Perde 3
[Textpart 2]
Now, then, is the opportunity.
475
EPIGNOMUS
I’ faith, I cannot.
GELASIMUS
Why make difficulties? Do consider; I have I know not what luxuries at handLuxuries at hand: In mundo. Literally, in the world..
EPIGNOMUS
Do be off, now; seek for yourself another guest for to-day.
GELASIMUS
You promise, then?
EPIGNOMUS
I would make no difficulty if I could.
GELASIMUS
Really, on my word, one thing, for sure, I promise you, I’d entertain you with pleasure, beyond a doubt, if you would promise.
480
GELASIMUS
Have you resolved?
EPIGNOMUS
I have resolved. I shall dine at home.
GELASIMUS
Since nothing has been effected this way, I’ll therefore approach him by a more open path, and I’ll speak plainly out.
(To EPIGNOMUS.) Since you, yourself, are not willing to promise to come to me,
should you like that I should come to dine with you?
EPIGNOMUS
If it were possible, I should like it; but here are nine other peopleNine other people: Aulus Gellius and Macrobius tell us that the ancients never admitted to a feast more than nine, the number of the Muses, or less than three, the number of the Graces. The true reason, however, was that the three triclinia, or couches, made three parts of the square around the table; and each containing but three, nine was as great a number as could be accommodated. Epignomus mentions that number here, by way of assuring Gelasimus that there is really no room for him. On this, the Parasite says that he is imi subsellii vir, a man for the lowest stool or bench, which he can very well manage with. Subsellia was the name of the seats of the Tribunes, Triumvirs, and Quaestors, who were not honoured with Curule chairs. coming to dine at my house.
GELASIMUS
For my part, I don’t ask that I should recline on the couch; you know that I’m a man for the lower seats.
EPIGNOMUS
But these are deputies of a people, tip-top men they come here as public ambassadors from Ambracia From Ambracia : Ambracia was a city of Epirus, on the Western coast of Greece..
490
GELASIMUS
Let then the deputies of a people, your tip-top men, recline at the tip-top place; I, the lowest, in the lowest quarter.
EPIGNOMUS
It isn’t proper for you to be entertained among deputies.
GELASIMUS
I ’faith, and I—I’m a deputy, tooI’m a deputy, too: He puns on the word orator, which signifies a pleader or orator, as well as an ambassador or deputy. He says that he is a pleader too (for the cause of his own stomach), but all to no purpose., but little it does avail me.
495
EPIGNOMUS
I intend that to-morrow we shall dine upon the scraps. Sincerely, farewell.
