Perde 2
[Textpart 3]
Hold your tongue, and be off. Take care that things are ready when I return home from the Forum, and shut the house up. I shall be here directly.
STAPHYLA
What now am I to do?
Now is ruin near at hand for us, both for myself and my master’s daughter; for her disgrace and her delivery are upon the very point of becoming known; that which even until now has been concealed and kept secret, cannot be so now. I’ll go in-doors, that what my master ordered may be done when he comes. But, by my faith, I do fear that I shall have to drink of a mixture of bitterness A mixture of bitterness: Hildyard suggests that Staphyla is fond of a drop, and likes her liquors neat (merum), wherefore it is a double misfortune to her, not only to endure misfortunes, but those of a mixed nature. Mixtum was the term applied to the wine, when mixed with its due proportion of water for drinking.!
275
[Textpart 4]
After my master had bought the provisions, and hired the cooks Hired the cooks: Allusion has been made, in the Notes to the Pseudolus, to the custom of hiring cooks in the markets on any special occasion. These were frequently slaves; and in such case, the greater portion of their earnings would go into the pockets of their masters. From the remark made in l. 265, we find that Congrio and Anthrax are slaves. and these music- girls in the market-place, he ordered me to divide these provisions into two parts.
280
LYCONIDES
By my troth, but you really shan’t be dividing me You really shan’t be dividing me: He alludes to his own name, Congrio, a conger eel, which was cut up before it was cooked; and he means to say, that spite of his name, he will not stand being divided by Strobilus., I tell you plainly. If you wish me to go anywhere whole, I’ll do my best.
ANTHRAX
A very pretty and modest fellow, indeedModest fellow, indeed: Anthrax gives a very indelicate turn to the remark of Congrio; and the liberty has been taken of giving a more harmless form to the gross witticism of Anthrax. It may be here remarked, that he takes his name from the Greek word, signifying a coal, a commodity, of course much in request with cooks.. As if, when you are a conger by name, you wouldn’t like to be cut into pieces.
285
LYCONIDES
But, Anthrax, I said that in another sense, and not in the one which you are pretending.
STROBILUS
Now my master’s going to be married to-day.Part of line 288 in the Latin.
ANTHRAX
Whose daughter is he to marry?
STROBILUS
The daughter of this Euclio, his near neighbour here. For that reason he has ordered half of these provisions here to be presented to him—one cook, and one music-girl likewise.
290
ANTHRAX
That is, you take one half to him, the other half home?
STROBILUS
’Tis just as you say.
ANTHRAX
How’s that? Couldn’t this old fellow provide from his own resources for the wedding of his daughter.
ANTHRAX
What’s the matter?
STROBILUS
What’s the matter, do you ask? A pumice stone isn’t so dry as is this old fellow.
ANTHRAX
Do you really say that it is as you affirm?
STROBILUS
Do be judge yourself. Why, he’s for ever crying out for aid from Gods and men, that his property has gone, and that he is ruined root and branch,
if the smoke by chance escapes out of doors through the rafters of his house. Why, when he goes to sleep, he ties a bagHe ties a bag: He probably intends to hint here that Euclio sleeps with his purse (which consisted of a follis, or leathern bag) tied round his throat, but implies that he not only wishes thereby to save his money, but his breath as well, by having the mouth of the bag so near to his own. Although Thornton thinks that the suggestion of Lambinus that follem obstringit means, he ties up the nozzle of the bellows, is forced and far-fetched, it is far from improbable that that is the meaning of the passage. It may possibly mean that he ties the bellows to his throat. beneath his gullet.
