Perde 2
[Textpart 4]
I am your friend; I trust that what you wish may befall you,
PAEGNIUM
and that it may come to pass;
if you fell me If you fell me: Tu ut me defigas, te cruci ipsum propediem alii affigant. Literally, should you fix me down, may others before long be fixing yourself up to the cross; the play being upon the verbs defigo and affigo. An attempt has been made to give a somewhat similar pun in the Translation., may others make you feel yourself fixed to the cross before long.
295
SAGARISTIO
But you may the Gods and Goddesses—You understand what I was going to say after that, if I hadn’t been able to restrain my tongue. Can’t you be off?
PAEGNIUM
You drive me off with ease; for already my shadow’s getting My shadow’s getting: Being close to the house, and in a hurry to get home, he says that his shadow is in the house already, getting the beating which awaits its owner for having been so long on his errand. a whipping in-doors.
SAGARISTIO
May the Gods and Goddesses confound that fellow! just like a crawling serpent he has got a double tongue, and is a wicked one.
Upon my faith, I’m glad he’s gone. (Going towards the door.) Open, you door. But look! he’s coming from within, the person that I most especially wished to meet with.
300
[Textpart 5]
Tell her that it’s now arranged whence the money is to come. Bid her be of good heart; tell her that I love her exceedingly. When she cheers up, then does she cheer me up. What I’ve told you to tell her,
TOXILUS
do you quite understand it?
305
SOPHOCLIDISCA
Better than your legs Better than your legs: Magis calleo, quam aprugnum collum callet. This pun cannot be appreciated in a literal translation, and another is substituted, for which we are indebted to Warner. The play is upon the resemblance of calleo, to understand, calleo, to be hard, and collum, the hard part, or brawn, of a boar’s neck. Literally translated, it is, I understand in a better degree than the brawn of a bar’s neck is hard. This pun occurs also in the Pœnulus, l. 577. understand you, do I understand it.
305
TOXILUS
Make all haste, be off home.
SAGARISTIO
Now I’ll make myself a perfect droll towards him; I’ll carry myself with arms a-kimbo, and assume a lordly air Assume a lordly air: Amicibor. By the use of the word, he clearly refers to some peculiar way of assuming a jaunty air, probably by tucking up a portion of the dress. In the same way we read in our old Novelists of military men cocking their hats to look fierce. To spit with noise and gesture was also considered to give an air of importance..
TOXILUS
But who’s this that’s walking like a two-handled jug Like a two handled jug: Ansatus. His arms being a kimbo, he compares him to a jug with two handles.?
SAGARISTIO
I’ll spit about me in a dignified style.
TOXILUS
Why, surely this is Sagaristio. How are you, Sagaristio? How do you do?
Is there any tiny hope in you as to that which I entrusted to you?
310
SAGARISTIO
Step this way; it shall be seen to; I would have it done. Advance—move forward.
310
TOXILUS
What’s this swelling What’s this swelling: He has the purse slung round his neck, underneath his dress. This bulges out, and Toxilus asks him what it is. There is a somewhat similar Scene in the Asinaria, between Libanus and Leonida. here upon your neck?
SAGARISTIO
It’s a tumour; forbear to press it, for when any person touches it with a rude hand, pain is the result.
TOXILUS
When did that first come upon you?
