Enter PARDALISCA, from the house, laughing aloud.PARDALISCA

to herself. Upon my faith, I do not believe that at NemeaAt Nemea: Nemea was a town near Corinth, where games were held in honor of Hercules, in remembrance of his slaying the Nemean Lion. At Olympia, in Elis, the Olympic games in honor of Jupiter were celebrated., nor do I think that at Olympia, or anywhere else, there ever where such funny games as these ridiculous games that are going on in-doors here with our old gentleman and our bailiff Olympio. In-doors, all over the house, all are in a bustle; the old man is bawling away in the kitchen, and urging on the cooks. "Why don't you go to work at once? Why don't you serve up, if you are going to serve up? Make haste; the dinner ought to have been cooked by this." And then this bailiff is strutting about with his chapletWith his chaplet: Among the Romans the bridegroom wore a wreath or chaplet of flowers on his head., clothed in white and finely rigged out. And then these women are dressing up the armour-bearer in the bedroom, to give him to be married to our bailiff in place of Casina; but the artful baggages very cleverly conceal what the upshot of thisThe upshot of this: The meaning of this passage is obscure. It perhaps, however, means that they conceal from Chalinus how far they intend him to go in the joke, for fear lest he should refuse his services. is really to be. Then too, in a manner quite worthy of them, the cooks are very cleverly doing their best to the end that the old gentleman mayn't get his dinner. They are upsetting the pots, and putting out the fire with the water. At the request of these ladies they are so doing;they, too, are determined to bundle the old fellow dinnerless out of doors, that they by themselves may blow out their own stomachs. I know these female gluttons; a merchant-ship A merchant-ship: "Corbitam," "a merchant-ship." This word gave rise to the French word "corvette." Merchant-ships are said to have been so called from their carrying a "corbis," or "basket," at the mast-head; probably to show at a distance that they were traders, and not ships of war. full of victuals they can devour. But the door is opening.

Enter STALINO, from the house.STALINO

speaking to CLEOSTRATA, within. If you are wise, wife, you'll dine, after all, when the dinner's cooked. I shall dine in the country, for I'm desirous to attend the new-made husband and the newly-made bride into the country (I know the mischievous habits of persons), that no one may carry her off. Do you people indulge your appetite. But do make haste and send him and her out immediately, that at least we may get there in daylight. I shall be here tomorrow; to-morrow, wife, I'll be having a banquet still.

PARDALISCA

aside. 'Tis as I said it would be; the women are packing the old fellow dinnerless out of doors.

STALINO

to PARDALISCA.What are you doing here?

PARDALISCA

I'm going whither she sent me.

STALINO

Really?

PARDALISCA

Seriously.

STALINO

What are you looking for here?

PARDALISCA

Really I'm looking for nothing at all.

STALINO

Be off; you are loitering here; the others are bustling about in-doors.

PARDALISCA

I'm off.

STALINO

Be off, then, will you, away from here, you jade of jades. PARDALISCA goes into the house. Is she gone then? I may now say here anything I please. He that's in love, i' faith, even if he is hungry, isn't hungry at all. But see, the bailiff, my associate My associate: "Socius," "associate," seems certainly a much more rational reading than "socerus," "father-in-law," which Weise adopts. Amid all his folly, we can hardly imagine Stalino calling Olympio his father- in-law. From the present passage it would appear that the bridegroom was one of those who held the torches before the bride when she was led to his house., companion, and husband-in-copartnership, is coming out of doors with wreath and torch.

Enter OLYMPIO, dressed in white, with a wreath on his head, and a torch in his hand, accompanied by MUSICIANSOLYMPIO

to one of the MUSICIANS. Come, piper, while they are escorting the new-made bride out of doors, make the whole of this street resound with a sweet wedding-tuneWedding-tune: "Hymenæo." The nuptial-song was called "Hymenæus," in honor of Hymen, the God of Marriage. The above words were probably the refrain, or Chorus of the song.. He sings aloud. Io Hymen hymenæe! Io Hymen!

STALINO

accosting him. How fare you, my preserver?

OLYMPIO

I'm very hungry, faith; and, in fact, I'm not thirsty a little.

STALINO

But I'm in love.

OLYMPIO

Still, upon my faith, love, I shan't be making any trial of you. For some time past my inside has been grumbling with emptiness.

STALINO

But why is she now delaying so long in-doors, just as though on purpose? The greater the haste I'm in, in so much the less is she.

OLYMPIO

What if I were even to trill an hymeneal lay?

STALINO

I agree to that; and I'll help you at these our common nuptials.

