Perde 4
[Textpart 3]
Come, come, do have a good heart.
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MNESILOCHUS
Whence have it? A dead man is of more value than I am.
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PISTOCLERUS
The Captain’s Parasite came here, just now, to fetch the gold hence. I drove the fellow away from this door and from this fair one, and packed him off through my harsh language.
MNESILOCHUS
But of what service is that to me? Wretch that I am, what shall I do? I have nothing; and he certainly will carry her off.
PISTOCLERUS
By my faith, if I had the means, I’d engage not.
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MNESILOCHUS
I know you’d give it me; I know your ways; and were you not in love, I should now have the very greatest possible confidence in your assistance. At present, you yourself have more than enough of your own business, for me to suppose that you, who are in want yourself; are able to give me any assistance.
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PISTOCLERUS
Do but hold your tongue: some Divinity will favour us.
MNESILOCHUS
What’s the matter?
PISTOCLERUS
Why, I see Chrysalus here, your main resource.
[Textpart 4]
It’s right this man (pointing to himself) should be worth his weightBe worth his weight: Auro expendi. Literally, to be weighed against gold. in gold: it’s fair that a statue of gold should be erected for him. For, this day, two exploits have I achieved; with twofold spoils have I been graced. So cleverly have I gulled my elder master this day, that he has been made a fool of. The crafty old blade, by my crafty tricks, have I compelled and constrained to believe me in everything.
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CHRYSALUS
Then, for the son of the old gentleman, my master here in love, together with whom I drink, with whom I eat and go a-courting, I have procured regal and golden trea sures, that he may take from thence at home, and not go seeking abroad. Those ParmenosThose Parmenos: Syrus and Parmeno were the names of certain crafty intriguing slaves introduced in Comedy. The first occurs as the name of a slave in the Adelphi of Terence; the second in his Eunuchus. and those Syruses,
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please me not, who filch some two or three minae from their masters. There’s nothing more worthless than a servant without skill—worthless, if he has not a breast mightily well-stocked, so that, whenever there is necessity, he may draw his supply from his own breast. No one can be a person well to do
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unless he understands both how to do good and how to do evil. With rogues he must be a rogue; with thieves let him filch whatever he can. It befits him who is truly wise, to be a person that can shift his very skinShift his very skin: Vorsipellis. Literally, a turner of his skin. similar in meaning to our expression, a turncoat..
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Good with the good let him be, bad with the bad: just as things are, so let him ever frame his humour. But I should like to know how much gold my master has taken for himself, and what he has given up to his father.
If he is a prudent person, he has made a HerculesHas made a Hercules: A tenth part of the spoil taken in warfare was devoted to Hercules; and it was believed to ensure prosperity, if persons devoted a tenth of their possessions to the same Divinity of his parent: he has given him the tenth part, and has kept back nine for himself. But, see! the person whom I was looking for; he meets me most opportunely. (To MNESILOCHUS.) Has any of your money fallen down, my master, that thus, in silence, you are looking down upon the ground?
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Why do I see you two sad and sorrowful?
I like it not; and ’tis not without some reason. Are you going now to give me any answer?
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MNESILOCHUS
I’m undone, Chrysalus.
