed upon the stalls, no one would buy them; every person would be demanding his own share of the fish for himself; he would be saying that they were caught in the sea that was common to all. TRACHALIO What do you say, you impudent fellow? Do you dare to compare a wallet with fish? Pray, does it appear to be the same thing? GRIPUS The matter doesn\u2019t lie in my power; when I\u2019ve cast my hook and net into the sea, whatever has adhered I draw out. Whatever my net and hooks have got, that in especial is my own. TRACHALIO Nay but, I\u2019 faith, it is not; if, indeed, you\u2019ve fished up any article that\u2019s made Article that\u2019s made: Vas. An utensil or article that is manufactured. GRIPUS Philosopher, you. TRACHALIO But look now, you conjurer, did you ever see a fisherman who caught a wallet-fish, or exposed one for sale in the market? But, indeed, you shan\u2019t here be taking possession of all the profits that you choose; you expect, you dirty fellow, to be both a maker of wallets Maker of wallets: Vitor, or vietor, was a maker of viduli, or wallets, which were made of osier, and then covered with leather of various colours. and a fisherman. Either you must show me a fish that is a wallet, or else you shall carry nothing off that wasn\u2019t produced in the sea and has no scales. GRIPUS What, did you never hear before to-day that a wallet was a fish? TRACHALIO Villain, there is no such fish. GRIPUS Yes, there certainly is; I, who am a fisherman, know it. But it is seldom caught; no fish more rarely comes near the land. TRACHALIO It\u2019s to no purpose; you hope that you can be cheating me, you rogue. Of what colour is it? GRIPUS (looking at the wallet.) Of this colour very few are caught: some are of a purple skin, there are great and black ones also. TRACHALIO I understand; by my troth, you\u2019ll be turning into a wallet-fish I fancy, if you don\u2019t take care; your skin will be purple, and then afterwards black. GRIPUS (aside.) What a villain this that I have met with to-day! TRACHALIO We are wasting words; the day wears apace. Consider, please, by whose arbitration do you wish us to proceed? GRIPUS By the arbitration of the wallet. TRACHALIO Really so, indeed? You are a fool. GRIPUS My respects to you, Mister Thales Thales : Thales of Miletus was one of the seven wise men of Greece. Gripus ironically calls Trachalio by this name, in reply to the other having called him a fool. (Going.) TRACHALIO (holding him.) You shan\u2019t carry that off this day, unless you find a place of safe keeping for it, or an umpire, by whose arbitration this matter may be settled. GRIPUS Prithee, are you in your senses? TRACHALIO I\u2019m mad, in need of hellebore. GRIPUS But I\u2019m troubled with sprites; still I shan\u2019t let this go. (Hugs the wallet.) TRACHALIO Only add a single word more, that instant I\u2019ll drive my fists smash into your brains. This instant on this spot, just as a new napkin is wont to be wrung, I\u2019ll wring out of you whatever moisture there is, if you don\u2019t let this go. (Seizes the wallet.) GRIPUS Touch me; I\u2019ll dash you down on the ground just in such fashion as I\u2019m in the habit of doing with a polypus fish With a polypus fish: The polypus not being eatable, the fishermen would throw it violently on the ground on finding it in the nets.. Would you like to fight? (Assumes a boxing attitude.) TRACHALIO What need is there? Nay, in preference, divide the booty. GRIPUS You can\u2019t get anything from here but harm to yourself, so don\u2019t expect it. I\u2019m taking myself off. TRACHALIO But I\u2019ll turn aside your ship from that direction, that you mayn\u2019t be off anywhere\u2014stop. (Stands in front of him, and holds the rope.) GRIPUS If you are the helmsman of this ship, I\u2019ll be the pilot. Let go of the rope now, you villain. TRACHALIO I will let go; do you let go of the wallet. GRIPUS I\u2019 faith, you shall never this day become a scrap the more wealthy from this. TRACHALIO You cannot convince me by repeatedly denying, unless either a part is given me, or it is referred to arbitration, or it is placed in safe keeping. GRIPUS What, that which I got out of the sea\u2014? TRACHALIO But I spied it out from the shore. GRIPUS \u2014With my own pains and labour, and net and boat. TRACHALIO If now the owner, whose property it is, were to come, how am I, who espied from afar that you had taken this, a bit the less the thief than yourself? GRIPUS None whatever. (Going.) TRACHALIO (seizing the net.) Stop, you whip-knave; just let me learn of you by what reasoning I am not the sharer, and yet the thief. GRIPUS I don\u2019t know; neither do I know these city laws of yours, only that I affirm that this is mine. (Looks at the wallet.) TRACHALIO And I, too, say that it is mine. GRIPUS Stay now; I\u2019ve discovered by what method you may be neither thief nor sharer. TRACHALIO By what method? GRIPUS Let me go away from here; you quietly go your own way, and don\u2019t you inform against me to any one, and I won\u2019t give anything to you. You hold your tongue; I\u2019ll be mum. This is the best and the fairest plan. TRACHALIO Well, what proposition do you venture to make? GRIPUS I\u2019ve made it already; for you to go away, to let go of the rope, and not to be a nuisance to me. TRACHALIO Stop while I propose terms. GRIPUS I\u2019 faith, do, prithee, dispose Propose\u2014dispose: -2. He plays on the resemblance of the words refero, to make a proposal, and aufero, to betake one\u2019s self away, of yourself forthwith. TRACHALIO Do you know any one in these parts? GRIPUS My own neighbours I must know. TRACHALIO Where do you live here? GRIPUS (pointing.) At a distance out away yonder, as far off as the farthest fields. TRACHALIO (pointing to the cottage of DAEMONES.) The person that lives in that cottage, should you like it to be decided by his arbitration? GRIPUS Let go of the rope for a moment while I step aside and consider. TRACHALIO Be it so. (Lets go of the rope.) GRIPUS (aside.) Capital, the thing\u2019s all right; the