T. Maccius Plautus, Bacchides, ed. Friedrich Leo, 4.8

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842

Cleomachvs

Meamne híc Mnesilochus, Nicobuli filius,

per vim ut retineat mulierem? quae haec factiost?

Nicobvlvs

Quis illést?

Chrysalvs

Per tempus hic venit miles mihi.

Cleomachvs

Non me arbitratur militem, sed mulierem,
845

qui me meosque non queam defendere.

nam neque Bellona mi umquam neque Mars creduat,

ni illum exanimalem faxo, si convenero,

nive exheredem fecero vitae suae.

Nicobvlvs

Chrysale, quis ille est qui minitatur filio?
850

Chrysalvs

Vir hic ést illius mulieris quacum accubat.

Nicobvlvs

Quid, vir?

Chrysalvs

Vir, inquam.

Nicobvlvs

Nuptanest illa, obsecro?

Chrysalvs

Scies haúd multo post.

Nicobvlvs

Oppido interii miser.

Chrysalvs

Quid nunc? scelestus tibi videtur Chrysalus?

age nunc vincito me, auscultato filio.
855

dixin tibi ego illum invénturum te qualis sit?

Nicobvlvs

Quid nunc ego faciam?

Chrysalvs

Iube sis me exsolvi cito;

nam ní ego exsolvor, iam manufesto hominem opprimet.

Cleomachvs

Nihil est lucri quod me hodie facere mavelim,

quam illum cubantem cum illa opprimere, ambo ut necem.
860

Chrysalvs

Audin quae loquitur? quin tu me exsolvi iubes?

Nicobvlvs

Exsolvite istum. perii, pertimui miser.

Cleomachvs

Tum illam, quae corpus publicat volgo suom,

faxo se haud dicat nactam quem derideat.

Chrysalvs

Pacisci cum illo paulula pecunia
865

potes.

Nicobvlvs

Pacisce ergo, obsecro, quid tibi lubet,

dum ne manifesto hominem opprimat neve enicet.

Cleomachvs

Nunc nisi ducenti Philippi redduntur mihi,

iam illorum ego animam amborum exsorbebo oppido.

Nicobvlvs

Em illuc pacisce, si potes; perge obsecro,
870

pacisce quid vis.

Chrysalvs

Ibo et faciam sedulo.

quid clamas?

Cleomachvs

Vbi erus tuos est?

Chrysalvs

Nusquam. nescio.

vis tibi ducentos nummos iam promittier,

ut ne clamorem hic facias neu convicium?

Cleomachvs

Nihil est quod malim.
875

Chrysalvs

Atque ut tibi mala multa ingeram?

Cleomachvs

Tuo arbitratu.

Nicobvlvs

Vt subblanditur carnufex.

Chrysalvs

Pater hic Mnesilochi est; sequere, is promittet tibi.

tu aurum rogato; ceterum verbum sat est.

Nicobvlvs

Quid fít?

Chrysalvs

Ducentis Phílippis rem pepigi.

Nicobvlvs

Ah, salus

mea, servavisti me. quam mox dico dabo?
880

Chrysalvs

Roga hunc tu, tu promitte huic.

Nicobvlvs

Promitto, roga.

Cleomachvs

Ducentos nummos aureos Philippós probos

dabin?

Chrysalvs

Dabuntur inque. responde.

Nicobvlvs

Dabo.

Chrysalvs

Quid nunc, impure? numquid debetur tibi?

quid illí molestu's molestu s es? quid illum morte territas?
885

et ego te et ille mactámus infortunio.

si tibi est machaera, at nobis veruinast domi:

qua quidem te faciam, si tu me inritaveris,

confossiorem soricina nenia.

iam dudum hercle equidem sentio, suspicio
890

quae te sollicitet: eum esse cum illa muliere.

Cleomachvs

Immo est quoque.

