Petronius, Satyricon
Michael Heseltine, Ed.

[21] We wanted to cry out for pain, but there was no one to come to the rescue, and when I tried to cry“Help, all honest citizens!” Psyche pricked my cheek with a hair-pin, while the girl threatened Ascyltos with a wet sponge which she had soaked in an aphrodisiac. . . .

At last there arrived a low fellow in a fine brown suit with a waistband . . . .

Modo extortis nos clunibus cecidit, modo basis olidissimis inquinavit, donec Quartilla balaenaceam tenens virgam alteque succincta iussit infelicibus dari missionem . . . .

[p. 31] We both of us took a solemn oath that the dreadful secret should die with us. . . .

A number of attendants came in, rubbed us down With pure oil, and refreshed us. Our fatigue vanished, we put on evening dress again, and were shown into the next room, where three couches were laid and a whole rich dinner-service was finely spread out. We were asked to sit down, and after beginning with some wonderful hors d'oeuvres we swam in wine, and that too Falernian. We followed this with more courses, and were dropping off to sleep, when Quartilla said, “Well, how can you think of going to sleep, when you know that is your duty to devote the whole night to the genius of Priapus?” . . .