OL. (STALING

joining, they sing). Hymen hymenæe! Io Hymen!

STALINO

Upon my faith, I'm dreadfully done up; one may burst one's self with singing this hymeneal lay; if I do burst this way If I do burst this way: The meaning of this passage is obscure, but there is no doubt that it is of an indecent nature. The translation is consequently somewhat modified., I can't burst any other, that I may make sure of.

OLYMPIO

Upon my faith, for sure, if you were a horse, you'd never be broken in.

STALINO

On what grounds?

OLYMPIO

You are too hard-mouthed.

STALINO

Have you ever found me so?

OLYMPIO

The Gods forbid! But the door makes a noise; they are coming out.

STALINO

I' troth, the Gods do will me to be preserved at last. I already smell Casina Already smell Casina: Some Commentators explain this passage as one of indecent allusion, but there is really no occasion for such a construction; no doubt, the bride was usually perfumed to the highest pitch, and Stalino may very naturally say that he smells her at a distance. at a distance. They move to a distance.

Enter, from the house, two FEMALE SERVANTS leading CHALINUS, veiled and dressed in women's clothes, as CASINA.TWO MAID-SERVANTS

Move on, and raise your feet a little over the threshold A little over the threshold: When the bridal procession left the house of the bride, and when it reached that of the husband, the bride was lifted over the threshold by "pronubi," men who had been married to only one wife, that she might not touch it with her foot, which was deemed an evil omen., newly-married bride; prosperously commence this journey, that you may always be alive for your husband, that you may be his superior in power, and the conqueror, and that your rule may gain the upper hand. Let your husband find you in clothes; you plunder your husband; by night and day to be tricking your husband, prithee, do remember.

OLYMPIO

to STALINO. Upon my faith, at her downright peril, the instant she offends me ever so little!

STALINO

Hold your tongue.

OLYMPIO

I shall not hold my tongue.

STALINO

What's the matter

OLYMPIO

These wicked jades are wickedly teaching her wicked lessons.

STALINO

Instead of being all ready, they'll be bringing this matter all into confusion for me. They are striving at that, wishing for it, that they may have it all undone.

TWO MAID-SERVANTS

Come, Olympio, as soon as you please, receive this wife of yours from us. They present CHALINUS to him.

OLYMPIO

Hand her to me then, if you are going to hand her to me at all to-day. They hand CHALINUS to him.

STALINO

to the FEMALE SERVANTS. Be off in-doors.

TWO MAID-SERVANTS

Prithee, do deal gently with her who is so young and inexperienced.

STALINO

It shall be so. Farewell; be off now.

TWO MAID-SERVANTS

Farewell. They go into the house.

STALINO

Is my wife now gone?

OLYMPIO

She's in the house; don't be afraid.

STALINO

Hurra! Now, faith, I'm free at last. Addressing himself to CHALINUS as CASINA. My sweetheart, my spring-flower My spring-flower: "Verculum." Literally, "My little spring." The Roman names of endearment seem to have been generally very silly ones., my little honey! Embraces him.

OLYMPIO

But, hark you! you'll beware, if you are wise, of some mishap: she's mine.

STALINO

I know that; but mine's the first enjoyment.

OLYMPIO

holding him the torch. Hold this torch for me.

STALINO

Why, no, I'll hold her in my arms in preference. All-powerful Venus, a happy existence hast thou given me in giving me the possession of her! A dear little body! a dear little honey! Hugs CHALINUS, who pretends to struggle.

OLYMPIO

shouting aloud. O my dear little wife! Jumps about on one leg.

STALINO

What's the matter?

OLYMPIO

She has trod upon my toes.

STALINO

aside. I'll compliment her, as it were. A mist is not so soft as is— Pulls CHALINUS about. A pretty little bosom, upon my faith. CHALINUS gives him a thrust with his elbow, on which he roars out. Woe to unfortunate me!

OLYMPIO

What's the matter?

STALINO

She struck me in the breast with her elbow.

OLYMPIO

Why then, pray, do you maul her about? But she does not do so to me, who touch her gently. CHALINUS gives him a poke with his elbow. O me!

STALINO

What's the matter?

OLYMPIO

Prithee, how robust she is! she has almost laid me flat with her elbow.

STALINO

She wishes, then, to go to bed To go to bed: There is a childish play here on the words "cubito," "with her elbow," and "cubitum." "to go to bed.".

OLYMPIO

Nay but, why don't we be off?

STALINO

taking hold of CHALINUS. My pretty, pretty little dear! They go into the house of ALCESIMUS.