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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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MEGADORUS
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Now, go where you will, you may see more carriagesMore carriages: Plaustra generally mean carts or waggons, and perhaps, from his reference to the country, may have that signification here; though he has just been speaking of the luxury of the ladies, with their vehicla, or carriages. among the houses than in the country when you go to a farm-house. But this is even light, in comparison with when they ask for their allowance; there stands the scourerThe scourer: The fullo was a washer and cleaner of linen and woollen clothing with fuller’s earth. As woollen dresses were chiefly worn by the Romans, they would, by reason of the perspiration produced by so hot a climate, require frequent purification. As the ancients, probably, were not acquainted with the use of ordinary washing soap, various alkalis were used in its place for the purpose of cleansing garments. It is not known whether the fuller’s earth of the Romans resembled that used at the present day., the embroiderer, the goldsmith, the woollen-manufacturer, retail dealers in figured skirtsDealers in figured skirts: Patagiarii. These were persons who sold the patagium, which was a broad band or hem on the tunics of the women, answering to the clavus, or broad stripe, on the clothes of the men. It may possibly have been the same as the instita, or broad flounce, which distinguished the Roman matrons of reputable character., dealers in women’s under-clothingDealers in women’s under-clothing: Indusiarii, makers or sellers of the indusium, which is by some thought to have been the upper tunic worn by the Roman women; while others suppose the under tunic, worn next the skin, to have been so called, from intus, innermost.,
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dyers in flame-colour, dyers in violet, dyers in wax-colourDyers in wax-colour: Carinarii. Ovid, in the Art of Love, B. 3, l. 184, has the line, Sua velleribus nomina cera dedit. The wax has given its own name to the wool. The yellow colour resembling that of wax was much esteemed by the Romans., or else sleeve-makersSleeve-makers: Manulearii, makers of the manulea. This was a long sleeve fitted on to the tunics of the Roman ladies, and was probably made to take on and off, for the purpose of keeping the arms and hands warm., or perfumersPerfumers: Murobrecharii. One reading here is murrobathrarii, persons who give an agreable smell to women’s shoes, by scenting them with myrrh. Murobrecharii, which is adopted above, means perfumers, or persons who scented the clothes, from the Greek μνρὸν, ointment, and βρέχω, to moisten. Myrrh or nard was much used for this purpose. The unguents or ointments used by the ancients were very numerous. Among those used for the skin or the hair were mendesium, megalesium, metoplum, amaracinum, Cyprinum, susinum, nardinum, spicatuin, jasminum, rosaceum, and crocus oil, which last was considered the most costly. Powders were also used as perfumes; they were called diapasmata. The Greeks used expensive perfumes from early times, and both Greeks and Romans were in the habit of carrying them about in small boxes of elegant workmanship. In the luxurious city of Capua, there was one great street, called the Seplasia, which consisted entirely of shops in which ointments and perfumes were sold.; wholesale linendrapers, shoemakers, squatting cobblers, slipper-makers; sandal makers stand there; stainers in mallow colour stand there;
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hairdressersHairdressers: Ciniflones. The ciniflones were those persons whose duty it was to heat the calamistrum, or curling-iron, in woodashes (cinis), from which they took their name. In the time of Cicero, the youths of Rome generally had their hair curled, whence they were termed calamistrati. make their demands, botchers their demands; boddice-makersBoddice-makers: Strophiarii. These were makers of the band or stomacher which was worn by the women, to correct excessive protuberance of the breast and stomach. stand there; makers of kirtlesMakers of kirtles: Semizonarii. These were makers or sellers of semicinctia, which were little aprons or kirtles extending half way down the body. take their stand. Now you would think them got rid of; these make way, others make their demands; three hundred dunsThree hundred duns: Phylacistae, from the Greek φνλακιστης, a keeper of a prison. He calls duns or importunate creditors by this name, from their keeping as close a watch on the front of a debtor’s house as if they were gaolers. are standing in your hall; weavers, lace-makersLace-makers: Limbuarii. The makers of limbus, lace or fringes for women’s dresses., cabinet-makersCabinet-makers: Arcularil, makers of arcuiae, caskets or cabinets for jewels and nicknacks.,
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are introduced; the money’s paid them. You would think them got rid of by this; when dyers in saffron colours come sneaking along; or else there’s always some horrid plague or other which is demanding something.