whole of this booty is my own. He\u2019s inviting me here inside of my own abode to my own master as umpire. By my troth, he never this day will award three obols away from his own servant. Assuredly, this fellow doesn\u2019t know what proposal he has been making. (To TRACHALIO.) I\u2019ll go to the arbitrator with you. TRACHALIO What then? GRIPUS Although I know for sure that this is my own lawful right, let that be done rather than I should now be fighting with you. TRACHALIO Now you satisfy me. GRIPUS Although you are driving me before an arbitrator whom I don\u2019t know, if he shall administer justice, although he is unknown, he is as good as known to me; if he doesn\u2019t, though known, he is the same as though entirely unknown. (Enter DAEMONES, from his cottage, with PALAESTRA and AMPELISCA, and SERVANTS.) DAEMONES (to the WOMEN.) Seriously, upon my faith, young women, although I wish what you desire, I\u2019m afraid that on your account my wife will be turning me out of doors, who\u2019ll be saying that I\u2019ve brought harlots here before her very eyes. Do you take refuge at the altar rather than I Rather than I: Daemones here alludes to the disposition of his wife, and says that if the damsels do not quit his house, he shall be obliged to do so in self-defence.. THE WOMEN We, wretched creatures, are undone. (They weep.) DAEMONES I\u2019ll place you in safety; don\u2019t you fear. But why (turning to the SERVANTS) are you following me out of doors? Since I\u2019m here, no one shall do them harm. Now then, be off, I say, in-doors, both of you, you guards from off guard. (They go in.) GRIPUS O master, save you. DAEMONES Save you. How goes it? TRACHALIO (pointing to GRIPUS.) Is he your servant? GRIPUS I\u2019m not ashamed to say yes. TRACHALIO I\u2019ve nothing to do with you. GRIPUS Then get you gone hence, will you. TRACHALIO Prithee, do answer me, aged sir; is he your servant? DAEMONES He is mine. TRACHALIO Oh then, that is very good, since he is yours. Again I salute you. DAEMONES And I you. Are you he who, not long since, went away from here to fetch his master? TRACHALIO I am he. DAEMONES What now is it that you want? TRACHALIO (pointing to GRIPUS.) This is your servant, you say? DAEMONES He is mine. TRACHALIO That is very good, since he is yours. DAEMONES What\u2019s the matter? TRACHALIO (pointing to GRIPUS.) That\u2019s a rascally fellow there. DAEMONES What has the rascally fellow done to you? TRACHALIO I wish the ancles of that fellow were smashed. DAEMONES What\u2019s the thing about which you are now disputing between yourselves? TRACHALIO I\u2019ll tell you. GRIPUS No, I\u2019ll tell you. TRACHALIO I fancy I\u2019m to move the matter first. GRIPUS If indeed you were a decent person, you would be moving yourself off from here. DAEMONES Gripus, give attention, and hold your tongue GRIPUS In order that that fellow may speak first? DAEMONES Attend, Itell you. (To TRACHALIO.) Do you say on. GRIPUS Will you give the right of speaking to a stranger sooner than to your own servant? TRACHALIO O dear! how impossible it is for him to be kept quiet. As I was beginning to say, that Procurer, whom some little time since you turned out of the Temple of Venus\u2014see (pointing at the wallet), he has got his wallet. GRIPUS I haven\u2019t got it. TRACHALIO Do you deny that which I see with my own eyes? GRIPUS But I only wish you couldn\u2019t see. I have got it, and I haven\u2019t got it; why do you trouble yourself about me, what things I do? TRACHALIO In what way you got it does matter, whether rightfully or wrongfully. GRIPUS If I didn\u2019t take it in the sea, there\u2019s not a reason why you shouldn\u2019t deliver me up to the cross. If I took it in the sea with my net, how is it yours rather than my own? TRACHALIO (to DAEMONES.) He is deceiving you; the matter happened in this way, as I am telling you. GRIPUS What do you say? TRACHALIO So long as the person that has the first right to speak is speaking, do (to DAEMONES) put a check on him, please, if he belongs to you. GRIPUS What, do you wish the same thing to be done to myself, that your master has been accustomed to do to yourself? If he is in the habit of putting a check upon you, this master of ours isn\u2019t in the habit of doing so with us. DAEMONES (to TRACUALIO.) In that remark only has he got the better Has he got the better: In the use of the word comprimere, an indecent double entendre is intended; and agreeing with Gripus\u2019s remark, that the word in that sense could not be applied to him, Daemones says that Gripus is right there, at all events. of you. What do you want now? Tell me. TRACHALIO For my part, I neither ask for a share of that wallet there, nor have I ever said this day that it is my own; but in it there is a little casket that belongs to this female (pointing to PALAESTRA), whom a short time since I averred to be free born. DAEMONES You are speaking of her, I suppose, whom a short time since you said was my countrywoman? TRACHALIO Just so; and those trinkets which formerly, when little, she used to wear, are there in that casket, which is in that wallet. This thing is of no service to him, and will be of utility to her, poor creature, if he gives it up, by means of which to seek for her parents. DAEMONES I\u2019ll make him give it up; hold your tongue. GRIPUS I\u2019 faith, I\u2019m going to give nothing to that fellow. TRACHALIO I ask for nothing but the casket and the trinkets The trinkets: These crepundia, trinkets or toys, seem to have been not unlike the amulets, or charms, in metal, of the present day. As kidnapping was in ancient times much more prevalent than now, these little articles, if carefully preserved by the child, might be the means of leading to the discovery of its parents; at the same time it may be Justly asked how it came to pass that the kidnapper should allow such damning evidence of his villany to remain in existence.. GRIPUS What if they are made of gold? TRACHALIO What\u2019s that to you? Gold shall be paid for gold, silver shall have its weight