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, for the sake of his son, has
he commenced this dishonorable traffic, very much against his own
inclination. He buys up men that have been made captives, if
_perchance_ he may be able to find some one for whom to gain his
son in exchange. An object which I really do much desire that he may
gain, for unless he finds him, there's nowhere for me to find myself.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25