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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
346b
346b
LIBANUS
346b
After that, what then?
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LEONIDA
146
He said that he was bringing the money for the asses to the chamberlain Saurea, twenty minae in amount; but that he himself didn’t know the individual, who he was, but that he knew Demaenetus quite well.
147
Since he spoke thus to this effect—
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LIBANUS
350b
What then?
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LEONIDA
350c
Listen then, and you’ll know. At once I made myself courteous, and a person of consequence. I said that I was the chamberlain. Thus, in these terms did he answer me: Upon my faith, I don’t know Saurea, nor yet of what appearance he is. It isn’t fair for you to blame me; but if you like, bring here Demaenetus, your master, whom I do know; I’ll not prevent you taking the money then.
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I said that I would bring him, and that I should be at home immediately. He’s about to go to the bathsTo go to the baths: It was very natural that after a long journey he should first go to the barber’s shop, and then repair to the public baths to refresh himself., from there he’ll afterwards come here. What plan do you think, now, I ought to adopt? Tell me.
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LIBANUS
358b
Why, I’m thinking of this, how to get between the money, and the stranger, and Saurea.
149
At present this matter is rough-hewn; but if this stranger brings here the money first, then are we both at once shut out from it. But the old man to-day took me apart at a distance from the house, and threatened me and yourself that we should be tasters of the elm twigs, if Argyrippus didn’t this very day get twenty mine of silver.
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He commanded that we should cheat either the chamberlain or his own wife, and said that he would give the aid he promised. Now, do you go to the Forum to our master, and tell him this, how we are going to manage; that you, from Leonida, are going to be the chamberlain Saurea, until the dealer has brought the money for the asses.
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LEONIDA
369b
I’ll do as you request me.
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LIBANUS
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In the meantime, I’ll amuse him here, if by chance he should come first.
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LEONIDA
152
But what say you—?
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LIBANUS
371b
What do you want?
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LEONIDA
371c
If I give you a blow on the cheek with my fist, by-and-by, while I’m personating SaureaPersonating Saurea: Saurea, as the atriensis, chamberlain or gentleman-usher, was the head of the slave family; and it was his privilege to beat the other slaves, if they offended him or neglected their duties., don’t you be offended.
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LIBANUS
153
I’ faith, but you’ll have a care not to be touching me, if you are wise; you’ll surely have changed your name to day with a bad omenYour name to-day with a bad omen: Limiers says that this is said in allusion to his having assumed the name of Saurea, which meant a lash or scourge..
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LEONIDA
154
Prithee, do endure it with resolution.
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LIBANUS
375b
Do you endure the cuff that I, too, shall be giving you in return.
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LEONIDA
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I speak as it’s in the habit of being done.
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LIBANUS
376b
I’ faith, and I speak, too, of how I’m likely to act.
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LEONIDA
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Don’t refuse me.
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LIBANUS
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Why I promise, I tell you, to give you a like return, just as you deserve.
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LEONIDA
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I’m off; I know that you’ll put up with it by-and-by. But who’s this? ’Tis he—’tis the very man himself. I’ll return here just now; in the meantime do you detain him here;
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I want to inform the old gentleman.
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LIBANUS
380b
Well, do your duty, then, and fly.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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According as it was pointed out to me, this must be the house where Demaenetus is said to live. (To the BOY.) Go, boy, and knock, and call Saurea the chamberlain out here, if he’s in-doors.
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LIBANUS
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Who’s breaking in our door in this fashion? Enough there, I say, if you hear me at all.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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No one has touched it as yet: are you out of your senses?
385b
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LIBANUS
385b
Why I thought that you had touched it, because you were steering your course in that direction. I don’t want the door, my fellow-slaveMy fellow-slave: He so calls the door, from the fact of its being under the control of the janitor, or doorkeeper, who was also a slave. Ovid has a similar passage in his Amores, B. 1, El. 6, l. 74. In his address to the janitor, he says, Duraque conservae, ligna, valete, fores And you, ye doors equally slaves, hard-hearted blocks of wood, farewell., to be thumped by you; I really am attached to our house.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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I’ faith, there’s no fear of the hinges being broken off the doors, if you answer all who make enquiries in this fashion.
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LIBANUS
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This door is of this habit; it cries out at once for tho porter, if it sees any door-kicker at a distance coming towards it. But what are you come for? What are you enquiring about?