in silver in return. GRIPUS Please let me see the gold; after that I\u2019ll let you see the casket. DAEMONES (to GRIPUS.) Do you beware of punishment, and hold your tongue. (To TRACHALIO.) As you commenced to speak do you go on. TRACHALIO This one thing I entreat of you, that you will have compassion on this female, if, indeed, this wallet is that Procurer\u2019s, which I suspect it is. In this matter, I\u2019m saying nothing of certainty to you, but only on conjecture. GRIPUS Do you see how the rascal\u2019s wheedling him? TRACHALIO Allow me to say on as I commenced. If this is the wallet that belongs to that villain whose I say it is, these women here will be able to recognize it; order him to show it to them. GRIPUS Say you so? To show it to them? DAEMONES He doesn\u2019t say unreasonably, Gripus, that the wallet should be shown. GRIPUS Yes, I\u2019 faith, confoundedly unreasonably. DAEMONES How so? GRIPUS Because, if I do show it, at once they\u2019ll say, of course, that they recognize it. TRACHALIO Source of villany, do you suppose that all other people are just like yourself, you author of perjury? GRIPUS All this I easily put up with, so long as he (pointing to DAEMONES) is of my way of thinking Of my way of thinking: Dum hic hinc \u00e0 me sentiat. This is clearly the meaning, though one translation renders this line thus: I easily bear all those things until this fellow may feel that he must go away hence from me, and TRACHALIO moves farther off as he delivers the next line.. TRACHALIO But now he is against you; from this (pointing to the wallet) will he obtain true testimony. DAEMONES Gripus, do you pay attention. (To TRACHALIO.) You explain in a few words what it is you want? TRACHALIO For my part, I have stated it; but if you haven\u2019t understood me, I\u2019ll state it over again. Both of these women (pointing to them), as I said a short time since, ought to be free; (pointing to PALAESTRA) she was stolen at Athens when a little girl. GRIPUS Tell me what that has got to do with the wallet, whether they are slaves or whether free women? TRACHALIO You wish it all to be told over again, you rascal, so that the day may fail us. DAEMONES Leave off your abuse, and explain to me what I\u2019ve been asking. TRACHALIO There ought to be a casket of wicker-work Casket of wicker-work: Caudeam. Festus tells us that this kind of casket was made of wicker, and received its name from its resemblance to a horse\u2019s tail, cauda; others, however, perhaps with more probability, derive it from caudex, a piece of wood. in that wallet, in which are tokens by means of which she may be enabled to recognize her parents, by whom, when little, she was lost at Athens, as I said before. GRIPUS May Jupiter and the Gods confound you. What do you say, you sorcerer of a fellow? What, are these women dumb, that they are not able to speak for themselves? TRACHALIO They are silent for this reason, because a silent woman is always better than a talking one. GRIPUS Then, I\u2019 faith, by your way of speaking, you are neither a man nor a woman to my notion. TRACHALIO How so? GRIPUS Why, because neither talking nor silent are you ever good for anything. Prithee (to DAEMONES), shall I ever be allowed to-day to speak? DAEMONES If you utter a single word more this day, I\u2019ll break your head for you. TRACHALIO As I had commenced to say it, old gentleman, I beg you to order him to give up that casket to these young women; if for it he asks any reward for himself, it shall be paid; whatever else is there besides, let him keep for himself. GRIPUS Now at last you say that, because you are aware it is my right; just now you were asking to go halves. TRACHALIO Aye, and even still I ask it. GRIPUS I\u2019ve seen a kite making a swoop, even when he got nothing at all however. DAEMONES (to GRIPUS.) Can\u2019t I shut your mouth without a drubbing? GRIPUS (pointing to TRACHALIO.) If that fellow is silent, I\u2019ll be silent; if he talks, allow me to talk in my own behalf. DAEMONES Please now give me this wallet, Gripus. GRIPUS I\u2019ll trust it to you; but for you to return it me, if there are none of those things in it. DAEMONES It shall be returned. GRIPUS Take it. (Gives him the wallet.) DAEMONES Now then listen, Palaestra and Ampelisca, to this which I say: is this the wallet, in which this Procurer said that your casket was? PALAESTRA It is the same. GRIPUS (aside.) Troth, to my sorrow, I\u2019m undone; how on the instant, before she well saw it, she said that it was it. PALAESTRA I\u2019ll make this matter plain to you, instead of difficult. There ought to be a casket of wicker-work there in that wallet; whatever is in there I\u2019ll state by name; don\u2019t you show me anything. If I say wrong, I shall then have said this to no purpose; then you shall keep these things, whatever is in there for yourselves. But if the truth, then I entreat you that what is my own may be restored to me. DAEMONES I agree; you ask for bare justice only, in my way of thinking, at least. GRIPUS But, I\u2019 faith, in mine, for extreme injustice; what if she is a witch or a sorceress, and shall mention exactly everything that\u2019s in it. Is a sorceress to have it? DAEMONES She shan\u2019t get it, unless she tells the truth; in vain will she In vain will she: By this he clearly means to say that conjuring is all nonsense, and that she has no chance of telling what is in it merely by guessing. be conjuring. Unloose the wallet, then (giving it to GRIPUS), that as soon as possible I may know what is the truth. GRIPUS (first unfastens the straps of the wallet, and then hands it to his MASTER.) Take it Take it: Hoc habe. This, though not adopted by Fleckeisen, seems to be the right reading, and we have followed the conjecture of the learned Rost in adopting it. Gripus undoes the strap, then holds the wallet to his master, saying, Take it, it\u2019s unfastened. Daemones takes it, and at once draws out the casket, on seeing which Girpus makes an exclamation of surprise and disappointment., it\u2019s unfastened. (DAEMONES