ACT II

(_A couple of hours have elapsed._)

ENTER _Libanus_ WITH WORRIED AIR.

_Lib._

Hercle vero, Libane, nunc te meliust expergiscier atque argento comparando fingere fallaciam. 250 iam diu est factum quom discesti ab ero atque abiisti ad forum,[8] (251) ibi tu ad hoc diei tempus dormitasti in otio. (253)

By gad, Libanus, you’d certainly better rouse yourself now and contrive some trick for collecting that cash. It’s a long time since you left your master and hied yourself to the forum, to loaf and snooze away there till this time of day.

quin tu abs te socordiam omnem reice et segnitiem amove atque ad ingenium vetus versutum te recipis tuom serva erum, cave tu idem faxis alii quod servi solent, qui ad eri fraudationem callidum ingenium gerunt.

Come on, shake off all this dull sloth, away with sluggishness, yes, and get back that old gift of guile of yours! Save your master: mind you don’t do the same as other servants that use their wily wits to gull him.

unde sumam? quem intervortam? quo hanc celocem conferam? impetritum, inauguratumst quovis admittunt aves, picus et cornix ab laeva, corvos parra ab dextera 260 consuadent; certum herclest vostram consequi sententiam.

(_pause_) Where shall I get it? Who shall I swindle? Where shall I steer this cutter? (_looking upwards, then jubilantly_) I’ve got my auspices, my auguries: the birds let me steer it where I please! Woodpecker and crow on the left, raven and barn owl on the right. “Go ahead,” they say! By Jove, I’ll follow your advice, I certainly will.

sed quid hoc, quod picus ulmum tundit? non temerariumst. certe hercle ego quantum ex augurio eius pici intellego, aut mihi in mundo sunt virgae aut atriensi Saureae sed quid illuc quod exanimatus currit huc Leonida? metuo quom illic obscaevavit meae falsae fallaciae.

(_looking upward again_) What’s this, though,--the woodpecker tapping an elm?[C] That’s not for nothing! Lord! So far as I understand the omen of this woodpecker, that certainly means there are rods in pickle for me, or for steward Saurea. (_looking down street_) But what’s wrong-- Leonida running up here all out of breath? I’m afraid now that the bird there has predicted trouble for my artful arts.

[Footnote C: The elm corresponded to our birch in being used for corporal punishment.]

II. 2.