Perde 3
[Textpart 3]
I’ faith, I should never have done so, if you hadn’t embraced my knees so roughly. (Aside to LIBANUS.) Come, please, in your turn, do you at once have some sport with him, and give her an embrace.
LIBANUS
Hold your tongue; trust me for that.
680
ARGYRIPPUS
Why don’t we accost him, Philenium? (pointing to LIBANUS)—really, a very worthy fellow, upon my faith, and not like this thief (pointing to LEONIDA).
680
LIBANUS
We must walk up and down; now, in my turn, they’ll be entreating me.
ARGYRIPPUS
By heaven, Libanus, I do entreat you, be pleased by your deeds to come to your master’s rescue; do give me those twenty minae: you see that thus in love I stand in need of them.
LIBANUS
It shall be seen to; I wish it done; return here at nightfall. Now bid her, ever so little, to beg and entreat them of me.
685
PHILENIUM
Do you wish me to begin with caressing, or with kissing you?
LIBANUS
Why, really, with them both.
PHILENIUM
And do you then, I do entreat you, prove the saving of us both.
ARGYRIPPUS
O Libanus, my patron, do give me that; ’tis more becoming
for the freed-manFor the freed-man: By libertus, or freed-man, he means himself, while Libanus is his patronus, or patron., than for the patron, to be carrying a burden in the street.
690
PHILENIUM
My Libanus, golden apple of my eye, the gift and the very grace of love; there’s a dear, whatever you wish, I’ll do; prithee, do give us that money.
LIBANUS
Call me, then, your little duck, dove, or your puppet; your swallow, jackdaw, little sparrow, your mannikin:
make of me the reptile that crawls, so that I may have a double tongueA double tongue: An unseemly allusion is intended in this expression.; enfold me in your arms, and embrace my neck.
695
ARGYRIPPUS
She, embrace you, villain?
LIBANUS
Really, how undeserving I do seem. You shan’t for no purpose have uttered a speech so unseemly against me. By my troth, if indeed you expect to get this money, this day you shall carry myself on your shoulders.
ARGYRIPPUS
What? I, carry you?
700
LIBANUS
Otherwise, you shan’t get this money from me.
700
ARGYRIPPUS
Heavens, I’m undone! Still, if indeed it is decorous for the master to carry the servant, mount.
LIBANUS
In this way are proud people wont to be tamed. Stand still then, just as you were wont to do when formerly a boyWhen formerly a boy: Honi soit qui mal y pense should be said to Lambinus and the other Commentators who have imagined an indelicate allusion to be couched under these words. He clearly alludes to the boyish game of leapfrog, at which they had in childhood been accustomed to make a back.. Do you understand what I say? (He prepares to get upon the shoulders of ARGYRIPPUS.) Aye—so—move on: I praise you much; not any horse is there more clever than yourself as a horse.