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THE ASS-DEALER
392b
I wanted Demaenetus.
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LIBANUS
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If he were at home, I would tell you so.
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THE ASS-DEALER
393b
Well, his chamberlain then?
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LIBANUS
165
No more is ne at home.
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THE ASS-DEALER
394b
Where is he?
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LIBANUS
394c
He said he was going to the barber’s.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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Hasn’t he returned, since he went there?
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LIBANUS
395b
I’ faith, he hasn’t. What did you want?
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THE ASS-DEALER
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He was to have received twenty mine of silver, if he had been in.
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LIBANUS
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What was it for?
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THE ASS-DEALER
397b
He sold some asses at market to a dealer from Pella.
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LIBANUS
398b
I understand; you are bringing it now. I think that he’ll be here just now.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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Of what appearance is your chamberlain Saurea? If it’s he, I shall be able to know at once.
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LIBANUS
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Lantern-jawed, with reddish hair, a little pot-bellied, with glaring eyes, middling stature, sour aspect.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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A painter couldn’t have more correctly described his appearance— And, i’ faith, I see the very man; he’s coming this way, wagging his head.
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LIBANUS
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Whoever gets in his way when he’s in a passion, he’ll be for striking him.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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By my faith, if, indeed, he were coming filled with the threats and the courage of the grandson ofAeacusOf of the grandson of Aeacus: He alludes to the wrath of Achilles the son of Pelens, and grandson ofAeacus, the direful spring of the Grecian woes, with which the Iliad commences., if he were to touch me in his wrath, in his wrath he would be getting a thrashing.
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LEONIDA
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What’s this to do here? Not a person bares a bit about my orders! How did I order Libanus to come to the barber’s shop, and he didn’t come at all. I’ faith, for sure he hasn’t consulted well for his back and his legs.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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This is a very overbearing fellow.
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LIBANUS
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Woe to me this day!
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LEONIDA
410c
I bid welcome to Libanus, the freed-man! Are you set at liberty now?
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LIBANUS
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I do implore you.
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LEONIDA
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In good sooth, to your great misfortune surely have you fallen in my way. Why didn’t you come to the barber’s shop, as I ordered you?
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LIBANUS
413b
This person detained me.
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LEONIDA
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I’ faith, if in fact you were now to say that supreme Jove had detained you,
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and he were present to sue for you, you shouldn’t escape the evil consequences. Whip-knave, did you disobey my orders?
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LIBANUS
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Stranger, I’m done for.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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Prithee, Saurea, for my sake, don’t beat him.
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LEONIDA
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I wish, now, I had a whip in my hand—
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THE ASS-DEALER
418b
Prithee, do be appeased.
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LEONIDA
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—With which to lash your sides, which have grown callous with blows.
182
Stand off this way; let me be the death of this fellow who is continually inflaming me with anger—a thief to whom I can never once enjoin a single thing, but that I must command the same things a hundred times, and din them in his earsDin them in his ear: Obganniam. This word literally signifies to bark like a fox.. For that reason, now, by my troth, what with bawling and passion, I cannot endure the labour. Have you, you rascal, (pointing) ordered this dirt to be removed hence from the door?
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Have you ordered the labours of the spiders to be swept down from the pillars? Have you ordered those bosses on our doorBosses on our door: The bullae, or bosses, here mentioned, were large heads of brass or gilt nails with which the doors of the Romans were ornamented. to be brought to brightness? It’s of no use; I must walk about with a stick, as though I were a lame man. Because only for these single three days I have been giving my constant attendance at the Forum, in order to find some one who requires money upon interest, here,
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in the meantime, are you sleeping at home, and my master is living in a pigstye, not in a house.(He strikes LIBANUS.) There now, take you that.
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LIBANUS
431b
Prithee, stranger, do take my part.
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THE ASS-DEALER
431c
Saurea, for my sake, I entreat you, do let him go.
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LEONIDA
432b
Hark you! has any one paid for the carriage of that olive oil?
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LIBANUS
433b
He has paid.
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LEONIDA
433c
To whom was it given?
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LIBANUS
433d
To Stichus himself, your deputy.
