Specimens of the Poets and Poetry of Greece and Rome

Ptol. Give me your hands: rise both: no woman | In mind and deed is fitter for the gallows

ever

Was more inclin'd to pity; but alas!

My state is poor and mean: hardly indeed

I get support, and for a livelihood

I serve our Venus.

Pal.

Is this Venus' temple. Ptol. The same; and I'm her priestess.-Such as 'tis,

You shall find here a courteous entertainment,
As far as my scant means will give me power.
Come then with me.
Pal.

Than Venus' temple.

You tender us, good mother, And carried off the damsels.-I'm a conjurer.—

Enter FISHERMEN, with their lines, nets, &c. A Fish. We poor folks lead a sorry life, especially

If we have learn'd no trade, no occupation,
So of necessity must be content

With what we have.-Guess ye, how rich we are
By this our tackle. These poor hooks and rods
Are all we have to live by. From the city
We

We come here to the sea in quest of forage.
Our sport and exercise is catching lobsters,
Crabs, oysters, cockles, every kind of fish;
Some with our hooks, some get we from the rocks.
We draw all our provisions from the sea:
If we catch nothing, then well sous'd and pickled
We e'en sneak home, and sleep on empty bel-
lies.-

The sea is now so rough, we have no hope
Of sport here; and except we get some shell-fish,
We must go supperless.-We will beseech
Good Venus here to favour and befriend us.
[They advance towards the temple.
SCENE II.

Enter TRACHALIO, at a little distance.
I've used my best endeavours not to slip
My master any where. When he went out,
He said that he was going to the port,
And bade me meet him here at Venus' temple.—
But see, some people stand there opportunely,
Of whom I may inquire. I'll up to them.
Save you, ye sea-thieves, ye starv'd generation!
How fares it with you?

Fish. As with fishermen; Dying with hunger, thirst, and expectation. Trach. Have you seen come this way, since

My master was invited by the knave

To dinner here: I had best stay his coming:
And if I see the priestess, I'll inquire
If she can give me further information:
She may perhaps know more.

How near is dinner ready?
Amp.

Pray, what dinner?
Truch. You're sacrificing here.
Amp.
What are you dreaming?
Trach. Why sure your master Labrax did invite
My master Pleusidippus here to dinner.
Amp. No wonder what you say.-If he de-

ceive

Both gods and men, he acts but like a pimp.
Trach. Are you not sacrificing? nor my master?
Amp. You've guess'd it.

Trach.
Prithee then what do you here?
Amp. From dire afflictions, from severest

frights,

From hazard of our lives, in want of succour, The priestess took us in, me and Palæstra. Trach. Ha! is Palæstra here, my master's love? Amp. Yes, verily.

Trach.

There's pleasure in your news,

My Ampelisca.-But I long to know

The perils you were in.

Amp.

Last night was cast away.

Trach.

What story's this?

Amp.

PLAUTUS.

Our ship, Trachalio,

Ship? cast away?

Have you not heard, forsooth,
How that our master privately design'd
To carry us away to Sicily,

And put on ship-board all that he was worth?
Now all is lost.
Trach.

Thanks, gentle Neptune: verily Thou art a cunning gamester; thou hast giv'n him

A pleasant cast i'faith: the rogue is done for.*-
But where's the villain now?
Amp.

Dead drunk, I fancy;
For Neptune had invited him last night
To deep potations, and, as I suppose,
Gave him a finishing cup.

Trach.

O how I love thee,

My Ampelisca! What a dear sweet creature!
There's honey in thy words too!-But inform me,
How 'scap'd you and Palæstra?
Amp.

343

A constant watch, been always upon guard.
Yes truly, 'tis so like them,―his concern
And care about her tallied with his love.
Trach. Do you not know, when a man goes to
bathe,

Let him be e'er so mindful of his clothes,
They yet are stolen: for he can't devise
Whom he should have an eye to; but the thief,
Holds easily his mark of observation

Point blank before him: all the while our spark
Kens not the lurking knave.-But bring me to her.
Where is she, pray?

