Perde 3
[Textpart 2]
If he shall put forth his hand, put you forth your hand as well. If he shall take anything of his own, do you suffer him to take it; if he shall take what’s mine, do you on the other side hold him fast. If he shall stoop to the ground, do you stoop there as well.
860
BALLIO
Likewise over your understrappers I shall appoint a single guard a-piece.
865
A COOK.
Only have good courage.
BALLIO
Prithee, tell me how I possibly can have good courage, who am taking you home to my house?
A COOK.
Because, by my broth, this day will I do just in the way that Medea cooked up the old man Pelias The old man Pelias: The Cook could not be expected to be very learned in the heathen Mythology; and we accordingly find him making a blunder. Aeson, the father of Jason, was restored to youth by the charms of Medea; but Pelias being the enemy of Jason, Medea persuaded his daughters to cut him in pieces, that he might in similar manner restore him to youth; which was accordingly done, on which, having thus contrived his death, she refused her assistance. It is much more probable that the Cook should be intended to be represented as ignorant, than as attempting here to impose on the ignorance of Ballio. Warner, in his translation, however, thinks otherwise. He says, The humour plainly lies in the Cook’s promises to restore Ballio to his juvenility by a cookery—one that would kill him. Ballio’s ignorance is, indeed, here meant to be exposed to ridicule by the Cook, that is by Plautus, as it likewise is in the names of the spices, which are probably fictitious.
whom she is said by a draught and by her potions from an aged man to have made young again; so will I make you likewise.
870
BALLIO
How now; are you an enchanter as well?
A COOK.
Why no, by my troth, I am rather a preserver Rather a preserver: The enchanters, who were called venefici, poisoners, were supposed to destroy men by their potions, whence the present reply of the Cook. of mankind.
BALLIO
Well now; for how much would you teach me that one point in cooking?
BALLIO
That I may preserve you from pilfering anything from me.
A COOK.
For a didrachm, if you believe me; if not, not for a mina even. But whether are you about to-day to give a dinner, to your friends or to your enemies?
BALLIO
Why, faith, to my friends surely.
A COOK.
But why don’t you invite your enemies to it rather than your friends? For this day will I present to the guests a banquet so savoury, and I’ll season it with such a dulcet sweetness, that whoever shall taste each thing that’s seasoned, I’ll make that same person to gnaw off the ends of his own fingers.
880
BALLIO
Troth now, prithee, before you shall present aught to the guests do you yourself first taste, and give some to your understrappers, that you may gnaw off the ends of your own pilfering hands.
885
A COOK.
Perhaps then you don’t believe me in the things that I say.
BALLIO
Don’t you be troublesome; you din me too much; you don’t please me by it.
See, there I live. (Points to his house.) Do you go in-doors and cook the dinner, with all speed.
890
A BOY
Why don’t you go, and take your place? Go and find the guests; the dinner’s spoiling already.
BALLIO
Now, just look, please, at that young offshoot; for he, too, is a good-for-nothing deputy-scullion for the cook. Truly I don’t know what now first to be on my guard against;