takes out the casket.) Alas, I\u2019m undone; I see the casket. DAEMONES (holding it up, and addressing PALAESTRA.) Is this it? PALAESTRA That is it. O my parents, here do I keep you locked up; here have I enclosed both my wealth and my hopes of recognizing you. GRIPUS (aside.) Then, by my faith, the Gods must be enraged with you, whoever you are, who fasten up your parents in so narrow a compass. DAEMONES Gripus, come hither, your cause is being tried. (To PALAESTRA.) Do you, young woman, away at a distance there say what\u2019s in it, and of what appearance; mention them all. By my troth, if you make ever so slight a mistake, even if afterwards you wish, madam, to correct yourself, you\u2019ll be making a great mistake. GRIPUS You demand what\u2019s real justice. TRACHALIO By my troth, then, he doesn\u2019t demand yourself; for you are the opposite of justice. DAEMONES Now then, say on, young woman. Gripus, give attention and hold your tongue. PALAESTRA There are some trinkets. DAEMONES (looking in the casket.) See, here they are, I espy them. GRIPUS (aside.) In the first onset I am worsted; (takes hold of the arm of DAEMONES) hold, don\u2019t be showing. DAEMONES Of what description are they? Answer in their order. PALAESTRA In the first place, there\u2019s a little sword of gold, with an inscription. DAEMONES Just tell me, what the characters are upon that little sword. PALAESTRA The name of my father. Next, on the other side, there\u2019s a little two-edged axe, of gold likewise, with an inscription: there on the axe is the name of my mother. DAEMONES Stay; tell me, what\u2019s the name of your father upon the little sword? PALAESTRA Daemones. DAEMONES Immortal Gods! where in the world are my hopes? GRIPUS Aye, by my troth, and where are mine? DAEMONES Do proceed forthwith, I entreat you. GRIPUS Cautiously, or else (aside) away to utter perdition. DAEMONES Say, what\u2019s the name of your mother, here upon the little axe? PALAESTRA Daedalis. DAEMONES The Gods will that I should be preserved. GRIPUS But that I should be ruined. DAEMONES This must be my own daughter, Gripus. GRIPUS She may be for me, indeed. (To TRACHALIO.) May all the Gods confound you who this day saw me with your eyes, and myself as well for a blockhead, who didn\u2019t look about a hundred times first to see that no one was watching me, before I drew the net out of the water. PALAESTRA Next, there\u2019s a little knife of silver, and two little hands linked together, and then a little sow. GRIPUS (aside.) Nay, then, go and be hanged, you with your little sow and with your little pigs. PALAESTRA There\u2019s also a golden drop A golden drop: The bulla was a ball of metal, so called from its resemblance in shape to a drop or bubble of water. These were especially worn by the Roman children, suspended from the neck, and were generally made of thin plates of gold, of about the size of a walnut. The use of them was derived from the people of Etruria, and though originally used solely by the children of the Patricians, they were subsequently worn by all of free birth. The children of the libertini, or freed-men, wore bullae, but made of leather. The bulla was laid aside at the same time as the toga praetexta, and was on that occasion consecrated to the Lares. It must be owned that the little sow, mentioned in the line before, was rather a curious sort of trinket. Thornton thinks that the word sucula admitted of a double entendre, though of what nature is now unknown., which my father presented to me upon my birthday. DAEMONES Undoubtedly there is; but I cannot restrain myself any longer from embracing you. My daughter, blessings on you; I am that father who begot you; I am Daemones, and see, your mother Daedalis is in the house here (pointing to his cottage). AMPELISCA (embracing him.) Blessings on you, my unlooked-for father. DAEMONES Blessings on you; how joyously do I embrace you. TRACHALIO \u2019Tis a pleasure to me, inasmuch as this falls to your lot from your feelings of affection. DAEMONES Come then, Trachalio, if you can, bring that wallet into the house. TRACHALIO (taking the wallet.) See the villany of Gripus; inasmuch, Gripus, as this matter has turned out unfortunately for you, I congratulate you. DAEMONES Come, then, let\u2019s go, my daughter, to your mother, who will be better able to enquire of you into this matter from proofs; who had you more in her hands, and is more thoroughly acquainted with your tokens. TRACHALIO Let\u2019s all go hence in-doors, since we are giving our common aid. PALAESTRA Follow me, Ampelisca. AMPELISCA That the Gods favour you, it is a pleasure to me. (They all go into the cottage of DAEMONES, exceptGRIPUS.) GRIPUS (to himself.) Am I not a blockhead of a fellow, to have this day fished up that wallet? Or, when I had fished it up, not to have hidden it somewhere in a secret spot? By my troth, I guessed that it would be a troublesome booty for me, because it fell to me in such troublous weather. I\u2019 faith, I guess that there\u2019s plenty of gold and silver there. What is there better for me than to be off hence in-doors and secretly hang myself\u2014 at least for a little time, until this vexation passes away from me? (Goes into the cottage.) (Enter DAEMONES, from his cottage.) DAEMONES (to himself.) O ye immortal Gods, what person is there more fortunate than I, who unexpectedly have discovered my daughter? Isn\u2019t it the fact, that if the Gods will a blessing to befall any person, that longed-for pleasure by some means or other, falls to the lot Falls to the lot: He forgets here that Self-praise is no recommendation. of the virtuous? I this day, a thing that I never hoped for nor yet believed, have unexpectedly discovered my daughter, and I shall bestow her upon a respectable young man of noble family, an Athenian, and my kinsman. For that reason I wish him to be fetched hither to me as soon as possible, and I\u2019ve requested my servant to come out here, that he may go to the Forum. Still, I\u2019m surprised at it that he isn\u2019t yet