Perde 2
[Textpart 3]
have I ever set my foot here within the city gate since I was born. I breakfasted on board ship; thence did I come this way, and here I met you.
400
EROTIUM
See that now; I’m undone, wretched creature that I am! What ship are you now telling me about?
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
A wooden one, weather-beaten full oft, cracked full oft, many a time thumped with mallets. Just as the implements of the furrier Of the furrier: The pellio, furrier or skinner, would require a great many pegs in fastening down the skins for the purpose of stretching them. Meursius thinks that Plautus intends a sly hit here at Pellio, the bad actor, who is mentioned in the Second Scene of the Second Act in the Bacchides. If so, the joke is quite lost on us.; so peg is close to peg.
EROTIUM
Now, prithee, do leave off making fun of me, and step this way with me.
405
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
for, madam, you are looking for some other person, I know not whom, not me.
EROTIUM
Don’t I know you, Menaechmus, the son of your father Moschus, who are said to have been born in Sicily, at Syracuse, where King Agathocles reigned, and after him Pintia After him Pintia: She is supposed, by the Commentators, to be purposely represented here as quite mistaken in her historical facts, and as making nothing but a confused jumble of them. Some think that the words Pintia and Liparo are ablative cases; but it is much more probable that they are nominatives. Gronovius thinks that one Phintias is alluded to, who, as we are told by Diodorus Siculus, assumed the government at Agrigentum after the death of Agathocles. He did not, however, reign at Syracuse. We do not learn from history that Hiero received the government from Liparo, but, on the contrary, that his virtuous character was the sole ground for his election to the sovereignty. Lipara was the name of one of the Aeolian islands (now called the Isles of Lipari), not far from the coast of Sicily. Some think that she means to call Agathocles by the additional names of Plintias (and not Pintia) from πλιντὸς, pottery, as he had exercised the trade of a potter, and of Liparo, from the Greek λυπηρός, savage, by reason of the cruelty of which he was guilty in the latter part of his life. This notion seems, however, to be more fanciful than well-founded., the third Liparo, who at his death left the kingdom to Hiero—which Hiero is now king?
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
You say, madam, what is not untrue.
MESSENIO
By Jupiter, hasn’t this woman come from there, who knows you so readily?
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
Troth, I think she must not be denied.
MESSENIO
Don’t you do it. You are undone, if you enter inside her threshold.
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
But you only hold your tongue The matter goes on well. I shall assent to the woman, whatever she shall say, if I can get some entertainment. Just now, madam (speaking to her in a low voice),
I contradicted you not undesignedly; I was afraid of that fellow, lest he might carry word to my wife about the mantle and the breakfast. Now, when you please, let’s go in-doors.
EROTIUM
Are you going to wait for the Parasite as well?
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
I’m neither going to wait for him, nor do I care a straw for him, nor, if he should come, do I want him to be admitted in-doors.
EROTIUM
By my faith, I shall do that not at all reluctantly. But do you know what I beg you to do?
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
Only command me what you will.
425
EROTIUM
For you to take that mantle which you gave me just now to the embroiderer’s To the embroiderer’s: Phrygionem. As the natives of Phrygia were very dexterous at embroidering, and their services were much sought for the purposes of luxury, all embroiderers, in time came to be called phrygiones. Cotter renders ad phrygionem here to Phrygia, and so throughout the whole play!, that it may be trimmed again, and that some work may be added which I want.
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
I’ faith, you say what’s right; in such a way shall it be disguised that my wife shan’t know that you are wearing it, if she should see you in the street.
EROTIUM
Then take it away with you just now, when you go away.
430
MENAECHMUS SOSICLES
By all means.
430
