T. Maccius Plautus, Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed
Henry Thomas Riley, Ed.

1 The elephant is wont: Pliny the Elder informs us that this was the vulgar notion with regard to the elephant. He also says that Aristotle tells us that two years is the duration of its pregnancy.

2 Name of Gelasimus: "Gelasimus" signifies "comical," "laughable," "funny," from the Greek verb γελάω, "to laugh."

3 Foreign habits: By "barbaros mores," he probably alludes to the Roman custom. of selling by auction, which was one of the duties of the "præco," or "herald," here rendered "auctioneer." Plautus frequently speaks at one moment as though addressing a Greek. and at the next, a Roman, audience.

4 To be repaid to his wife: If the divorce took place by mutual consent, then the "dos," or "marriage-portion," of the wife was returned. Such a circumstance occurring on a sudden, might very easily cause a necessity for recourse to the services of the auctioneer.

5 Has my property: "Mancupium," or "mancipium," was any species of property possessed by right of purchase. He here considers the dinners and the drinking-bouts, which he so misses, in the light of property to himself; the more especially as they had been purchased at the price of his "logi," his "puns," or "bon mots."

6 Out of doors: "Foras;" "abroad," "out of doors.' The sales by auction took place in the open street.

7 Funny bon mots: "Logos." This word is the Greek λογὸς, signifying "a word," or "a witty saying," in a Latin clothing. It exactly corresponds with the expression "bon mots," which we have similarly borrowed from the French.

8 An Herculean breakfast: It is hard to say what he means by "Herculeum prandium:" but, as Hercules was supposed to send good luck to those who gave him the tenths of their property, whether that property consisted of a house or a meal, his meaning probably is, "Whoever invites me to a meal, that meal shall be as lucky to him as though he had sent the tenth part of it as an offering to Hercules."

9 Parasitical white lies: "Perjeratiunculas parasiticas." Literally, "parasitical little perjuries." This is probably meant in reference to the adjurations so common among the ancients on the most trivial occasions, and of which the Parasite promises to be lavish in speaking in praise of his entertainer. The diminutive "uncula" suits the measure, and also shows the air of self- satisfaction with which he mentions that which he takes to be of the same harmless nature which some easy casuists among ourselves attribute to what they choose to call white lies. Indeed, the ancients esteemed perjury very much according to the subject on which it was employed. Ovid mentions Mercury as laughing at the perjuries of cheating tradesmen, and Jupiter as smiling at those of lovers; surely, then, "a little bit of a perjury" (the true meaning of "perjeratiuncula") could not be amiss on an occasion so trivial, and yet, to the Parasite, so all-important, as the acquisition of a good dinner.

10 A rusty flesh-scraper: The "strigil" was an instrument used by the Greeks and Romans in the place of the flesh-brush of modern times. It was made of bone, iron, copper, and sometimes of silver. It was used after taking the "sudatorium," or sweating-bath, for the purpose of scraping the perspiration from the body. These instruments were of curved form, and in shape somewhat resembled our tongue-scrapers on a large scale. Rich persons took slaves with them to the baths for the purpose of scraping them. From Hesychius, Athenæus, and Theophrastus, we learn that Parasites were much in the habit of spunging for entertainers at the public baths; and, no doubt, they generally had ready, for an emergency, both a "strigil" and a bottle of perfumed ointment, as a handy medium of introduction to strangers.

11 A rusty-coloured brown bottle: The "ampulla," or "bottle,' was probably a "lorea," or leather one, and had turned of a rusty-brown colour from age.

12 Greek unguents: By mentioning "Greek unguents," Plautus here recollects that he is addressing a Latin audience. The Greek cosmetics and perfumes were much esteemed at Rome. Ovid, in the Art of Love, mentions the Athenian "œsypum," which was much used by the Roman ladies for making the complexion clear. It was made from the sweat and grease of the fleeces of the sheep of Attica.

13 The sweating-baths: The "sudatorium," or "vapour" or "sweating bath," was also called by the Romans "Laconicum;" because it was the habit of the Lacedæmonians to strip and anoint themselves, without using warm water, after the perspiration caused by athletic exercises. Cicero styles it "assa," because it produced perspiration by means of a dry hot atmosphere. After it had been used, and the "strigil" applied to the skin, the bather was dried with towels, and then anointed, when the "unctiones Græcæ" of the Parasite would be in demand. These were used either to close the pores of the skin and to prevent the person from catching cold, or to keep the skin from being rough when dried with the towel. Probably the Parasites were ready to give a hand on an emergency in assisting to rub down and anoint the bather, especially if he was known to keep a good "cuisine."

14 After-dinner powders: " Crapularios."These were probably soft and tasteless (malacos) powders, used, like our dinner-pills, in order to prevent the bad effects of heating the, stomach with rich food and excess of wine. A clover Parasite would, of course, always have these in readiness on an emergency.

15 Tenth part to Hercules: He seems to be about to give a fictitious reason for his anxiety to get a dinner--that, forsooth, like a pious man he may have the greater amount of tithes to present to Hercules. The hiatus precludes as from forming any very determinate opinion on the meaning of the passage.

16 Miccotrogus: This is a Greek compound word, which signifies "crumb-eater;" in it he alludes to his short commons.

17 Are the entrails cooked: It has been already remarked, that after the sacrifice, the Gods having received their portion, the devotee took home the remainder, and invited his friends to come to his house and partake of it. The Parasite was not, perhaps, much in the wrong when he deemed a lamb's fry no bad dish. St. Paul alludes to this custom when he tells the converts to keep themselves from "things offered to idols."--Acts, ch. xv., v. 20; and ch. xxi. v. 25.

18 That so freely used to offer itself: It is very difficult to say exactly what the Parasite means by "lingua dataria." Perhaps he means to tell the girl that he is in a bad humour--that he now "gives" nothing at all, not even his tongue, which has been hitherto "dataria," or "at the service" of everybody. Now, however, he will put it up to sale by auction, and in future, before he says "dabo," "I'll give you my tongue" or, in other words, "my company" he will say, "cedo," "give me," or "tell me what is your offer" or "bidding.

19 Here take me: "Dabo." Literally, "I will give."

20 Just like a picture: "Ex picturâ." Literally, "out of a picture." He means, that he has assumed some attitude at that moment like that of a person in a picture or like a model in statuary, to which the word "pictura" also applies.

21 In a very tiny cup: "Pauxillulo." Most probably this is said in an ironical way. He perhaps refers to some injunction which, in his former and more palmy days, he had given to the boy when waiting at table, to be sure and provide him with a large cup, and not to mix too much water with the wine.