Curculio
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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PHAEDROMUS
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Do I delay you?
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CURCULIO
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But let’s cram down something first, the gammon, the udder, and the kernels; these are the foundations for the stomach, with bread and roast beef, a good-sized cup and a capacious pot, that counsel enough may be forthcoming. Do you, yourself, seal the letter; he’ll do the honors (pointing to PALINURUS) while I am eating.
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I’ll dictate after what fashion you’re to write. Follow me this way, in-doors.
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PHAEDROMUS
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I follow.
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LYCO
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I seem to be in opulence; I’ve struck my balance, how much money I have, and how much I owe. I’m rich, if I don’t pay If I don’t pay: He probably alludes to some shuffling and cheating methods by which the bankers of the day had recently distinguished themselves. See the Pseudolus, l. 296 (Act I., Sc. 3). those to whom I’m in debt. If I do pay those to whom I’m in debt, my debts are the greatest.
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But really, upon my faith, when I carefully consider, if they press me hard, I’ll resort to the Praetor Resort to the Praetor: This was probably a method with bankers and traders, by which, for the purpose of defrauding their creditors, they surrendered their effects to the Praetor, and by doing so, contrived to make a purse, as is too often done by bankrupts and insolvents at the present day. In l. 684 (Act V., Sc. 3), we find Cappadox expressing himself as apprehensive that Lyco will be taking the benefit of the Act.. Most bankers have this habit, for one to borrow of the other, and to pay nobody, and to discharge the debt with their fists, if any one duns in a loudish tone.
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The person that has The person that has: Gueudeville, in his translation, informs us that this maxim was much repeated by Louis XII. of France, who was a great admirer of Plautus. in a short time acquired wealth, unless in good time he saves it, in good time comes to starvation. I’d like to buy a servant for myself, who now, however, must be sought by me on hire Sought by me on hire: This passage has been much commented on, as containing some indelicate meaning. After all, it seems clearly to mean that he has occasion for all his ready cash; and, though he would like to buy a slave, he must content himself with hiring one.: there’s occasion for my ready money.
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CURCULIO
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Don’t you be reminding me now I’m full; I recollect and understand.
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I’ll render up to you all this cleverly carried out; do hold your peace. I’ faith, I’ve surely filled myself in-doors right well, and still in my stomach I’ve left room for one corner, in which to stow away the remnants of these remnants.
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Who’s this that with covered head is saluting Aesculapius? Heyday, the very man I wanted. (To an ATTENDANT.) Follow me.
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I’ll make pretence as though I didn’t know him. (Aloud.) Hark you; I want you.
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LYCO
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One-eyed man One-eyed man: It appears from this that Curculio has but one eye. The occasion of his losing it is hinted at in l. 396., save you.
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CURCULIO
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Prithee, do you jeer me?
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LYCO
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I suppose that you are of the family of the Coclites Family of the Coclites: Coclitum prosapia no doubt here means a general term, the family of one-eyed men. Horatius, who, single-handed, opposed the army of Porsenna, was called Cocles, from having but one eye. Pliny the Elder speaks of the Cyclops and the Arimaspians, a nation of Sarmatia, as having but one eye.; for they are one-eyed.
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CURCULIO
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This was knocked out for me by a catapulta,
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at Sicyon.
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LYCO
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What matters it to me, pray, if it had been knocked out by a broken pot with cinders in it?
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CURCULIO
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This fellow’s a wizard, surely A wizard, surely: He is surprised at Lyco having so exactly hit upon the truth. It has been already remarked that Parasites were the especial butts for practical jokes. On one of these occasions the unfortunate fellow probably lost his eye.; he tells the truth, for such catapultas are often directed at me.
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Young man, as I bear this mark on my face Bear this mark on my face: Hoc intus mihi. This passage is most probably corrupt. in the service of the public, prithee don’t be uncivil Don’t be uncivil: Incomitio probably means, to treat rudely, or be uncivil to. Lyco puns upon it, as though meaning, to bring before the comitia,’ or public assemblies of the people. to me.
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LYCO
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May I then inforize Inforize: In the word inforare, which is coined for the occasion, and signifies to summon to the Forum, it is not improbable that an indecent pun is intended. The liberty has been taken of adopting these two word for the occasion. you, if I may not incomitiatize?