come out. I think I\u2019ll go to the door. (Opens the door, and looks in.) What do I behold? Embracing her, my wife is clasping my daughter around her neck. Her caressing is really almost too foolish and sickening. DAEMONES (Goes to the door again, and calls out.) \u2019Twere better, wife, for an end to be made at last of your kissing; and make all ready that I may perform a sacrifice, when I come in-doors, in honor of the household Gods, inasmuch as they have increased our family. At home I have lambs and swine for sacred use. But why, ladies, are you detaining that Trachalio? Oh, I see he\u2019s coming out of doors, very seasonably. (Enter TRACHALIO, from the cottage.) TRACHALIO (speaking to those within.) Wheresoever he shall be, I\u2019ll seek Plesidippus out at once, and bring him together with me to you. DAEMONES Tell him how this matter has fallen out about my daughter. Request him to leave other occupations and to come here. TRACHALIO Very well Very well: Licet. This word is used by Trachalio in answer to everything that Daemones says to him. DAEMONES Tell him that I\u2019ll give him my daughter for a wife. TRACHALIO Very well. DAEMONES And that I knew his father, and that he is a relation of my own. TRACHALIO Very well. DAEMONES But do make haste. TRACHALIO Very well. DAEMONES Take care and let a dinner be prepared here at once. TRACHALIO Very well. DAEMONES What, all very well? TRACHALIO Very well. But do you know what it is I want of you? That you\u2019ll remember what you promised, that this day I\u2019m to be free. DAEMONES Very well Very well: Here Daemones begins to pay him in his own coin, and answers him with licet until he makes his exit.. TRACHALIO Take care and entreat Plesidippus to give me my freedom. DAEMONES Very well. TRACHALIO And let your daughter request it; she\u2019ll easily prevail. DAEMONES Very well. TRACHALIO And that Ampelisca may marry me, when I\u2019m a free man. DAEMONES Very well. TRACHALIO And that I may experience a pleasing return to myself in kindness for my actions. DAEMONES Very well. TRACHALIO What, all very well? DAEMONES Very well. Again I return you thanks. But do you make haste to proceed to the city forthwith, and betake yourself hither again. TRACHALIO Very well. I\u2019ll be here directly. In the meanwhile, do you make the other preparations that are necessary. (Exit TRACHALIO.) DAEMONES Very well\u2014 may Hercules ill befriend him with his very-welling His very-welling: Cum su\u00e2 licenti\u00e2. In the latter word he alludes to Trachalio having bored him with his licets, although, having given him a Roland for his Oliver, he might have surely been content with that.; he has so stuffed my ears with it. Whatever it was I said, very well was the answer. (Enter GRIPUS, from the cottage.) GRIPUS How soon may I have a word with you, Daemones? DAEMONES What\u2019s your business, Gripus? GRIPUS Touching that wallet, if you are wise, be wise; keep what goods the Gods provide you. DAEMONES Does it seem right to you, that, what belongs to another I should assert to be my own? GRIPUS What, not a thing that I found in the sea? DAEMONES So much the better does it happen for him who lost it; none the more is it necessary that it should be your wallet. GRIPUS For this reason are you poor because you are too scrupulously righteous. DAEMONES O Gripus, Gripus, in the life of man very many traps there are, in what they are deceived by guile. And, by my troth, full often is a bait placed in them, which bait if any greedy person greedily snaps at, through his own greediness he is caught in the trap. He who prudently, skilfully, and warily, takes precaution, full long he may enjoy that which is honestly acquired. This booty seems to me This booty seems to me: This passage is very obscure, and has been variously interpreted. He seems, however, to mean that more good will come of restoring the booty to its owner than of keeping it. to be about to be made a booty of by me, that it may go hence with a greater blessing than it first came. What, ought I to conceal what I know was brought to me as belonging to another? By no means will my friend Daemones do that. \u2019Tis ever most becoming for prudent men to be on their guard against this, that they be not themselves confederates with their servants in evil-doing. Except only when I\u2019m gaming, I don\u2019t care for any gain. GRIPUS At times, I\u2019ve seen the Comedians, when acting, in this fashion repeat sayings in a wise manner, and be applauded for them, when they pointed out this prudent conduct to the public. But when each person went thence his own way home, there wasn\u2019t one after the fashion which they had recommended. DAEMONES Go in-doors, don\u2019t be troublesome, moderate your tongue. I\u2019m going to give you nothing, don\u2019t you deceive yourself. GRIPUS (apart.) Then I pray the Gods that whatever\u2019s in that wallet, whether it\u2019s gold, or whether silver, it may all become ashes. (Goes into the cottage.) DAEMONES This is the reason why we have bad servants. For this master, if he had combined with any servant, would have made both himself and the other guilty of a theft. While he was thinking that he himself had made a capture, in the meantime he himself would have been made a capture: capture would have led to capture. Now will I go in-doors from here and sacrifice; after that, I\u2019ll at once order the dinner to be cooked for us. (Goes into the cottage.) (Enter PLESIDIPPUS and TRACHALIO, at the further end of the stage.) PLESIDIPPUS Tell me all these things over again my life, my Trachalio, my freed-man, my patron, aye rather, my father; has Palaestra found her father and mother? TRACHALIO She has found them. PLESIDIPPUS And is she my countrywoman? TRACHALIO So I think. PLESIDIPPUS And is she to marry me? TRACHALIO So I suspect. PLESIDIPPUS Prithee, do you reckon that he will betroth her to me? TRACHALIO So I reckon So I reckon: For the sake of mere nonsense, Trachalio begins to trifle with his master, by giving him the answer of censeo to everything he