Stichus
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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EPIGNOMUS
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No, only this one thing can be done.
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GELASIMUS
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What?
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EPIGNOMUS
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When the guests have gone, that then you may come—
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GELASIMUS
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Hurra! capital!
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EPIGNOMUS
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To wash the pots, I mean; not to dinner.
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GELASIMUS
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The Gods confound you! What say you, Pamphilus?
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PAMPHILUS
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I’ troth, this day I’m engaged to dine elsewhere abroad.
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GELASIMUS
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How, abroad?
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PAMPHILUS
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Really abroad, on my word.
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GELASIMUS
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How the plague do you like, thus wearied, to be supping abroad?
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PAMPHILUS
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Which do you advise me?
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GELASIMUS
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Order a dinner to be cooked at home, and word to be sent to him who invited you.
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PAMPHILUS
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Shall I dine at home, alone?
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GELASIMUS
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Why, not alone; invite me.
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PAMPHILUS
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But I’m afraid lest he should scold me, who has been to this expense for my sake.
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GELASIMUS
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It may easily be excused—only listen to me; do order a dinner to be cooked at home.
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EPIGNOMUS
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Not by my advice, indeed, will he act so as to disappoint that person this day.
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GELASIMUS
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Will you not be off from here? Perhaps you suppose that I don’t see what you’re about. Do you look to yourself, please.
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(To PAMPHILUS.) How that fellow is gaping after your property just like a hungry wolf. Don’t you know how men are set upon here in the street at night?
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PAMPHILUS
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So many the more servants will I bid to come and fetch me, that they may protect me.
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EPIGNOMUS
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He won’t stir—he won’t stir; because you persuade him so earnestly not to go out.
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GELASIMUS
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Do order a dinner to be cooked at home with all speed for me and for yourself and your wife.
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Troth, if you do so, I don’t think you’ll say that you are deceived.
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PAMPHILUS
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So far as that dinner is concerned, Gelasimus, you may be dinnerless to-day.
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GELASIMUS
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Are you going abroad to dine?
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PAMPHILUS
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I’m going to dine at my brother’s, hard by.
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GELASIMUS
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Is that fixed?
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PAMPHILUS
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Fixed.
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GELASIMUS
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By my troth, I hope you may be struck with a stone this day.
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PAMPHILUS
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I’m not afraid; I shall go through the garden; I’ll not go abroad.
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EPIGNOMUS
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What say you to that, Gelasimus?
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GELASIMUS
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You’re entertaining your deputies; keep them to yourself.
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EPIGNOMUS
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Why, faith, ’tis your own business.
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GELASIMUS
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If, indeed, ’tis my own business, avail yourself of my assistance; invite me.
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EPIGNOMUS
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By my faith, I see, as I fancy, one place still for yourself only, where you may recline.
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PAMPHILUS
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Really, I do think it may be managed.
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GELASIMUS
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O light of the city!
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EPIGNOMUS
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If you can manage to recline in a small compass.
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GELASIMUS
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Aye, even between two wedgesBetween two wedges: He will take so little space, that he will be able to sit in the compass that lies between two wedges, when driven into a tree for the purpose of forcing out a portion of the wood. of iron.
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As little space as a puppy can lie in, the same will be enough for me.
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EPIGNOMUS
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I’ll beg for it some way or other; come along.
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GELASIMUS
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What? This way?
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EPIGNOMUS
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Yes, to prison. For here, indeed, you’ll not find any further entertainmentFurther entertainment: Genium. The Genii were tutelary Divmities, each supposed to have charge of an individual from his birth to his death. They were propitiated with wine and sacrifice, and hence the notion arose that they took pleasure in revelry and feasting. From this circumstance, the word genius came to signify a persons capacity for or love of enjoyment.. Let’s be off, you Pamphilus.
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PAMPHILUS
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I’ll but salute the Gods: then I’ll pass through to your house forthwith.
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GELASIMUS
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What then?
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EPIGNOMUS
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Why, I said that you might go to prison.
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GELASIMUS
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Well, if you order it,
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I’ll go there even.
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EPIGNOMUS
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Immortal Gods! really, by my troth, this fellow might be induced by a dinner or a breakfast to bear extreme torture.
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GELASIMUS
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Such is my nature; with anything can I struggle much more easily than with hunger.
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EPIGNOMUS
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I know it: at my house
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full long enough has this facility of yours been experienced by me
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while you were the Parasite of myself and my brother, we ruined our fortunes.