Chrysalvs

Ita me Iuppiter Iuno Ceres

Minerva † Latona Spes Opis Virtus Venus

Castor Polluces Mars Mercurius Hercules

Summanus Sol Saturnus dique omnes ament,
895

ut ille cum illa neque cubat neque ambulat

neque osculatur neque illud quod dici solet.

Nicobvlvs

Vt iurat! servat me ille suis periuriis.

Cleomachvs

Vbi nunc Mnesilochus ergost?

Chrysalvs

Rus misit pater.

illa autem in arcem ábiit aedem visere
900

Minervae. nunc apertast. i, vise estne ibi.

Cleomachvs

Abeo ad forum igitur.

Chrysalvs

Vél hercle ín malam crucem.

Cleomachvs

Hodie exigam aurum hoc?

Chrysalvs

Exige, ac suspende te:

ne supplicare hunc censeas tibi, nihili homo.—

ille est amotus. sine me (per te, ere, opsecro
905

deos immortales) ire huc intro ad filium.

Nicobvlvs

Quid eo intro ibis?

Chrysalvs

Vt eum dictis plurumis

castigem, cum haec sic facta ad hunc faciat modum.

Nicobvlvs

Immo oro ut facias, Chrysale, et ted opsecro,

cave pársis in eum dicere.
910

Chrysalvs

Etiam me mones?

satin est si plura ex me audiet hodie mala,

quam audivit umquam Clinia ex Demetrio?—

Nicobvlvs

Lippi illic oculi servos est simillimus:

si non est, nolis esse neque desideres;

si est, abstinere quin attingas non queas.
915

nam ni illic hodie forte fortuna hic foret,

miles Mnesilochum cum uxore opprimeret sua

atque obtruncaret moechum manufestarium.

nunc quasi ducentis Phílippis emi filium,

quos dare promisi militi: quos non dabo
920

temere etiam prius quam filium convenero.

numquam edepol quicquam temere credam Chrysalo;

verum lubet etiam mi has perlegere denuo:

aequomst tabellis consignatis credere.—

Bacchides. T. Maccius Plautus. ed. Friedrich Leo. Berlin. 1895.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Bacchides (Latin) (Plautus. Plauti Comoediae, Volume 1. Leo, Friedrich, editor. Berlin: Weidmann, 1895.)

Translations (1)

Bacchides, or The Twin Sisters Perseus (Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, Henry Thomas, translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.) — 4.8 focus

842 (Enter CLEOMACHUS, at a distance.)

CLEOMACHUS

(aloud.)

Is this Mnesilochus, the son of Nicobulus, by force to detain my own mistress? What proceeding is this?

NICOBULUS

Who’s this?

CHRYSALUS

(aside.)

This Captain’s opportunely come for me.

CLEOMACHUS

He doesn’t consider that I am a soldier, but a woman, who cannot defend myself and mine. But may neither Bellona nor Mars ever put confidence in me, if I don’t put him out of life, if I meet him, or if I don’t make him lose possession of his existence.
845

NICOBULUS

Chrysalus, who’s this that’s threatening my son?
850

CHRYSALUS

This is the husband of that woman with whom he is now reclining.

NICOBULUS

What! The husband?

CHRYSALUS

The husband, I say.

NICOBULUS

Prithee, is she married then?

CHRYSALUS

You’ll know before very long.

NICOBULUS

Wretch that I am; I’m utterly undone.

CHRYSALUS

How now? Does Chrysalus seem such a villain to you?

Come, chain me now¹, and do listen to your son. Didn’t I tell you that you would discover what sort of person he is?
855

NICOBULUS

What shall I do now?

CHRYSALUS

Order me at once to be released, if you please; for, if I’m not released, he’ll just now be overpowering the young man in our presence.

CLEOMACHUS

There’s no gain that I should this day take so much delight in making,

as I should in falling upon him as he reclines with her, so that I might kill them both.
860

CHRYSALUS

(to NICOBULUS.)

Don’t you hear what he says Why don’t you order me to be released?

NICOBULUS

(to the SLAVES.)

