Plautus's comedies ... made English, with critical remarks upon each play.

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.

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

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.