Perde 2
[Textpart 2]
Yea, faith, to my own good woman I trust; let him keep close to thee whose habit ’tis. A rare fine joke! a silly hussy to be tempting a countryman to naughty tricks.
ASTAPHIUM
Keep close your anger, I meant.
STRATILAX
As thee’st begun with me, so I’d e’en lay a wagerLay a wager: The meaning of this passage seems to be, according to the way you have begun, I’d lay a wager your equal can’t be found; but the passage seems hopelessly corrupt, though a dozen different readings have been suggested. there’s not another like thee.Part of line 264 in the Latin. The purported pun on eiram and iram is not captured by this translator.
ASTAPHIUM
Really this fellow’s very churlish.
265
STRATILAX
Woman, dost thee go on abusing me?
265
ASTAPHIUM
Why, what did I say to you?
STRATILAX
Why, because thee dost call me churlish. Therefore now, if thee doesn’t be off this instant, and tell me quickly what thee want’st, adzookers, woman, I’ll be, here this very instant, trampling thee beneath my feet like a sow her piglings.
ASTAPHIUM
This is indeed right country,
and no mistake; ’tis an abominable and truly a monkey race.
STRATILAX
Dost thee throw the country in my teeth, when thee hast found a man who’s ashamed of what’s foul?
280
Hast thee come hither to tempt me with thy decked out bonesDecked out bones: Ossibus, with your bones. Probably, in allusion to her thinness, he insinuates that she is a skeleton. Exornatis may apply either to her dress or to the paint upon her face.? Was it for that, shameless slut, thee dyed thy mantle of its smoke-dried colour, or art thee so fine because that thee’s been a stealing?
270
Come thee towards me then.
ASTAPHIUM
Now you charm me.
STRATILAX
How much I wish I could charm thee.
ASTAPHIUM
You tell a lie.Part of line 273 in a variant reading of the Latin.
STRATILAX
Tell me—Part of line 273 in the Latin.
ASTAPHIUM
What? Part of line 273 in the Latin.
STRATILAX
What I ask thee. Dost thee wish to be taken for a bondswoman, who dost carry on thee those rings?
ASTAPHIUM
They give them to those who are worthy.
275
STRATILAX
These are the spoils of LavernaSpoils of Laverna: Laverna was the tutelary Divinity of thieves and he intends to insinuate that she has stolen the rings. which thee dost possess.Part of line 275 in the Latin?
275
