Perde 3
[Textpart 5]
if, I’ faith, that fellow there should this day touch these women with his finger against their inclination, if you don’t give him a reception Their inclination—a reception: Invitos—invitassitis. He here plays upon the resemblance of the words invitos, signifying against their will, and invito, being a verb signifying to invite, and admitting of much the same equivocal use as our expression, to give a warm reception to. with these cudgels even to that degree that he shan’t know which way he is to get home, you are undone, both of you. If he shall call for any one, do you make answer to this fellow in their stead.
810
DAEMONES
But if he himself shall attempt to get away from here, that instant, as hard a you can, lay on to his legs with your sticks.
815
LABRAX
Are they not even to allow me to go away from here?
DAEMONES
I’ve said sufficient. And when that servant comes here with his master, he that has gone to fetch his master, do you at once go home.
Attend to this with great diligence, will you.
820
LABRAX
O rare, by my troth, the Temple here is surely changed all of a sudden; this is now the Temple of Hercules Temple of Hercules : Seeing the servants with their cudgels, he is reminded of Hercules, who was thus depicted, and was called by the Poets Claviger. which was that of Venus before; in such fashion has the old fellow planted two statues here with clubs. I’ faith, I don’t know now whither in the world I shall fly from here;
so greatly are they both raging now against me, both land and sea. Palaestra!
825
SERVANT
What do you want?
LABRAX
Away with you, there is a misunderstanding between us; that, indeed, is not my Palaestra Not my Palaestra: Echard, borrowing the notion from Madame Dacier, has the following Note on this passage: This Palaestra was a place of public exercise, over the gate of which was a statue of Hercules, with an inscription Palaestra; now Labrax, finding this stout fellow with his club, whom before he had compared to Hercules, answering instead of Palaestra, he wittily alludes to that statue, and says that that Palaestra was none of his. Thornton appears to be right in considering this a far-fetched conceit on the part of the fair Commentatress. that answers. Harkye, Ampelisca.
SERVANT
Beware of a mishap, will you.
LABRAX
So far as they can, the worthless fellows advise me rightly enough.
(Aloud.) But, harkye, I ask you, whether it is any harm to you for me to come nearer to these women?
830
SERVANT
Why none at all to ourselves.
LABRAX
Will there be any harm to myself?
SERVANT
None at all, if you only take care.
LABRAX
What is it that I’m to take care against?
SERVANT
Why, look you, against a heavy mishap.
LABRAX
Troth now, prithee, do let me approach them.
SERVANT
Approach them, if you like.
LABRAX
I’ faith, obligingly done; I return you thanks, I’ll go nearer to them.
835
