Perde 1
[Textpart 2]
If you had held your peace, why then that I’ll hold my peace would not have been in existence.
ANTERASTYLIS
Let’s go, my sister.
ADELPHASIUM
How now—why, prithee, are you now hastening that way?
ANTERASTYLIS
Do you ask me? Because our master is waiting for us at the Temple of Venus.
ADELPHASIUM
Let him wait, i’ faith. Do you stay;
there’s a crowd just now at the altar. Do you wish yourself to be pushed about among those common prostitutes, the doxies of bakers, the cast-offs of the spelt-bread sellers; wretched creatures, daubed over with grease Daubed over with grease: Schœno. This is, by some, thought to have been a rank oil extracted from rushes. Meursius, however, ridicules the idea of an oil being made from rushes, and reads cœno, dirt, in the present passage., followers of poor slaves, who stink for you of their stable and stall Of their stable and stall: She seems to refer to the lowest class of courtesans, and their seats in the prostitutes’ sheds (mentioned by Ballio in the Pseudolus, l. 214) where they were exposed by the lenones to the public gaze., their seats and very sheds; whom, in fact, not a single freeman has ever touched or taken home with him,
265
the twopenny strumpets Twopenny strumpets: Diobolaria. Literally, hired for a couple of obols. of dirty trumpery slaves?
270
MILPHIO
Away with you to utter perdition! Do you dare, then, to despise the slaves, you hussey? As if she was a beauty, as if kings were in the habit of making her their choice. A monstrosity of a woman! Diminutive as she is, she does spit out such mighty words—seven nights with whom I wouldn’t purchase at a cupful of vapour.
AGORASTOCLES
Immortal and omnipotent Divinities, what is there among you more beauteous? What have you that I should deem you more immortal than I am myself. in beholding with my eyes these delights so great? But Venus is not Venus; for my own part, her will I worship as Venus; that she may love me and prove propitious. Milphio!—hallo! Milphio, where are you?
275
MILPHIO
See, here I am with you.
AGORASTOCLES
But I want you boiled I want you boiled: He puns upon the word assum, which Milphio uses. He intends it to signify here am I. But as it may also mean the neuter of the participle assus, roasted, Agorastocles chooses to take the sentence in the latter sense, as meaning here I am roasted; and answers, I’d rather you were boiled..
MILPHIO
Why really, master, you are making merry.
280
AGORASTOCLES
Why, it was from yourself I learnt all this.
280
MILPHIO
What, even to be in love with her whom you have never touched? Really, that is nonsense.
AGORASTOCLES
I’ faith, the Gods as well do I love and fear from whom, nevertheless, I keep off my hands.
ANTERASTYLIS
Alas! upon my word, when I look at the dress of us both, I’m grieved at the way we are dressed out.
ADELPHASIUM
Why really, it’s quite in a proper style;
for our master’s gain and our own we are dressed quite well enough. For no profits can result, if the outlay exceeds them, sister; therefore, that is better to be had which is enough, than that which is more than enough.
285
AGORASTOCLES
So may the Gods love me, may she love me (I had rather she than the Gods), Milphio;
why, this woman has it in her power to force a flint-stone to be in love with her.
290