Go straight into the temple:
Amp.
You'll find her sitting there, all drown'd in tears.
Trach. I'm sorry for't!-but wherefore doth
she weep?

Amp. I'll tell you. She is vexed to the soul,
That the procurer should have ta'en her casket,
Where she had lodg'd some trinkets, which, she
hop'd,

Might lead to a discovery of her parents;
And now she fears 'tis lost.

Where was the casket?
Trach.
Amp. He lock'd it in his wallet, to prevent
What a shame,

You shall hear. Discovery of her parents.
Trach.

Seeing the ship borne full upon a rock,
We, sore affrighted, leap'd into the boat:
I hasten'd to untie the rope that held her;
And while the rest were wrapp'd in wild dismay,
Our boat was sever'd from them by the storm,
Which drove us to the right; and in this wise,
Poor helpless souls, toss'd by the winds and

waves,

We pass'd the livelong night, till on the morn
The wind scarce bore us to the shore quite

spent.

Trach. I understand; - 'tis ever Neptune's
way:-

He's a most dainty Ædile,† and whenever
He finds commodities stark naught, the word
At once is "over with them."

A plague on you!
Amp.
Trach. On you, my Ampelisca.-But I knew
The scurvy pimp would do what he has done;—
And I have often said it:-I had best
Let my hair grow, and set up for a conjurer.+
Amp. A pretty care you took, with all your
foresight,

You and your master, to prevent his going!
Trach. What could he do?

A lover he, and ask you
Amp.
What could he do? Day, night, be should have kept
This is a joke in the original, depending on the double
sense of the phrase jacere bolum, as also of the word
perdere.

O Neptune lepide, salve!

Nec te aleator ullus est sapientior: profectò Nimis lepidè jecisti bolum; perjurum perdidisti. Jacere bolum signifies the casting a net, as well as casting of dice; and by perdere is understood, to cause to perish, or to ruin any one in the gamester's sense.

It was the business of the Edile, among the Romans, to inspect and regulate the market. Among the Greeks there was an officer, whose province was the same, who was called Agoranomus, which appellation our author himself introduces in his Captives.

It was the custom, it seems, for those who were employed in divining to wear their hair very long.

To make a slave of one that should be free!
Amp. She thinks it with the ship gone to the
bottom.

All the old fellow's treasure too was with it:
Some one, I hope, has dived, and brought it up:
She is sore grieved for the loss of it.

Trach. 'Tis fit that I should go and comfort her.
But let her not despond; for true it is,
Good oft befalls us, when we least expect it.
Amp. And true it is, that when we trust in hope,
We're often disappointed.

Trach.

Patience then

Is the best remedy against affliction.-
I'll in, except you want me further.
Amp.

SCENE V.

Go. [Exit TRACHALIO.

AMPELISCA alone.

I'll now do what the priestess order'd me:
I'll beg some water here at the next house.
She told me if I ask'd it in her name,
They'd give it me forthwith. I never saw
A worthier old woman, more deserving
How courteously,
Favour from gods and men.
And with what gentle breeding she receiv'd us
Trembling, in want, wet, cast away, half-dead,-
And treated us as though we were her children!
How readily herself did warm us water
For us to wash!-But I must mind her orders,
That I mayn't make her wait.
here?
(knocking at Dæmones' door.) Ho! who's within

Open the door.-Will nobody come forth?

Scep. What good d'ye bring us?-By my troth, | And his Sicilian guest, whom I believed A likely wench.

Amp.

Good day to you, young man. Scep. The same to you, young woman. Amp.

Both drown'd!-More evil still survives to plague

Than we imagin'd.—Why do I not run
Into the temple to inform Palæstra,
That we may fly to the altar ere he come
And seize us?-I'll be gone:-the occasion

I am come to you,-
Scep. I'll entertain you, if you come anon,
As you could wish: at present I have nothing
To satisfy your wants.-Ah ha, my pretty one!
My smirking, smiling rogue! (offering to embrace And suddenly inspires the thought.

Amp.

her.)

Fye, now you are too rude.

Scep.

Let me alone :

By heavens, the very
Image of Venus! What a sparkling eye
The jade has! what a shape!-what a com-
plexion!

