Perde 2
[Textpart 3]
Then neither yourselves nor my master are here performing a sacrifice.
AMPELISCA
You are a wizard.
TRACHALIO
What are you doing then?
AMPELISCA
The Priestess of Venus has received here into her abode both myself and Palaestra, after many mishaps and dreadful alarm, and from being in danger of our lives, destitute of aid and of resources.
TRACHALIO
Prithee, is Palaestra here, the beloved of my master?
TRACHALIO
Great joyousness is there in your news, my dear Ampelisca. But I greatly long to know what was this danger of yours.
AMPELISCA
Last night our ship was wrecked, my dear Trachalio.
TRACHALIO
How, ship? What story’s this?
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AMPELISCA
Prithee, have you not heard in what way the Procurer intended secretly to carry us away hence to Sicily, and how, whatever there was at home, he placed on board ship? That has all gone to the bottom now.
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TRACHALIO
O clever Neptune, hail to thee! Surely, no dicer is more skilful than thyself. Decidedly
a right pleasant throw Right pleasant throw: There is a joke here, which depends on the double meaning of jacere bolum and perdere. The former signifies, to cast a net and to cast a throw of dice. Perdere signifies, to cause to perish, and to break or ruin, in the gamester’s sense. hast thou made; thou didst break a-villain. But where now is the Procurer Labrax?
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AMPELISCA
Perished through drinking, I suppose; Neptune last night invited him to deep potations.
TRACHALIO
By my troth, I fancy it was given him to drink by way of cup of necessity Cup of necessity: Anancaeum, the cup of necessity, which derived its name from the Greek word ἀ ναγκή, necessity, was so called from the custom, in feasts, of handing round a large goblet, which all were obliged to empty, without losing a drop. Trachalio alludes to the large draught of salt water which he supposes Labrax has had to swallow at the bidding of Neptune.. How much I do love you, my dear Ampelisca; how pleasing you are; what honied words you do utter.
But you and Palaestra, in what way were you saved?
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AMPELISCA
I’ll let you know. Both in affright, we leapt from the ship into a boat, because we saw that the ship was being borne upon a rock; in haste, I unloosed the rope, while they were in dismay. The storm separated us from them with the boat in a direction to the right. And so, tossed about by winds and waves,
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in a multitude of ways, we, wretched creatures, during the livelong night half dead, the wind this day has scarce borne us to the shore.
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TRACHALIO
I understand; thus is Neptune wont to do; he is a very dainty Aedile Very dainty Aedile: It was the duty of the Aediles at Rome to visit the markets and inspect the wares, like the Agoranomus, or market-officer, of the Greeks. See the Miles Gloriosus, l. 727, and the Note.; if any wares are bad, over he throws them all.
AMPELISCA
Woe to your head and life!
TRACHALIO
To your own, my dear Ampelisca. I was sure that the Procurer would do that which he has done; I often said so. It were better I should let my hair grow Let my hair grow: It is supposed to have been the custom of soothsayers and diviners to let their hair grow to a greater length than usual, and set up for a soothsayer.