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EUCLIO
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I would accost him, if I didn’t fear that he would cease to descant upon the ways of women; for the present I’ll leave him as he is.
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MEGADORUS
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When the money has been paid to all the nicknack mongers, for these saffron-coloured garments and stomachers, your wife’s expenses, then at the last comes the tax-gathererThe tax-gatherer: Miles. Literally, the soldier. This is explained as meaning that the soldier comes to receive the military tribute levied by the Tribunes, which was called aes militare. The word may, however possibly mean simply the officer of the magistrate by whom the tribute was levied, as miles has sometimes, though very rarely, that signification. and asks for money. You go, your account is being made up with your bankerWith your banker: The argentarii acted as bankers of deposit upon whom the depositors drew checks as with us.; the tax-gatherer waits, half-starved, and thinks the money will be paid. When the account has been made up with the banker,
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even already is the husband himself in debt to the banker, and the hopes of the tax-gatlherer are postponed to another day. These, and many others, are the inconveniences and intolerable expenses of great portions; but she who is without portion is in the power of her husband;
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the portioned ones overwhelm their husbands with loss and ruin. But see; here’s my connexion by marriage before the house! How do you do, Euclio?
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EUCLIO
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With very great pleasure have I listened to your discourse.
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MEGADORUS
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Did you hear me?
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EUCLIO
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Everything from the very beginning.
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Still, in my way of thinking indeed, you would be acting a little more becomingly
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if you were more tidy at the wedding of your daughter.
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EUCLIO
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Those who have display according to their circumstances and splendour according to their meansAccording to their means: Shakspeare expresses the same idea in Hamlet, Act I, Sc. 3: Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not expressed in fancy. , remember themselves, from whence they are sprung; neither by myself, Megadorus, nor by any poor man, are better circumstances enjoyed than appearances warrant.
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MEGADORUS
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Surely they are; and may the Gods, I hope, make them so to be, and more and more may they prosper that which you now possess.
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EUCLIO
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That expression don’t please me, which you now possess. He knows that I’ve got this, as well as I do myself: the old woman has discovered it to him.
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MEGADORUS
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Why do you separate yourself thus alone, apart from the Senate Apart from the Senate: As the Senate consults about the common interests, so are they discussing their common sentiments. Megadorus therefore, on hearing him talking to himself, asks him why he is withdrawing himself from the discussions of the Senate.?
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EUCLIO
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Troth, I was considering whether I should accuse you deservedly.
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MEGADORUS
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What’s the matter?
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EUCLIO
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Do you ask me what’s the matter? You who have filled every corner in my house, for wretched me, with thieves? You who have introduced into my dwelling five hundred cooks, with six hands a-piece, of the race of GeryonOf the race of Geryon: Geryon was a King of Spain, slain by Hercures. He was fabled to have had three heads and three bodies, consequently six hands.,
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whom were Argus to watch, who was eyes all over, that Juno once set as a spy upon Jupiter, he never could watch them; a music-girl besides, who could alone drink up for me the Corinthian fountain of PireneFountain of Pirene: Pirene, the daughter of Acheloüs, on Conchreas her son by Neptune being slain by Diana, pined away, and was changed into a fountain, which was in the Arx Corinthiacus, or Citadel of Corinth, and retained her name., if it were flowing with wine?
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And then as to provisions—
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MEGADORUS
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Troth, there’s enough for a procurer For a procurer: Who might be presumed to have a voracious and ungovernable appetite, and probably a large household to satisfy. Some editions however, have legioni, which would almost appear to be a preferable reading almost enough for a whole legion. even. I sent as much as a lamb.
