Because I am not deserving of it, whereas you are deserving.LABRAXO bulrush, bulrush, I do praise your lot, who always maintain your credit for dryness.CHARMIDES(his teeth chattering.)For my part, I’m exercising myself for a skirmishing fightFor a skirmishing fight: Thornton has this Note on this passage: Velitatio signifies a skirmish, which was. usually made by the velites, that is, the light-harnessed soldiers; and these men always made use of darts, whose points would glitter at a distance, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Now Charmides, trembling with cold, compares himself to these velites, or skirmishers, who never keep their places; and his words, which came out broken and by piecemeal, to the unequal glimmerings or flashes of their darts., for, from my shivering, I utter all my words in piecemeal flashes.LABRAXBy my troth, Neptune, you are a purveyor of chilly baths; since I got away from you with my clothes, I’ve been freezing. No hot liquor-shopHot-liquor shop: See the Trinummus, l. 1013, and the Note. at all for sure does he provide; so salt and cold the potions that he prepares.CHARMIDESHow lucky are the blacksmiths who are always sitting among hot coals; they are always warm.LABRAXI only wish that I were now enjoying the lot of the duck, so as, although I had just come from out of the water, still to be dry.CHARMIDESWhat if I some way or other let myself out at the games for a hobgoblinFor a hobgoblin: Manducus was a huge figure exhibited on the stage and at public shows, with huge teeth craunching, and a wide mouth—probably not unlike some of the idols of the South Sea Islanders.?LABRAXFor what reason?CHARMIDESBecause, I’ faith, I’m chattering aloud with my teeth.But I’m of opinion that, with very good reason, I’ve had this ducking.LABRAXHow so?CHARMIDESWhy, haven’t I ventured to go on board ship with yourself, who have been stirring up the ocean for me from the very bottom? LABRAXI listened to you when advising me; you assured me that there in Sicily was very great profit from courtesans; there, you used to say, I should be able to amass wealth.CHARMIDESDid you expect, then, you unclean beast, that you were going to gobble up the whole island of Sicily?LABRAXWhat whale, I wonder, has gobbled up my wallet where all my gold and silver was packed up?CHARMIDESThat same one, I suppose, that has swallowed my purse, which was full of silver in my travelling-bag.LABRAXAlas! I’m reduced even to this one poor tunic (stretching it out) and to this poor shabby cloak; I’m done for to all intents.CHARMIDESThen you may even go into partnership with me; we have got equal shares.LABRAXIf at least my damsels had been saved, there would have been some hope. Now, if the young man Plesidippus should be seeing me,from whom I received the earnest for Palaestra, he’ll then be causing me some trouble in consequence.(He begins to cry.)CHARMIDESWhy cry, you fool? Really, by my troth, so long as your tongue shall exist, you have abundance with which to make payment to everybodyPayment to everybody: He means, that his readiness to commit perjury will save him the trouble of finding money to pay with as he can always swear that he has paid already..

(Enter SCEPARNIO, from the Temple.)SCEPARNIO(to himself, aloud.)What to-do is this, I’d like to know, that two young womenhere in the Temple, in tears, are holding in their embrace the statue of Venus, dreading I know not what in their wretchedness? But they say that this last night they have been tossed about, and to-day cast on shore from the waves.LABRAX(overhearing.)Troth now, young man, prithee, where are these young women that you are talking of?SCEPARNIOHere (pointing) in the Temple of Venus.LABRAXHow many are there? SCEPARNIOJust as many as you and I make.