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Now I don’t wish you to be made by me from a Gelasimus into a CatagelasimusCatagelasimus: He makes a poor joke on the name of Gelasimus, by way of an excuse for not inviting him. When helping me to spend my fortune, you were Gelasimus, one that amused us by your wit and drollery. I’ll not now be instrumental in making you henceforth a butt and a subject of ridicule to others: the word being the name of Gelasimus, compounded with the Greek preposition κατὰ..
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GELASIMUS
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And are you gone now? Surely he is gone. Now have I need of a wise resolution. Both are gone; consider, Gelasimus, what plan you must adopt. What, I? Yes, you. What, for myself? Yes, for yourself. Don’t you see how dear provisions are? Don’t you see how the kindness and the heartiness of men have vanished? Don’t you see how drolls are set at nought, and how they themselves are sponged upon?
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By my troth, not a person shall ever behold me alive on the morrow; for, this instant, in-doors will I load my throat with a bulrush doseA bulrush dose: He means that he will go and hang himself with a rope made of bulrushes, which he calls a bulrush dose or draught.. And by this I shall not give cause for men to say that I died of hunger.
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STICHUS
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Foolishly and unwisely is it done in my opinion, if people are in the habit, if they are expecting a person; of looking out for him; faith, ne doesn’t on that account come a bit the faster. I’m now doing that same thing, in looking out for Sagarinus;
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who, still, for that reason won’t come a jot the faster. Troth, I shall just now be taking my place alone, if he doesn’t come here. I’ll now fetch that cask of wine hither from home, and then I’ll take my place. The day, like snow, is melting away apace.
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SAGARINUS
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Hail! Athens, thou nurse of Greece;
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country of my master, hail! How joyously do I behold thee. But I have a wish to see how my mistress and fellow-servant, Stephanium, is faring. For I bade Stichus to give her my regards, and to tell her that I should come to-day, so that she might cook a dinner in good time.
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But, surely, here’s Stichus.
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STICHUS
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A clever thing you did, master, when you presented your servant, Stichus, with this gift. O ye immortal Gods! how many delights do I carry, how many smiles, how many jokes, how many a kiss, dancing, dalliance, and good-fellowship.
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SAGARINUS
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Stichus,
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how fare you?
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STICHUS
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Right well, Sagarinus, most delightfully; I’m bringing DionysusBringing Dionysus: Dionysus was the Greek name of Bacchus, the God of wine. He alludes to the cadus, or earthenware cask of wine which be is carrying., as my guest and yours. For, i’ faith, the dinner’s cooked; free range has been given me and you at your house. For at our house there’s an entertainment; your master’s dining there with his wife, and Antipho as well;
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there, too, is my master. This was given me as a present.
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SAGARINUS
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How? Are you dreaming?
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STICHUS
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I’ faith, I’m telling you the truth.
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SAGARINUS
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Who then gave you this?
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STICHUS
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What matters that to you?
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I wish us this day to wash away everything of foreign climes.
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Leave them alone; let’s now attend to Athens; follow me.
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Do you at once make haste, and bathe.
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SAGARINUS
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I have bathed.
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STICHUS
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Very good follow me, then, this. way in-doors, Sagarinus.
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SAGARINUS
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Of course, I follow. By my troth, this beginning pleases me as I return home; a happy omen and auguryA happy omen and augury: Bona scaeva strenaque. See the Note to l. 460. has met me in my path.
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STEPHANIUM
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I wish that it may appear wondrous to no one of you, Spectators,
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why I who live there (pointing to the house of PAMPHILUS) am come out hither from this other house: I’ll inform you thereon. Just now was I sent for to this house by the back way. For as soon as news was brought that the husbands of these ladies were about to come, we all hurried thither. We attended to laying the couches, and setting all in order. Still, amid these duties, I had a care for my friends,
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Stichus and my fellow-servant Sagarinus, that their dinner should be cooked. Stichus has been caterer; but for cooking it, I’ve appointed one my deputy. Now, I’ll be off hence, and attend to my friends, who, I see, are coming here.
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SAGARINUS
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Come, out of doors with you; lead on the processionLead on the procession: They are about to have their carousal in front of the house. Sagarinus puts on an air of importance, as if mustering all of a large company; whereas the only guests, besides himself, are Stichus and the Piper. Stephanium has gone to dress herself for the occasion.. Stichus, I appoint you commander of the cask. I’m resolved to prove our banquet in every fashion this day.