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EUCLIO
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Than which lamb, I, indeed, know right well that there is nowhere a more curiousA more curious: Magis curiosam. It is suggested in Schmieder’s Notes to Plautus, that Euclio intends to call the lamb inquisitive or curious, curiosam, because he had found it, when he entered his house to drive out Congrio and his scullions, scraping and smelling about in every direction, as in a strange place it was natural for it to do, but which the old man thought to be done in quest of his treasure. On this, Megadorus, who has not heard, or else has misunderstood, the last syllable for nem, instead of sam, asks him what sort of a lamb a curio (the nominative of curionem) lamb is; on which Euclio catches him up, and says he calls a curio lamb such a one as he has sent him, all skin and bone, and lean with cura, care. Curionem is by many preferred as the reading in the 517th line to curiosam, and perhaps it is the best. Be it as it may, the wit seems far-fetched; and not improbably the word curio may have had some meaning which is now lost, other than its usual signification of the master or head of a curia, or ward. beast existing.
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MEGADORUS
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I wish to know of you why is this lamb curious?
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EUCLIO
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Because it’s all skin and bone, so lean is it with care;
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why, even when alive, by the light of the sun you may look at its entrails; it’s just as transparent as a Punic lanternA Punic lantern: The horn exported from Carthage, for the purpose of making lanterns, was more pellucid than any other..
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MEGADORUS
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I bought it to be killed.
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EUCLIO
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Then it’s best that you likewise should bargain for Should bargain for: Loces. Should hire the conductores, or libitinarii, who contracted to perform funerals. He seems to hint that the lamb is so meagre that it is not worth eating. If that is not his meaning, the wit intended to be conveyed by the passage is imperceptible. it to be carried out for burial; for I believe it’s dead by this time.
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MEGADORUS
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Euclio, I wish this day to have a drinking with you.
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EUCLIO
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By my troth, I really must not drink.
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MEGADORUS
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But I’ll order one cask of old wine to be brought from my house.
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EUCLIO
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I’ faith, I won’t have it; for I’ve determined to drink water.
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MEGADORUS
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I’ll have you well drenched this day, if I live, you who have determined to drink water.
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EUCLIO
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I know what plan he’s upon;
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he’s aiming at this method, to overcome me with wine, and after that, to change the settlementChange the settlement: Commutet coloniam. Literally may change its colony. of what I possess: I’ll take care of that, for I’ll hide it somewhere out of doors. I’ll make him lose his wine and his trouble together.
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MEGADORUS
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Unless you want me for anything, I’m going to bathe, that I may sacrifice.
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EUCLIO
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By my faith, you pot (taking it from under his cloak), you surely have many enemies, and that gold as well which is entrusted to you! Now this is the best thing to be done by me, to take you away, my pot, to the Temple of FaithTemple of Faith: Fides, Faith, was a Goddess worshipped by the Romans. Probably, in the present instance, her Temple was represented at one side of the stage, and the door just beyond the side-scene., where I’ll hide you carefully. Faith, thou dost know me, and I thee; please, do have a care
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not to change thy name against me, if I entrust this to thee. Faith, I’ll come to thee, relying on thy fidelity.
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STROBILUS
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This is the duty of a good servant, to do what I’m intending, not to consider the commands of his master a bore or trouble to him. For that servant who resolves to serve his master with hearty goodwill,
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him it behoves to act expeditiously for his master, slowly for himself; but if he sleeps, let him so sleep as to bethink himself that he is a servant. But he who lives in servitude to one in love, as I am serving, if he sees love overcoming his master, this I think to be the duty of the servant; to restrain him for his safety, not to impel him onwards towards his own inclination.
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Just as a float of bulrushes is placed beneath boys who are learning to swim, by means of which they may labour less, so as to swim more easily and move their hands; in the same way do I consider that it is proper for the servant to be a buoy to his master thus in love, so as to bear him up lest he should go to the bottom; and so should he learn the will of his master, that his eyes should know what his mouth chooses not to speak.
