Now, go where you will, you may see more carriagesMore carriages: Plaustra generally mean carts or waggons, and perhaps, from his reference to the country, may have that signification here; though he has just been speaking of the luxury of the ladies, with their vehicla, or carriages. among the houses than in the country when you go to a farm-house. But this is even light, in comparison with when they ask for their allowance; there stands the scourerThe scourer: The fullo was a washer and cleaner of linen and woollen clothing with fuller’s earth. As woollen dresses were chiefly worn by the Romans, they would, by reason of the perspiration produced by so hot a climate, require frequent purification. As the ancients, probably, were not acquainted with the use of ordinary washing soap, various alkalis were used in its place for the purpose of cleansing garments. It is not known whether the fuller’s earth of the Romans resembled that used at the present day., the embroiderer, the goldsmith, the woollen-manufacturer, retail dealers in figured skirtsDealers in figured skirts: Patagiarii. These were persons who sold the patagium, which was a broad band or hem on the tunics of the women, answering to the clavus, or broad stripe, on the clothes of the men. It may possibly have been the same as the instita, or broad flounce, which distinguished the Roman matrons of reputable character., dealers in women’s under-clothingDealers in women’s under-clothing: Indusiarii, makers or sellers of the indusium, which is by some thought to have been the upper tunic worn by the Roman women; while others suppose the under tunic, worn next the skin, to have been so called, from intus, innermost., dyers in flame-colour, dyers in violet, dyers in wax-colourDyers in wax-colour: Carinarii. Ovid, in the Art of Love, B. 3, l. 184, has the line, Sua velleribus nomina cera dedit. The wax has given its own name to the wool. The yellow colour resembling that of wax was much esteemed by the Romans., or else sleeve-makersSleeve-makers: Manulearii,makers of the manulea. This was a long sleeve fitted on to the tunics of the Roman ladies, and was probably made to take on and off, for the purpose of keeping the arms and hands warm., or perfumersPerfumers: Murobrecharii. One reading here is murrobathrarii, persons who give an agreable smell to women’s shoes, by scenting them with myrrh. Murobrecharii, which is adopted above, means perfumers, or persons who scented the clothes, from the Greek μνρὸν, ointment, and βρέχω, to moisten. Myrrh or nard was much used for this purpose. The unguents or ointments used by the ancients were very numerous. Among those used for the skin or the hair were mendesium, megalesium, metoplum, amaracinum, Cyprinum, susinum, nardinum, spicatuin, jasminum, rosaceum, and crocus oil, which last was considered the most costly. Powders were also used as perfumes; they were called diapasmata. The Greeks used expensive perfumes from early times, and both Greeks and Romans were in the habit of carrying them about in small boxes of elegant workmanship. In the luxurious city of Capua, there was one great street, called the Seplasia, which consisted entirely of shops in which ointments and perfumes were sold.; wholesale linendrapers, shoemakers, squatting cobblers, slipper-makers; sandal makers stand there; stainers in mallow colour stand there; hairdressersHairdressers: Ciniflones. The ciniflones were those persons whose duty it was to heat the calamistrum, or curling-iron, in woodashes (cinis), from which they took their name. In the time of Cicero, the youths of Rome generally had their hair curled, whence they were termed calamistrati. make their demands, botchers their demands; boddice-makersBoddice-makers: Strophiarii. These were makers of the band or stomacher which was worn by the women, to correct excessive protuberance of the breast and stomach. stand there; makers of kirtlesMakers of kirtles: Semizonarii. These were makers or sellers of semicinctia, which were little aprons or kirtles extending half way down the body. take their stand. Now you would think them got rid of; these make way, others make their demands; three hundred dunsThree hundred duns: Phylacistae, from the Greek φνλακιστης, a keeper of a prison. He calls duns or importunate creditors by this name, from their keeping as close a watch on the front of a debtor’s house as if they were gaolers. are standing in your hall; weavers, lace-makersLace-makers: Limbuarii. The makers of limbus, lace or fringes for women’s dresses., cabinet-makersCabinet-makers: Arcularil, makers of arcuiae, caskets or cabinets for jewels and nicknacks., are introduced; the money’s paid them. You would think them got rid of by this; when dyers in saffron colours come sneaking along; or else there’s always some horrid plague or other which is demanding something.EUCLIO(aside.)I would accost him, if I didn’t fear that he would cease to descant upon the ways of women; for the present I’ll leave him as he is.MEGADORUSWhen the money has been paid to all the nicknack mongers, for these saffron-coloured garments and stomachers, your wife’s expenses, then at the last comes the tax-gathererThe tax-gatherer: Miles. Literally, the soldier. This is explained as meaning that the soldier comes to receive the military tribute levied by the Tribunes, which was called aes militare. The word may, however possibly mean simply the officer of the magistrate by whom the tribute was levied, as miles has sometimes, though very rarely, that signification. and asks for money. You go, your account is being made up with your bankerWith your banker: The argentarii acted as bankers of deposit upon whom the depositors drew checks as with us.; the tax-gatherer waits, half-starved, and thinks the money will be paid. When the account has been made up with the banker, even already is the husband himself in debt to the banker, and the hopes of the tax-gatlherer are postponed to another day. These, and many others, are the inconveniences and intolerable expenses of great portions; but she who is without portion is in the power of her husband; the portioned ones overwhelm their husbands with loss and ruin. But see; here’s my connexion by marriage before the house! How do you do, Euclio?

