Perde 1
[Textpart 3]
Then, unless the broth for the gravy-cakes is of a thick consistency, that miserable, thin, pale, transparent stuff, is worth nothing at all. The broth for a gravy-cake ought to be like a soup. I don’t want it to be going into my bladder, I want it for my stomach.
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TOXILUS
Some one, I know not who, is talking near me here.
SATURIO
O my earthly Jupiter, your fellow-feaster addresses you.
TOXILUS
O Saturio, you’ve come opportunely for me.
SATURIO
Upon my faith, you are telling a lie, and it becomes you not; for as Hungerio Hungerio: In the original, Esurio, Hungerer. He puns on his name, which he says ought to have no relation to satur, full, but rather to esuriens, one who is hungry. I’m come, not as Saturio am I come.
TOXILUS
But you shall have something to eat; for now the creature-comforts for the stomach are smoking away in-doors.
I’ve ordered the remnants to be warmed.
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SATURIO
Why, it’s the proper thing for the gammon to be served up cold the day after.
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TOXILUS
I’ve ordered it so to be done.
SATURIO
Any caviare Any caviare: Halec, or alec, was a pickle, or salt liquor, made from fish, and, perhaps, especially herrings. It was probably used for much the same purposes as anchovy sauce with us.?
TOXILUS
Get out—do you ask the question?
SATURIO
You have a capital notion of what’s good A capital notion of what’s good: Sapis multum ad Genium; more literally, you have much good taste for enjoyment..
TOXILUS
But do you at all remember the matter about which I was making mention to you yesterday?
SATURIO
I recollect; that the lamprey and the conger ought not to be made warm; for they are much better stripped of their meat Stripped of their meat: Oppectuntur. This word comes from pecten, a comb, and was not improbably used in especial reference to fish, as the picking the meat off of a conger or a lamprey does reduce it to somewhat of the appearance of a comb. As to eating fish cold, see the words of Periple- comenus, in the Miles Gloriosus, l. 760, and the Note. when cold. But why do we delay to commence the engagement? While it’s the morning, it befits all people to eat.
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TOXILUS
It’s almost too early in the morning.
SATURIO
The business that you begin to do in the morning, that same lasts on throughout the day.
TOXILUS
Prithee, do give your attention to this. For yesterday I mentioned it to you, and entreated you to lend me six hundred didrachms.
SATURIO
I recollect it and am aware, both that you did ask me, and that I hadn’t any to lend.
A Parasite’s good for nothing that has got money at home; he has a longing at once to begin upon an entertainment, and to gobble away at his own expense, if he has anything at home. A Parasite ought to be a right down needy Cynic; he ought to have a leather bottle A leather bottle: Ampullam. This was probably the bottle in which unguents were kept by the Parasite for the convenience of bathers. See the soliloquy of Gelasimus the Parasite, in the Stichus, l. 228., a strigil, an utensil An utensil: Scaphium. If this word has not the same meaning here as matula, it will probably signify a bottle, which he ought to be in the habit of carrying about with him, for taking home any wine left after the entertainment. The use of the socci would show that his avocations were more confined to in-doors than the street, where the use of them was considered effeminate. On the strigil, see the Notes to the Stichus, l. 228., a pair of slippers, a cloak,
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and a purse; and in that a little of the needful, with which he may just cheer up the existence of his own household.
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