GLYCERA Thais, do you know the Acarnanian soldier, who
in the old days kept Abrotonum, and afterwards fell
in love with me—the dandy, I mean, with the fine
military cloak—or have you forgotten the fellow? THAIS No, Glycera, dearie, I know him. He drank with
us last year at the harvest celebrations. But what
of it? You looked as though you had something to
tell me about him. GLYCERA That nasty thing Gorgona, who pretends to be my
friend, has got her claws into him and stolen him
from me behind my back. THAIS So now he won’t be visiting you any more, but
has taken Gorgona to be his mistress. GLYCERA Yes, Thais, and it’s hurt me very much. THAIS It was a dirty trick, dearie, but only to be expected;
it’s a common practice of us girls. So you
mustn’t take it too hard or blame Gorgona; for,
earlier on, Abrotonum didn’t blame you over him;
and yet you’d been friends. But I do wonder what
this soldier man found in her, unless he’s absolutely
blind and hadn’t noticed that her hair is thin on top
and receding a long way in front; her lips are
livid and her neck’s scraggy with the veins all
standing out, and what a long nose she’s got! Her
only good point is that she’s tall and has a good
carriage and a very attractive smile. GLYCERA Why, Thais, you don’t think the Acarnanian has
fallen for her beauty? Don’t you know that her
mother, Chrysarium, is a witch who knows Thessalian
spells, and can bring the moon down? Why,
they say she even flies of a night. She’s the one
who’s sent the fellow out of his senses by giving him
a drink of her brew, and now they’re making a fine
harvest out of him. THAIS You’ll have your harvest too, dearie; you’ll find
someone else; let him go to the devil.