A walnut, a nut brown I meant to say!-
What breasts!-what pretty pouting lips!-

Amp. (struggling.)

(lays hold of her.) Be quiet!

I am not for your turn-d'ye think me com

mon?

What! can't you keep your hands off?— Scep.

May I not toy a little?

Amp.

Prithee, sweet,

By-and-by,

When I'm at leisure, I'll then trifle with you :-
Now let me have your answer, aye or no,
To that which I was sent to ask.
Scep.

What would you?
Amp. Can you not guess by this?
(pointing to the pitcher.)
And can't you guess
The priestess sent me

Scep.
What I would have of you?
Amp.

To beg some water.
Scep.
I am proud and lordly:
Unless you sue to me with low petition,
You will not get a drop.-Our well we dug,
At our own hazard, with our proper tools.
Unless you woo me with much blandishment,
You will not get a drop.
Amp.

presses,

[Runs into the temple.

SCENE VIII. Enter SCEPARNIO.

Good heavens!

I ne'er believ'd such pleasure was in water;
I drew it with such heartiness!-The well
Methought too was less deep than heretofore;
With so much ease I drew it!-Verily
I am an oaf, that I should fall in love now
For the first time. Here, take your water, pre-
cious!

I would that you might carry it with that pleasure
Which I myself do; so shall I adore you.
Where are you, dainty dear?—Here, take your

water.

Where are you?-Verily I think she loves me: The wanton plays at bo-peep.-Ho! where are you?

A pleasant joke i'faith:-but come, be serious. Why won't you take it?-Where in the world are you?

I see her nowhere-she's upon the fun.—
I'll leave it on the ground.-But softly-what
If some one take the pitcher ?-It belongs
To Venus; and 'twould bring me into trouble.
'Gad I'm afraid, the jilt has some design
To trap me by its being found upon me:
The magistrate would have a fair pretence
To clap me into chains, if any one

Should chance to see me with it: for 'tis letter'd,—
Tells of itself whose property it is.

I'll call the priestess out, that she may take it. Why should you grudge I'll to the door then of the temple. (calling.) Ho To give me water, which an enemy Will give an enemy?

Enter LABRAX, followed by CHARMIDES, from among the cliffs at the further end of the stage.

Labr. He that would be a beggar and a wretch, Let him trust Neptune with his life and fortune: Whoe'er has any dealings with that god, He'll send him home again in this sweet trim.— Ah, Liberty, 'twas wisely done of you, That thou would'st ne'er set foot on board a ship With Hercules.-But where's this friend of mine, Who has undone me? (looking back.) Oh, see where he crawls.

Charm. What a plague, Labrax, whither in such hurry?

I can't keep up with you, you walk so fast.
Labr. Would thou hadst died in Sicily on a

gallows,

E'er I set eyes on thee, on whose account,
Ah me! this vile disaster has befallen us.

Charm. Because I chatter with my teeth so terribly.

Charm. Would thou hadst lain in prison, on Yes, yes, I own I have deserved this ducking.

the day

Thou first admitted me within thy doors!
And I beseech the gods, that all thy life
Thou may'st for ever have such guests as I.
Labr. When I let thee in, I let in Misfortune.-
Why did I hearken to thee, thou vile rogue?
Why did I thence depart? why go on ship-
board?

Where I have lost e'en more than I was worth.*
Charm. I marvel not our ship was cast away,
When it had such a rogue as thee on board,
And thy ill-gotten pelf.

With thy cajoling speeches.

Charm.

Labr. Why so?

Charm. Because I dared embark with thee, Whose crimes have stirr'd up ocean from its bottom.

Labr. Fool! to have listen'd to thy vain pre

tences,

That in thy country I from girls should draw
Huge profit, and amass a world of riches!

Charm. Why, thou unclean, unhallow'd beast,
didst think

To gobble up all Sicily at a mouthful?

