Ptol. Give me your hands: rise both: no woman | In mind and deed is fitter for the gallows ever Was more inclin'd to pity; but alas! My state is poor and mean: hardly indeed I get support, and for a livelihood I serve our Venus. Pal. Is this Venus' temple. Ptol. The same; and I'm her priestess.-Such as 'tis, You shall find here a courteous entertainment, Than Venus' temple. You tender us, good mother, And carried off the damsels.-I'm a conjurer.— Enter FISHERMEN, with their lines, nets, &c. A Fish. We poor folks lead a sorry life, especially If we have learn'd no trade, no occupation, With what we have.-Guess ye, how rich we are We come here to the sea in quest of forage. The sea is now so rough, we have no hope Enter TRACHALIO, at a little distance. Fish. As with fishermen; Dying with hunger, thirst, and expectation. Trach. Have you seen come this way, since My master was invited by the knave To dinner here: I had best stay his coming: How near is dinner ready? Pray, what dinner? ceive Both gods and men, he acts but like a pimp. Trach. frights, From hazard of our lives, in want of succour, The priestess took us in, me and Palæstra. Trach. Ha! is Palæstra here, my master's love? Amp. Yes, verily. Trach. There's pleasure in your news, My Ampelisca.-But I long to know The perils you were in. Amp. Last night was cast away. Trach. What story's this? Amp. PLAUTUS. Our ship, Trachalio, Ship? cast away? Have you not heard, forsooth, And put on ship-board all that he was worth? Thanks, gentle Neptune: verily Thou art a cunning gamester; thou hast giv'n him A pleasant cast i'faith: the rogue is done for.*- Dead drunk, I fancy; Trach. O how I love thee, My Ampelisca! What a dear sweet creature! 343 A constant watch, been always upon guard. Let him be e'er so mindful of his clothes, Point blank before him: all the while our spark Go straight into the temple: Amp. I'll tell you. She is vexed to the soul, Might lead to a discovery of her parents; Where was the casket? You shall hear. Discovery of her parents. Seeing the ship borne full upon a rock, waves, We pass'd the livelong night, till on the morn spent. Trach. I understand; - 'tis ever Neptune's He's a most dainty Ædile,† and whenever A plague on you! You and your master, to prevent his going! A lover he, and ask you O Neptune lepide, salve! Nec te aleator ullus est sapientior: profectò Nimis lepidè jecisti bolum; perjurum perdidisti. Jacere bolum signifies the casting a net, as well as casting of dice; and by perdere is understood, to cause to perish, or to ruin any one in the gamester's sense. It was the business of the Edile, among the Romans, to inspect and regulate the market. Among the Greeks there was an officer, whose province was the same, who was called Agoranomus, which appellation our author himself introduces in his Captives. It was the custom, it seems, for those who were employed in divining to wear their hair very long. To make a slave of one that should be free! All the old fellow's treasure too was with it: Trach. 'Tis fit that I should go and comfort her. Trach. Patience then Is the best remedy against affliction.- SCENE V. Go. [Exit TRACHALIO. AMPELISCA alone. I'll now do what the priestess order'd me: Open the door.-Will nobody come forth? Scep. What good d'ye bring us?-By my troth, | And his Sicilian guest, whom I believed A likely wench. Amp. Good day to you, young man. Scep. The same to you, young woman. Amp. Both drown'd!-More evil still survives to plague us Than we imagin'd.—Why do I not run I am come to you,- Amp. her.) Fye, now you are too rude. Scep. Let me alone : By heavens, the very A walnut, a nut brown I meant to say!- Amp. (struggling.) (lays hold of her.) Be quiet! I am not for your turn-d'ye think me com mon? What! can't you keep your hands off?— Scep. May I not toy a little? Amp. Prithee, sweet, By-and-by, When I'm at leisure, I'll then trifle with you :- What would you? Scep. To beg some water. presses, [Runs into the temple. SCENE VIII. Enter SCEPARNIO. Good heavens! I ne'er believ'd such pleasure was in water; I would that you might carry it with that pleasure water. Where are you?-Verily I think she loves me: The wanton plays at bo-peep.-Ho! where are you? A pleasant joke i'faith:-but come, be serious. Why won't you take it?-Where in the world are you? I see her nowhere-she's upon the fun.— Should chance to see me with it: for 'tis letter'd,— I'll call the priestess out, that she may take it. Why should you grudge I'll to the door then of the temple. (calling.) Ho To give me water, which an enemy Will give an enemy? Enter LABRAX, followed by CHARMIDES, from among the cliffs at the further end of the stage. Labr. He that would be a beggar and a wretch, Let him trust Neptune with his life and fortune: Whoe'er has any dealings with that god, He'll send him home again in this sweet trim.— Ah, Liberty, 'twas wisely done of you, That thou would'st ne'er set foot on board a ship With Hercules.-But where's this friend of mine, Who has undone me? (looking back.) Oh, see where he crawls. Charm. What a plague, Labrax, whither in such hurry? I can't keep up with you, you walk so fast. gallows, E'er I set eyes on thee, on whose account, Charm. Because I chatter with my teeth so terribly. Charm. Would thou hadst lain in prison, on Yes, yes, I own I have deserved this ducking. the day Thou first admitted me within thy doors! Where I have lost e'en more than I was worth.* With thy cajoling speeches. Charm. Labr. Why so? Charm. Because I dared embark with thee, Whose crimes have stirr'd up ocean from its bottom. Labr. Fool! to have listen'd to thy vain pre tences, That in thy country I from girls should draw Charm. Why, thou unclean, unhallow'd beast, To gobble up all Sicily at a mouthful? Labr. I wonder what sea-beast has gobbled up With all its silver, which was in the wallet. Thou hast given me A more atrocious supper, than which erst Was set before or Tereus or Thyestes.t Labr. I die! I'm sick at heart! pray, hold my And this poor shabby cloak.-Undone for ever! head. Charm. We may set up in partnership together; Charm. Would thou couldst bring thy lungs Our means are equal. Labr. Were the damsels saved, Some hope were left me.-Now, if Pleusidippus, Who gave me earnest for Palæstra, see me, "Twill cause me much vexation. (he cries.) up, for my part. Labr. Alas! poor Ampelisca, and Palæstra, Where are you? Charm. Food for fishes, I suppose; Gone to the bottom. Nay, thou ow'st me thanks: I did as bad, when I embark'd with thee. I am more wretched. Labr. Charm. Deserve it, but thou dost. Labr. That these two damsels here in Venus' temple Should so bewail them, and embrace her image? Yes, I, They have I know not what strange fears:-they talk Of having been last night toss'd on the sea, How? I envy your condition, who preserve For evermore your dryness. Charm. By my troth My words come from me broken, and as 'twere Where are the damsels, whom you mention? In Venus' temple. Labr. Charm. How happy are the blacksmiths, who I could make shift to toy with either of them. SCENE XI. CHARMIDES and SCEPARNIO. Scep. Into thy house, lend me some fresh apparel, While mine is drying: thou shalt have my thanks. Scep. Here, you may take this coarse frock, if you will, It's all that I have dry: it serves to shelter me In rainy weather. Come, give me your clothes; I'll get them dried. Charm. So! is it not enough The sea has made a broken merchant of me, How many ways the gods make sport of men! That swallows sprang from Philomel and Progne, This worst of villainies: let not the power Dæm. Dæm. Nay, prithee The meaning of this dream.-But hark! what That pays so little reverence to the gods? noise Trach. A cheat, a profligate, a parricide, |