IX.—THE TRICKSTER (PSEUDOLUS).
This comedy would deserve special notice, if only because it was, if we may trust Cicero, the "darling" of Plautus. An author, however, is not an infallible judge of his own works; and though the action of the piece is very busy and lively, and the tricks of Pseudolus fairly amusing, few modern readers would be likely to select it as their favourite. Probably it might act better than it reads. Its plot is the old story of money which has to be raised in some way for the ransom of a slave-girl out of the hands of the dealer, and the humour consists entirely in the devices of Pseudolus to procure it for his young master. But one of the early scenes contains such a graphic picture of one of these hateful traffickers in human flesh and blood, that portions of it may be worth presenting to the reader.
Enter Ballio, the slave-dealer, and four flogging-slaves,
all armed with whips: other slaves following.
Come out, here! move! stir about, ye idle rascals!
The very worst bargain that man ever made,
Not worth your keep! There's ne'er a one of ye
That has thought of doing honest work.
I shall never get money's worth out of your hides,
Unless it be in this sort (lays about them with the whip).
Such tough hides too!
Their ribs have no more feeling than an ass's—
You'll hurt yourself long before you'll hurt them.
And this is all their plan—these whipping-posts—
The moment they've a chance, it's pilfer, plunder,
Rob, cheat, eat, drink, and run away's the word.