says; just as he gave his repeated answers of licet to Daemones before leaving. PLESIDIPPUS Well, shall I congratulate her father too upon his finding her? TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Well, her mother too? TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS What then do you reckon? TRACHALIO What you ask me, I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Tell me then how much do you reckon it at? TRACHALIO What I, I reckon\u2014 PLESIDIPPUS Then really, do carry over Do carry over: At sume quidem, though not given by Fleckeisen, has been here adopted as the reading. Censeo seems to mean to reckon up, as well as to think. Salmasius and Gronovius suggest, and with fair reason, that he means jocularly to say, Don\u2019t be always reckoning, but cast up and carry over.. Don\u2019t be always making a reckoning. TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS What if I run? (Pretends to run.) TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Or rather gently, this way? (He walks slowly.) TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Ought I to salute her as well when I arrive? TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Her father too? TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS After that, her mother? TRACHALIO So I reckon. PLESIDIPPUS And what after that? When I arrive, should I also embrace her father? TRACHALIO So I don\u2019t reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Well, her mother? TRACHALIO So I don\u2019t reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Well, her own self? TRACHALIO So I don\u2019t reckon. PLESIDIPPUS Confusion, he has closed his reckoning Closed his reckoning: Dilectum dimisit. This expression is explained by some Commentators as alluding to the enlisting of soldiers, to which the word censeo was applicable. The play on the word censeo throughout this Scene is enwrapt in great obscurity.; now when I wish him, he doesn\u2019t reckon. TRACHALIO You are not in your senses; follow me. PLESIDIPPUS Conduct me, my patron, where you please. (They go into the cottage of DAEMONES.) (Enter LABRAX, at a distance.) LABRAX (to himself.) What other mortal being is there living this day more wretched than myself, whom before the commissioned judges Commissioned judges: Recuperatores. These were also called judices selecti, and were commissioned judges appointed by the Praetors at Rome for the purpose of trying causes relative to property in dispute between parties. See the Bacchides, l. 270. Plesidippus has just now cast? Palaestra has just been taken from me by award. I\u2019m ruined outright. But I do believe that Procurers were procreated for mere sport; so much do all persons make sport if any misfortune befalls a Procurer. Now I\u2019ll go look here, in the Temple of Venus, for that other female, that her at least I may take away, the only portion of my property that remains. (He retires a little distance.) (Enter GRIPUS, from the cottage of DAEMONES, with a spit in his hand.) GRIPUS (calling to the PEOPLE within.) By the powers, you shall never this day at nightfall behold Gripus alive, unless the wallet is restored to me. LABRAX (behind.) I\u2019m ready to die; when I hear mentior made anywhere of a wallet, I\u2019m thumped, as it were with a stake, upon the breast. GRIPUS (at the door, continuing.) That scoundrel is free; I, the person that held the net in the sea, and drew up the wallet, to him you refuse to give anything. LABRAX (behind.) O ye immortal Gods! by his talk this person has made me prick up my ears. GRIPUS (continuing.) By my troth, in letters a cubit long, I\u2019ll immediately post it up in every quarter, If any person has lost a wallet with plenty of gold and silver, let him come to Gripus. You shan\u2019t keep it as you are wishing. LABRAX (behind.) I\u2019 faith, this person knows, as I think, who has got the wallet. This person must be accosted by me; ye Gods, aid me, I do entreat you. (Some one calls GRIPUS, from within.) GRIPUS Why are you calling me back in-doors? (He rubs away at the spit.) I want to clean this here before the door. But surely this, I\u2019 faith, has been made of rust, and not of iron; so that the more I rub it, it becomes quite red and more slender. Why surely this spit has been drugged Has been drugged: He alludes to the rust which has eaten into the spit and worn it away.; it does waste away so in my hands. LABRAX (accosting him.) Save you, young man. GRIPUS May the Gods prosper you with your shorn pate Your shorn pate: Madame Dacier suggests that Labrax has had his hair cut off in consequence of having escaped from shipwreck, which, indeed, was often done during the continuance of a storm by those at sea.. LABRAX What\u2019s going on? GRIPUS A spit being cleaned. LABRAX How do you do? GRIPUS What are you? Prithee, are you a medicant A medicant: He plays upon the resemblance of the words medicus and mendicus. To give effect to the pun, we have, with Thornton, coined the word medicant, in the sense of doctor or physician.? LABRAX No, I\u2019 faith, I am more than a medicant by one letter. GRIPUS Then you are a mendicant. LABRAX You\u2019ve hit it to a nicety Hit it to a nicety: Tetigisti acu. Literally, you\u2019ve hit it with the point\u2014that is, exactly.. GRIPUS Your appearance seems suitable to it. But what\u2019s the matter with you? LABRAX Troth, this last night I was shipwrecked at sea the vessel was cast away, and to my misfortune I lost there everything that I had. GRIPUS What did you lose? LABRAX A wallet with plenty of gold and silver. GRIPUS Do you at all remember what there was in the wallet which was lost? LABRAX What matters for us now to be talking of it, if, in spite of it, it\u2019s lost? GRIPUS What if I know who has found it? I wish to learn from you the tokens. LABRAX Eight hundred golden pieces were there in a purse, besides a hundred Philippean minae in a wash-leather bag apart. GRIPUS (aside.) Troth, it is a noble prize; I shall be getting a handsome reward. The Gods show respect to