Unbind him. I’m ruined; wretch that I am! I’m in a dreadful fright.

CLEOMACHUS

Then I’d make her, who publicly puts up her person for sale, not to say that she has got a person for her to laugh at.

CHRYSALUS

(to NICOBULUS.)

You may make terms with him for a little money.
865

NICOBULUS

Make terms, then, I beg, for what you like; so that he mayn’t, in our presence, fall upon the young man, or kill him outright.

CLEOMACHUS

Unless the two hundred Philippeans are repaid to me at once, I’ll this instant swallow the lives of them both outright.

NICOBULUS

(to CHRYSALUS.)

Make terms with him, if you can; prithee, do make haste; agree for any sum you like.
870

CHRYSALUS

I’ll go, and do it carefully. (Goes up to CLEOMACHUS.) Why are you exclaiming so?

CLEOMACHUS

Where’s your master?

CHRYSALUS

Nowhere; I don’t know. Do you wish the two hundred pieces to be promised you at once, so as to make no riot or disturbance here?

CLEOMACHUS

There’s nothing that I would desire more.
875

CHRYSALUS

And that I may heap many a curse upon you?

CLEOMACHUS

Just as you please.

CHRYSALUS

(aside.)

How the villain does cringe.

(To CLEOMACHUS.) This is the father of Mnesilochus: follow me; he shall promise it you. Do you ask for the gold. As to the rest, a word’s enough².

(They go up to NICOBULUS.)

NICOBULUS

What has been done?

CHRYSALUS

I’ve struck the bargain for two hundred Philippeans.

NICOBULUS

Well done! Goddess Salvation³,

thou hast saved me. Well, how soon am I to say I’ll pay it?
880

CHRYSALUS

(to CLEOMACHUS.)

Do you ask it of him; and (to NICOBULUS) do you promise it him.

NICOBULUS

I promise it. (To CLEOMACHUS.) Come, ask me.

CLEOMACHUS

Will you give me two hundred golden Philippean pieces, lawful money?

CHRYSALUS

They shall be given, say: do answer him.

NICOBULUS

I’ll give them.

CHRYSALUS

Well, now, filthy fellow is there anything owing to you?

Why are you plaguing him? Why are you frightening him about death? Both I and he wish you every ill luck. If you have a sword, still we have a spit at home; with which, in fact, if you provoke me,
885

I’ll make you more full of holes than a rat’s skin⁴ when caught in a trap. I’ faith, for my part, some time since I found out what suspicion it was that tormented you; namely, that he was with that wife of yours.
890

CLEOMACHUS

Yes; and so he is.

CHRYSALUS

So may Jupiter, Juno, Ceres, Minerva, Hope, Latona, Ops, Virtue, Venus, Castor, Pollux, Mars, Mercury, Hercules,

Summanus⁵, the Sun, Saturn, and all the Deities, prosper me, he neither reclines with her, nor walks, nor kisses, nor does that which is wont to be reported.
895

NICOBULUS

(aside.)

How he does swear! He’s saving me, however, by his perjury.

CLEOMACHUS

Where then, at this moment, is Mnesilochus?

CHRYSALUS

His father has sent him into the country.

And she has gone hence to the citadel, to see the temple of Minerva. The door’s open now; go in, and see if he’s there.
900

CLEOMACHUS

I’ll be off to the Forum next.

CHRYSALUS

Or rather, by my troth, to very perdition.

CLEOMACHUS

Am I to demand this gold to-day?

CHRYSALUS

Demand it, and go hang yourself; don’t you suppose, you worthless fellow, that we shall be entreating of you. (Exit CLEOMACHUS.)

He’s taken himself off. Permit me, master, I entreat you by the immortal Gods, to go in-doors here to your son.
905
(Pointing to the house of BACCHIS.)

NICOBULUS

But why go in there?

CHRYSALUS

That with many words I may rebuke him, since after this fashion he has been going on this way.

NICOBULUS

Well, I beg you will do so, Chrysalus; and I entreat you not to spare him in your talking to him.

