women, who night and day, throughout their whole lives, are always being adorned, washed, wiped, and polished.
Finally, there is no limit to women: we never know how to put an end to washing and rubbing.
(Anterastilis) Indeed, sister, I am surprised that you talk like that, you who are so clever, learned, and witty.
For although we keep ourselves clean with great care, we can scarcely and with difficulty find little lovers.
§237Ita est.
(Adelphasium) That is so.
verum hoc unum tamen cogitato: §238modus ómnibus rebús, soror, optimus est habitu.
But nevertheless, think of this one thing: moderation in all things, sister, is the best in practice.
§239nimia ómnia nimium éxhibent negóti hominibus éx se.
All excessive things produce too much trouble for people out of themselves.
§240Sorór, cogitá, amabo, itém nos perhibéri §241quam si salsa muriatica esse autumantur: §243nisí multa aqua usque et diu macerantur, §244olént, salsa súnt, tangere út non velís.
(Anterastilis) Sister, consider, please, that we are regarded in just the same way as when pickled salt-fish is said to be: unless they are soaked in much water continuously and for a long time, they smell, they are salty, so that you would not wish to touch them.
So are we: completely tasteless and unlovely without cleanliness and expense.
(Milphio) She is indeed a cook, Agorastocles, as I think: she knows how to soak pickled fish.
§249bQuid molestu's?
(Agorastocles) Why are you annoying?
§250Soror, parce, amabo: sat est istuc alios §251dicere nobis, ne nosmet in nostra etiam vitia loquamur.
(Adelphasium) Sister, spare us, please: it is enough that others say that to us, let us not speak against ourselves even regarding our own faults.
§252Quiésco.
(Anterastilis) I am quiet.
§252bErgo amó te.
(Adelphasium) Then I love you.
But now answer me this: is everything here that ought to be present to gain the peace of the gods?
§254bOmnia áccuravi.
(Anterastilis) I have taken care of everything.
§255Diém pulchrum et célebrem et venústatis plénum, §256dignúm Venere pól, quoi sunt Áphrodisia hódie.
(Adelphasium) A beautiful, festive day, full of loveliness, worthy of Venus indeed, whose Aphrodisia it is today!
§257Ecquid gratiae, quom huc foras te evocavi?
(Milphio) Any thanks, since I have called you out here?
Isn't it proper for me now to be gifted with a jar of old wine? Say 'I give it'.
nil respóndes?
No answer?
§260lingua huíc excidít, ut ego opínor.
His tongue has fallen out, as I think.
§261quíd hic, malum, astans ópstipuisti?
Why on earth are you standing here dumbfounded?
§261bSíne amem, ne opturba ac tace.
(Agorastocles) Let me love, do not disturb me, and be silent!
§262Taceo.
(Milphio) I am silent.
§262bSi tacuisses, iam istuc taceo non gnatum foret.
(Agorastocles) If you had been silent, that 'I am silent' of yours would not have been born.
§263Eamus, mea soror.
(Adelphasium) Let us go, my sister.
§263bEho amabo, quid illo nunc properas?
(Anterastilis) Oh, please, why are you hurrying there now?
§263cRogas?
(Adelphasium) You ask?
§264quia erus nos apud aedem Veneris mantat.
Because our master is waiting for us at the temple of Venus.
§264bManeat pol.
(Anterastilis) Let him wait, by Pollux!
mane.
Wait.
§265turba est nunc apud aram.
There is a crowd now at the altar.
an te ibi vis inter istás versarier §266prosedas, pistorum amicas, reliquias alicarias, §267miseras schoeno delibutas servolicolas sordidas, §268quae tibi olant stabulum statumque, sellam et sessibulum merum, §269quas adeo hau quisquam umquam liber tetigit neque duxit domum, §270servolorum sordidulorum scorta diobolaria?
Or do you want to mingle there among those streetwalkers, bakers' girlfriends, spelt-mill scraps, wretched, cheap-perfumed, slave-loving, filthy women, who smell of stable and standing-place, of mere stool and seat, whom indeed no free man has ever touched or taken home, the two-obol whores of filthy little slaves?
§271I in malam crucem.
(Milphio aside) Go to the gallows!
tun audes etiam servos spernere, §272propudium? quasi bella sit, quasi eampse reges ductitent,
Do you, a shameful creature, dare even to despise slaves, as if she were beautiful, as if kings were taking her home?
§273monstrum mulieris, tantilla tanta verba funditat,
A monster of a woman, so tiny yet pouring out such big words!
§274quoius egó nebulai cyatho septem noctes non emam.
I wouldn't buy seven nights of her for a cup of fog.
§275Di immortales omnipotentes, quid est apud vos pulchrius?
(Agorastocles) Immortal and almighty gods, what is more beautiful among you?
§276quid habetis qui mage immortales vos credam esse quam ego siem, §277qui haec tanta oculis bona concipio? nam Venus non est Venus:
What do you have that makes me believe you are more immortal than I am, I who absorb such great blessings with my eyes?
§278hanc equidem Venerem venerabor, me ut amet posthac propitia.
For Venus is not Venus: this is the Venus I shall worship, so that she may love me and be propitious hereafter.
§279Milphio, heus, ubi es?
Milphio, hey, where are you?
§279bAssum ápud te, eccum.
(Milphio) I am here beside you, look.
§279cAt ego elixus sis volo.
(Agorastocles) But I want you to be boiled.
§280Enim vero, ere, facis delicias.
(Milphio) Truly, master, you are being playful.
§280bDe tequidem haéc didici omnia.
(Agorastocles) I learned all this from you indeed.
§281Etiamne ut ames eam quam numquam tetigeris?
(Milphio) Even to love her whom you have never touched?
(Agorastocles) That is nothing: by Pollux, I also love and fear the gods, from whom nevertheless I keep my hands off.
(Adelphasium) Well, by Castor, when I look at the attire of both of us, I am dissatisfied with how we are adorned.
(Anterastilis) Nay, indeed quite suitably; for in proportion to our master's and our own income, we are adorned well enough.
§286non enim pótis est quaestus fieri, ni sumptus sequitur, scio, §287et tamen quaéstus non consistet, si eum sumptus superat, soror.
For profit cannot be made unless expense follows, I know, and yet profit will not stand firm if expense exceeds it, sister.
§288eo illud satiust, satis quod habitu, haud satis est quod plus quam sat est.
Therefore, what is enough is better in respect of appearance; what is more than enough is not suitable.
§289Ita me di ament, ut illa me amet malim quam di, Milphio.
(Agorastocles) So help me gods, Milphio, I would rather she love me than the gods.