Perde 3
[Textpart 2]
I don’t think that I ever saw handsomer pillars.
820
SIMO
I’ faith, they were some time since bought by me at such a price!
820
TRANIO
Don’t you hear—They were once? He seems hardly able to refrain from tears.
THEUROPIDES
At what price did you purchase them?
SIMO
I gave three minae for the two, besides the carriage.
THEUROPIDES
Why, upon my word, they are much more unsound than I thought them at first.
THEUROPIDES
Because, i’ faith, the woodworm has split them both from the bottom.
825
TRANIO
I think they were cut at an improper season; that fault damages them; but even as it is, they are quite good enough, if they are covered with pitch. But it was no foreign pulse-eating artisan Foreign pulse-eating artisan: From the use of the word pultiphagus, he probably alludes to Carthaginian workmen, who were very skilful at working in wood. In the Pœnulus, Hanno the Carthaginian is called patruus pultiphagonides, the pulse-eating kinsman. If this is the meaning, it is pretty clear that he is not speaking in praise of the workmanship. Some, however, ever, think that as, in early times, the lower classes at Rome lived upon puls, pap or pottage, the Scene being at Athens, Roman workmen are alluded to; if so, he may mean to speak in praise of the work, and to say that no bungling artists made the doors. See the Note in p. 355. The joints are said to wink, from the close conjunction of the eyelids in the act of winking. did this work. Don’t you see the joints in the door? (Pointing.)
TRANIO
Look, how close together they are sleeping.
THEUROPIDES
Sleeping?
830
TRANIO
That is, how they wink, I intended to say. Are you satisfied?
830
THEUROPIDES
The more I look at each particular, the more it pleases me.
TRANIO
Don’t you see the painting, where one crow Where one crow: By the crow, he means himself; and by the vultures, the two old men. Simo is probably standing at some distance off; and knowing that his master’s sight is not good, he feels that he may deride him with impunity. is baffling two vultures?
The crow stands there; it’s pecking at them both in turn.
This way, look, prithee, towards me Towards me: Ad me. Theuropides thinks he means, in my direction; whereas Tranio really means, look at me and you will see the crow; though he does not intend that his master shall take it in that sense., that yon may be able to see the crow.
835
(THEUROPIDES turns towards him.) Now do you see it?
THEUROPIDES
For my part, I really see no crow there.
TRANIO
But do you look in that direction, towards yourselves, since you cannot discover the crow, if perchance you may be able to espy the vultures. (THEUROPIDES turns towards SIMO.) Now do you see them?
