Perde 4
THRASO
I’ll give her own self a mauling.
THRASO
Advance hither to the main body, Donax, with your crowbar; you, Simalio, to the left wing; you, Syriscus, to the right.
Bring up the rest; where’s the centurion Sanga, and his manipleAnd his maniple: We learn from the Fasti of Ovid, B. iii., l. 117-8, that in early times the Roman armies carried bundles or wisps of hay upon poles by way of standards. A long pole used to bear the elevated wisps, from which circumstance the manipular soldier derives his name. It appears from this passage, and from other authors, that to every troop of one hundred men a manipulus or wisp of hay (so called from manum implere, to fill the hand, as being a handful), was assigned as a standard, and hence in time the company itself obtained the name of manipulus, and the soldier, a member of it, was called manipularis. The centurio, or leader of a hundred, was the commanding officer of the manipulus. of rogues?
775
SANGA
See, here he is.
775
THRASO
What, you booby, do you think of fighting with a dish-clout,With a dish-clout: Peniculo. This word meant a sponge fastened to a stick, or the tail of a fox or an ox, which was used as dusters or dish-clouts are at the present day for cleaning tables, dishes, or even shoes. See the Menaechmi of Plautus, ver. 77 and 391. to be bringing that here?
SANGA
What, I? I knew the valor of the general, and the prowess of the soldiers; and that this could not possibly go on without bloodshed; how was I to wipe the wounds?
THRASO
Where are the others?
SANGA
Plague on you, what others? Sannio is the only one left on guard at home.
THRASO
Do you draw up your men in battle order; I’ll be behind the second rank;Be behind the second rank: Post principia. The Captain, with that discretion which is the better part of valor, chooses the safest place in his army. The principes originally fought in the van, fronting the enemy, and behind them were the hastati and the triarii. In later times the hastati faced the enemy, and the principes were placed in the middle, between them and the triarii; but though no longer occupying the front place, they still retained the name. Thraso, then, places himself behind the middle line. from that position I’ll give the word to all.
780
GNATHO
That’s showing prudence; as soon as he has drawn them up, he secures a retreat for himself.
THRASO
This is just the way Pyrrhus used to proceed.Pyrrhus used to proceed: He attempts to defend his cowardice by the example of Pyrrhus, the powerful antagonist of the Romans, and one of the greatest generals of antiquity. He might have more correctly cited the example of Xerxes, who, according to Justin, did occupy that position in his army.
CHREMES
Do you see, Thais, what plan he is upon? Assuredly, that advice of mine about closing the door was good.
THAIS
He who now seems to you to be a hero, is in reality a mere vaporer;
THRASO
What seems best to you?
785
GNATHO
I could very muchI could very much: Although Vollbehr gives these words to Gnatho, yet, judging from the context, and the words ex occulto, and remembering that Thais and Chremes are up at the window, there is the greatest probability that these are really the words of Thais addressed aside to Chremes. like a sling to be given you just now, that you might pelt them from here on the sly at a distance; they would be taking to flight.
785
THRASO
But look (pointing), I see Thais there herself.
GNATHO
How soon are we to fall to?
