And does he stop up the lower part of his windpipe Part of his windpipe : An indelicate remark is here made, which has been obviated in the translation. as well, lest, perchance, he should lose any breath as he sleeps? STROBILUS In that ’tis as fair that you should credit me, as it is for me to credit you. ANTHRAX Why really, I do believe you. STROBILUS But, further, do you know how it is? I’ faith, he grieves to throw away the water when he washes. ANTHRAX Do you think a great talent A great talent : As the ancients weighed silver on paying a talent, the word talentum denoted both a sum of money and a weight. The great talent here mentioned, was the Attic talent of sixty minae, or six thousand drachmae. might be begged of this old fellow for him to give us, through which we might become free? STROBILUS By my troth, if you were to ask it, he would never let you have the loan of hunger. Why, the other day, the barber had cut his nails Had cut his nails : From this passage we learn that barbers were in the habit of paring the nails of their customers; in the Epistles of Horace, B. 1, Ep. 7, l. 50, we are informed that idlers pared their nails in the shops to Rome . ; he collected all the parings, and carried them off.