T. Maccius Plautus Bacchides 2.3

NICOBULUS

(to himself.)

To the Piraeus will I go; I’ll go see whether any merchant-ship has come into harbour from Ephesus. For my mind misgives me; my son lingers there so long, and does not return.

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CHRYSALUS

(aside.)

Now, I’ll finely unravel him, if the Gods are propitious.

There must be no sleeping; gold is requisite ¹ for Chrysalus. I’ll accost him, whom for sure this day I’ll make a ram of Phryxus ² of; so, even to the quick ³ , will I shear him of his gold. (Accosting him.) His servant Chrysalus salutes Nicobulus.

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NICOBULUS

O, immortal Gods! where is my son?

CHRYSALUS

Why don’t you return the salutation first, which I gave you?

245

NICOBULUS

Well, save you. But where on earth is Mnesilochus?

CHRYSALUS

He is alive and well.

NICOBULUS

Is he not come?

CHRYSALUS

He is come.

NICOBULUS

Hurra! you’ve brought me to ⁴ my senses. And has he all along been well?

CHRYSALUS

Aye, well as a boxer ⁵ and an athlete.

NICOBULUS

But what as to this—the business on account or which I sent him hence to Ephesus?

Has he rot received the gold from his entertainer, Archidemides?

250

CHRYSALUS

Alas! my heart and my brain are cleft, Nicobulus, whenever mention is made of that fellow. Why don’t you call that entertainer of his your enemy?

NICOBULUS

Troth now, prithee, why so?

CHRYSALUS

Because, i’ faith, I know for sure,

that Vulcan, the Moon, the Sun, the Day, those four Divinities, never shone upon another more wicked.

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NICOBULUS

What, than Archidemides? Dear me!

CHRYSALUS

Than Archidemides, I say.

NICOBULUS

What has he done?

CHRYSALUS

What has he not done? Why don’t you ask me that? In the first place, then, he began to make denials to your son,

and to assert that he didn’t owe three obols ⁶ to you. Forthwith, Mnesilochus summoned to himself there our ancient host, the old gentleman, Pelago; in his presence, he at once showed the fellow the token ⁷ , which you yourself had given to your son to deliver to him.

260

NICOBULUS

Well—when he showed him the token?

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CHRYSALUS

He began to say that it was counterfeit, and that it was not a true token; and how many reproaches he did utter against him so undeserving of them! and he said that in other matters he had committed forgery.

NICOBULUS

Have you not the gold? In the first place, I want that to be told me.

CHRYSALUS

Yes, after the Praetor had appointed delegates ⁸ ; being cast, at length compelled by force he paid down twelve hundred Philippeans.

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NICOBULUS

He owed that much.

CHRYSALUS

Besides, listen to another struggle of his, as well, which he was desirous to enter on.

NICOBULUS

What, besides, as well?

Oho! this will turn out now a regular hawk’s nest ⁹ .

I’ve been deceived. I’ve entrusted my gold to an Autolycus ¹⁰ for my host!

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CHRYSALUS

Nay, but do you listen—

NICOBULUS

Well, I wasn’t aware of the disposition of my avaricious entertainer.

CHRYSALUS

Afterwards, at last we had got the gold, and embarked on board ship, desirous for home. By chance, as I was sitting on the deck, while I was looking about me, at that moment I beheld

a long bark being fitted out by this cheating knave.

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NICOBULUS

Troth, I’m undone; that bark breaks my heart ¹¹ .

CHRYSALUS

This was held in partnership by your host and some pirates.

NICOBULUS

And that I should be such a blockhead as to trust him, when his very name of Archidemides ¹²

cried aloud to me that he would deprive me of it, if I should entrust anything to him.

285

CHRYSALUS

This bark was lying in wait for our ship. I began to watch them, to see what business they were about. Meanwhile, from harbour our ship set sail. When we had fully left the harbour, these fellows began to follow with their oars;

nor birds, nor winds more swiftly. As I discovered what scheme was being carried out, at once we dropped anchor. As they beheld us stopping, they began to keep their vessel back in harbour.

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NICOBULUS

Wicked wretches, by my troth. What did you do at last?

CHRYSALUS

We returned again into harbour.

NICOBULUS

’Twas cleverly done by you. What after that?

295

CHRYSALUS

At nightfall they returned ashore.

NICOBULUS

Troth now, they intended to carry off the gold; they were attempting that plan, no doubt.

