Perde 2
[Textpart 3]
What, do you ask that? Why, hasn’t he the soles fastened to his shoes with gold?
NICOBULUS
Why does he thus despise it?
CHRYSALUS
He has such immense riches; he doesn’t know what to do with his gold.
NICOBULUS
I wish he’d give it me.
But in whose presence was this gold delivered to Theotimus?
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CHRYSALUS
In presence of the people; there’s not a person in Ephesus but what knows it.
NICOBULUS
My son at least did wisely there, in entrusting that gold to a rich man to keep. From him it may be recovered even at a moment’s notice.
CHRYSALUS
Aye, and look here, he’ll never keep you waiting even thus much (shows his finger-nail) from receiving it on the very day you arrive there.
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NICOBULUS
I thought that I had escaped a seafaring life, and that, at length, an old man of my years, I shouldn’t be sailing about. But now I find that I’m not allowed to have the choice whether I would or no;
’tis my fine host Archidemides has done me this. Where, then, is my son, Mnesilochus, at present?
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CHRYSALUS
He has gone to the market-place to pay his respects to the Deities and his friends.
NICOBULUS
Then I’ll go hence to meet him as soon as I can.
CHRYSALUS
He’s right well loaded, and carries more than his proper burden.
Not so very badly has this web been commenced by me, that I may find means for the son of my master in his amour. I’ve managed it so, that he may take as much of the gold as he chooses, and give up to his father as much as he may like to give up. The old gentleman will be going hence to Ephesus to fetch his gold;
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here our life will be spent in a delicious manner, since the old man will leave me and Mnesilochus here, and not be taking us along with him. O! what a kick-up I shall be making here. But what’s to be done, when the old gentleman shall have discovered this? When he shall have found out that he has made his journey thither to no purpose,
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and that we have misspent his gold, what will become of me after that? I’ faith, I think upon his arrival he’ll be changing my name, and at once be making me CrucisalusCrucisalus: Anticipating the punishment of the cross, which was often inflicted on slaves, he coins an epithet, crucisalus, cross-struggler, for himself, and then compares it with his own name. instead of Chrysalus. Troth, I’ll run away, if there shall be a greater necessity for it. If I’m caught, I’ll plague him for a punishmentFor a punishment: He means to say, that his master will not be able to chastise him without punishing himself, in some measure, by the loss of the rods that will be wasted on his back.;
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if his rods are in the fields, still my back’s at home. Now I’ll be off, and tell my master’s son this contrivance about the gold, and about his mistress Bacchis who has been found.
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