Miles Gloriosus
Plautus, Titus Maccius
Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.
- I’ll go in then.
- Go, and do take care steadily to follow my instructions. PLEUSICLES goes into the house of PERIPLECOMENUS.
- What mighty turmoils I create! What mighty engines 1 do set to work! This very day I shall take his mistress away from the Captain, if my soldiers are only well drilled[*](Are only well drilled: Manipulariswas a term applied to the common soldiers of the legion, inasmuch as they were formed into small companies, marshalled in open order, called manipuli.Each maniple had two centurions, whose duty it was to drill their men, inspect their arms, clothing, and food, visit the sentinels, and regulate the conduct of the privates both in the camp and in the field. They sat as judges in minor offences, and had the power of ordering corporal punishment, whence their badge of office was a vine sapling. Bene centuriaticonsequently means here well drilled.). But I’ll call him out. Goes to the door and calls. Hallo! Sceledrus, if you are not busy, come out to the front of the house; I, Palaestrio, call you.
Enter LUCRIO from the CAPTAIN’s house.LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO LUCRIO PALAESTRIO
- Sceledrus is not at leisure.
- Why so?
- He’s fast asleep, gulping[*](Asleep, gulping: Sorbeomeans not only to drink up, but to make that gulping noise in snoring which is produced by inhaling the breath with the mouth open, and the head thrown back. Palaestrio purposely misunderstands him, for the purpose of getting a confession out of him.).
- How, gulping?
- He’s snoring, ’twas that I meant to say: but, because ’tis very like gulping when you are snoring— ---
- What ! Is Sceledrus asleep in-doors?
- Not with his nose, in fact; for with that he is calling out loud enough.
- He has taken a cup by stealth; the butler has lately tapped a cask of nardine[*](A cask of nardine: According to the reading here adopted, he guesses that Sceledrus has got drunk upon some nardine wine, that had been lately tapped. The Romans used many articles for flavouring their wines. Spikenard, an Eastern aromatic, is here referred to. Horehound, squills, wormwood, and myrtle-berries were used for making medical wines. Cornels, figs, medlars, roses, asparagus, parsley, radishes, laurels, junipers, cassia, cinnamon, and saffron, with many other particulars, were also used for flavouring wines.). Oho! you rascal, you are his deputy-butler[*](His deputy-butler: Some Commentators take this passage to mean, that Sceledrus really was the promus, or butler; but it seems more probable that Palaestrio says, by way of accusation, Sceledrus has not only been acting the butler on this occasion, but you have been acting as his deputy, in secretly helping him to draw it. Lucrio was the subcustosof Sceledrus, the deputy-keeper of Philocomasium, and the under-butler as well.). Oho!
- What do you mean?
- How has he thought fit to go to sleep?
- With his eyes, I suppose.
- I don’t ask you that, you vagabond. Step this way: you’re undone now, unless I know the truth. Did you draw the wine for him?
- I did not draw it.
- Do you deny it?
- I’ faith, I do deny it undoubtedly; for he charged me not to tell. I really didn’t just[*](Didn’t just: He adheres to his promise by denying it in words, but m such a way as to make a full confession of what has happened. Heminawas a measure among the Greeks and Romans of nearly half a pint.) draw for him eight half pints into a pitcher, and, when drawn, he didn’t just drink it hot[*](Drink it hot: It has been already remarked, that the Romans were much in the habit of drinking wine, made warm and mixed with spices. The taking it at prandium, about twelve in the day, shows how Sceledrus presumed on the office of trust which had been conferred upon him.), at his breakfast.
- And you didn’t just drink as well?