Prithee, what’s this that you know?STRATILAXHow Strabax, my master’s son, is ruining himself at your house; how you are all enticing him to fraud and present-making.ASTAPHIUMIf you appeared in your senses, I’d tell you. You’re uttering abuse only; not a person is in the habit of being ruined here at our house; they waste their property; when they’ve wasted their property, they may go bare thence, if they choose. I don’t know this young man of yours.STRATILAXIndeed so. ASTAPHIUMIn sober truth.Part of line 302b in the Latin.STRATILAXAye, but that garden wallThat garden wall: Maceria. This was a wall made of loose tiles or bricks, laid on each ether without mortar. that’s in our garden says so, which is becoming every night less by a brick, over which he travels to your house on the road to destruction.ASTAPHIUMThe wall’s an old one; it isn’t wonderful if the bricks, being old, do tumble down.STRATILAXAnd says thee, hussy, that old bricks do tumble down? By my fakes, may never any mortal man henceforth trust me upon the two grand pointsThe two grand points: Alciatus thinks that the two things here mentioned are yes and no. Turnebus thinks that they mean things human and divine., if I don’t inform of these goings on of yours to my elder master.ASTAPHIUMIs he a savage as well? STRATILAXWhy, he didn’t get his money by enriching harlots, but by thriftiness,and living hard; which now, however, is being carried off to you, abominable jades. (Takes her by the shoulders and shakes her.) There’s for thee, six-clawed hussy; a wretched life to both of ye. Am I to keep mum about these matters? But, lookye now, I’ll be off to the Forum at once and tell these goings on to the old gentleman, that he mayn’t somehow be cherishing within this mattingWithin this matting: In segestro. He seems to derive his metaphor from the usage in gardening of covering up trees with straw or bass matting, and of insects getting into the folds and hatching their eggs and swarming there. a whole swarm of misfortunes.(Exit.)ASTAPHIUM(to herself.)Upon my faith, if this fellow were living on mustard, I don’t think he could possibly be as snappish. But, i’ troth, how much a well-wisher to his master he is. Still, although he is a savage, I trust that he can be changed by coaxing, allurements, and other arts of the courtesan. I’ve seen a horse from unruly become tamed, and other brutes as well. Now I’ll go back to see my mistress. But see, my plague’s coming out. (The door of PHRONESIUM’S house is opened.) He’s coming out with a sad air; he hasn’t even yet had a meeting with Phronesium.

(Enter DINARCHUS, from PHRONESIUM’S house.)DINARCHUSI do believe that the fishes, that are always bathing as long as they live, do not take so long in bathing as this Phronesium does in bathing. If women could be loved on as long asAs long as: Warner says that he does not well comprehend this passage. The meaning, however, seems to be, that if women could be courted as long a time as they took in bathing, then lovers would certainly be keeping baths, or becoming bath-men, that they might be able for so long a time to enjoy the opportunity of courting them. they take in bathing,all lovers would be becoming bath-keepers.ASTAPHIUMCan’t you endure waiting for a short time even? DINARCHUSWhy, ’pon my faith, I’m wretchedly tired with waiting already.ASTAPHIUMI, as well, shall be obliged to go bathe from wearinessDINARCHUSBut, i’ faith, Astaphium, prithee do go in-doors and tell her that I’m here. Do go at once, and persuade her that she has bathed long enough by this.ASTAPHIUMVery well.(Going.)DINARCHUSAnd do you hear as well?ASTAPHIUMWhat do you want?(Comes back.)DINARCHUSMay the Gods confound me for calling you back. I had nothing to say to you, only do be off.ASTAPHIUMWhy did you call me back then, you worthless and good-for-nothing fellow? A delay to me which has produced fully a mile’s delay to you.(Goes into the house of PHRONESIUM.)DINARCHUS(to himself.)But yet why was she standing here so long before the house? Some one, I don’t know who, she certainly was waiting for; the Captain, I suppose. That’s it; see now, how, just like vulturesJust like vultures: Vultures were supposed, some days beforehand, to scent out a place where a dead carcase was about to be. Pliny the Elder mentions this belief., a whole three days beforehand they foresee on what day they are to have a feast. They’re all agape for him; on him are all their minds fixed. No one will be giving any more attention to myself, when he comes, than if I had been dead two hundred years ago. How delightful a thing it is to keep one’s money! Ah wretched me! after it’s done I’m punished, who lost what I once had.But now, if any great and splendid fortune should chance to fall to my lot, now, after I know it, what sweets and what bitters come of money, by my troth, I’d so keep it, I’d live in a manner so sparing, that—in a few days I’d make there to be none at all. I’d then confute those who now censure me. But I perceive that this tide-like door is opening (the door of PHRONESIUM’S house is opened), which sucks up whatever comes within its bolts.