Asinaria, or The Ass-Dealer

Perseus Latin · Perseus Latin · 707 sections

3.3.600
to write laws whereby the public may regulate itself. Psha! those who would be in readiness for themselves to pay obedience to his laws, would decidedly never do any good; they would be drinking night and day.
3.3.603
Troth now, for sure, he wouldn’t budge a foot from her if she would let him, who is now in such haste, and is threatening that he’s going away from her.
3.3.605
Now make an end of your talk, that I may catch his discourse.
3.3.606
Farewell!
3.3.606b
Whither are you hastening?
3.3.606c
Kindly fare you well! I shall see you in the other world. For indeed now, so soon as I can, I shall sever myself from life.
3.3.608
Prithee, why, while I do not deserve it, do you wish to consign me to death?
3.3.609
I—you? whom, if I were to hear that you were in want of life, at once would I
3.3.610
present you my own life, and from my own would add to yours.
3.3.611
Why, then, do you threaten that you will quit life? For what do you suppose that I shall do, if you do that which you are talking of? I’m determined to do everything exactly the same to myself that you do to yourself.
3.3.614
O! sweeter than honey are you to me.
3.3.614b
And surely you are my life. Embrace me.
3.3.615
I do so with pleasure.
3.3.615c
Would that thus we might be carried to the tomb.
3.3.616
O Libanus, how wretched is the man that loves.
3.3.616b
Aye, but surely, faith, the man that’s hanging up is much more wretched.
3.3.617b
I know that, who have had experience of it. Let’s go round them: let’s accost them, one on the one side, one on the other.
3.3.619
Health to you, master. But is this female, smoke, that you are embracing?
3.3.620
Why so?
3.3.620b
Because your eyes are filled with tears; ’twas for that reason I asked.
3.3.621
One who would have been a protector to you, you have lost.
3.3.622
I’ faith, I surely haven’t lost one; for this reason, be cause I never had one.
3.3.623
Health to you, Philenium.
3.3.623b
What you desire, the Gods will give you.
3.3.624
I could desire your favours, and a cask of wine, if wishes were to come to pass.
3.3.625
Whip-knave, beware how you speak a word.
3.3.625b
Why, ’tis for you, not for myself, I wish it.
3.3.626
For that reason, then, say on what you please.
3.3.626b
Troth, I’d like to give him a beating.
3.3.627
Who, pray, would allow you to do so, you frizzle- pated mountebank? Could you thrash me, you, who reckon as your daily food your own thrashings?
3.3.629
How far superior, Libanus, are your lots to my own,
3.3.630
who never will live this day until the evening.
3.3.630b
For what reason, prithee?
3.3.631
Because I’m in love with her, and she’s in love with me, and nowhere have I anything to bestow upon her; for that reason has her mother expelled me with all my affection from her house. The twenty minae of silver have brought me to my end, which the young man, Diabolus, declared that he would give her this day,
3.3.635
in order that she mightn’t send her anywhere, for this whole year, except to himself. Don’t you see of what force are twenty minae of silver, or what they can effect? The man who parts with them is happy; I, who part not with them, am undone.
3.3.638
Has he already paid the money?
3.3.638b
He hasn’t paid it.
3.3.638c
Be of good courage; don’t be afraid.
3.3.639
Step this way, Libanus, I want you.
3.3.639b
Certainly, if you want anything.
3.3.639c
I entreat of you,
3.3.640
is it more pleasant in this same matter for you to discourse hugging one another?
3.3.641
Understand, master, that all things are not equally sweet to all persons. ’Tis pleasant for you lovers to converse, hugging one another; I care nothing for his hugging (pointing to LEONIDA), and (pointing to PHILENIUM) she despises mine. Do you then yourself do that which you would be suggesting to us to do.
3.3.645
Indeed I will, and really with pleasure, i’ faith. (Placing his arm round PHILENIUM’S neck.) In the meantime, if it seems good to you, do you step aside there.
3.3.646b
Should you like our master to be bantered a bit?
3.3.646c
He really is deserving of it.
3.3.647
Should you like me, in his presence, to make Philenium embrace me?
3.3.648
I’ faith, I should like it.
3.3.648b
Follow me this way.
3.3.648c
Is there any escape at all? Have you conversed enough?
3.3.649
Listen, and give attention, and devour my words.
3.3.650
First of all, that we are your slaves, we don’t deny; but if twenty silver minae are forthcoming for you, by what name will you call us?
3.3.652b
Freed-men.
3.3.652c
And not patrons?
3.3.653
That in preference.
3.3.653b
Here are twenty minae in this bag. These, if you like, I’ll give you.
3.3.654b
May the Deities ever preserve you,
3.3.655
