No More Learning

[721] It was customary to paint phials or little bottles on the coffins
of the poor; these emblems took the place of the perfumes that were
sprinkled on the bodies of the rich.

[722] i. e. unless I am your slave; no doubt this tax of five hundredths
was paid by the master on the assumed value of his slave. --We have,
however, no historical data to confirm this.

[723] Nickname of the notorious brigand. The word means 'one who
stretches and tortures,' from [Greek: prokrouein], and refers to his
habit of fitting all his captives to the same bedstead--the 'bed of
Procrustes'--stretching them if too short to the required length, lopping
their limbs as required if they were too long. Here a further pun is
involved, [Greek: prokrouein] meaning also 'to go with a woman first. '

[724] Athenian law declared it illegal for a woman to contract any debt
exceeding the price of a _medimnus_ of corn; this law is now supposed to
affect the men.

[725] Merchants were exempt from military service; in this case, it is
another kind of service that the old woman wants to exact from the young
man.

[726] A Thracian brigand, who forced strangers to share his daughters'
bed, or be devoured by his horses.

[727] Dead bodies were laid out on a layer of origanum, which is an
aromatic plant.

[728] The young man is here describing the formalities connected with the
laying out of the dead.

[729] Who had married his mother Jocasta without knowing it.

[730] A hideous spectre that Hecate was supposed to send to frighten men.
[731] Which provided that where a number of criminals were charged with
the same offence, each must be tried separately.

[732] As an aphrodisiac.

[733] We have already seen similar waggish endings to phrases in the
'Lysistrata'; the figure is called [Greek: para prosdokian]--'contrary to
expectation. '

[734] Nothing is known as to these Cretan rhythms. According to the
Scholiast, this is a jest, because the Cretans, who were great eaters,
sat down to table early in the morning. This is what the Chorus supposes
it is going to do, since 'The Ecclesiazusae' was played first, i. e.
during the forenoon.

[735] This wonderful word consists, in the original Greek, of
seventy-seven syllables. For similar burlesque compounds see the
'Lysistrata,' 457, 458; 'Wasps,' 505 and 520. Compare Shakespeare,
'Love's Labour's Lost,' Act V. sc. 1: "I marvel thy master hath not eaten
thee for a word; for thou art not so long by the head as
_honorificabilitudinitatibus_. " This is outdone by Rabelais'
_Antipericatametaanaparbeugedamphicribrationibus_.




PLUTUS[*]




[* Transcriber's note: This caption is missing in the original. ]

INTRODUCTION

The 'Plutus' differs widely from all other works of its Author, and, it
must be confessed, is the least interesting and diverting of them all.