Perde 1
[Textpart 3]
If any purchaser should come, he could not carry him away from me each single word of those for gold Philippean pieces.
CLEAERETA
What you say wrongfully against us is good gold and silver. Your heart is locked up here with us, at the helm of Cupid. With oars and with sails make haste and fly as fast as you can; the further you betake yourself to sea, the more the tide will bring you back to harbour.
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ARGYRIPPUS
I faith, I’ll be depriving this custom-house officerThis custom-house officer: Istum portitorem privabo portitorio. Cleaereta has just mentioned portus, the harbour, meaning her own house, to which, despite of himself, Argyrippus will, by his own passion, be brought back at last. He takes up the metaphor, and says that she, the landing-waiter (portitor), or custom-house officer, shall not, however, get her dues; meaning, that he is determined not to let her have any more of his money. of his dues.
From henceforth I’ll persist in treating you as you have deserved of me and mine, since you have treated me not as I deserve, in excluding me from your house.
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CLEAERETA
I know that that is rather said with the tongue, than that it will happen in deed.
ARGYRIPPUS
I alone have brought you from obscurity and from want; if I alone patronize you, you can never return sufficient thanks.
CLEAERETA
Do you still be the only one to patronize me, if you alone will always give me what I ask. Do you always keep what has been promised you, on this condition, that you surpass others in your presents.
165
ARGYRIPPUS
What limit is there to be to giving? For really you can never be satisfied; the moment that you’ve received something, not very long after, you are devising something for you to be asking for.
CLEAERETA
What limit is there to be to your enjoying yourself, and to your indulging your amour? Can you never be satisfied?
The moment that you have sent her home, that instant, you are directly asking me to send her back to you.
170
ARGYRIPPUS
In fact, I have given whatever you have demanded of me.
CLEAERETA
And I have sent the damsel to you. A requital has been given, like for like; a return for the money.
ARGYRIPPUS
You treat me badly.
CLEAERETA
Why do you blame me if I do my duty? For nowhere is it either feigned in story or represented in pictures or written in poems,
where a procuress, who wishes to thrive, treats any lover well.
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ARGYRIPPUS
Still, ’twere right for you to show favour to me at least, that I might last the longer for you.
CLEAERETA
Don’t you know, the woman that shows favour to a lover, that same woman shows little favour to herself? Just like a fish, so is a lover to a procuress; he’s good for nothing if he isn’t fresh. Then it has juice, then it has sweetness; in any fashion you like you may season it,
either stewed or roasted; ill any way you will, you may turn it. So the lover; he’s ready to give, he longs for something to be asked of him, for there it’s taken from a full stock, nor does he know what he’s giving, or what mischief he’s doing. Of this matter does the new lover think; he wishes himself to please his mistress, he wishes to please me, he wishes to please her lady’s maidHer lady’s maid: Pedissequa seems to have been the name of the female-servant, whose duty it was to be constantly in attendance on her mistress; and who probably followed her in the street, whence her name., he wishes to please the men-servants, he wishes to please the maid-servants as well, and even my dog
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does he caress, that when it sees him, it may be delighted. I tell the truth; it shows cleverness for every person to be fair-dealing for his own advantage.
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ARGYRIPPUS
I’ve thoroughly learned that this is true, to my own great misfortune.
