Plautus Stichus 5.4

Henry Thomas Riley (Translator)

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Stichus. Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley (Translator). London. 1912.

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Current edition Perseus

Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed (English) (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.)

Editions (1)
Stichus Perseus (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 2. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1896.) — 5.4 focus

Notes on the current edition

Stichus, or The Parasite Rebuffed

1. Lead on the procession: They are about to have their carousal in front of the house. Sagarinus puts on an air of importance, as if mustering all of a large company; whereas the only guests, besides himself, are Stichus and the Piper. Stephanium has gone to dress herself for the occasion.
2. With his own wine: It has been before remarked, that the symbola, or pic-nic was made on these terms.
3. Eating alone: Monotrophi. From the Greek word μονοτροφοὶ, eaters alone.
4. Nuts, beans, figs: These articles formed the usual food of the Roman slaves.
5. Samian jug: A plain earthenware goblet, or cup. Reference has been already made to the Samian pottery. The Proverb in this line is similar to ours, of each cutting his cloth according to his measure.
6. The commander: Strategum. This is a Greek word, signifying the commander of an army. It was usual with the Greeks, Romans, and Jews, to appoint a master of the feast, who probably gave the toasts, looked to the comforts of the guests, and took care that the quality of the wine was satisfactory. See the second Chapter of St. John, v. 8.
7. Part of line 703 in the Latin.
8. Entertained like Cynics: The absurdities consequent on the unity of place in the Roman Comedy could not possibly be better illustrated than in the present instance. The servants not only carouse in front of their master’s house, but absolutely bring out couches to recline upon. Persons of rigid manners, and especially the Cynic philosophers, persisted in retaining the old posture of sitting at meals; to that circumstance reference is here made.
9. How many cups: Cyathos. The cyathus was a cup which contained a fixed and definite measure. It contained but a small quantity, one- twelfth part of a sextarius, which was not quite an English pint. It seems most probable that the cyathus was used for the purpose of ladling the wine out of the bowl, or cratera, in which it was mixed with water, into the goblets or cups. The question of Sagarinus here seems to apply to the number of cyathi of the pure wine which they had been drinking at each goblet-full that they took, as otherwise they would be making but slow inroads on the cadus, five cyathi holding, perhaps, about as much as three of our ordinary wine-glasses. It is not improbable that a portion of the Play is lost here.
10. Either your five cups, etc.: These words are in Greek. Eustathius and Athenaeus say that this Greek song bears reference to the proportions of water that should be mixed with the wine. It seems, however, here to mean that there’s luck in odd numbers when you are drinking.
11. From the fountain: The fons in this case was probably a pitcher of water which they had on the table. Sagarinus seems to recommend him, in mixing, only to take one-tenth part of water. Sober people generally mixed in the proportion of three-fifths water and two-fifths wine.
12. Part of line 712 in the Latin.
13. By way of a relish: By pulpamentum Sagarinus seems to mean some dainty, by way of a relish; at least, Stichus so understands him, as he points to the nuts, beans, figs, lupines, and olives on the table, and tells him that he will get nothing else.
14. Take some water: He probably tells him to take some water if he feels queer, or, in our vernacular, seedy, from taking too much wine; which he has some reason to suppose, from the other calling for a pulpamentum. Anchovy toast is an item of our favorite pulpamenta.
15. Drink away, Piper: He thinks that the Piper is inclined to shirk his goblet, and to show that he himself is not flagging in spirit, tries to keep him up to the mark.
16. Take your pipes: The Tibicines, Pipers or flute-players, among the Greeks and Romans, were in the habit of playing upon two pipes at the same time. These were perfectly distinct, and were not even, as has been supposed by some, connected by a common mouth-piece. The Romans were particularly fond of this music, and it was introduced both at sacrifices, funerals, and entertainments. See a comical story about the Roman Tibicines in the Fasti of Ovid, B. 6, l. 670 et seq. From the present specimen they appear to have been merry souls, occupying much the same place as the country fiddlers of modern times.
17. Mind my rules: It is pretty clear, that in his zeal, and to show that there is no flagging in him, Sagarinus has been overdoing it, perhaps helping himself out of his turn; on this, the other threatens to resign his office of master of the ceremonies.
18. Soon be about nothing: Nulli rei erimus posteà. This is the proper reading, which has been restored by the research of Ritschel. It is difficult to say precisely what he alludes to, but most probably he means, at this rate our supply will soon be exhausted.
19. Turned head downwards: He says that the cadus, or earthenware cask, will soon at this rate be capable of being turned upside down without any risk of spilling the wine
20. A reptile serpent: The head of the serpent is said to swell, or puff out, when it infuriated.
21. Part of line 728 in the Latin.