Satyricon, vol 4, Escape by Sea | Page 7

by word and by deed. His hired
servant backed him up in his protest, as did first one and then another
of the feeblest of the seasick passengers, whose participation served
rather to inflame the disagreement than to be of help to us. For myself I
asked no quarter, but I shook my fists in Tryphaena's face, and told her
in a loud voice that unless she stopped hurting Giton, I would use every
ounce of my strength against her, reprobate woman that she was, the
only person aboard the ship who deserved a flogging. Lycas was
furiously angry at my hardihood, nor was he less enraged at my
abandoning my own cause, to take up that of another, in so
wholehearted a manner. Inflamed as she was by this affront, Tryphaena
was as furious as he, so the whole ship's company was divided into two
factions. On our side, the hired barber armed himself with a razor and
served out the others to us; on their side, Tryphaena's retainers prepared
to battle with their bare fists, nor was the scolding of female warriors
unheard in the battle-line. The pilot was neutral, but he declared that
unless this madness, stirred up by the lechery of a couple of vagabonds,
died down, he would let go the helm! The fury of the combatants
continued to rage none the less fiercely, nevertheless, they fighting for
revenge, we for life. Many fell on each side, though none were mortally
wounded, and more, bleeding from wounds, retreated, as from a real
battle, but the fury of neither side abated. At last the gallant Giton
turned the menacing razor against his own virile parts, and threatened
to cut away the cause of so many misfortunes. This was too much for
Tryphaena; she prevented the perpetration of so horrid a crime by the

out and out promise of quarter. Time and time again, I lifted the
barber's blade to my throat, but I had no more intention of killing
myself than had Giton of doing what he threatened, but he acted out the
tragic part more realistically than I, as it was, because he knew that he
held in his hand the same razor with which he had already cut his throat.
The lines still stood at the ready, and it was plain to be seen that this
would be no everyday affair, when the pilot, with difficulty, prevailed
upon Tryphaena to undertake the office of herald, and propose a truce;
so, when pledges of good faith had been given and received, in keeping
with the ancient precedent she snatched an olive-branch from the ship's
figurehead and, holding it out, advanced boldly to parley.
"What fury," she exclaims, "turns peace to war? What evil deed Was by
these hands committed? Trojan hero there is none Absconding in this
ship with bride of Atreus' cuckold seed Nor crazed Medea, stained by
life's blood of her father's son! But passion scorned, becomes a power:
alas! who courts his end By drawing sword amidst these waves? Why
die before our time? Strive not with angry seas to vie and to their fury
lend Your rage by piling waves upon its savage floods sublime !"

CHAPTER THE
ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH.
The woman poured out this rhapsody in a loud excited voice, the battle-
line wavered for an instant, then all hands were recalled to peace and
terminated the war. Eumolpus, our commander, took advantage of the
psychological moment of their repentance and, after administering a
stinging rebuke to Lycas, signed a treaty of peace which was drawn up
as follows: "It is hereby solemnly agreed on your part, Tryphaena, that
you do forego complaint of any wrong done you by Giton; that you do
not bring up anything that has taken place prior to this date, that you do
not seek to revenge anything that has taken place prior to this date, that
you do not take steps to follow it up in any other manner whatsoever;
that you do not command the boy to perform anything to him repugnant;
that you do neither embrace nor kiss the said Giton; that you do not
enfold said Giton in the sexual embrace, except under immediate
forfeiture of one hundred denarii. Item, it is hereby agreed on your part,
Lycas, that you do refrain from annoying Encolpius with abusive word

or reproachful look; that you do not seek to ascertain where he sleep at
night; or, if you do so seek, that you forfeit two hundred denarii
immediately for each and every such offense." The treaty was signed
upon these terms, and we laid down our arms. It seemed well to wipe
out the past with kisses, after we had taken oath, for fear any vestige of
rancor should persist in our