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What he orders, he should hasten to perform more swiftly than the swift steeds. He who shall have a care for these things, will escape the castigation of the ox’s hide, nor by his own means will he ever bring the fetters to brightness. Now, my master’s in love with the daughter of this poor man, Euclio; word has just now been brought to my master that she is given to Megadorus here:
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he has sent me here to spy out, that he may be made acquainted with the things that are going on. Now, without any suspicion, I’ll sit here by the sacred altar By the sacred altar: The Athenians often raised altars to Apollo or Bacchus at their doors. The Romans also had altars in their public streets. On the stage of Comedy there was generally an altar erected in honor of Apollo, προστατηριὸς, that presides.. From this spot I shall be able, in this direction and that, to witness what they are about.
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EUCLIO
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O Goddess Faith, do thou but take care not to discover to any person that my gold is there. I have no fear that any one will find it, so well is it concealed in its hiding place.
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By my troth, he will surely have a charming booty there, if any one shall meet with that pot loaded with gold. But I entreat thee, Faith, to hinder that. Now I shall go wash me, that I may perform the sacrifice; so that I may not delay my new connexion by marriage, but that, when he sends to me, he may forthwith take my daughter home. Over and over again now, Goddess Faith, do thou take care that I shall carry away the pot safe from thy Temple.
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To thy fidelityTo thy fidelity: Tuae fidei. He plays upon the word fides, and flatters himself that his treasure cannot be more secure than when entrusted to the faith of Falt... have I entrusted the gold; in thy grove and Temple is it placed.
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STROBILUS
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Immortal Gods, what a deed did I hear this person speaking of, how that he had hidden here, in the Temple of Faith, a pot filled with gold; prithee, beware you, how you are more faithful to him than to myself! And he, as I fancy, is the father of her whom my master’s in love with.
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I’ll go hence into it; I’ll thoroughly ransack the Temple, to see if I can anywhere find the gold, while he’s engaged. But if I do find it, O Goddess Faith, I’ll offer to thee a gallon jug A gallon jug: Congialem. Literally, holding a congius. This contained about nine pints of English measure. By the use of the word fidelia, a jug, he plays on its resemblance to the name of Fides. full of honeyed wine, that I’ll surely offer to thee; but I’ll drink it up myself, when I have offered it.
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EUCLIO
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It wasn’t for nothing that the raven was just now croaking on my left handOn my left hand: We cannot fail to remember here the exactly similar expression of Gay, in the fable of the Farmer’s Wife and the Raven: That raven on yon left-hand oak (Curse on his ill-betiding croak!) Bodes me no good. ;
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he was both scratching the ground with his feet and croaking with his voice. At once my heart began to jump about Began to jump about: Ars ludicra here means the art of a ’ludius,’ or stage-player, who moves to and fro and gesticulates-hence cor cœpit artem facere ludicram would strictly mean my heart begins to move to and fro like a play-actor., and to leap within my breast. But why do I delay to run?
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EUCLIO
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Out, out, you earthwormEarthworm: He thinks, that in the short space of time during which he has been absent in the Temple, he can only have sprung out of the earth, as he had not seen him a few minutes before; and taking him to be a sort of praestigiator, or juggler, he fancies that he has followed him into the Temple, and purloined the treasure., who have this instant crept out of the earth; who just now were nowhere seen, and now that you are seen shall die for it.
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By my faith, you juggler, I’ll receive you now after a disagreable fashion.
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STROBILUS
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What the curst plague does ail you? What business have you with me, old fellow? Why do you torment me? Why are you dragging me? For what reason are you beating me?
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EUCLIO
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You out-and-out whipping-post, do you even ask that, you, not thief, but thrice-dotted thief.
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STROBILUS
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What have I stolen from you?
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EUCLIO
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Give me that back here, if you please.
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STROBILUS
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What do you want me to give you back?
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EUCLIO
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Do you ask me that?
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STROBILUS
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As for me, I’ve taken nothing away from you.
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EUCLIO
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But give up that which you have taken away for yourself. Are you going to do so?
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STROBILUS
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Do what?
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EUCLIO
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You can’t carry it off.
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STROBILUS
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What do you want?
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EUCLIO
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Lay it down.
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STROBILUS
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Troth, for my part, I think that you are in the habit In the habit: The real meaning of the author in this line is so indelicate, that it requires another turn to be given to the passage. of quizzing, old gentleman.