CHRYSALUS

And do you instruct even myself? Isn’t it sufficient, if this day he shall hear from me more harsh things than ever Clinias heard⁶ from Demetrius?

(Goes into the house of BACCHIS.)

NICOBULUS

This servant of mine is very like a running eye; if you have it not, you don’t wish for it or desire it;

if you have it, you can’t keep off from rubbing it. But if he hadn’t, by lucky chance, been here to-day, the Captain would have surprised Mnesilochus with his wife, and have killed him as an adulterer detected in the fact. Now, in a manner have I ransomed my son with the two hundred Philippeans
915

which I have promised to give to the Captain; which, however, I shall not rashly pay him down, before I have met with my son. By my troth, I’ll never rashly give credence in anything to Chrysalus. But I have a mind even once again to read over this letter; ’tis right that when a letter is sealed we should give credence to it.
920
(Goes into his house.)

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Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Cleomachvs Meamne híc Mnesilochus, Nicobuli filius, per vim ut retineat mulierem? quae haec factiost?

Nicobvlvs Quis illést?

Chrysalvs Per tempus hic venit miles mihi.

Cleomachvs Non me arbitratur militem, sed mulierem, 845 qui me meosque non queam defendere. nam neque Bellona mi umquam neque Mars creduat, ni illum exanimalem faxo, si convenero, nive exheredem fecero vitae suae.

Nicobvlvs Chrysale, quis ille est qui minitatur filio? 850

Chrysalvs Vir hic ést illius mulieris quacum accubat.

Nicobvlvs Quid, vir?

Chrysalvs Vir, inquam.

Nicobvlvs Nuptanest illa, obsecro?

Chrysalvs Scies haúd multo post.

Nicobvlvs Oppido interii miser.

Chrysalvs Quid nunc? scelestus tibi videtur Chrysalus? age nunc vincito me, auscultato filio. 855 dixin tibi ego illum invénturum te qualis sit?

Nicobvlvs Quid nunc ego faciam?

Chrysalvs Iube sis me exsolvi cito; nam ní ego exsolvor, iam manufesto hominem opprimet.

Cleomachvs Nihil est lucri quod me hodie facere mavelim, quam illum cubantem cum illa opprimere, ambo ut necem. 860

Chrysalvs Audin quae loquitur? quin tu me exsolvi iubes?

Nicobvlvs Exsolvite istum. perii, pertimui miser.

Cleomachvs Tum illam, quae corpus publicat volgo suom, faxo se haud dicat nactam quem derideat.

Chrysalvs Pacisci cum illo paulula pecunia 865 potes.

Nicobvlvs Pacisce ergo, obsecro, quid tibi lubet, dum ne manifesto hominem opprimat neve enicet.

Cleomachvs Nunc nisi ducenti Philippi redduntur mihi, iam illorum ego animam amborum exsorbebo oppido.

Nicobvlvs Em illuc pacisce, si potes; perge obsecro, 870 pacisce quid vis.

Chrysalvs Ibo et faciam sedulo. quid clamas?

Cleomachvs Vbi erus tuos est?

Chrysalvs Nusquam. nescio. vis tibi ducentos nummos iam promittier, ut ne clamorem hic facias neu convicium?

Cleomachvs Nihil est quod malim. 875

Chrysalvs Atque ut tibi mala multa ingeram?

Cleomachvs Tuo arbitratu.

Nicobvlvs Vt subblanditur carnufex.

Chrysalvs Pater hic Mnesilochi est; sequere, is promittet tibi. tu aurum rogato; ceterum verbum sat est.

Nicobvlvs Quid fít?

Chrysalvs Ducentis Phílippis rem pepigi.

Nicobvlvs Ah, salus mea, servavisti me. quam mox dico dabo? 880

Chrysalvs Roga hunc tu, tu promitte huic.

Nicobvlvs Promitto, roga.

Cleomachvs Ducentos nummos aureos Philippós probos dabin?