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CURCULIO
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You shan’t be inforizing me, indeed; and really I don’t care at all about your Forum or your Comitia. But if you can point me out this person that I’m seeking,
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you will be doing me a real and a great service. I’m looking for Lyco the banker.
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LYCO
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Tell me why you are now seeking for him, or, of what country are you?
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CURCULIO
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I’ll tell you: I’m come from Therapontigonus Platagidorus, the Captain.
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LYCO
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I’ faith, I know the name: (aside) for with that same name,
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when I wrote, I filled four whole sides Four whole sides: Ceras. Waxed sides of a tablet.. (To CURCULIO.) But why are you seeking for Lyco?
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CURCULIO
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I’ve been ordered to deliver this letter to him.
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LYCO
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What person are you?
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CURCULIO
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His freed-man, whom all call Summanus Summanus: There was a Divinity of this name. See the Bacchides, l. 895 (Act IV., Sc. 8) The name, as here coined by Curculio, would perhaps, answer to the English Mr. Keep-tight-in-hand..
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LYCO
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Summanus, my greetings. But why Summanus? Let me know.
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CURCULIO
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Because, when in my drunken fit I’ve gone to sleep, I summane I summane: Summano Literally, I keep my hands upon. For the purpose of keeping up the spirit of the passage, the liberty has been taken of coining a word. The Parasite seems to allude, somewhat obscurely, to the trick he has played the Captain Therapontigonus. the garments; for that reason do all people call me Summanus.
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LYCO
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’Twere better for you to look out for entertainment for you somewhere else; really in my own house I have no room for a Summanus. But I am the person that you are looking for.
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CURCULIO
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Prithee, are you he,
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Lyco the banker?
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LYCO
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I am.
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CURCULIO
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Therapontigonus requested me to give you a hearty greeting, and to deliver this letter.
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LYCO
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What, to me?
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CURCULIO
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Just so. Take it, recognize the seal. Do you know it? (LYCO takes the letter.)
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LYCO
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Why should I not know it? On which, a man, holding a shield, is cleaving an elephant asunder with a sword.
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CURCULIO
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What’s written there he bade me request you to do immediately, if you wished for his esteem.
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LYCO
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Step aside; I’ll look what’s written in it.
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CURCULIO
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By all means, at your pleasure, so long as I receive of you that which I’m come for.
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LYCO
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Therapontigonus Platagidorus, the Captain, his guest, sends to his host Lyco, at Epidaurus,
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right hearty greeting.
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CURCULIO
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This fellow’s my own; he’s swallowing the hook.
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LYCO
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I beg and request of you that, the person who delivers this letter to you, to him be given up the girl whom I purchased there (which I did there in your presence, and you being the negotiator),
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and the golden trinkets and clothes as well. You know already how it was agreed upon. You give the money to the Procurer, and give the young woman to this person. (To CURCULIO.) Where is he himself? Why doesn’t he come?
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CURCULIO
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I’ll tell you; because it is but four days since we arrived in Caria, from India; there he now intends to order a solid golden statue
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to be made of Philippean gold, which is to be seven feet high—a memorial of his exploits.
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LYCO
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For what reason this?
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CURCULIO
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I’ll tell you; why, because within twenty days he singly has subdued the Persians, Paphlagonians, Sinopians, Arabians, Cretans, Syrians, Rhodia and Lycia, Peredia and Bibesia Peredia and Bibesia: Most of these names are real, while some are fictitious—as, for instance, Peredia, Hungry-land, and Bibesia, Thirsty-land. By Centauromachia he perhaps means Thessaly, the country of the Centaurs; though, possibly, this region may have been too near for him to hope to impose upon Lyco.,
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Centauromachia and Classia Unomammia Classia Unomammia: Classia is supposed by Schmieder to be used for classis, an army. Unomammia, the land of the one-breasted people, may perhaps be an allusion to the Amazons, who were feigned to be in the habit of cutting off one breast, for the purpose of using the bow with greater adroitness. Conterebromia is a name coined for the occasion, signifying the and of piercing., and all Libya, and all Conterebromia; one half even of all nations has he conquered unaided in twenty days.
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LYCO
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Dear me!