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So may the Gods love me, we are well entertained in being feasted in this place. I will that each person that passes by shall be invited to join the banquet.
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STICHUS
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Agreed, so long only as, i’ faith, each man comes with his own wineWith his own wine: It has been before remarked, that the symbola, or pic-nic was made on these terms.; for of this, a mouthful shall be given to no person but ourselves, this day. Eating aloneEating alone: Monotrophi. From the Greek word μονοτροφοὶ, eaters alone., let’s wait upon ourselves.
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SAGARINUS
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This banquet,
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for our means, is quite sufficient, with its nuts, beans, figsNuts, beans, figs: These articles formed the usual food of the Roman slaves., a dish of olives, pounded lupines, and a cake.
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STICHUS
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It better becomes a man who is a slave to bring his expenses within moderation than beyond. Each one to his own station; they, who have wealth at home, drink from cups, goblets, and bowls; we, if we are now
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drinking from our Samian jugSamian jug: A plain earthenware goblet, or cup. Reference has been already made to the Samian pottery. The Proverb in this line is similar to ours, of each cutting his cloth according to his measure., still build our walls according to our means.
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SAGARINUS
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But while she who is your mistress and mine is arranging her hair, and bedecking herself, I wish us to have some diversion among ourselves. I appoint you the commanderThe commander: Strategum. This is a Greek word, signifying the commander of an army. It was usual with the Greeks, Romans, and Jews, to appoint a master of the feast, who probably gave the toasts, looked to the comforts of the guests, and took care that the quality of the wine was satisfactory. See the second Chapter of St. John, v. 8. of this feast.
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STICHUS
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Very aptly does it suggest itself to your mind.
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SAGARINUS
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Wouldn’t we be more suitablyPart of line 703 in the Latin. entertained like CynicsEntertained like Cynics: The absurdities consequent on the unity of place in the Roman Comedy could not possibly be better illustrated than in the present instance. The servants not only carouse in front of their master’s house, but absolutely bring out couches to recline upon. Persons of rigid manners, and especially the Cynic philosophers, persisted in retaining the old posture of sitting at meals; to that circumstance reference is here made. on benches here, than upon couches?
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STICHUS
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Aye, but this is far the most pleasant.
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SAGARINUS
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On which side is each of us to recline by our mistress?
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STICHUS
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Of course you go to the upper place. And, so that you may understand it, I make a division with you on these terms: consider, and take which province you would even like now to take.
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SAGARINUS
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But what’s your meaning about this province?
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STICHUS
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Whether you would choose to hold the command over the water or over Bacchus.
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SAGARINUS
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Over Bacchus, most distinctly.
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But, in the meantime, general of ours, why stands this goblet here? See how many cupsHow many cups: Cyathos. The cyathus was a cup which contained a fixed and definite measure. It contained but a small quantity, one- twelfth part of a sextarius, which was not quite an English pint. It seems most probable that the cyathus was used for the purpose of ladling the wine out of the bowl, or cratera, in which it was mixed with water, into the goblets or cups. The question of Sagarinus here seems to apply to the number of cyathi of the pure wine which they had been drinking at each goblet-full that they took, as otherwise they would be making but slow inroads on the cadus, five cyathi holding, perhaps, about as much as three of our ordinary wine-glasses. It is not improbable that a portion of the Play is lost here. we have drunk.
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STICHUS
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As many as there are fingers on your hand. The Greek song is, Drink either your five cupsEither your five cups, etc.: These words are in Greek. Eustathius and Athenaeus say that this Greek song bears reference to the proportions of water that should be mixed with the wine. It seems, however, here to mean that there’s luck in odd numbers when you are drinking. or your three, but not your four.
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SAGARINUS
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I pledge you. Do you take for yourself the tenth part from the fountainFrom the fountain: The fons in this case was probably a pitcher of water which they had on the table. Sagarinus seems to recommend him, in mixing, only to take one-tenth part of water. Sober people generally mixed in the proportion of three-fifths water and two-fifths wine., if you are wise. Here’s luck to you, luck to us; here’s luck to thee, luck to me; luck to our Stephanium as well.
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STICHUS
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’Tis bravely done. I pledge you in a goblet.
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SAGARINUS
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Keep your wine;Part of line 712 in the Latin. I’d very much like something by way of a relishBy way of a relish: By pulpamentum Sagarinus seems to mean some dainty, by way of a relish; at least, Stichus so understands him, as he points to the nuts, beans, figs, lupines, and olives on the table, and tells him that he will get nothing else..