Twaddle of this sort was being bandied about when Trimalchio came in; mopping his forehead and washing his hands in perfume, he said, after a short pause, "Pardon me, gentlemen, but my stomach's been on strike for the past few days and the doctors disagreed about the cause.

But pomegranate rind and pitch steeped in vinegar have helped me, and I hope that my belly will get on its good behavior, for sometimes there's such a rumbling in my guts that you'd think a bellowing bull was in there.

So if anyone wants to do his business, there's no call to be bashful about it.

None of us was born solid! I don't know of any worse torment than having to hold it in, it's the one thing Jupiter himself can't hold in.
So you're laughing, are you, Fortunata?
Why, you're always keeping me awake at night yourself.

I never objected yet to anyone in my dining-room relieving himself when he wanted to, and the doctors forbid our holding it in.