Perde 1
[Textpart 1]
when she has fulfilled her engagement to him, so that he may not take her as a servantAs a servant: She pretends that her sister is afraid, that when her time has expired, the Captain—having carried her to a foreign country—may make a slave of her, and that she s, consequently, desirous to be left at Athens, and to repay him the money which he had given her upon the making of the engagement. She feigns that it is necessary for him to protect her sister on behalf of his absent friend Mnesilochus, that she herself may obtain an opportunity of ensnaring him for himself. But, if she had the gold to pay him back again, gladly would she do so.
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PISTOCLERUS
Where now is this person?
1st BACCHIS
I expect that he’ll be here just now. But this you’ll be able to arrange better among ourselves; and sitting there, you shall wait until he comes. So you will drink some wine, and so, I’ll give you a kiss when you have drunk it.
PISTOCLERUS
Your coaxing is mere birdlime.
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PISTOCLERUS
Because, in fact, I understand how you two are aiming at one poor pigeon, myself; (aside) very nearly is the limed reedThe limed reed: A reed dipped in birdlime was employed for the purpose of catching birds. Pistoclerus says to himself that he feels how nearly he is entrapped. breaking my feathers. Madam, I judge that such deeds befit me not.
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1st BACCHIS
Why so, I pray?
PISTOCLERUS
Bacchis, it is, because I dread you Bacchantes, and your Bacchanalian denYour Bacchanalian den: Bacchanal. was properly the place where the Bacchanalia, or orgies, were celebrated. He styles them Bacchantes, and their house a Bacchanal, in allusion both to their names and their habits..
1st BACCHIS
What is it that you dread? Surely, not that the couch in my house may lead you into mischief?
PISTOCLERUS
Your allurementsYour allurements: There is a play here upon the resemblance of the words illectus, allurement, and lectus, a bed., more than your couch, do I dread. You’re a mischievous serpentMischievous serpent: Mala tu’s bestia. Literally, you are an evil beast. which sounds harsh to an English ear, even when applied to such an animal as Bacchis.. But, madam, a lurking-place does not befit this youthful age.
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1st BACCHIS
Should you wish at my house to do anything that’s unwise, I myself should hinder it. But, when the Captain comes, I wish you to be at my house for this reason; because, when you are present, no one will do her and me any injury.
You will prevent that, and by the same means you will be aiding your friend; this Captain, too, on arriving, will suspect that I am your mistress. Why are you silent, pray?
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PISTOCLERUS
Because these things are pleasant in the talking of; but in the practice, and when you make trial, the same are armed with stings. They pierce the feelings, goad one’s fortune, and wound one’s merits and character.
2nd BACCHIS
What do you dread from her?
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PISTOCLERUS
What do I dread, do you ask? Am I a person in my youth to enter a place of exerciseA place of exercise: He draws a parallel between the life of a person who for health and rational recreation frequents the palaestra, or school for exercise, and of those who frequent the haunts of Courtesans. He alludes in the following lines to the exercises of throwing the quoit, running, boxing fencing, hurling the lance, and riding. of such a nature, where people sweat to their undoing?—where for the quoit I rereive a loss, disgrace, too, for my running?
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2nd BACCHIS
How charmingly you do talk.
PISTOCLERUS
Where I’m to take a turtle-doveA turtle-dove: The turtle-dove, as being sacred to Venus, would be an appropriate inmate of a Courtesan’s house. instead of a sword, and where another puts into my hand the gobletThe goblet: Cantharus was a kind of drinking-cup, with two handles. It was considered as peculiarly sacred to Bacchus, the tutelary Divinity of Bacchis, whom Pistoclerus is addressing. instead of the cestus; the drinking-cupThe drinking-cup: Scaphium here probably means a drinking vessel with a swelling belly. Some Commentators, however, think that it has here the same meaning as matula. is in place of the helmet, the wreathed garland instead of the crestInstead of the crest: The insigne was the crest, or waving plume of the helmet.,
the dice in place of the lance. For the coat of mail I should have to assume a soft cloakA soft cloak: It was the custom at entertainments for the revellers to exchange their ordinary clothes for fine vestments, elaborately embroidered.; where, too, in place of a horse a couch must be given me,—for shield, a strumpetFor shield, a strumpet: Scortum pro scuto. There is a play here upon the resemblance of the words. may be lying by me. Avaunt from me—avaunt!
2nd BACCHIS
O, you’re too fierce.
PISTOCLERUS
I am attending to my own interests.
