The Auctioneer of Parting — Divorce

The Auctioneer of Parting 1
His "Going, going, gone"
Shouts even from the Crucifix,
And brings his Hammer down-
He only sells the Wilderness,
The prices of Despair
Range from a single human Heart
To Two-not any more-
(F.1646/J.1612)
[1] Parting:: the property parting due to divorce, which can be auctioned by a court order.
[2] "Going, going, gone":: an auction.
[3] Crucifix:: a very intense suffering caused by the divorce.
[5] Wilderness:: what happend in a divorce.
[6] prices of Despair:: heart-breaking prices.
[7, 8] single, Heart, Two:: despair of the husband or wife or both.

If the divorce took place by mutual consent, then the "dos," or "marriage-portion," of the wife was returned. Such a circumstance occurring on a sudden, might very easily cause a necessity for recourse to the services of the auctioneer. ─ The Comedies of Plautus (1869)