CHRYSALUS

It didn’t escape me; I discovered it: I was almost terrified to death by it. As I saw that a scheme was being laid against the gold,

forthwith on this we came to this determination; the next day we carried away all the gold thence in their presence, openly and publicly, that they might know it was done.

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NICOBULUS

Skilfully managed, i’ faith. Tell me, what did they?

CHRYSALUS

Chopfallen at once,—soon as ever they saw us leaving the harbour with the gold,

shaking their heads, they hauled their bark ashore. We deposited all the gold with Theotimus, who is a priest there ¹³ of Ephesian Diana.

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NICOBULUS

Who is this Theotimus?

CHRYSALUS

The son of Megalobyzus ¹⁴ , who is now living at Ephesus, a man most dear to the Ephesians.

NICOBULUS

By my troth, he’ll surely turn out very much more dear to me ¹⁵ if he shall chouse me out of all that gold.

310

CHRYSALUS

But it is stowed away in the very temple itself of the Goddess Diana; there they keep guard at the public expense ¹⁶ .

NICOBULUS

You kill me outright; much more safely would it have been kept in private hands.

But haven’t you brought any of the gold home here?

315

CHRYSALUS

O yes; but how much he has brought, I don’t know.

NICOBULUS

How’s that?—not know?

CHRYSALUS

Because Mnesilochus went privately by night to Theotimus; and didn’t wish to entrust it to me, nor to any one in the ship. For that reason I don’t know

how much he has brought, but he hasn’t brought very much.

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NICOBULUS

Do you think it was even a half?

CHRYSALUS

By my troth, I know not; but I don’t think it.

NICOBULUS

Does he bring a third part?

CHRYSALUS

Troth, I think not; but I do not know the truth. Indeed, I know nothing at all about the gold, except that I do know nothing about it.

Now, you yourself must take a voyage there on board ship, to carry home this gold from Theotimus; and, hearkye—

325

(Takes him by the arm.)

NICOBULUS

What do you want?

CHRYSALUS

Take care and remember to carry your son’s ring.

NICOBULUS

What need is there of the ring?

CHRYSALUS

Because that is the token agreed on with Theotimus, that the person who brings it to him,

to him he is to give up the gold.

330

NICOBULUS

I’ll remember it, and you advise me well. But is this Theotimus rich?

CHRYSALUS

What, do you ask that? Why, hasn’t he the soles fastened to his shoes with gold?

NICOBULUS

Why does he thus despise it?

CHRYSALUS

He has such immense riches; he doesn’t know what to do with his gold.

NICOBULUS

I wish he’d give it me.

But in whose presence was this gold delivered to Theotimus?

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CHRYSALUS

In presence of the people; there’s not a person in Ephesus but what knows it.

NICOBULUS

My son at least did wisely there, in entrusting that gold to a rich man to keep. From him it may be recovered even at a moment’s notice.

CHRYSALUS

Aye, and look here, he’ll never keep you waiting even thus much (shows his finger-nail) from receiving it on the very day you arrive there.

340

NICOBULUS

I thought that I had escaped a seafaring life, and that, at length, an old man of my years, I shouldn’t be sailing about. But now I find that I’m not allowed to have the choice whether I would or no;

’tis my fine host Archidemides has done me this. Where, then, is my son, Mnesilochus, at present?

345

CHRYSALUS

He has gone to the market-place to pay his respects to the Deities and his friends.

NICOBULUS

Then I’ll go hence to meet him as soon as I can.

(Exit NICOBULUS.)

CHRYSALUS

He’s right well loaded, and carries more than his proper burden.

Not so very badly has this web been commenced by me, that I may find means for the son of my master in his amour. I’ve managed it so, that he may take as much of the gold as he chooses, and give up to his father as much as he may like to give up. The old gentleman will be going hence to Ephesus to fetch his gold;

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here our life will be spent in a delicious manner, since the old man will leave me and Mnesilochus here, and not be taking us along with him. O! what a kick-up I shall be making here. But what’s to be done, when the old gentleman shall have discovered this? When he shall have found out that he has made his journey thither to no purpose,

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and that we have misspent his gold, what will become of me after that? I’ faith, I think upon his arrival he’ll be changing my name, and at once be making me Crucisalus ¹⁷ instead of Chrysalus. Troth, I’ll run away, if there shall be a greater necessity for it. If I’m caught, I’ll plague him for a punishment ¹⁸ ;

360

if his rods are in the fields, still my back’s at home. Now I’ll be off, and tell my master’s son this contrivance about the gold, and about his mistress Bacchis who has been found.

365

(Exit.)