Perde 5
[Textpart 2]
For my part, I’ve told you how this came into my possession. How often must you be told? I cheated the Captain at dice, I tell you.
THERAPONTIGONUS
I’m all right; see, here he is whom I was looking for. How do you do, good sir?
610
CURCULIO
I hear you; three casts of the dice, if you like, even for that scarf of yours.
610
THERAPONTIGONUS
Why don’t you go to very perdition, with your casts and catch-pennies Casts and catch-pennies: Cum bolis, cum bulbis. Literally with your casts of dice and your onions. He probably uses the word bulbis solely for its similarity to bolis, by way of alliteration. A little variation is made in the translation, to keep the spirit of the passage, which it is impossible to do by adhering to the letter.? Either give me back the money or the young woman?
CURCULIO
What money? what rubbish are you talking about to me? What young woman are you demanding back of me?
THERAPONTIGONUS
The one that you took away this day from the Procurer, you scoundrelly fellow.
CURCULIO
I took none away.
615
THERAPONTIGONUS
Why, surely, I see her. There she is. (Pointing to PLANESIUM.)
615
PHAEDROMUS
This young woman is free.
615
THERAPONTIGONUS
What, my female slave free, to whom I have never given her liberty?
PHAEDROMUS
Who gave you possession of her, or of whom did you buy her? Let me know that?
THERAPONTIGONUS
Why, I paid the money for her through my banker—a sum which I’ll have refunded to me fourfold by you and the Procurer.
PHAEDROMUS
You, who understand how to traffic in young women, kidnapped and of free birth, come you before the judge.
620
THERAPONTIGONUS
I shan’t come.
PHAEDROMUS
I may call my witness Call my witness: It was a custom with the Romans, when a man was summoned by another to go with him at once before the Praetor, for the plaintiff, if the defendant would not go quietly, to call any bystander to be witness (antestari) that he had been duly summnened; and, having touched the ear of the witness, the latter was bound to aid in dragging the defendant to court. Only free persons could be witnesses. For this reason the Captain tells Phaedromus that he cannot summon a witness on this occasion, as he knows that Planesium is not free, and supposes that Curculio is also a slave. to the summons.
THERAPONTIGONUS
No, you mayn’t.
PHAEDROMUS
May Jupiter then utterly confound you: live without witnesses Without witnesses: Intestatus. An indelicate allusion tended in this line. then.
CURCULIO
But I’m a person that he may summon.
PHAEDROMUS
Do you step this way.Part of the first part of line 623 in the Latin.
THERAPONTIGONUS
What? A slave summoned as a witness?
