Now I do long to be cozy with you both. STICHUS I’m ruined utterly. What were you saying? SAGARINUS Heyday! What’s the matter? STICHUS So may the Gods favour me, it never shall be otherwise this day but that this girl shall have a dance somehow. Come, my love, my sweet, do dance; I’ll dance too. (They rise and dance.) SAGARINUS I’ faith, you shan’t that way get the better of me, but what I’ll have a bit of enjoyment, too, that way. STEPHANIUM Well, if I must dance, do you then give the Piper something to drink. STICHUS Aye, and to me. SAGARINUS (holds the goblet to the PIPER.) Piper, you take first: and after that, if you tipple this off, just as has been your wont before to-day, straightway strike up some merry and amorous tune to dance to, by which we may tingle all over from our very finger nails. Pour some water here. (The PIPER stops playing while he drinks the water.) SAGARINUS Take this, you; toss it off. The drink didn’t please him just now; now at last he takes it with less difficulty. Take it, you. (To STEPHANIUM.) In the meantime, apple of my eye, give me a kiss while he’s drinking. STEPHANIUM Why, it’s the way of a common strumpet, for a damsel to give a kiss standing to her sweetheart as he stands. End of sentence is part of line 766 in the Latin. (She turns away, while he tries to kiss her.) STICHUS Bravo! bravo! that’s the way it’s given to a thief Given to a thief : She turns away with affected modesty from Sagarinus, who only manages to steal a kiss. His rival is pleased at this, and cries out that she only gives it to him as if he was stealing it. . SAGARINUS Come, blow out your cheeks now; something in the amorous way In the amorous way : It is difficult to say what was the exact difference between the lepida and the suavis cantio. The first was, perhaps, a merry, and the other an amorous tune. at once. Give us a new tune in return for the old wine. SAGARINUS What person in the Ionian In the Ionian : The Ionian mode of dancing was graceful and voluptuous. The Sicilians had a dance of this nature in honor of Diana, which they called the Ionic dance. or the ballet line is there that can do anything like that? (He capers about.) STICHUS If you get the better of me this turn This turn : It is difficult to say what is the exact meaning of vorsus or versus here. Possibly, it was the name of some particular dance, or it may have merely meant a turn or round, or as we say, a set, in dancing. Again, it may possibly mean some curious posture, in which Sagarinus was skilled, and in assuming which Stichus could not cope with him. Gesture and grimace formed the main features of the dance with the Romans. , just challenge me to another. SAGARINUS Just you do it in this fashion. (Capers.) STICHUS And you in this fashion. (Capers too.) SAGARINUS O grand O grand! : Babae, Tatae, and Papae, are merely exclamations of the dancers, while inspired with the spirit of the dance; not unlike the shrieks and noises which are frequently made by the dancers of our times, at fairt and other places of public resort, where uproarious enjoyment takes the place of sobriety, and, not unfrequently, of common decency. ! STICHUS O fine! SAGARINUS O wonderful! STICHUS Quiet Quiet! : Pax. This was the ordinary expression used to signify a pause— Stop. ! SAGARINUS Now, then, both in the same step. (They dance quietly, in the same measure.) I challenge all the dancing-masters to dance against me. ’Tis no more possible for there to be enough of this for us than for there to be too much rain for a mushroom. STICHUS (ceasing to dance) Let’s away hence in-doors at once now; we’ve danced long enough for the wine Long enough for the wine : They have fairly danced the wine out. . You, Spectators, give us your applause, and then go home to enjoy yourselves.