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EUCLIO
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Put that down, please; cease your quibbling; I’m not trifling now.
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STROBILUS
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What am I to put down? Why don’t you mention it, whatever it is, by its own name?
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By my faith, I really have neither taken nor touched anything.
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EUCLIO
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Show me your hands, here.
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STROBILUS
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Well, I do show them; see, here they are.
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EUCLIO
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I see them. Come, show me the thirdShow me the third: This passage has been considered as extravagant; but it really does not appear inconsistent with the ridiculous conduct of the wretched Euclio throughout. Thornton supposes that the following passage in the old play of Albumazar, Act III., Sc. 8 (where Trinculo questions Ronca about the purse, which the latter has stolen from him), is an imitation of this passage: Trin. Show me your hand. Ron. Here ’tis. Trin. But where’s the other? Ron. Why, here. Trin. But I mean, where’s your other hand? Ron. Think you me the giant with an hundred hands? Trin. Give me your right. Ron. My right? Trin. Your left? Ron. My left? Trin. Now both. Ron. There’s both, my dear Antonio, as well.
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Sprites, and frenzy, and madness, possess this old fellow. Are you doing me an injustice, or not?
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EUCLIO
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A very great one, I confess, inasmuch as you are not strung up; and that too shall be done this moment, un less you do confess.
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STROBILUS
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What am I to confess to you?
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EUCLIO
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What it was you took away hence.
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STROBILUS
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May the Gods confound me, if I’ve taken away anything of yours, (aside) and if I don’t wish I had taken it away.
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EUCLIO
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Come then, shake out your cloak.
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STROBILUS
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At your pleasure.
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EUCLIO
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You haven’t it among your under-clothing?
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STROBILUS
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Search where you please.
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Pshaw! how civilly the rascal speaks, that I mayn’t suppose he has taken it away! I know your tricks. Come, show me here again that right hand.
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STROBILUS
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Here it is.
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EUCLIO
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Now show me your left.
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STROBILUS
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Well, then, I show you both, in fact.
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EUCLIO
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Now I leave off searching. Give back that here.
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STROBILUS
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Give back what?
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EUCLIO
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Are you trifling with me? You certainly have got it.
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STROBILUS
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I, got it? Got what?
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EUCLIO
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I shan’t say; you want to hear. Whatever you have of mine, give it back.
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STROBILUS
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You are mad; you’ve searched me all over at your own pleasure, and yet you’ve found nothing of yours in my possession.
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EUCLIO
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Stop, stop; who was that? Who was the otherWho was the other: This suspicion in Euclio is very natural; and he asks the question very artfully, for the purpose of catching a confession from him by inadvertence. that was within here, together with yourself? Troth, I’m undone; he’s now rummaging about within. If I let this one go, he’ll escape. At last, I’ve now searched this one all over; he has got nothing. Be off where you please;
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Jupiter and the Gods confound you!
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STROBILUS
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He returns his thanks not amissThanks not amiss: He says this sarcastically. If he gets such thanks when he has not stolen the treasure, what would he have got supposing that he had?.
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I’ll go in here now, and I’ll at once throttle this accomplice of yours. Will you not fly hence from my sight? Will you away from here, or no?
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STROBILUS
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I’m off.
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EUCLIO
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Take you care, please, how I see you.
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STROBILUS
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I would rather that I were dead outright, by a shocking death, than not lay an ambush this day for that old fellow. But he’ll not venture now to hide his gold here; he’ll now be carrying it with him, I guess, and be changing the spot.
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But hark! there’s a noise at the door. (Looking in the direction of the Temple.) See, the old fellow’s bringing out the gold with him! Meanwhile, I’ll step aside here to the door.
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I had thought that there was the very greatest dependence upon Faith; very nearly had she played me a pretty trickPlayed me a pretty trick: Sublevit os. Sublinere os means to paint the face secretly, in allusion to the practical joke of so doing when a person is asleep, and thereby making a fool of him.. If the raven hadn’t come to my assistance, to my sorrow I should have been undone.