Satyricon, vol 4, Escape by Sea | Page 2

as
it was not yet daylight. Neither Giton nor myself could get a wink of
sleep, however. Anxiously I reflected that I had received Eumolpus as a
comrade, a rival more formidable than Ascyltos, and that thought
tortured me. But reason soon put my uneasiness to flight.) "It is
unfortunate," (said I to myself,) "that the lad has so taken our friend's
fancy, but what of it? Is not nature's every masterpiece common to all?
The sun shines upon all alike! The moon with her innumerable train of
stars lights even the wild beasts to their food. What can be more
beautiful than water?

"Yet it flows for common use. Shall love alone, then, be stolen, rather
than be regarded as a prize to be won? No, indeed I desire no
possession unless the world envies me for possessing it. A solitary old
man can scarcely become a serious rival; even should he wish to take
advantage, he would lose it through lack of breath." When, but without
any confidence, I had arrived at these conclusions, and beguiled my
uneasy spirit, I covered my head with my tunic and began to feign sleep,
when all of a sudden, as though Fortune were bent upon annihilating
my peace of mind, a voice upon the ship's deck gritted out something
like this-- "So he fooled me after all."--As this voice, which was a
man's, and was only too familiar, struck my ears, my heart fluttered.
And then a woman, equally furious, spat out more spitefully still--"If
only some god would put Giton into my hands, what a fine time I
would give that runaway." --Stunned by these unexpected words, we
both turned pale as death. I was completely terrified, and, as though I
were enveloped in some turbulent nightmare, was a long time finding
my voice, but at last, with trembling hands, I tugged at the hem of
Eumolpus' clothing, just as he was sinking into slumber. "Father," I
quavered, "on your word of honor, can you tell me whose ship this is,
and whom she has aboard?" Peeved at being disturbed, "So," he
snapped, "this was the reason you wished to have us quartered in the
most inaccessible spot on deck, was it? So we could get no rest! What
good will it do you when I've informed you that Lycas of Tarentum is
master of this ship and that he carries Tryphaena as an exile to
Tarentum?"

CHAPTER THE
ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST.
I shivered, horror-struck, at this thunderbolt and, beating my throat,
"Oh Destiny," I wailed, "you've vanquished me completely, at last!" As
for Giton, he fell in a faint upon my bosom and remained unconscious
for quite a while, until a sweat finally relieved our tension, whereupon,
hugging Eumolpus around the knees, "Take pity upon the perishing," I
besought him, "in the name of our common learning, aid us! Death
himself hangs over us, and he will come as a relief unless you help us!"
Overwhelmed by this implication, Eumolpus swore by all the gods and

goddesses that he knew nothing of what had happened, nor had he had
any ulterior purpose in mind, but that he had brought his companions
upon this voyage which he himself had long intended taking, with the
most upright intentions and in the best of good faith. "But," demanded
he, "what is this ambush? Who is this Hannibal who sails with us?
Lycas of Tarentum is a most respectable citizen and the owner, not only
of this ship, which he commands in person, but of landed estates as
well as commercial houses under the management of slaves. He carries
a cargo consigned to market. He is the Cyclops, the arch-pirate, to
whom we owe our passage! And then, besides himself, there is
Tryphaena, a most charming woman, travelling about here and there in
search of pleasure." "But," objected Giton, "they are the very ones we
are most anxious to avoid," whereupon he explained to the astonished
Eumolpus the reasons for their enmity and for the danger which
threatened us. So muddled did he become, at what had been told him,
that he lost the power of thinking, and requested each of us to offer his
own opinion. "Just imagine," said he, "that we are trapped in the
Cyclops' cave: some way out must be found, unless we bring about a
shipwreck, and free ourselves from all dangers!" "Bribe the pilot, if
necessary, and persuade him to steer the ship into some port,"
volunteered Giton; "tell him your brother's nearly dead from
seasickness: your woebegone face and streaming tears will lend color
to your deception, and the pilot may be moved to mercy and grant your
prayer." Eumolpus denied the practicability of this. "It is only with
difficulty," affirmed he, "that large ships are