Perde 1
[Textpart 1]
Still do you try to get it; I’ll carefully do the same. If anything shall turn up, I’ll let you know at once.
TOXILUS
I entreat you, and entreat over and over again, do give me your stanch help in this.
SAGARISTIO
O dear! you are worrying me to death by your importunity.
TOXILUS
It’s through the fault of love, and not my own, that I’m now become a silly prater to you.
SAGARISTIO
Then, i’ troth, I’ll now be taking my leave of you.
50
TOXILUS
Are you going away, then? A good walk to you. But betake yourself back as soon as you can, and do take care that I haven’t to seek you; I shall be close at home until I have cooked up a mishap for the Procurer.
50
[Textpart 2]
The old and ancient calling of my forefathers do I follow, and hold, and cultivate with great care.
SATURIO
For never was there any one of my forefathers, but that by acting the parasite they filled their bellies: my father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, his father, and his grandfather, just like mice, always fed on the victuals of others, and in love of good eating no one could excel them.
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Hard Heads Hard Heads: Duris capitonibus. Literally, hard large heads. He probably alludes to the necessity which there was for Parasites to have particularly hard heads, in order to be proof against the ill-usage to which they were subjected. The expression would be more likely to catch a laugh from a Roman Audience, as there was a noble family at Rome of the surname of Capito. was their surname. From them have I derived this calling, and the station of my forefathers; nor do I wish myself to turn informer To turn informer: Quadruplari. He seems to think that he is reduced to the alternative of getting a living either by being a Parasite or an informer, and prefers the first. Informers were called quadruplatores at Rome, because they received the fourth part of the fines paid by the persons against whom they informed., nor indeed does it become me, without risk of my own, to go seize upon the goods of other people; nor do those persons please who do so; I’m speaking out.
60
For whoever does this, more for the sake of the public than of his own benefit, my mind can be induced to believe that he is a citizen both faithful and deserving; but if he should not prosecute to conviction the breaker of the laws, let him pay one half of the intended penalty to the public. And let this, too, be written in that law;
65
when an informer has prosecuted any one, let the other in his turn Let the other in his turn: In case of his not obtaining a conviction. It is not improbable that the practices of informers were an especial annoyance at the time when this Play was written. sue him for just as much, and upon equal terms let them come before the Triumvirs The Triumvirs: For an account of the magistrates called Tresviri, or Triumviri, see the Notes to the Aulularia and the Amphitryon.. If that were done, assuredly I’d make those nowhere to be seen, who here with their whitened nets Whitened nets: By the use of the word albo, white, Gronovius is led to think that the passage refers to the white book or paper upon which the rules and ordinances of the Praetor were written, and that the allusion is to the habit of informers hampering people, by repeated accusations of infringing the Praetor’s rules. It seems, however, not improbable that he likens the accusations of the informers (who of course pretended that they were only actuated by a desire for the public good) to whitened nets, by reason of their speciousness, and the difficulty of avoiding the meshes which they spread in every direction. lay siege to the property of others.
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But am I not a simpleton, to be taking care of the public interests when there are the magistrates, whose duty it is to take care of them? Now I’ll in-doors here; I’ll go look after the scraps from yesterday, whether they have rested well or not; whether they have had a fever Had a fever: By this expression he probably means, whether they have been warmed up again; whether they’ve been well covered up or not, so that no one could creep up to them.
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But the door is opening; I must pause in my steps.
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[Textpart 3]
I’ve hit upon the whole matter, so that with his own money the Procurer may this day make her his freed-woman. But see, here’s the Parasite whose assistance I have need of. I’ll make believe as though I didn’t see him; in that way I’ll allure the fellow.
TOXILUS
(Goes to the door, and calls to the SERVANTS within.) Do you attend, you there, and quickly make haste, that I mayn’t have any delay when I come in-doors. Mix the honied wine; get ready the quinces and the junkets The junkets: Colutea. These, according to some, were the fruit of a tree called by the same name; others take the word to mean a large kind of quince. As there is some doubt on the subject, a general name has been adopted in the Translation. Warner thinks that the word means myrrh; but it is pretty clear that he is mistaken. Quinces were used in the wines of the ancients, as we learn from Columella., that they may be nicely warmed upon the dishes, and throw in some scented calamus Calamus: Supposed to be sweet-scented rush. This was used, probably, for flavoring the wine.. I’ faith, that boon-companion of mine, I fancy, will be here just now.
85
SATURIO
He’s meaning me—bravo!
90
TOXILUS
I think that he’ll be here just now from the baths when he has bathed.
90
SATURIO
How he does keep everything in its due order.
TOXILUS
Take you care that the gravy-cakes The gravy-cakes: Collyrae. These were cakes eaten with broth or gravy. and the cheese-biscuits The cheese-biscuits: Colliphia. These were made of a mixture of flour and new cheese. are hot; don’t be giving them to me unbaked.
SATURIO
He’s speaking the very fact; they are worth nothing raw, only if you swallow them warm.