protector of your master, honor to the people, treasury of resources, preserver of my inner man, and commander of love; place it here, put down that bag, here on the spot, at once.
3.3.658
I don’t like you, who are my master, to carry this load.
3.3.659
Still, do you rid yourself of the trouble, and fasten that bag to myself.
3.3.660
I’ll carry it, porter-like; you, as befits my master, go, without any burden, before me.
3.3.661
How now?
3.3.661b
Why’s this?
3.3.661c
Why don’t you give up the bag here, for your master to feel its weight?
3.3.662
Bid her to whom I’m about to give it, to beg and entreat it of me. For that’s a dangerous spot where you bid me put it down at once.
3.3.664
Apple of my eye, my rose, my life, my delight,
3.3.665
Leonida, do give me the money, and don’t sever us lovers asunder.
3.3.666
Call me, then, your little sparrow, your chicken, your quail, your pet lamb: say that I’m your pet kid or your pet calf; take me by the ears, press your lips to my lips.
3.3.669
She, kiss you, you whip-scoundrel?
3.3.669b
Really, how unbecoming it does seem!
3.3.670
But, by the powers, you shan’t get it this day, if my knees are not embraced.
3.3.671
Necessity compels to anything. (To LEONIDA.) Let them be embraced (kneels down and embraces his knees): now give what I’m asking for.
3.3.672
Come, my Leonida, prithee do bring safety to your master thus in love. Redeem yourself from him by this service, and purchase him for yourself with this money.
3.3.674
You are very pretty and amiable; and if this were mine, you should never this day
3.3.675
ask me for it, but I would give it you: ’tis better for you to ask it of him (pointing to LIBANUS), for ’twas he gave it me to keep for him. Approach him then prettily, my pretty one. (Delivers the bag to LIBANUS.) Take this, please, Libanus.
3.3.677b
Scoundrel, are you still trifling with me?
3.3.678
I’ faith, I should never have done so, if you hadn’t embraced my knees so roughly. (Aside to LIBANUS.) Come, please, in your turn, do you at once have some sport with him, and give her an embrace.
3.3.680
Hold your tongue; trust me for that.
3.3.680b
Why don’t we accost him, Philenium? (pointing to LIBANUS)—really, a very worthy fellow, upon my faith, and not like this thief (pointing to LEONIDA).
3.3.682
We must walk up and down; now, in my turn, they’ll be entreating me.
3.3.683
By heaven, Libanus, I do entreat you, be pleased by your deeds to come to your master’s rescue; do give me those twenty minae: you see that thus in love I stand in need of them.
3.3.685
It shall be seen to; I wish it done; return here at nightfall. Now bid her, ever so little, to beg and entreat them of me.
3.3.687
Do you wish me to begin with caressing, or with kissing you?
3.3.688
Why, really, with them both.
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And do you then, I do entreat you, prove the saving of us both.
3.3.689
O Libanus, my patron, do give me that; ’tis more becoming
3.3.690
for the freed-man, than for the patron, to be carrying a burden in the street.
3.3.691
My Libanus, golden apple of my eye, the gift and the very grace of love; there’s a dear, whatever you wish, I’ll do; prithee, do give us that money.
3.3.693
Call me, then, your little duck, dove, or your puppet; your swallow, jackdaw, little sparrow, your mannikin:
3.3.695
make of me the reptile that crawls, so that I may have a double tongue; enfold me in your arms, and embrace my neck.
3.3.697
She, embrace you, villain?
3.3.697b
Really, how undeserving I do seem. You shan’t for no purpose have uttered a speech so unseemly against me. By my troth, if indeed you expect to get this money, this day you shall carry myself on your shoulders.
3.3.700
What? I, carry you?
3.3.700b
Otherwise, you shan’t get this money from me.
3.3.701
Heavens, I’m undone! Still, if indeed it is decorous for the master to carry the servant, mount.
3.3.702b
In this way are proud people wont to be tamed. Stand still then, just as you were wont to do when formerly a boy. Do you understand what I say? (He prepares to get upon the shoulders of ARGYRIPPUS.) Aye—so—move on: I praise you much; not any horse is there more clever than yourself as a horse.
3.3.705
Get on, directly.
3.3.705b
I’ll do so. (He gets on.) Hallo!—what’s the matter? How are you going? By my troth, I’ll deprive you of your barley then, if you don’t amble, lifting up your feet.
3.3.707
Prithee, Libanus, there’s enough now.
3.3.707b
Never this day, by my troth, shall you get anything by entreaty. For now up hill with the spur will I push on my steed. After that, I’ll deliver you to the millers, that there you may be tortured as you run.

Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0119.phi002.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: Available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source.