WEALTH And first I make obeisance to yon sun; Then to august Athene’s famous plain, And all this hospitable land of Cecrops. Shame on my past career! I blush to think With whom I long consorted, unawares, Whilst those who my companionship deserved I shunned, not knowing. O unhappy me! In neither this nor that I acted rightly. But now, reversing all my former ways, I’ll show mankind ’twas through no wish of mine I used to give myself to rogues and knaves.
CHREMYLUS Hang you, be off! The nuisance these friends are, Emerging suddenly when fortune smiles. Tcha! How they nudge your ribs, and punch your shins, Displaying each some token of goodwill. What man addressed me not? What agéd group Failed to enwreathe me in the market-place?
WIFE Dearest of men, O welcome you and you. Come now, I’ll take these welcoming-gifts and pour them O’er you, as custom bids.
WEALTH Excuse me, no.
WEALTH When first I’m entering with my sight restored Into a house, ’twere meeter far that I Confer a largess rather than receive.
WIFE Then won’t you take the welcoming-gifts I bring?
WEALTH Aye, by the hearth within, as custom bids. So too we ’scape the vulgar tricks of farce. It is not meet, with such a Bard as ours, To fling a shower of figs and comfits out Amongst the audience, just to make them laugh.
WIFE Well said indeed: for Dexinicus there Is rising up, to scramble for the figs.
CARIO How pleasant ’tis to lead a prosperous life, And that, expending nothing of one’s own. Into this house a heap of golden joys Has hurled itself though nothing wrong we’ve done, Truly a sweet and pleasant thing is wealth. With good white barley is our garner filled And all our casks with red and fragrant wine. And every vessel in the house is crammed With gold and silver, wonderful to see. The tank o’erflows with oil; the oil-flasks teem With precious unguents; and the loft with figs. And every cruet, pitcher, pannikin, Is turned to bronze; the mouldy trencherlets That held the fish are all of silver now. Our lantern, all at once, is ivory-framed. And we the servants, play at odd-or-even With golden staters; and to cleanse us, use Not stones, but garlic-leaves, so nice we are.
CARIO
And master now, with garlands round his brow, Is offering up hog, goat, and ram within. But me the smoke drove out. I could not bear To stay within; it bit my eyelids so.
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