Chrysalvs Dabuntur inque. responde.

Nicobvlvs Dabo.

Cleomachvs Immo est quoque.

Chrysalvs Ita me Iuppiter Iuno Ceres Minerva † Latona Spes Opis Virtus Venus Castor Polluces Mars Mercurius Hercules Summanus Sol Saturnus dique omnes ament, 895 ut ille cum illa neque cubat neque ambulat neque osculatur neque illud quod dici solet.

Nicobvlvs Vt iurat! servat me ille suis periuriis.

Cleomachvs Vbi nunc Mnesilochus ergost?

Chrysalvs Rus misit pater. illa autem in arcem ábiit aedem visere 900 Minervae. nunc apertast. i, vise estne ibi.

Cleomachvs Abeo ad forum igitur.

Chrysalvs Vél hercle ín malam crucem.

Cleomachvs Hodie exigam aurum hoc?

Chrysalvs Exige, ac suspende te: ne supplicare hunc censeas tibi, nihili homo.— ille est amotus. sine me (per te, ere, opsecro 905 deos immortales) ire huc intro ad filium.

Nicobvlvs Quid eo intro ibis?

Chrysalvs Vt eum dictis plurumis castigem, cum haec sic facta ad hunc faciat modum.

Nicobvlvs Immo oro ut facias, Chrysale, et ted opsecro, cave pársis in eum dicere. 910

Chrysalvs Etiam me mones? satin est si plura ex me audiet hodie mala, quam audivit umquam Clinia ex Demetrio?—

Current edition Perseus

CLEOMACHUS (aloud.) Is this Mnesilochus, the son of Nicobulus, by force to detain my own mistress? What proceeding is this?

NICOBULUS Who’s this?

CHRYSALUS (aside.) This Captain’s opportunely come for me.

CLEOMACHUS He doesn’t consider that I am a soldier, but a woman, who cannot defend myself and mine. But may neither Bellona nor Mars ever put confidence in me, if I don’t put him out of life, if I meet him, or if I don’t make him lose possession of his existence. 845

NICOBULUS Chrysalus, who’s this that’s threatening my son? 850

CHRYSALUS This is the husband of that woman with whom he is now reclining.

NICOBULUS What! The husband?

CHRYSALUS The husband, I say.

NICOBULUS Prithee, is she married then?

CHRYSALUS You’ll know before very long.

NICOBULUS Wretch that I am; I’m utterly undone.

CHRYSALUS How now? Does Chrysalus seem such a villain to you? Come, chain me now 1 , and do listen to your son. Didn’t I tell you that you would discover what sort of person he is? 855

NICOBULUS What shall I do now?

CHRYSALUS Order me at once to be released, if you please; for, if I’m not released, he’ll just now be overpowering the young man in our presence.

CLEOMACHUS There’s no gain that I should this day take so much delight in making, as I should in falling upon him as he reclines with her, so that I might kill them both. 860

CHRYSALUS (to NICOBULUS.) Don’t you hear what he says Why don’t you order me to be released?

NICOBULUS (to the SLAVES.) Unbind him. I’m ruined; wretch that I am! I’m in a dreadful fright.

CLEOMACHUS Then I’d make her, who publicly puts up her person for sale, not to say that she has got a person for her to laugh at.

CHRYSALUS (to NICOBULUS.) You may make terms with him for a little money. 865

NICOBULUS Make terms, then, I beg, for what you like; so that he mayn’t, in our presence, fall upon the young man, or kill him outright.

CLEOMACHUS Unless the two hundred Philippeans are repaid to me at once, I’ll this instant swallow the lives of them both outright.

NICOBULUS (to CHRYSALUS.) Make terms with him, if you can; prithee, do make haste; agree for any sum you like. 870

CHRYSALUS I’ll go, and do it carefully. (Goes up to CLEOMACHUS.) Why are you exclaiming so?

CLEOMACHUS Where’s your master?

