Perde 2
[Textpart 1]
May all the Gods render him unfortunate, should any Procurer, after this day, ever immolate any victim to Venus, or should any one sacrifice a single grain of frankincense.
LYCUS
For wretched I, this day, have sacrificed to my most wrathful Deities My most wrathful Deities: These, probably, were Mercury, the God of Profit. and Venus, the Goddess of Lust. six lambs, and still I could not manage to make Venus to be propitious unto me.
Since I could not appease her, forthwith I departed thence in a passion; I forbade the entrails to be cut, and would not examine them. Inasmuch as the soothsayer pronounced them not propitious, I deemed the Goddess not deserving. By these means I fairly played a trick upon the greedy Venus.
455
When, that which was enough, she would not have to be enough, I made a pause. ’Tis thus I act, and thus it befits me to act.
I’ll make the other Gods and Goddesses henceforth more contented, and less greedy, when they know how the Procurer put a trick upon Venus.
460
The soothsayer, in manner right worthy of him, a fellow not worth threepence, said that in all the entrails misfortune and loss were portended to me, and that the Gods were angry with me.
In what matter either divine or human is it right for me to put trust in him? Just after that, a mina of silver was given me. But where, pray, has this Captain stopped just now, who gave it me, and whom I’ve invited to breakfast?
But look! here he comes.
470
ANTHEMONIDES
So, as I began to tell you, you sorry pimp, about that Pentethronic battle Pentethronic battle: Much learning and discussion have been wasted on this word, which probably is only intended as coined by the Captain, as a high-sounding word without any meaning., in which, with my own hands, in one day, I slew sixty thousand flying men.
470
LYCUS
Heyday! Flying men?
ANTHEMONIDES
Certainly I do affirm it.
LYCUS
Prithee, are there anywhere men that fly?
475
ANTHEMONIDES
There were; but I slew them.
ANTHEMONIDES
I’ll tell you. I gave birdlime and slings to my troops; beneath it they laid leaves of coltsfoot Leaves of coltsfoot: The hairy surface of the leaves of coltsfoot would serve to keep the pellets of birdlime together at the moment of being hurled from the sling..
ANTHEMONIDES
That the birdlime mightn’t adhere to the slings.
LYCUS
Proceed. (Aside.) I faith, you do lie most egregiously. (Aloud.) What after that?
480
ANTHEMONIDES
They placed pretty large pellets of birdlime in their slings: with which I ordered them to be taken aim at as they flew. Why many words? Each one did they hit with the birdlime—
they fell to the ground as thick as pears. As each one dropped, I straightway pierced him through the brain with his own feathers, just like a turtle-dove.
