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Enter STROBILUS, at a distance.
STROBILUS
to himself . Immortal Gods, with what and how great delights do you present me! I've got a four pound pot filled with gold; who there is richer than I? What man is there greater than I at Athens now; any one, I mean, to whom the Gods are propitious? LYCONIDES
to himself . Why, surely, I seemed just now to hear the voice of some one speaking here. STROBILUS
to himself . Ha! do I not see my master? LYCONIDES
to himself . Do I see Strobilus now, my servant? STROBILUS
to himself . 'Tis he himself. LYCONIDES
to himself . 'Tis no other. STROBILUS
to himself . I'll accost him. LYCONIDES
to himself . I'll step out1 towards him. I do think that he has been, as I requested him, to the old woman, the nurse herself of this damsel. STROBILUS
to himself . Why don't I tell him that I've found this prize, and speak out? For that reason, I'll beg of him to make me free. I'll go and speak to him. Addressing him. I've found---- LYCONIDES
What have you found? STROBILUS
Not that which the boys cry out that they've found in the bean2. LYCONIDES
And are you trifling with me then, as you are in the habit of doing? He turns as if to go away. STROBILUS
Master, stop; I'll speak out then; do listen. LYCONIDES
Come then, tell me. STROBILUS
I've found to-day, master very great riches. LYCONIDES
Where, pray? STROBILUS
A four pound pot3, I say, full of gold! LYCONIDES
What crime is this that I hear of from you? STROBILUS
I've stolen it from this old fellow, Euclio. LYCONIDES
Where is this gold? STROBILUS
In my box at home; I now wish to be made free. LYCONIDES
I, make you free, you fellow, brimful of wickedness? STROBILUS
Out upon you, master, I know what you would be at. Troth, I've cleverly tried your inclination; you were just getting ready to take it away from me; what would you do, if I had found it? LYCONIDES
You can't make good your pretences. Come, give up the gold! STROBILUS
I, give up the gold? LYCONIDES
Give it up, I say, that it may be given back to him. STROBILUS
Where am I to get it from? LYCONIDES
That which you confessed just now to be in your box. STROBILUS
I' faith, I'm in the habit of talking nonsense; 'twas in that way I was speaking. LYCONIDES
seizinq him . But do you know what?---- STROBILUS
Even kill me outright, i' faith, you never shall get it hence of me ... 4 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE AULULARIA BY CODRUS URCEUS. STROBILUS
---- the pot belonging to the old fellow, which I've not got. LYCONIDES
I will have it, whether you will or no; when I've tied you up all fours, and torn asunder your body for you tied up to the beam. But why do I delay to rush upon the jaws of this rascal, and why this instant do I not compel his soul to take its journey before its time5? Are you going to give it me or not? STROBILUS
I will give it you. LYCONIDES
I want you to give it me now, and not at a future time. STROBILUS
I'll give it now; but I entreat you to allow me to recover breath. LYCONIDES lets him go. Aha! What is it you want me to give you, master? LYCONIDES
Don't you know, you rascal? And do you dare to refuse me the four pound pot full of gold which you just now said you had stolen? Calling at the door. Hallo there! Where now are the flogging men? STROBILUS
Master, do hear a few words. Lyc. I won't hear; floggers, hallo there--hallo!
1 I'll step out: It must be supposed that Strobilus is a good way down a street, which emerges on the stage right opposite the Spectators; while Lyconides is in the front of the stage, and consequently beyond the nearer end of the street.
2 Found in the bean: This is explained as meaning a little worm or weevil, which boys used to seek for in beans and other pulse, and which they called "Midas"
3 A four pound pot: "Quadrilibris" probably alludes to the capacity of the pot, and not its weight. It was probably a jar made to contain four pounds weight of liquid.
4 The rest of this Play is unfortunately lost. From the Acrostic Argument which is prefixed to the Play, we learn that Lyconides obtained the gold, and gave it up to Euclio, who presented it to him as a marriage-portion with his daughter. In some of the Editions there is a Supplement to the last Scene, written in a very meagre style by some unknown author, which is not worth presenting to the reader The Supplementby Antonius Codrus Urceus, a learned scholar and professor at Bologna, is certainly somewhat superior, and, such as it is, a translation of it is here presented to the reader. Its chief fault is, that it indicates a greater change in the nature of the miser than is consistent with probability. Though Plautus doubtless depicted him as giving up the gold to his new son-in-law, it was probably on some other ground than a change of disposition.
5 Before its time: --The expression used here by Urceus is capable of two modes of translation; the most delicate one has been preferred.
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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