The main issue in this sentence (from Petr. 38) is the “subalapa”.

To begin, is it the one-word “subalapa” or is it the two-word phrase “sub alapa”?

SUBALAPA, Definition
According to Smith’s commentary, “subapala” means “something of a boaster”. (Commentary – Smith, 86) This definition comes from the word “alapari” which means “to boast.” This word seems to be a Late Latin word and doesn’t appear in any of the Latin dictionaries. However, the Spanish word “alabar” comes from this word and means the same thing.

SUBALAPA, Translations
Some translators have used this Late Latin definition:

• “But he’s a bit of a braggart and not slow in putting himself forward” (Walsh)
• “But he’s kind of a blowhard, wants to show how good he’s doing” (Ruden)

SUB ALAPA, Definition
Unlike “subalapa”, “alapa, alapae, fem.” does appear in the Latin dictionaries, both the Lewis and Short (LS), and the Oxford Latin Dictionary (OLD).

“Alapa” means “a stroke or blow upon the cheek with the open hand, a box on the ear” (LS, 79) and “a blow (with the flat of the hand), smack, slap”. (OLD, 92).

Regarding slavery, alapa describes “when a slave was emancipated, his master gave him an alapa” (LS, 79). The symbolic act of a master slapping his newly-freed slave is called “manumission”, which is from “manu” + “emitto”, “by hand” + “sent out”. With this slavery definition, Smith offers this phrasing, “he has only recently been given his freedom”. (Commentary – Smith, 86)

A non-Petronius example of this idea of “alapa” is used by Phaedrus in The Fables of Phaedrus, Book 2, Fable 5, Line 25. The line, “multo maioris alapae mecum veneunt,” can be translated as “with me freedom is much more dearly purchased” (LS, 79)

“Sub” would need a better translation than the generic “under”, “below” or “beneath” translations because of the symbolic and ceremonial nature of manumission. The LS provides the tropical and figurative translations of “under, subject to, in the power of; during, in the time of, upon, etc” (LS, 1772, Definition I. C. 3.). And the OLD provides “(indicating the occasion of an action) under the influence or stimulus of, at.” (OLD, 1835, Definition 14)

Ulitmately, “est tamen sub alapa” can be thought of “He is still under the influence of the slap (of freedom)” in the sense that this man has just recently been manumitted.

SUB ALAPA, Translations
“Sub alapa” seems much more popular to translate than “subalapa”, yet there are many different interpretations and additions.

Some add that it’s an “alapa” from his master:

• “Still, he shows the marks of his master’s fingers, and has a fine opinion of himself.” (Heseltine)
• “Besides, he can still feel his master’s slap and wants to give himself a good time.” (Sullivan)

Some translations elaborate that the “alapa” frees a slave:

• “He still smarts from the slap which ended his servile career, but he looks after Number One” (Mitchell)
• “But now that he’s been slapped into freedom, he wants a good time” (Branham)
• “Not so long ago he was just a slave. Yes sir, he’s doing all right” (Arrowsmith)

And some translations focus on the “alapa”, itself:

• “He still carries the marks of his box on the ear, and he isn’t wishing himself any bad luck” (Firebaugh)
• “He’ll still take a box o’ the ear for all that, and keeps a keen eye on the main chance.” (Allinson)
• “if God gives anything it is a bit of a blow, and wills no evil to himself” (Burnaby)

LATIN related word
In Latin, “alapa” is contrasted to the closely related word “colaphus”. “Colaphus, colaphi, mas.” is a “blow with the fist, a cuff, a box on the ear” (LS, 364) and “a blow with the fist, buffet, cuff” (OLD, 349). This Latin word is from the Greek word “κόλαφος” which means “slap, buffet”. (LIDDEL, 971).

Thus, alapa is a hit with an open hand while colaphus is a hit with a closed hand

GREEK related words
“Alapa” could be related to the Greek words, ἀλαπάζειν (alapazein) and λαπάζειν (lapazein). In context, Cueva translates these as “to comport oneself insolently” and “to boast arrogantly”. (Cueva, 4) And so the Latin word “alapari” may mean “to treat someone rudely and wantonly” and “to suffer his violent wantonness.” (Cueva, 4)

REFERENCES
Jstor

• Cueva, Edmund P. “Petronius “Satyrica” 38.6-11: “Alapa” Revisited.” Classical Philology 96.1 (2001): 68-76. JSTOR. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Translations

• Allinson, A. R. (1930]). The Sayricon of Petronius: Chapter Six. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/petro/satyr/sat07.htm. Section XXXVIII
• Arbiter, P., & Arrowsmith, W. (1959). The Satyricon of Petronius. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Page 47
• Arbiter, P., & Mitchell, J. M. (1923). Petronius: The Satyricon. London: G. Routledge. Page 86, from https://archive.org/stream/satyricontransla00petruoft#page/86/mode/2up
• Arbiter, P., & Ruden, S. (2000). Satyricon. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Page 26/27
• Arbiter, P., & Walsh, P. G. (1996). The Satyricon. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Page 28/29
• Arbiter, P., Branham, R. B., & Kinney, D. (1996). Satyrica. Berkeley: University of California Press. Page 33
• Arbiter, P., Heseltine, M., Rouse, W. H., & Seneca, L. A. (1913). Petronius. London: W. Heinemann. Page 59, from https://archive.org/stream/petronius00petruoft#page/58/mode/2up
• Arbiter, P., Sullivan, J. P., & Morales, H. (2011). The Satyricon. London: Penguin.
• Burnaby, W. (2004, May). The Satyricon, by Petronius Arbiter. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5611/pg5611-images.html
• Firebaugh, W. C. (2006, October 31). THE SATYRICON OF PETRONIUS ARBITER. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/5225/5225-h/5225-h.htm

Dictionary

• Glare, P. G. (1982). Oxford Latin dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Lewis, C. T. (1980). A Latin dictionary: Founded on Andrews’ ed. of Freund’s Latin dictionary. Rev., enl., and in great part rewritten. Oxford: Clarendon Pr.
• Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., & Jones, H. S. (1996). A Greek-English lexicon. With a revised supplement (1996). Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Commentary

• Arbiter, P., & Smith, M. S. (1982). Cena Trimalchionis. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Page 86.