I’ll cause you to know that assuredly you’ve said that with reason.PINACIUM I wish everything to be made clean. (Calls to the SERVANTS from the door.) Bring out here your brooms, and a reed as well,A reed as well: Arundinem, a long reed, probably like a fishing-rod, which would be able to sweep away the spider-webs otherwise out of reach. that I may destroy all the labours of the spiders and their plaguy webs, and rout out all their looms.(The SERVANTS bring some brooms.)GELASIMUS The poor things will be cold in future.PINACIUM What? Do you think that they are just like yourself, with only one coat? Take this broom.(Gives him a broom.)GELASIMUS I’ll take it. PINACIUM This I’ll take myself. Do you sweep away there.GELASIMUS I’ll do so.(Sweeps away.)PINACIUM(calling aloud.)Will some one bring here a pail and waterA pail and water: Nassiternam. A water-vessel with three spouts, which received its name from nasum, a spout, compounded with tres, three.?GELASIMUS Really, this fellow’s playing the AedilePlaying the Aedile: The writer here again refers, in a play the scene of which is at Athens, to Roman customs. The Aedile was a public officer at Rome, whose business it was to see that the streets, houses, and temples, were kept clean. They were chosen by the votes (suffragium) of the common people, to which fact Gelasimus alludes in the next line. without the vote of the public even.(The water is brought.)PINACIUM Come, do you quickly sweep the ground, and sprinkle before the house.GELASIMUS I’ll do so. PINACIUM It needs be done. I’ll knock down the spider-webs there from the door and from the wall.GELASIMUS I’ faith, a troublesome business, this.PHILUMENA Still, I don’t at all understand what it means; unless, perchance, some guests are about to come?PINACIUM(ordering the SERVANTS.)Do you spread the couches. GELASIMUS(aside.)The beginning pleases me, about the couches.PINACIUM Others, you chop the billets; others, you clean the fish which the fisherman has brought;take you down the gammon of bacon and the collar of brawnCollar of brawn: Glandium. This really was the neck of the hag, which received its name from the kernels (glandes) which it contamea..GELASIMUS(aside.)I’ faith, this is a very sensible fellow.PHILUMENA By my troth, as I imagine, you haven’t quite minded the directions of your mistress.PINACIUM Why, I’ve left all matters unattended to by reason of what you wished.PHILUMENA Then do you inform me upon that, on account of which you were sent to the harbour?PINACIUM I’ll tell you. After, with the daybreak, you had sent me to the harbour, the sun with its beams opportunely arose from out of the sea. While I was enquiring of the revenue officers whether any ship had arrived from Asia, and they were saying none had come, I beheld, in the meantime, a bark, than which I think I never saw a greater one. With a favouring breeze, and in full sail, it came into harbour.We were enquiring one of another whose ship it was, and what it carried? In the meantime I espied your husband and his servant Stichus.PHILUMENA Ha! what? Did you mention Epignomus?GELASIMUS Your husbandand my own life.PINACIUM He has arrived, I say.