mortals; therefore I shall come off bounteously rewarded. No doubt, it is this man\u2019s wallet. (To LABRAX.) Do you proceed to relate the rest. LABRAX A large talent of silver of full weight was in a purse, besides a bowl, a goblet, a beaker, a boat, and a cup. GRIPUS Astonishing! you really did have some splendid riches. LABRAX A shocking expression is that, and a most abominable one. You did have, and now have not. GRIPUS What would you be ready to give to one who should find these out for you, and give you information? Say, speedily and at once. LABRAX Three hundred didrachms. GRIPUS Rubbish. LABRAX Four hundred. GRIPUS Old thrums. LABRAX Five hundred. GRIPUS A rotten nut. LABRAX Six hundred. GRIPUS You are prating about mere tiny weevils. LABRAX I\u2019ll give seven hundred. GRIPUS Your mouth is hot, you are cooling it You are cooling it: He is supposed here to allude to the act of drawing the breath into the mouth with the teeth half closed, which produces a sensation of coolness; meaning, that he doesn\u2019t speak out and offer with boldness. just now. LABRAX I\u2019ll give a thousand didrachms. GRIPUS You are dreaming. LABRAX I add no more; be off with you. GRIPUS Hear me then; if, I\u2019 faith, I should be off from here, I shan\u2019t be here. LABRAX Part of line 1328 in the Latin.Would you like a hundred as well as the thousand? GRIPUS You are asleep. LABRAX Say how much you ask. GRIPUS That you mayn\u2019t be adding anything against your inclination, a great talent; it\u2019s not possible for three obols to be bated thence; then do you say either yes or no at once. LABRAX (aside.) What\u2019s to be done here? It\u2019s a matter of necessity, I see: (to GRIPUS) the talent shall be paid. GRIPUS (going towards the altar.) Just step this way; I wish Venus here to put the question to you. LABRAX Whatever you please, that command me. GRIPUS Touch this altar of Venus. LABRAX (touching it.) I am touching it. GRIPUS By Venus here must you swear to me. LABRAX What must I swear? GRIPUS What I shall bid you. LABRAX Dictate in words just as you like. (Aside.) What I\u2019ve got at home, I shall never beg I shall never beg: He says this to himself, meaning that he has a sufficient stock of perjury at home, without going to another person for it. See l. 558. of any one else. GRIPUS Take hold of this altar. LABRAX (taking hold of it.) I am taking hold of it. GRIPUS Swear that you will pay me the money on that same day on which you shall gain possession of the wallet. LABRAX Be it so. GRIPUS (speaking, while LABRAX repeats after him.) Venus of Cyrene, I invoke thee as my witness, if I shall find that wallet which I lost in the ship, safe with the gold and silver, and it shall come into my possession\u2014Then to this Gripus do I promise; say so and place your hand upon me. LABRAX Then to this Gripus do I promise, Venus, do thou hear me\u2014 GRIPUS (followed by LABRAX.) That I will forthwith give him a great talent of silver.\" GRIPUS If you defraud me, say, may Venus utterly destroy your body, and your existence in your calling. (Aside.) As it is, do you have this for yourself, when you\u2019ve once taken the oath. LABRAX If, Venus, I shall do anything amiss against this oath, I supplicate thee that all Procurers may henceforth be wretched. GRIPUS (aside.) As it is, it shall be so, even if you do keep your oath. Do you wait here; (going towards the cottage)\u2014I\u2019ll at once make the old gentleman come out; do you forthwith demand of him that wallet. (Goes in.) LABRAX (to himself.) If ever so much he shall restore to me this wallet, I\u2019m not this day indebted to him three obols even. It\u2019s according to my own intention what my tongue swears. (The door opens.) But I\u2019ll hold my peace; see, here he\u2019s coming out, and bringing the old man. (Enter GRIPUS, followed by DAEMONES, with the wallet.) GRIPUS Follow this way. Where is this Procurer? Hark you (to LABRAX), see now; this person (pointing at DAEMONES) has got your wallet. DAEMONES I have got it, and I confess that it is in my possession; and if it\u2019s yours, you may have it. Everything, just as each particular was in it, shall in like manner be given safe to you. (Holding it out.) Take it, if it\u2019s yours. LABRAX Immortal Gods, it is mine. (Takes it.) Welcome, dear wallet. DAEMONES Is it yours? LABRAX Do you ask the question? If indeed, I\u2019 faith, it were in Jove\u2019s possession, still it is my own. DAEMONES Everything in it is safe; there has only been one casket taken out of it, with some trinkets, by means of which this day I have found my daughter. LABRAX What person? DAEMONES Palaestra, who was your property, she has been discovered to be my own daughter. LABRAX By my troth, it has happily turned out so; since this matter has happened so fortunately for you according to your wishes, I\u2019m rejoiced. DAEMONES In that I don\u2019t readily believe you. LABRAX Aye, by my faith, that you may be sure that I\u2019m rejoiced, you shan\u2019t give me three obols for her; I excuse you. DAEMONES I\u2019 faith, you are acting kindly. LABRAX No, troth; it\u2019s really yourself, indeed, that\u2019s doing so. (Going off with the wallet.) GRIPUS Hark you, you\u2019ve got the wallet now. LABRAX I have got it. GRIPUS Make haste. LABRAX Make haste about what? GRIPUS To pay me the money. LABRAX By my troth, I\u2019ll neither give you anything nor do I owe you anything. GRIPUS What mode of proceeding is this? Don\u2019t you owe it me? LABRAX Troth, not I indeed. GRIPUS Didn\u2019t you promise it me upon your oath? LABRAX I did take an oath, and now I\u2019ll take an oath, if it is in any way my own pleasure; oaths were invented for preserving property, not for losing it. GRIPUS Give me, will you, a great talent of silver, you most perjured fellow. DAEMONES Gripus, what talent is it you are asking him for? GRIPUS He promised it me on oath. LABRAX I chose to swear; (turning to DAEMONES) are you the priest Are you the priest: The meaning of this passage is doubtful, but he seems to ask Daemones, Are you the