Right heartily I wish you health I wish you health : Propino tibi salutem plenis faucibus. Literally, I drink your health with my jaws crammed full, a very apt mode of expression for a Parasite. . EPIGNOMUS You speak kindly, and like a friend. May the Gods grant what you wish. GELASIMUS EPIGNOMUS I, sup there with you? GELASIMUS Since you are returned safe. Part of prior line(s) in the Latin. EPIGNOMUS Really, an engagement has been made already; but I give you thanks. GELASIMUS Do promise me. EPIGNOMUS It’s settled. GELASIMUS But do, I say. EPIGNOMUS The thing’s agreed on. GELASIMUS By my troth, you’d do it with much pleasure to me. EPIGNOMUS I know that well. When an opportunity shall come, it shall be so. GELASIMUS Now, then, is the opportunity. EPIGNOMUS I’ faith, I cannot. GELASIMUS Why make difficulties? Do consider; I have I know not what luxuries at hand Luxuries at hand : In mundo. Literally, in the world. . EPIGNOMUS Do be off, now; seek for yourself another guest for to-day. GELASIMUS You promise, then? EPIGNOMUS I would make no difficulty if I could. GELASIMUS Really, on my word, one thing, for sure, I promise you, I’d entertain you with pleasure, beyond a doubt, if you would promise. EPIGNOMUS Adieu! (Moving.) GELASIMUS Have you resolved? EPIGNOMUS I have resolved. I shall dine at home. GELASIMUS (aside.) Since nothing has been effected this way, I’ll therefore approach him by a more open path, and I’ll speak plainly out. (To EPIGNOMUS.) Since you, yourself, are not willing to promise to come to me, should you like that I should come to dine with you? EPIGNOMUS If it were possible, I should like it; but here are nine other people Nine other people : Aulus Gellius and Macrobius tell us that the ancients never admitted to a feast more than nine, the number of the Muses, or less than three, the number of the Graces. The true reason, however, was that the three triclinia, or couches, made three parts of the square around the table; and each containing but three, nine was as great a number as could be accommodated. Epignomus mentions that number here, by way of assuring Gelasimus that there is really no room for him. On this, the Parasite says that he is imi subsellii vir, a man for the lowest stool or bench, which he can very well manage with. Subsellia was the name of the seats of the Tribunes, Triumvirs, and Quaestors, who were not honoured with Curule chairs. coming to dine at my house. GELASIMUS For my part, I don’t ask that I should recline on the couch; you know that I’m a man for the lower seats. EPIGNOMUS But these are deputies of a people, tip-top men they come here as public ambassadors from Ambracia From Ambracia : Ambracia was a city of Epirus , on the Western coast of Greece . . GELASIMUS Let then the deputies of a people, your tip-top men, recline at the tip-top place; I, the lowest, in the lowest quarter.