CHRYSALUS Nowhere; I don’t know. Do you wish the two hundred pieces to be promised you at once, so as to make no riot or disturbance here?

CLEOMACHUS There’s nothing that I would desire more. 875

Cleomachvs

Meamne híc Mnesilochus, Nicobuli filius,

per vim ut retineat mulierem? quae haec factiost?

Nicobvlvs

Quis illést?

Chrysalvs

Per tempus hic venit miles mihi.

Cleomachvs

Non me arbitratur militem, sed mulierem,
845

qui me meosque non queam defendere.

nam neque Bellona mi umquam neque Mars creduat,

ni illum exanimalem faxo, si convenero,

nive exheredem fecero vitae suae.

Nicobvlvs

Chrysale, quis ille est qui minitatur filio?
850

Chrysalvs

Vir hic ést illius mulieris quacum accubat.

Nicobvlvs

Quid, vir?

Chrysalvs

Vir, inquam.

Nicobvlvs

Nuptanest illa, obsecro?

Chrysalvs

Scies haúd multo post.

Nicobvlvs

Oppido interii miser.

Chrysalvs

Quid nunc? scelestus tibi videtur Chrysalus?

age nunc vincito me, auscultato filio.
855

dixin tibi ego illum invénturum te qualis sit?

Nicobvlvs

Quid nunc ego faciam?

Chrysalvs

Iube sis me exsolvi cito;

nam ní ego exsolvor, iam manufesto hominem opprimet.

Cleomachvs

Nihil est lucri quod me hodie facere mavelim,

quam illum cubantem cum illa opprimere, ambo ut necem.
860

Chrysalvs

Audin quae loquitur? quin tu me exsolvi iubes?

Nicobvlvs

Exsolvite istum. perii, pertimui miser.

Cleomachvs

Tum illam, quae corpus publicat volgo suom,

faxo se haud dicat nactam quem derideat.

Chrysalvs

Pacisci cum illo paulula pecunia
865

potes.

Nicobvlvs

Pacisce ergo, obsecro, quid tibi lubet,

dum ne manifesto hominem opprimat neve enicet.

Cleomachvs

Nunc nisi ducenti Philippi redduntur mihi,

iam illorum ego animam amborum exsorbebo oppido.

Nicobvlvs

Em illuc pacisce, si potes; perge obsecro,
870

pacisce quid vis.

Chrysalvs

Ibo et faciam sedulo.

quid clamas?

Cleomachvs

Vbi erus tuos est?

Chrysalvs

Nusquam. nescio.

vis tibi ducentos nummos iam promittier,

ut ne clamorem hic facias neu convicium?

Cleomachvs

Nihil est quod malim.
875

Chrysalvs

Atque ut tibi mala multa ingeram?

Cleomachvs

Tuo arbitratu.

Nicobvlvs

Vt subblanditur carnufex.

Chrysalvs

Pater hic Mnesilochi est; sequere, is promittet tibi.

tu aurum rogato; ceterum verbum sat est.

Nicobvlvs

Quid fít?

Chrysalvs

Ducentis Phílippis rem pepigi.

Nicobvlvs

Ah, salus

mea, servavisti me. quam mox dico dabo?
880

Chrysalvs

Roga hunc tu, tu promitte huic.

Nicobvlvs

Promitto, roga.

Cleomachvs

Ducentos nummos aureos Philippós probos

dabin?

Chrysalvs

Dabuntur inque. responde.

Nicobvlvs

Dabo.

Cleomachvs

Immo est quoque.

Chrysalvs

Ita me Iuppiter Iuno Ceres

Minerva † Latona Spes Opis Virtus Venus

Castor Polluces Mars Mercurius Hercules

Summanus Sol Saturnus dique omnes ament,
895

ut ille cum illa neque cubat neque ambulat

neque osculatur neque illud quod dici solet.

Nicobvlvs

Vt iurat! servat me ille suis periuriis.

Cleomachvs

Vbi nunc Mnesilochus ergost?

