Perde 2
CHARMIDES
Because I am not deserving of it, whereas you are deserving.
LABRAX
O bulrush, bulrush, I do praise your lot, who always maintain your credit for dryness.
CHARMIDES
For my part, I’m exercising myself for a skirmishing fight For a skirmishing fight: Thornton has this Note on this passage: Velitatio signifies a skirmish, which was. usually made by the velites, that is, the light-harnessed soldiers; and these men always made use of darts, whose points would glitter at a distance, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Now Charmides, trembling with cold, compares himself to these velites, or skirmishers, who never keep their places; and his words, which came out broken and by piecemeal, to the unequal glimmerings or flashes of their darts., for, from my shivering, I utter all my words in piecemeal flashes.
525
LABRAX
By my troth, Neptune, you are a purveyor of chilly baths; since I got away from you with my clothes, I’ve been freezing.
No hot liquor-shop Hot-liquor shop: See the Trinummus, l. 1013, and the Note. at all for sure does he provide;
so salt and cold the potions that he prepares.
530
CHARMIDES
How lucky are the blacksmiths who are always sitting among hot coals; they are always warm.
LABRAX
I only wish that I were now enjoying the lot of the duck, so as, although I had just come from out of the water, still to be dry.
CHARMIDES
What if I some way or other let myself out at the games for a hobgoblin For a hobgoblin: Manducus was a huge figure exhibited on the stage and at public shows, with huge teeth craunching, and a wide mouth—probably not unlike some of the idols of the South Sea Islanders.?
535
CHARMIDES
Because, I’ faith, I’m chattering aloud with my teeth.
But I’m of opinion that, with very good reason, I’ve had this ducking.
CHARMIDES
Why, haven’t I ventured to go on board ship with yourself, who have been stirring up the ocean for me from the very bottom?
LABRAX
I listened to you when advising me; you assured me that there in Sicily was very great profit from courtesans; there, you used to say, I should be able to amass wealth.
540
CHARMIDES
Did you expect, then, you unclean beast, that you were going to gobble up the whole island of Sicily?
LABRAX
What whale, I wonder, has gobbled up my wallet where all my gold and silver was packed up?
545
CHARMIDES
That same one, I suppose, that has swallowed my purse, which was full of silver in my travelling-bag.
LABRAX
Alas! I’m reduced even to this one poor tunic (stretching it out)
