Perde 1
[Textpart 1]
It becomes me to do so.
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THESPRIO
But why now are you acting the Praetor over us?
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EPIDICUS
What other person in Athens will you say is more deserving of it than I?
THESPRIO
But still, Epidicus, one thing is wanting for your Praetorship.
THESPRIO
You shall know; two lictors Two lictors: The Praetors were attended by lictors As one part of their duty was to scourge refractory slaves, Thesprio means to joke Epidicus, by telling him that he requires the lictors — not to do him honor, but to scourge him. two osier bundles of twigs—
EPIDICUS
Woe unto you! But how say you—?
THESPRIO
What is it you ask?
EPIDICUS
Where are the arms Where are the armns: As Thesprio was his armour-bearer, this question cannot be considered as an impertinent one. of Stratippocles?
THESPRIO
I’ faith, they’ve gone over to the enemy.
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EPIDICUS
What, his arms?
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THESPRIO
Aye, and quickly too.
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EPIDICUS
Do you say that seriously?
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THESPRIO
Seriously I say it; the enemy have got them.
EPIDICUS
By my troth, a disgraceful affair.
THESPRIO
Still, before now, other persons have done the same. This affair will turn out to his honor Will turn out to his honor: Schmieder thinks that in these words there is a covert allusion to the conduct of Terentius Varro, by whose bad management the Romans lost the battle of Cannae, when fighting against Hannibal. The Senate, however, received him with open arms, because he had not despaired of the state..
THESPRIO
Because it has been so to others before.
EPIDICUS
Mulciber, I suppose, made the arms which Stratippocles had;
they flew over to the enemy Flew over to the enemy: Plautus seems here to fancy that the arms made by Mulciber or Vulcan, for Achilles, were taken by Hector from Patroclus, when, in fact, they were made at the request of Thetis, for the purpose of avenging his death. He probably did not care to represent a slave and A camp-follower as being particularly correct in their knowledge of Homer..
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