Perde 2
[Textpart 2]
If I give you a blow on the cheek with my fist, by-and-by, while I’m personating SaureaPersonating Saurea: Saurea, as the atriensis, chamberlain or gentleman-usher, was the head of the slave family; and it was his privilege to beat the other slaves, if they offended him or neglected their duties., don’t you be offended.
LIBANUS
I’ faith, but you’ll have a care not to be touching me, if you are wise; you’ll surely have changed your name to day with a bad omenYour name to-day with a bad omen: Limiers says that this is said in allusion to his having assumed the name of Saurea, which meant a lash or scourge..
LEONIDA
Prithee, do endure it with resolution.
375
LIBANUS
Do you endure the cuff that I, too, shall be giving you in return.
375
LEONIDA
I speak as it’s in the habit of being done.
LIBANUS
I’ faith, and I speak, too, of how I’m likely to act.
LIBANUS
Why I promise, I tell you, to give you a like return, just as you deserve.
LEONIDA
I’m off; I know that you’ll put up with it by-and-by. But who’s this? ’Tis he—’tis the very man himself. I’ll return here just now; in the meantime do you detain him here;
I want to inform the old gentleman.
380
LIBANUS
Well, do your duty, then, and fly.
380
[Textpart 3]
According as it was pointed out to me, this must be the house where Demaenetus is said to live. (To the BOY.) Go, boy, and knock, and call Saurea the chamberlain out here, if he’s in-doors.
LIBANUS
Who’s breaking in our door in this fashion? Enough there, I say, if you hear me at all.
THE ASS-DEALER
No one has touched it as yet: are you out of your senses?
385
LIBANUS
Why I thought that you had touched it, because you were steering your course in that direction. I don’t want the door, my fellow-slaveMy fellow-slave: He so calls the door, from the fact of its being under the control of the janitor, or doorkeeper, who was also a slave. Ovid has a similar passage in his Amores, B. 1, El. 6, l. 74. In his address to the janitor, he says, Duraque conservae, ligna, valete, fores And you, ye doors equally slaves, hard-hearted blocks of wood, farewell., to be thumped by you; I really am attached to our house.
385
THE ASS-DEALER
I’ faith, there’s no fear of the hinges being broken off the doors, if you answer all who make enquiries in this fashion.
LIBANUS
This door is of this habit; it cries out at once for tho porter, if it sees any door-kicker at a distance coming towards it. But what are you come for? What are you enquiring about?
390
THE ASS-DEALER
I wanted Demaenetus.
LIBANUS
If he were at home, I would tell you so.
THE ASS-DEALER
Well, his chamberlain then?
