By heaven, Libanus, I do entreat you, be pleased by your deeds to come to your master’s rescue; do give me those twenty minae: you see that thus in love I stand in need of them. LIBANUS It shall be seen to; I wish it done; return here at nightfall. Now bid her, ever so little, to beg and entreat them of me. PHILENIUM (to LIBANUS.) Do you wish me to begin with caressing, or with kissing you? LIBANUS Why, really, with them both. PHILENIUM And do you then, I do entreat you, prove the saving of us both. ARGYRIPPUS O Libanus, my patron, do give me that; ’tis more becoming for the freed-man For the freed-man : By libertus, or freed-man, he means himself, while Libanus is his patronus, or patron. , than for the patron, to be carrying a burden in the street. PHILENIUM My Libanus, golden apple of my eye, the gift and the very grace of love; there’s a dear, whatever you wish, I’ll do; prithee, do give us that money. LIBANUS Call me, then, your little duck, dove, or your puppet; your swallow, jackdaw, little sparrow, your mannikin: make of me the reptile that crawls, so that I may have a double tongue A double tongue : An unseemly allusion is intended in this expression. ; enfold me in your arms, and embrace my neck. ARGYRIPPUS She, embrace you, villain? LIBANUS Really, how undeserving I do seem. You shan’t for no purpose have uttered a speech so unseemly against me. By my troth, if indeed you expect to get this money, this day you shall carry myself on your shoulders. ARGYRIPPUS What? I, carry you? LIBANUS Otherwise, you shan’t get this money from me. ARGYRIPPUS Heavens, I’m undone! Still, if indeed it is decorous for the master to carry the servant, mount. LIBANUS In this way are proud people wont to be tamed. Stand still then, just as you were wont to do when formerly a boy When formerly a boy : Honi soit qui mal y pense should be said to Lambinus and the other Commentators who have imagined an indelicate allusion to be couched under these words. He clearly alludes to the boyish game of leapfrog, at which they had in childhood been accustomed to make a back. . Do you understand what I say? (He prepares to get upon the shoulders of ARGYRIPPUS.) Aye—so—move on: I praise you much; not any horse is there more clever than yourself as a horse. ARGYRIPPUS (while stooping.) Get on, directly. LIBANUS I’ll do so. (He gets on.) Hallo!—what’s the matter? How are you going? By my troth, I’ll deprive you of your barley then, if you don’t amble If you don’t amble : Badizas. This is an adaptation of the Greek verb βαδίζω, to go. , lifting up your feet. ARGYRIPPUS Prithee, Libanus, there’s enough now. LIBANUS Never this day, by my troth, shall you get anything by entreaty. For now up hill with the spur will I push on my steed. After that, I’ll deliver you to the millers, that there you may be tortured as you run Tortured as you run : He alludes to the occupation of asses and worn-out horses in grinding at the corn-mill. . Stand still, that I may now at once get down for the hill, although you are but a bad one. (Gets off his shoulders.) ARGYRIPPUS Well now—since you’ve both made fun of me just as you liked, are you going to give the money? LIBANUS Why, yes, if, indeed, you erect to me a statue and an altar, and then sacrifice an ox to me here as though to a God; for I am the Divinity Salvation to you. LEONIDA Nay, but, master, do you betake yourself away from him, and do you come to me. And, what he has demanded for himself, will you erect a statue for me, and offer prayers to me? ARGYRIPPUS But what Divinity am I to call you? LEONIDA Fortune, and that the Propitious one And that the Propitious one : Fortuna Cbsequens or Propitious Fortune, had a Temple at Rome . . ARGYRIPPUS You are better than he then. LIBANUS Why, is there ever anything better for a man than Salvation? ARGYRIPPUS Though I praise Fortune, still, not to speak in dispraise of the Divinity Salvation—