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Enter, from the house of CAPPADOX, CURCULIO, leading PLANESIUM, followed by LYCO and CAPPADOX.
CURCULIO
Maiden, do you go before; what is behind me I cannot keep my eye upon. Both the trinkets of gold, and all the clothing that she had, were his own, he said. CAPPADOX
No one is going to deny it. CURCULIO
Still, however, it's somewhat better for me to remind you. LYCO
Remember that you've undertaken, that, if any one should assert in course of law that she's properly free, all the money is to be returned to me-thirty minæ. CAPPADOX
I shall remember; be easy about that; and now I say the same. CURCULIO
But I wish you to remember this well. CAPPADOX
I remember, and I shall deliver her to you on warranty1. CURCULIO
And am I to take anything on warranty from a Procurer, people who have nothing of their own except a tongue only; who, if anything's entrusted them, deny it upon oath? You Procurers dispose of what belongs to others, you give liberty to what belongs to others, and what belongs to others your give your commands to; no guarantee of ownership is there in the transfer to yourselves, nor are you yourselves guarantees to another person. The race of Procurers, among mortals, in my way of thinking at least, are just like flies, gnats, bugs, lice, and fleas--a plague, a mischief, and a nuisance; you are of no serviceable use, and no respectable person dares to stand with you in the Forum; he that does associate with you, they censure him, he's spat upon and abused; they say that he has lost his property and his honor, although he has done nothing at all. LYCO
Upon my faith, my clever one-eyed friend, in my way of thinking, you are well acquainted with the Procurers. CURCULIO
You bankers, i' faith, I put and place in the same rank; you are the very counterparts of them. They, at least, are on sale in dark corners, you in the very Forum2. You tear men to pieces with usury, they by persuading them amiss and by means of their dens. Full many a proposed statute3 has the public confirmed on your account, which when confirmed you break; some loophole you find out; just as boiling water becomes cold, so do you deem the laws. LYCO
aside . I'd rather I'd held my tongue CAP. Not wrongfully, and with good reason, are you abusive against them. CURCULIO
If abuse is uttered against those who deserve it not, that I do hold to be abuse; but if it is uttered against those who are deserving, it is fair censure, in my way of thinking, at least. I care nothing about your warranty, nor about any other Procurer whatever. Lyco, do you want anything with me? LYCO
Heartily fare you well. CURCULIO
Farewell. Going. CAPPADOX
Hark you! I say to you---- CURCULIO
Say on; what do you want? CAPPADOX
Prithee do you take care that all's well with her pointing to PLANESIUM ; I've brought her up in my house carefully and in chastity. CURCULIO
If you have such compassion for her, pray, what would you give for it to be all well with her? CAPPADOX
A plaguy mishap for yourself. CURCULIO
You need take due care on that score about yourself. CAPPADOX
to PLANESIUM, who is weeping . Why, simpleton, do you cry? Don't be afraid; upon my faith, I've sold you favourably. Take care, will you, and be a good girl; now prettily accompany him, pretty one. LYCO
Summanus, do you want anything with me at present? CURCULIO
Fare you well, and health attend you. Aside. For you've kindly given me your services and your money. LYCO
Give abundant greetings to my patron. CURCULIO
I'll give them. (Exit with PLANESIUM.) LYCO
Procurer, do you wish for anything? CAPPADOX
Give me those ten minæ for me to manage for myself with, until things are better with me. LYCO
They shall be paid; order them to be fetched to-morrow. (Exit.) CAPPADOX
Since I've successfully finished the matter, I wish to return thanks here in the Temple. For long since, when a little girl, I bought her for ten minæ; but him who sold her to me, never since then have I set eyes upon. I think he's dead. What matters that to me? I've got the money. The man to whom the Gods are propitious, for him, no doubt, they throw gain in his way. Now will I give my attention to my devotions; it's clear that he has a kind regard for me. Goes into the Temple.
1 On warranty: "Dare mancupio" meant, "to sell a thing upon warranty," which, when formally done, was effected "per æs et libram," by striking the balance with an "as," in the presence of six witnesses, when the seller guaranteed the possession of it to the purchaser.
2 In the very Forum: In allusion to the place where most of the bankers' shops were situate.
3 Proposed statute: "Rogitatio," or, more commonly, "rogatio," was the term applied to a proposed law, or decree of the people, or "plebiscitum."
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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