EUCLIOWith very great pleasure have I listened to your discourse.MEGADORUSDid you hear me? EUCLIOEverything from the very beginning.MEGADORUS(eyeing him from head to foot.)Still, in my way of thinking indeed, you would be acting a little more becomingly if you were more tidy at the wedding of your daughter.EUCLIOThose who have display according to their circumstances and splendour according to their meansAccording to their means: Shakspeare expresses the same idea in Hamlet, Act I, Sc. 3:Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,But not expressed in fancy., remember themselves, from whence they are sprung; neither by myself, Megadorus, nor by any poor man, are better circumstances enjoyed than appearances warrant.MEGADORUSSurely they are; and may the Gods, I hope, make them so to be, and more and more may they prosper that which you now possess.EUCLIO(aside.)That expression don’t please me, which you now possess. He knows that I’ve got this, as well as I do myself: the old woman has discovered it to him.MEGADORUSWhy do you separate yourself thus alone, apart from the Senate Apart from the Senate: As the Senate consults about the common interests, so are they discussing their common sentiments. Megadorus therefore, on hearing him talking to himself, asks him why he is withdrawing himself from the discussions of the Senate.?EUCLIOTroth, I was considering whether I should accuse you deservedly.MEGADORUSWhat’s the matter? EUCLIODo you ask me what’s the matter? You who have filled every corner in my house, for wretched me, with thieves? You who have introduced into my dwelling five hundred cooks, with six hands a-piece, of the race of GeryonOf the race of Geryon: Geryon was a King of Spain, slain by Hercures. He was fabled to have had three heads and three bodies, consequently six hands., whom were Argus to watch, who was eyes all over, that Juno once set as a spy upon Jupiter, he never could watch them; a music-girl besides, who could alone drink up for me the Corinthian fountain of PireneFountain of Pirene: Pirene, the daughter of Acheloüs, on Conchreas her son by Neptune being slain by Diana, pined away, and was changed into a fountain, which was in the Arx Corinthiacus, or Citadel of Corinth, and retained her name., if it were flowing with wine? And then as to provisions—MEGADORUSTroth, there’s enough for a procurer For a procurer: Who might be presumed to have a voracious and ungovernable appetite, and probably a large household to satisfy. Some editions however, have legioni, which would almost appear to be a preferable reading almost enough for a whole legion. even. I sent as much as a lamb. EUCLIOThan which lamb, I, indeed, know right well that there is nowhere a more curiousA more curious: Magis curiosam. It is suggested in Schmieder’s Notes to Plautus, that Euclio intends to call the lamb inquisitive or curious, curiosam, because he had found it, when he entered his house to drive out Congrio and his scullions, scraping and smelling about in every direction, as in a strange place it was natural for it to do, but which the old man thought to be done in quest of his treasure. On this, Megadorus, who has not heard, or else has misunderstood, the last syllable for nem, instead of sam, asks him what sort of a lamb a curio (the nominative of curionem) lamb is; on which Euclio catches him up, and says he calls a curio lamb such a one as he has sent him, all skin and bone, and lean with cura, care. Curionem is by many preferred as the reading in the 517th line to curiosam, and perhaps it is the best. Be it as it may, the wit seems far-fetched; and not improbably the word curio may have had some meaning which is now lost, other than its usual signification of the master or head of a curia, or ward. beast existing.MEGADORUSI wish to know of you why is this lamb curious?EUCLIOBecause it’s all skin and bone, so lean is it with care; why, even when alive, by the light of the sun you may look at its entrails; it’s just as transparent as a Punic lanternA Punic lantern: The horn exported from Carthage, for the purpose of making lanterns, was more pellucid than any other..MEGADORUSI bought it to be killed.EUCLIOThen it’s best that you likewise should bargain for Should bargain for: Loces.Should hire the conductores, or libitinarii, who contracted to perform funerals. He seems to hint that the lamb is so meagre that it is not worth eating. If that is not his meaning, the wit intended to be conveyed by the passage is imperceptible. it to be carried out for burial; for I believe it’s dead by this time.MEGADORUSEuclio, I wish this day to have a drinking with you.