Scene the Tenth.
Labrax and Charmides were both cast away at the same Time with Palestra and Ampelisca, but yet 'tis a consi∣derable while after, that they appear upon the Stage, because they were thrown a-shore on a distant Place from them, sometime after too, and the mean time were searching for what they had lost,
Pa. 173. l. 22. Oh, Liberty, thou'rt a rare Goddess too, thou ne'r go'st to Sea with a Hero.] Edipol, Libertas, le∣pida es, quae nunquam pedem vol•…isti in navem cum Hercule una imponere. This Passage is founded upon the Story of Hercules's Voyages, which were undertaken against his will; from whence, the People afterwards took an occasion to say, Liberty never much cared for an Hero's Company at Sea.
Pag. 174. l. 16, 17. 'Twas a more fatal Supper to me than e'r Thyestes's, and Ter•…us's was to them.] Thyestes, and Tereus, had their Children serv'd up to 'em at Sup∣per. This Story is not so well known among us, but for want of a parallel one in our Ages, to preserve the Force of this Passage, I was forc'd to take it as it is.
Page [unnumbered] Ibid. l. 27, &c. You were a fresh raw Fellow, n•…w I've season'd your Understa•…g.] Te ex 〈◊〉 salsum f•…ci opera mea. The Jest of this consists in the equivocal meaning of the Word Salsus, which signifies either, Sa•…ed, or else, Cunning, Subtle, and the like; but the equivocal Words, Fresh, R•…w, and Season'd, have done e'n as we•… in our Tongue.
Ibid. l. 30, &c. Wou'd the Devil had ye for a Rogue, Char. And you too: I'm sure I made broad signs t' have him come for ye.] Quin tu hinc is a me in maximam malam crucem. Ch. Eas: easque res agebam commodum. I will not positively affirm that I have hit of the true Sense of this Passage; but however the beauty of Charmides's answer consists in the playing upon the word, Eas, which is either a Verb or a Noun, and that makes such a double meaning, as I do not find our English Tongue is capable of expressing.
Pag. 175. l. 4, &c. Faith, I tremble like one ready to engage th' Enemy; and my Iaws do so quake, that my Words break out like Flashes o' Lightning.] Equidem me ad velita∣tionem exerceo: nam omnia corusca prae tremore fabulor. This is a very difficult Passage to understand, and more to translate, by reason of the harshness of the Simile in our Tongue. V•…litatio, signifies a Skirmish, which was usually made by the Velites, that is, the Light-harness'd Soldiers; and these Men always made •…se of Darts, whose Points wou'd glitter at a distance, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Now Charmides, trem∣bling with Cold, compares himself to these Velites, or Skirmishers, who never keep their Place; and his Words, which came out broken and by piece-meal, to the une∣qual Glitterings or Flashes of their Darts. This is the best Interpretation I can find of this Place, and the little Liberty I have taken, cou'd not be avoided.
Ibid. l. 9. This God can't afford one Brandy-shop in all his Dominions.] Ne thermopolium quidem ullum instruit. There Thermopoli•…, were certain Publick Places, com∣mon Page 234 in Greece and Italy, where they drank hot Waters, sometimes mingled with Wine and Hony; but this cou'd not be taken notice on in a Translation.
Ibid. l. 15. I fancy, I shou'd make an excellent Snap-Dragon.] Quid, si aliquo ad ludos me pro ma•…duco locem? The Ancients had their Mand•…ci, and their C•…riae, to march before their great Sights and Triumphs; the first were certain Antick Figures with wide Mouths, like our Snap-dragons for Mayor's Shows, and the second were somewhat like our Merry Andrews.
