Perde 1
[Textpart 1]
It’s a wonder if this fellow isn’t thinking of boning me just like a lamprey. Away with a fellow that bones people! If he sees me, I’m a dead man.
MERCURY
Some fellow is stinking to his destruction.
SOSIA
Woe to me! Is it I that stink?
MERCURY
And he cannot be very far off; but he has been a long way off from here.
SOSIA
This person’s a wizard This person’s a wizard: We must remember that this is supposed to take place in the dark; and Sosia says that the man must surely be a wizard to guess that another person is so near him, and that he has been abroad till just now..
MERCURY
My fists are longing.
SOSIA
If you are going to exercise them upon me, I beg that you’ll first cool them down against the wall.
MERCURY
A voice has come flying to my ears.
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SOSIA
Unlucky fellow, for sure, was I, who didn’t clip its wings. I’ve got a voice with wings, it seems.
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MERCURY
This fellow is demanding of me for himself a heavy punishment for his beast’s backHis beast’s back: Jumento suo. Literally, on his beast of burden..
SOSIA
As for me, I’ve got no beast’s back.
MERCURY
He must be well loaded with my fists.
SOSIA
I’ faith, I’m fatigued, coming from board ship, when I was brought hither; even now I’m sea-sick.
Without a burden, I can hardly creep along, so don’t think that with a load I can go.
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MERCURY
Why, surely, somebody Somebody: Nescio quis. Literally, I know not who. For the sake of the joke, he pretends to think that this is the name of some one mentioned by Mercury; and says that as he is not that person, he is all right. is speaking here.
SOSIA
I’m all right, he doesn’t see me; he thinks it’s Somebody speaking: Sosia is certainly my name.
MERCURY
But here, from the right-hand side, the voice, as it seems, strikes upon my ear.
SOSIA
I’m afraid that I shall be getting a thrashing here this day, in place of my voice, that’s striking him.
MERCURY
Here he is—he’s coming towards me, most opportunely.
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SOSIA
I’m terrified—I’m numbed all over. Upon my faith, I don’t know where in the world I now am, if any one should ask me; and to my misfortune, I cannot move myself for fright. It’s all up with me; the orders of his master and Sosia are lost together. But I’m determined boldly to address this fellow to his face,
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