Chrysalvs

Rus misit pater.

illa autem in arcem ábiit aedem visere
900

Minervae. nunc apertast. i, vise estne ibi.

Cleomachvs

Abeo ad forum igitur.

Chrysalvs

Vél hercle ín malam crucem.

Cleomachvs

Hodie exigam aurum hoc?

Chrysalvs

Exige, ac suspende te:

ne supplicare hunc censeas tibi, nihili homo.—

ille est amotus. sine me (per te, ere, opsecro
905

deos immortales) ire huc intro ad filium.

Nicobvlvs

Quid eo intro ibis?

Chrysalvs

Vt eum dictis plurumis

castigem, cum haec sic facta ad hunc faciat modum.

Nicobvlvs

Immo oro ut facias, Chrysale, et ted opsecro,

cave pársis in eum dicere.
910

Chrysalvs

Etiam me mones?

satin est si plura ex me audiet hodie mala,

quam audivit umquam Clinia ex Demetrio?—

CLEOMACHUS

(aloud.)

Is this Mnesilochus, the son of Nicobulus, by force to detain my own mistress? What proceeding is this?

NICOBULUS

Who’s this?

CHRYSALUS

(aside.)

This Captain’s opportunely come for me.

CLEOMACHUS

He doesn’t consider that I am a soldier, but a woman, who cannot defend myself and mine. But may neither Bellona nor Mars ever put confidence in me, if I don’t put him out of life, if I meet him, or if I don’t make him lose possession of his existence.
845

NICOBULUS

Chrysalus, who’s this that’s threatening my son?
850

CHRYSALUS

This is the husband of that woman with whom he is now reclining.

NICOBULUS

What! The husband?

CHRYSALUS

The husband, I say.

NICOBULUS

Prithee, is she married then?

CHRYSALUS

You’ll know before very long.

NICOBULUS

Wretch that I am; I’m utterly undone.

CHRYSALUS

How now? Does Chrysalus seem such a villain to you?

Come, chain me now¹, and do listen to your son. Didn’t I tell you that you would discover what sort of person he is?
855

NICOBULUS

What shall I do now?

CHRYSALUS

Order me at once to be released, if you please; for, if I’m not released, he’ll just now be overpowering the young man in our presence.

CLEOMACHUS

There’s no gain that I should this day take so much delight in making,

as I should in falling upon him as he reclines with her, so that I might kill them both.
860

CHRYSALUS

(to NICOBULUS.)

Don’t you hear what he says Why don’t you order me to be released?

NICOBULUS

(to the SLAVES.)

Unbind him. I’m ruined; wretch that I am! I’m in a dreadful fright.

CLEOMACHUS

Then I’d make her, who publicly puts up her person for sale, not to say that she has got a person for her to laugh at.

CHRYSALUS

(to NICOBULUS.)

You may make terms with him for a little money.
865

NICOBULUS

Make terms, then, I beg, for what you like; so that he mayn’t, in our presence, fall upon the young man, or kill him outright.

CLEOMACHUS

Unless the two hundred Philippeans are repaid to me at once, I’ll this instant swallow the lives of them both outright.

NICOBULUS

(to CHRYSALUS.)

Make terms with him, if you can; prithee, do make haste; agree for any sum you like.
870

CHRYSALUS

I’ll go, and do it carefully. (Goes up to CLEOMACHUS.) Why are you exclaiming so?

CLEOMACHUS

Where’s your master?

CHRYSALUS

Nowhere; I don’t know. Do you wish the two hundred pieces to be promised you at once, so as to make no riot or disturbance here?

CLEOMACHUS

There’s nothing that I would desire more.
875

CHRYSALUS

And that I may heap many a curse upon you?

CLEOMACHUS

Just as you please.

CHRYSALUS

(aside.)

How the villain does cringe.

(To CLEOMACHUS.) This is the father of Mnesilochus: follow me; he shall promise it you. Do you ask for the gold. As to the rest, a word’s enough².

(They go up to NICOBULUS.)