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CURCULIO
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Why are you surprised?
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LYCO
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Why, because if all these people were penned up in a cage
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as close as chickens, even so they couldn’t be encompassed in a year. Upon my faith, I do believe that you are That you are: Esse, to be or to eat, according to the context. Limiers suggests that a pun is here in ended. If so, it will admit of either these meanings, that you are his servant or that you eat at his expense. come from him; for you do jabber such nonsense.
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CURCULIO
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Aye, and I can tell you still more, if you like.
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LYCO
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No; I don’t want it. Follow me this way. I’ll pay you that, on account of which you came;
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and lo, I see (from his house.) Save you, Procurer.
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CAPPADOX
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May the Gods prosper you.
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LYCO
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Do you know what this is about which I’m come to you?
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CAPPADOX
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Say on what you please.
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LYCO
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You are to receive the money, and to send away the young woman with him. (Pointing to CURCULIO.)
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CAPPADOX
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But what if I’m bound on oath to another?
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LYCO
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What matters that to you, so long as you get the money?
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CAPPADOX
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He who advises is as good as an accomplice. Do you follow.
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CURCULIO
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Procurer, take care that you don’t cause me any delay.
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THE CHOREGUS
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By my faith, Phaedromus has cleverly met with this clever rogue; but whether a salt-water rogue Salt-water rogue: Halophantam. The halophantae were those who informed against the exporters of salt contrary to law, as the sycophantae did against the exporters of figs. The Choregus is using a choice of names for the same thing, as he means to say, call him by what name you will, Curculio is a clever rogue. It is not possible to translate the passage literally and preserve the spirit of it at the same time. or a dry-land one I’m the rather to say he is, I really don’t know. The costume that I’ve lent I fear I shan’t get back.
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Although I have nothing whatever to do with him (I trusted Phaedromus himself), still I’ll keep an eye upon him. But until he comes out of doors, I’ll point out in what place you may easily meet with each person, that he mayn’t lose his labour through too much trouble, if any one wishes to meet either a rascal or one without rascality, or an honest man or a dishonest one.
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He who desires to meet with a perjured fellow, let him go into the courts of law Into the courts of law: The Comitium was a place in the Roman Forum, near the Curia, where trials were carried on before the Praetor. It was near the Puteal Libonis, or Scribonianum. where witnesses were sworn, and perjured people were to be found, ready to give false testimony.; he who wants a liar and a braggart, near the rites of Cloacina Rites of Cloacina: Venus is supposed to have been called by this name, from her statue having been once found in the Cloacae, or sewer of Rome. He alludes to the neighbourhood of her Temple, in which Plautus himself is said to have dwelt, The Basilica has been mentioned in a previous Note.. The rich and erring husbands seek you at the magisterial halls of the Basilica. There, too, will be the worn-out harlots, and those who are wont to haggle for them. Contributors to pic-nic dinners Pic-nic dinners: The symbolae, or pic-nic entertainments, have been referred to in the Notes to the Stichus. They were probably got up on a cheap scale. you’ll find in the fishmarket.
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In the lower part of the Forum good men Good men: Boni is here used in the sense of opulent, men of substance. and opulent do walk; in the middle, near the canal Near the canal: The banks of this canal were much resorted to by walkers. It is not accurately known in what part of Rome it was situate., there are the mere puffers-off. Beyond the lake Beyond the lake: He probably alludes to the former site of the Curtian Lake, which, in his time, was dried up. Ovid says, in the Fasti, B. vi., l. 401, This place, where now are the markets, formerly fenny marshes covered; a ditch was here swimming with water from the overflowing of the river. That spot formed the Curtian Lake, which now supports the altars on dry ground: ’tis now dry ground, but once it was a lake. It is not a little amusing, that though the Scene is in Epidaurus, Plautus is here discussing Roman scenes and manners. of Curtius are impudent, talkative, and malevolent fellows, who boldly, without reason, utter calumnies about another, and who, themselves, have sufficient that might with truth be said against them.
