Perde 2
[Textpart 2]
Something amiss,—what, I know not, has been done him by our family so far as I can hear, inasmuch as the old man has ordered the ankles of my fellow-servants to be broken. But he has excepted me; nothing care I what he does to the rest of them. I’ll accost the old man. (Advances.)
PERIPLECOMENUS
The person that is coming this way, is he coming towards me? He comes as if he was coming to me.
PALAESTRIO
How do you do, Periplecomenus?
170
PERIPLECOMENUS
There are not many men, if I were to wish, whom I would rather now see and meet with than yourself.
170
PALAESTRIO
What’s the matter? What disturbance have you with our family?
PERIPLECOMENUS
We are done for.
PALAESTRIO
What’s the matter?
PERIPLECOMENUS
The thing’s discovered.
PALAESTRIO
What thing’s discovered?
PERIPLECOMENUS
Some one just now of your household was looking in from the tiles
through our skylight at Philocomasium and my guest as they were toying together.
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PALAESTRIO
What person saw it?
PERIPLECOMENUS
Your fellow-servant.
PALAESTRIO
Which person was it?
PERIPLECOMENUS
I don’t know; he took himself off so suddenly—in an instant.
PALAESTRIO
I suspect I’m ruined.
PERIPLECOMENUS
When he went away, I cried: Hallo! you sir! said I, what are you doing upon the tiles? As he went away he replied to me in these terms, that he was following a stray’d monkey.
PALAESTRIO
Woe to wretched me! that I must be ruined for a worthless beast. But is Philocomasium there with you even still?
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PERIPLECOMENUS
When I came out, she was there.
PALAESTRIO
If she is, then bid her return to our house as soon as ever she can, that the servants may see that she is at home; unless, indeed, she wishes that we, who are slaves, her fellow-slavesHer fellow-slaves: He seems to use the word contubernales, comrades, or fellow-slaves, as applying to the relation between Philocomasium and the other slaves in the house; since, falling into the hands of the Captain, she had become reduced to the condition of a slave. The cross was the instrument of a punishment among the Romans, which was especially inflicted upon slaves. It was usually in shape like the letter T or X, but there were various other forms of it. The condemned carried his own cross, and, being first stripped, was either nailed or bound to it, and in the latter case was generally left to die of hunger. It must be remembered that in the time of the Roman Republic the laws did not protect the person or life of the slaves, who were sometimes very barbarously treated., should all be given up together to tortures by the cross on account of her courting.
