Perde 2
[Textpart 1]
Persons who are poor live wretchedly in every way, especially those who have no calling and have learned no art. Of necessity must that be deemed enough, whatever they have at home. From our garb, then, you pretty well understand how wealthy we are. These hooks and these rods here are as good to us as a calling and as our clothing.
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A FISHERMAN
Each day from the city do we come out hither to the sea to seek for forage. Instead of exertion in the wrestling-school and the place for exercise, we have this: sea-urchins, rock-mussels, oysters, limpets Limpets: Balanos. It is not known what shellfish the balani really were., cockles, sea-nettles, sea-mussels and spotted crabs Spotted crabs: It is not known what kind of fish the plagusia was., we catch. After that, we commence our fishing with the hook and among the rocks,
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and thus we take our food from out of the sea. If success does not befall us, and not any fish is taken, soaked in salt water Soaked in salt water: — Salsi lautique pure. Thornton says, Madame Dacier supposes that a joke is intended here, from the equivocal meaning of the words, which might mean that they had been entertained with high-seasoned cates, or that they had been washed and cleansed with salt water. salsi, says she, because sea-water is salt; pure, because sea-water washed away all impurities. and thoroughly drenched, we quietly betake ourselves home, and without dinner go to sleep. And since the sea is now in waves so boisterous, no hopes have we; unless we take some cockles, without a doubt we’ve had our dinners.
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Now let’s adore good Venus here, that she may kindly befriend us to-day.
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[Textpart 2]
I’ve carefully given all attention that I mightn’t pass my master anywhere; for when some time since he went out of the house, he said that he was going to the harbour, and he ordered me to come here to meet him at the Temple of Venus. But see, opportunely do I espy some people standing here of whom I may enquire; I’ll accost them.
TRACHALIO
(Goes up to the FISHERMEN.) Save you, thieves of the sea, shellfish-gatherers and hook-fishers Shellfish-gatherers and hook-fishers: Conchitae — hamistae. These words are supposed to have been coined by Plautus for the occasion., hungry race of men, how fare ye? How perish apace How perish apace: Thornton has this Note here: There is an humour in the original which could not be preserved in our language. Instead of asking the fishermen Ut valetis? which was the common phrase of salutation, Trachalio addresses them in the opposite term, Ut peritis?—probably un allusion to their perilous calling.?
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FISHERMEN of Cyrene
Just as befits a fisherman with hunger, thirst, and expectation.
TRACHALIO
Have you seen to-day, while you’ve been standing here, any young man, of courageous aspect, ruddy, stout, of genteel appearance, come by this way,
who was taking with him three men in scarfs, with swords?
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FISHERMEN of Cyrene
We know of no one coming this way of that appearance which you mention.
TRACHALIO
Have you seen any old fellow, bald on the forehead and snub-nosed, of big stature, pot-bellied, with eyebrows awry, a narrow forehead, a knave, the scorn of Gods and men, a scoundrel, one full of vile dishonesty and of iniquity,
who had along with him two very pretty-looking young women?
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FISHERMEN of Cyrene
One who has been born with qualities and endowments of that sort, ’twere really fitter for him to resort to the executioner than to the Temple of Venus.
TRACHALIO
But tell me if you have seen him.
FISHERMEN of Cyrene
Really, no one has passed this way. Fare you well.
TRACHALIO
Fare ye well. (Exeunt FISHERMEN.) (to himself.) I thought so; it has come to pass as I suspected;
my master has been deceived; the cursed Procurer has taken himself off to distant lands. He has embarked on board ship, and carried the women away; I’m a wizard. He invited my master here to breakfast, as well, this very spawn of wickedness. Now what is better for me than to wait here in this spot until my master comes? At the same time, if this Priestess of Venus knows anything more,
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if I see her, I’ll make enquiries; she’ll give me the information.
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[Textpart 3]
I understand; here at this cottage (pointing to it), which is close by the Temple of Venus, you’ve requested me to knock and ask for water.
TRACHALIO
Whose voice is it that has flown to my ears?