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There, at the old shops The old shops: He probably alludes to the old shops in the Forum, which were the property of the state, and were let out to the bankers and money-lenders., are these who lend and those who borrow at interest. Behind the Temple of Castor there are those to whom unguardedly you may be lending to your cost. There, in the Etrurian street, are those men who hold themselves Who hold themselves: Horace alludes to the turba impia, the impious throng, of the Etrurian street. on sale. In the Velabrum Velabrum: See the Captivi, l. 494 (Act III., Sc. 1). you’ll find either baker, or butcher, or soothsayer; either those who sell retail themselves, or supply to others things to be sold by retail.
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Rich sinning husbands you’ll find at the house of Oppian Leucadia Oppian Leucadia: The best solution of the meaning of this passage seems to be, that he is alluding to a woman named Leueadia, a freed woman of the Oppian family, whose house was a rendezvous for riotous and debauched husbands.. But, meantime, the door makes a noise; I must curb my tongue.
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CURCULIO
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Maiden, do you go before; what is behind me I cannot keep my eye upon. Both the trinkets of gold, and all the clothing that she had, were his own, he said.
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CAPPADOX
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No one is going to deny it.
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CURCULIO
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Still, however, it’s somewhat better for me to remind you.
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LYCO
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Remember that you’ve undertaken, that, if any one should assert in course of law that she’s properly free, all the money is to be returned to me-thirty minae.
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CAPPADOX
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I shall remember; be easy about that; and now I say the same.
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CURCULIO
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But I wish you to remember this well.
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CAPPADOX
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I remember, and I shall deliver her to you on warranty On warranty: Dare mancupio meant, to sell a thing upon warranty, which, when formally done, was effected per aes et libram, by striking the balance with an as, in the presence of six witnesses, when the seller guaranteed the possession of it to the purchaser..
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CURCULIO
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And am I to take anything on warranty from a Procurer, people who have nothing of their own except a tongue only;
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who, if anything’s entrusted them, deny it upon oath? You Procurers dispose of what belongs to others, you give liberty to what belongs to others, and what belongs to others your give your commands to; no guarantee of ownership is there in the transfer to yourselves, nor are you yourselves guarantees to another person. The race of Procurers, among mortals, in my way of thinking at least,
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are just like flies, gnats, bugs, lice, and fleas—a plague, a mischief, and a nuisance; you are of no serviceable use, and no respectable person dares to stand with you in the Forum; he that does associate with you, they censure him, he’s spat upon and abused; they say that he has lost his property and his honor, although he has done nothing at all.
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LYCO
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Upon my faith, my clever one-eyed friend, in my way of thinking, you are well acquainted with the Procurers.
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CURCULIO
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You bankers, i’ faith, I put and place in the same rank; you are the very counterparts of them. They, at least, are on sale in dark corners, you in the very Forum In the very Forum: In allusion to the place where most of the bankers’ shops were situate.. You tear men to pieces with usury, they by persuading them amiss and by means of their dens. Full many a proposed statute Proposed statute: Rogitatio, or, more commonly, rogatio, was the term applied to a proposed law, or decree of the people, or plebiscitum. has the public confirmed on your account,
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which when confirmed you break; some loophole you find out; just as boiling water becomes cold, so do you deem the laws.
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LYCO
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I’d rather I’d held my tongue.
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CAPPADOX
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Not wrongfully, and with good reason, are you abusive against them.
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CURCULIO
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If abuse is uttered against those who deserve it not, that I do hold to be abuse; but if it is uttered against those who are deserving, it is fair censure, in my way of thinking, at least.
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I care nothing about your warranty, nor about any other Procurer whatever. Lyco, do you want anything with me?
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LYCO
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Heartily fare you well.
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CURCULIO
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Farewell. (Going.)
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CAPPADOX
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Hark you! I say to you—
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CURCULIO
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Say on; what do you want?
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CAPPADOX
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Prithee do you take care that all’s well with her (pointing to PLANESIUM); I’ve brought her up in my house carefully and in chastity.
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CURCULIO
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If you have such compassion for her, pray, what would you give for it to be all well with her?
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CAPPADOX
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A plaguy mishap for yourself.
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CURCULIO
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You need take due care on that score about yourself.
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CAPPADOX
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Why, simpleton, do you cry? Don’t be afraid; upon my faith, I’ve sold you favourably. Take care, will you, and be a good girl; now prettily accompany him, pretty one.
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LYCO
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Summanus, do you want anything with me at present?