It is a little difficult to sublimate this entirely from burlesque, but
its true nature is instanced by the opening lines of the _Miles_, where
the vainglorious Pyrgopolinices, with many a sweep and strut, addresses
his attendants, who are probably staggering under the weight of an
enormous shield:
"Have a care that the effulgence of my shield be brighter than e'er the
sun's rays in a cloudless sky: when the time for action comes and the
battle's on, I intend it shall dazzle the eyesight o' m' foes. (_Patting
his sword_). Verily I would condole with this m' sword, lest he lament and
be cast down in spirit, forasmuch as now full long hath he hung idle by m'
side, thirsting, poor lad, to meet his fellow 'mongst the foe," and so on.
In line with this, a simulation of the military is a favorite device. So
we find Pseudolus addressing the audience in ringing blustering tones and
with grandiose gesture (_Ps._ 584 ff.):
"It now becomes my aim today to lay siege to this town and capture it."
(Ballio the procurer is the town). "I shall hurl all my legions against
it. If I take it, ... good luck to you, my citizens, for part of the booty
shall be yours."
This finds a close counterpart in the _Mil._ 219 ff., a passage which
West[110] thinks was deliberately inserted to rouse the populace into
demanding that Scipio be at once despatched to Africa.
Periplecomenus is urging Palaestrio to find a stratagem. Actually he
probably addresses the pit:
"Don't you see that the enemy are upon you and investing your rear? Call a
council of war, reach out for stores and reinforcements in this crisis:
haste, haste, no time to waste! Make a detour through some pass, forestall
your foes, beleaguer them, protect our troops! Cut off the enemy's base of
supplies!" etc.
Whether this passage had an ulterior purpose or not, the motif is
frequent.[111] So we find Chrysalus in _Bac._ 925 ff. holding the stage
for an entire scene with an elaborate comparison of himself to Ulysses,
the brains of the Greek host, overcoming his master Nicobulus who
represents Priam.
In general the mocking assumption of an heroic attitude recurs with
sufficient frequency to stamp it as a staple of comic effect. Many
passages would become tiresome and meaningless instead of amusing unless
so interpreted. The soliloquy of Mnesilochus in _Bac._ 500 ff. could be
made interesting only by turgid ranting. Similarly in _Bac._ 530 ff. and
612 ff.[112]