Labr. I wonder what sea-beast has gobbled up
My wallet, with the treasure pack'd within it.
Charm. The same, I fancy, that has got my
pouch,

With all its silver, which was in the wallet.
Labr. Alas! I am reduced to this one waistcoat,

Thou hast given me A more atrocious supper, than which erst Was set before or Tereus or Thyestes.t Labr. I die! I'm sick at heart! pray, hold my And this poor shabby cloak.-Undone for ever! head. Charm. We may set up in partnership together; Charm. Would thou couldst bring thy lungs Our means are equal. Labr. Were the damsels saved, Some hope were left me.-Now, if Pleusidippus, Who gave me earnest for Palæstra, see me, "Twill cause me much vexation. (he cries.)

up, for my part.

Labr. Alas! poor Ampelisca, and Palæstra, Where are you?

Charm.

Food for fishes, I suppose;

Gone to the bottom.
Labr.
Thou hast brought upon me
Beggary and want, because I gave an ear
To thy romancings.
Charm.

Nay, thou ow'st me thanks:
Before, thou wast a dull insipid fellow;
I've given thee salt and seasoning to thy wit.
Labr. Go, get thee hence, and hang thyself.
Charm.
Go thou.-

I did as bad, when I embark'd with thee.
Labr. Can there exist a wretch like me?
Charm.

I am more wretched.

Labr.

Charm.

Deserve it, but thou dost.

Labr.

That these two damsels here in Venus' temple Should so bewail them, and embrace her image? Yes, I, They have I know not what strange fears:-they talk

Of having been last night toss'd on the sea,

How?

I envy your condition, who preserve

For evermore your dryness.

Charm.

By my troth

My words come from me broken, and as 'twere
By fits, like lightning, flash succeeding flash,
I tremble so.

Where are the damsels, whom you mention?
Scep.

In Venus' temple.

Labr.

Charm. How happy are the blacksmiths, who I could make shift to toy with either of them.

SCENE XI.

CHARMIDES and SCEPARNIO.
Charm. Prithee now show me some place,
Where I may sleep, good friend.

Scep.
Sleep where you will;
There's no one hinders; the highway is common.
Charm. D'ye see? my clothes here are wet
through then take me

Into thy house, lend me some fresh apparel, While mine is drying: thou shalt have my thanks. Scep. Here, you may take this coarse frock, if you will,

It's all that I have dry: it serves to shelter me In rainy weather. Come, give me your clothes; I'll get them dried.

Charm.

So! is it not enough

The sea has made a broken merchant of me,
But thou wouldst take me in, too, on the land?
Scep. Broken or whole, I value not a straw:
I shall not trust a rag without a pawn.
Whether you sweat or freeze, are sick or well,
I will not let a stranger in the house:
No, no, I've had enough of rogues already.
[Exit SCEPARNIO.

How many ways the gods make sport of men!
How strangely do they fool us in our dreams!
Even in sleep they will not let us rest.
As for example, I myself last night
Dreamt a most strange, and an unheard-of dream.
Methought an ape made an attempt to climb
Up to a swallow's nest, nor could he take
The young ones out; on which he came to me,
And asked me for a ladder: I replied,

That swallows sprang from Philomel and Progne,
And charged him not to hurt my country folks.
At this the ape grew much enraged, and seem'd
To threaten me with vengeance, summon'd me
Before a judge: at last, I know not how,
Highly provok'd, I caught him by the middle,
And clapp'd the mischievous vile beast in chains.
I have in vain endeavour'd to find out

This worst of villainies: let not the power
To impotent distress, and crush at once
Of wicked men oppress the innocent,
Who glory not in crimes: let punishment
Wait on bold vice, reward on modest virtue :
O let us live by law, and not oppression!
Run, run into the temple: I again
Implore your help, all that are near me, all
That hear my cry! O haste to bring them succour,
Who (as allow'd by custom) have here fled
To Venus and her priestess for protection.-
Break, break the neck of this vile injury,
Ere it may reach yourselves.

Dæm.
Now what's the matter?
Trach. O good old gentleman, whoe'er you are,
I do beseech you by these knees,-

Dæm.

Nay, prithee

The meaning of this dream.-But hark! what That pays so little reverence to the gods?

noise

Trach. A cheat, a profligate, a parricide,

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