The Captiva and The Mostellaria | Page 3

part of the audience. As these paid no part of the taxes with which the
theatres were in part supported, of course they would be placed at a
greater distance from the stage, and probably were not accommodated
with seats. It was just about this period that the elder Scipio assigned
different places in the theatres to the various classes of the people.]
[Footnote 6: Listen to the rest)--Ver. 16. "Reliquum" was a term which
either signified generally, "what is left," or money borrowed and still
unpaid. He plays upon these different meanings--"Accipite reliquum,"
which may either signify "hear the rest" or "take what is due and
owing," and he then makes the observation, parenthetically, "alieno uti
nil moror," "I don't care to be in debt."]
[Footnote 7: His own private slave)--Ver. 20. "Peculiaris" means "for
his own private use," or "attached to his person;" being considered as
though bought with his son's "peculium," or out of his own private
purse. The "peculium" was the sum of money which a son in his
minority was allowed by his father to be in possession of. The word
also signified the savings of the slave.]
[Footnote 8: Just like footballs)--Ver. 22. "Pilas." Among the ancients,
games with the "pila" were those played with the "pila trigonalis," so
called, probably, from the players standing in a triangle, and those with
the "follis," which was a larger ball, inflated with air and struck with
the hands, or used for a football. "Paganica" was a similar ball, but
harder, being stuffed with feathers, and was used by the country-people.
"Harpastum" was a small ball used by the Greeks, which was
scrambled for as soon as it came to the ground, whence it received its
name. The Greeks had a proverb similar to this expression, [Greek:
Theon paignia anthropoi], "men are the playthings of the Gods." So
Plato called mankind [Greek: Theon athurmata], "the sport of the
Gods."]
[Footnote 9: The Aetolians)--Ver. 24. Aetolia was a country of Greece,
the southern portion of which was bounded by the Corinthian Gulf; it
was opposite to the Elean territory, from which it was divided by the
gulf.]

[Footnote 10: To rescue his son)--Ver. 32. "Filio dum parceret."
Literally, "so long as he might spare his son."]
[Footnote 11: Of the Quaestors)--Ver. 34. In speaking of these officers,
Plautus, as usual, introduces Roman customs into a Play the scene of
which is in Greece. It has been previously remarked that the Quaestors
had the selling of the spoils taken in war]
[Footnote 12: Any ribald lines)--Ver. 56. See the address of the
Company of actors to the Spectators at the end of the Play.]
[Footnote 13: A Comic establishment)--Ver. 61. "Comico choragio."
Literally, "for the choragium of Comedy." The "choragium" was the
dress and furniture, or "properties" for the stage, supplied by the
"choragus." or keeper of the theatrical wardrobe.]
ACT I.--SCENE I.
Enter ERGASILUS.
ERG. The young men have given me the name of "the mistress," for
this reason, because invocated [1] I am wont to attend at the banquet. I
know that buffoons [2] say that this is absurdly said, but I affirm that it
is rightly said. For at the banquet the lover, when he throws the dice,
invokes hia mistress.[3] Is she then invocated, or is she not? She is,
most clearly. But, i' faith, we Parasites with better reason are so called,
whom no person ever either invites or invokes, and who, like mice, are
always eating the victuals of another person. When business is laid
aside [4], when people repair to the country, at that same moment is
business laid aside for our teeth. Just as, when it is hot weather, snails
lie hidden in secret, and live upon their own juices, if the dew doesn't
fall; so, when business is laid aside, do Parasites lie hidden in
retirement, and miserably live upon their own juices, while in the
country the persons are rusticating whom they sponge upon. When
business is laid aside, we Parasites are greyhounds; when business
recommences, like mastiffs [5], we are annoying-like and very
troublesome-like [6].

And here, indeed, unless, i'faith, any Parasite is able to endure cuffs
with the fist, and pots to be broken [7] about his head, why he may e'en
go with his wallet outside the Trigeminian Gate [8]. That this may
prove my lot, there is some danger. For since my patron [9] has fallen
into the hands of the enemy--(such warfare are the Aetolians now
waging with the Eleans; for this is Aetolia; this Philopolemus has been
made captive in Elis, the son of this old man Hegio who lives here
(pointing to the house)--a house which to me is a house of woe, and
which so oft as I look upon, I weep). Now,