Priest of Venus, in whose presence I took the oath? It was probably the duty of the priesthood to take cognizance of cases of perjury. as to my perjury? DAEMONES (to GRIPUS.) For what reason did he promise you the money? GRIPUS If I restored this wallet into his hands, he swore that he would give me a great talent of silver. LABRAX Find me a person with whom I may go to the judge, to decide whether you did not make the bargain with wicked fraudulence, and whether I am yet five-and-twenty years old Five-and-twenty years old: By the Laetorian law (which is also referred to in the Notes to the Pseudolus), persons under the age of five-and-twenty were deemed minors, and free from all pecuniary obligations. As usual, in this allusion Plautus consults the usages of his Audience, and not of the place where the Scene is laid. Labrax is ready to say or swear anything; and Madame Dacier justly remarks, that it is amusing enough that he should call himself not five-and-twenty, when he is described, in the Second Scene of the First Act, as a person having grey hair. Gripus being a slave, could not try the question at law with Labrax.. GRIPUS (pointing to DAEMONES.) Go to the judge with him. LABRAX No; I must have some other person. DAEMONES (to LABRAX.) Then I shan\u2019t allow you to take it away from him, unless I shall have found him guilty. Did you promise him the money? LABRAX I confess it. DAEMONES What you promised my slave must needs be my own. Don\u2019t you be supposing, Procurer, that you are to be using your pimping honesty here. That can\u2019t be. GRIPUS (to LABRAX.) Did you fancy now that you had got hold of a person whom you might cheat? It must be paid down here (holding his hand), good silver coin; I shall, at once, pay it to him (pointing to DAEMONES), so that he may give me my liberty. DAEMONES Inasmuch, therefore, as I have acted courteously towards you, and by my means these things (pointing to the wallet) have been saved for you\u2014 GRIPUS I\u2019 faith, by my means, rather; don\u2019t say by yours. DAEMONES (to GRIPUS.) If you are prudent you\u2019ll hold your tongue. (To LABRAX.) Then it befits you in a like courteous manner kindly to return the obligation to myself, who so well merit the same. LABRAX You are pleading, of course, for my right? DAEMONES (ironically.) It would be a wonder if I didn\u2019t, at a loss to myself, ask you to forego your right. GRIPUS (aside.) I\u2019m all right; the Procurer\u2019s giving way; my freedom is at hand. DAEMONES (pointing to GRIPUS.) He found this wallet; he is my slave. I therefore have preserved this for you, together with a large sum of money. LABRAX I return you thanks, and with regard to the talent that I promised on oath to him, there\u2019s no reason that you shouldn\u2019t receive it. GRIPUS Hark you, give it me then, if you are wise. DAEMONES (to GRIPUS.) Will you hold your tongue, or not? GRIPUS You pretend to be acting on my side: I tell you by my troth, you shan\u2019t do me out of that, if I did lose the other booty The other booty: By this he means the wallet and its contents.. DAEMONES You shall have a beating if you add a single word. GRIPUS Troth now, do you kill me even; I\u2019ll never be silent on any terms, unless my mouth is shut with the talent. LABRAX For yourself, in fact, is he using his exertions; do hold your tongue. DAEMONES Step this way, Procurer. LABRAX Very well. (They walk on one side.) GRIPUS Proceed openly; I don\u2019t want any whisperings or mumblings to be going on. DAEMONES Tell me, at what price did you buy that other young woman, Ampelisca? LABRAX I paid down a thousand didrachms. DAEMONES Should you like me to make you a handsome offer? LABRAX I should like it much. DAEMONES I\u2019ll divide the talent. LABRAX You act fairly. DAEMONES For that other woman Ampelisca, that she may be free, take you one half, and give the other half to him. LABRAX By all means. DAEMONES For that half I\u2019ll give his freedom to Gripus, by means of whom you found your wallet, and I my daughter. LABRAX You act fairly; I return you many thanks. (They return to GRIPUS.) GRIPUS How soon then is the money to be returned to me? DAEMONES The money\u2019s paid, Gripus; I\u2019ve got it. GRIPUS You, faith; but I had rather it were myself. DAEMONES I\u2019 faith, there\u2019s nothing for you here, so don\u2019t you be expecting it. I wish you to release him from his oath. GRIPUS (aside.) Troth, I\u2019m undone; if I don\u2019t hang myself If I don\u2019t hang myself: Thorntor calls this a sorry witticism; but Madame Dacier and other Commentators discover great humour in it It certainly is amusing for its absurdity., I\u2019m utterly done for. (Aloud.) I\u2019 faith, after this day you certainly shall never be cheating me again. DAEMONES Dine here to-day, Procurer. LABRAX Be it so; the proposal is to my taste. DAEMONES Do you both follow me in-doors. (He comes forward and addresses the AUDIENCE.) Spectators, I would invite you to dinner as well, were it not that I\u2019m going to give nothing, and that there is no good cheer at all at home; and if, too, I didn\u2019t believe that you are invited to dinner elsewhere. But if you shall be willing to give hearty applause to this Play, do you all come to make merry at my house some sixteen years hence. Do you (to LABRAX and GRIPUS) both dine here with me to-day. GRIPUS Be it so. An ACTOR (To the AUDIENCE) Now give us your applause.This Play, though pronounced to be one of the best of this author, does not conclude satisfactorily. We are not told what becomes of Ampelisca, or of Trachalio, who aspires to the honor of her hand. The sturdy Sceparnio we lose sight of too early; and Daemones loses all claim to our estimation, by inviting such an infamous villain as Labrax to take a place at his table, who certainly, according to the usual rules of dramatic retribution, richly deserves to lose his wallet and its contents.","title":"Plautus, Rudens, or The Fisherman's Rope (tr. Henry Thomas Riley)","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":26445}