Perde 5
[Textpart 1]
What other mortal being is there living this day more wretched than myself, whom before the commissioned judges Commissioned judges: Recuperatores. These were also called judices selecti, and were commissioned judges appointed by the Praetors at Rome for the purpose of trying causes relative to property in dispute between parties. See the Bacchides, l. 270. Plesidippus has just now cast? Palaestra has just been taken from me by award. I’m ruined outright. But I do believe that Procurers were procreated for mere sport;
LABRAX
so much do all persons make sport if any misfortune befalls a Procurer. Now I’ll go look here, in the Temple of Venus, for that other female, that her at least I may take away, the only portion of my property that remains.
1285
[Textpart 2]
By the powers, you shall never this day at nightfall behold Gripus alive, unless the wallet is restored to me.
LABRAX
I’m ready to die; when I hear mentior made anywhere of a wallet, I’m thumped, as it were with a stake, upon the breast.
GRIPUS
That scoundrel is free; I, the person that held the net in the sea, and drew up the wallet, to him you refuse to give anything.
LABRAX
O ye immortal Gods! by his talk this person has made me prick up my ears.
GRIPUS
By my troth, in letters a cubit long, I’ll immediately post it up in every quarter,
If any person has lost a wallet with plenty of gold and silver, let him come to Gripus. You shan’t keep it as you are wishing.
1295
LABRAX
I’ faith, this person knows, as I think, who has got the wallet. This person must be accosted by me; ye Gods, aid me, I do entreat you.
GRIPUS
Why are you calling me back in-doors? (He rubs away at the spit.) I want to clean this here before the door.
But surely this, I’ faith, has been made of rust, and not of iron; so that the more I rub it, it becomes quite red and more slender. Why surely this spit has been drugged Has been drugged: He alludes to the rust which has eaten into the spit and worn it away.; it does waste away so in my hands.
1300
LABRAX
Save you, young man.
GRIPUS
May the Gods prosper you with your shorn pate Your shorn pate: Madame Dacier suggests that Labrax has had his hair cut off in consequence of having escaped from shipwreck, which, indeed, was often done during the continuance of a storm by those at sea..
GRIPUS
A spit being cleaned.
GRIPUS
What are you? Prithee, are you a medicant A medicant: He plays upon the resemblance of the words medicus and mendicus. To give effect to the pun, we have, with Thornton, coined the word medicant, in the sense of doctor or physician.?
LABRAX
No, I’ faith, I am more than a medicant by one letter.
1305
GRIPUS
Then you are a mendicant.
1305
LABRAX
You’ve hit it to a nicety Hit it to a nicety: Tetigisti acu. Literally, you’ve hit it with the point—that is, exactly..