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LEONIDA
434b
Tut! you’re trying to mollify meTrying to mollify me: Inasmuch as he pretends to be jealous of Stichus enjoying the favour of the pretended Saurea, and being appointed his vicarius, or deputy, in preference to himself.. I know that he is my deputy,
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and that there isn’t a servant in the house who is more valuable to his master than he is. But the wines that I sold yesterday to Exaerambus, the wine merchant, has he yet paid Stichus for them?
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LIBANUS
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I think he has, in full; for I saw Exaerambus himself bringing hither his banker.
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LEONIDA
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On such terms would I always dealWould I always deal: Sic dedero. Camerarius and Lambinus give these words a rather far-fetched meaning, and think that they signify, I had rather give away my commodities, than sell them and be so ill- paid.; before, what I’ve trusted, I’ve hardly been paid within a year after.
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Now he’s quite in a hurry; even of his own accord he brings him to the house, and writes a transfer of the moneyWrites a transfer of the money: Scribere nummos seems here to have the usual meaning of rescribere nummos, to transfer or set down money to the account of another person in one’s banker’s books.. Has Dromo paid down the wages agreed upon?
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LIBANUS
441b
Less than half, I think.
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LEONIDA
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What about the remainder?
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LIBANUS
442b
He said that he would pay it directly it was paidDirectly it was paid: It was the custom with the owners of slaves to let out their services for a specified sum. He pretends that Dromo is a slave that has been let out by him for a job, and enquires whether the money is paid on which he is told, that he has only been paid half, inasmuch as the job is not yet finished, and that the other half is retained until he has completed it. to him; for it was retained until he had finished the work that was agreed on to be done by him.
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LEONIDA
189
The cups that I lent to Philodamus, has he brought them back?
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LIBANUS
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Not yet.
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LEONIDA
445b
What, not yet? If you wish to make a presentWish to make a present: At the suggestion of Gronovius, dare is read, in this line, with a comma after it, instead of da, the usual reading. In the latter case the passage would read, — if you choose, do a service for a friend, which certainly has not the point of the other version., lend to a person that is a friend—
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THE ASS-DEALER
191
I’ faith, I’m quite undone; he’ll be just now driving me away with his ill-temper.
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LIBANUS
446b
Hallo! you, enough now. Do you hear what he’s saying?
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LEONIDA
447b
I hear, and I’ll have done.
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THE ASS-DEALER
447c
At last, I think, he has done: now it’s best to accost him before he commences again to prate. (To LEONIDA.) How soon, sir, will you give me your attention?
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LEONIDA
449b
Oh, by all means—have you been here any time?
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Troth, I didn’t observe you; pray, don’t lay it to my charge: anger has so blinded my eyesight.
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THE ASS-DEALER
451b
’Tisn’t to be wondered at. But if he’s at home, I was wanting Demaenetus.
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LEONIDA
452b
Libanus says that he isn’t within. But still, if you like to pay that money over to me, I’ll give you an acquittance that the account is discharged as to that item.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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This way rather, for me to pay you in the presence of your master, Demaenetus.
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LIBANUS
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My master knows him, and he my master.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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In his master’s presence, I’ll pay him.
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LIBANUS
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At my peril, so you only pay him, I’ll engage the matter’s safe. For if our old gentleman were to know that confidence wasn’t placed in him, to whom he himself always entrusts the management of all matters, he would be angry.
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LEONIDA
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I don’t much care; don’t let him not pay it, if he don’t like; so let him stand here.
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LIBANUS
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Give it him, I say. Oh dear, I’m sadly afraid that he’ll be thinking that I’ve persuaded you not to trust him; prithee, do give it and don’t be afraid. Upon my word, it will be safe.
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THE ASS-DEALER
463b
I think it will be—so long, indeed, as I myself keep it in my hand. I’m a stranger; I don’t know Saurea.
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LIBANUS
464b
Well, know him now then.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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It may be he, it may not be he; i’ faith, I know not; if it’s he, why then it must be he. I know for sure that I shall give this up to no person that I don’t know.
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LEONIDA
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Troth now, may all the Gods confound the fellow. (Aloud to LIBANUS.) Take care you don’t entreat him with a word. He’s arrogant, because he’s fingering my twenty minae. No one will take it. (To the ASS-DEALER.) Take yourself off home, be off from here, and don’t be troublesome.
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THE ASS-DEALER
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You are in too angry mood: it isn’t right for a person who is a slave to give himself airs.