Enter PYTHODICUS, from the house of MEGADORUS.PYTHODICUS

Mind you your business; I'll step in and see what the cooks are doing, to observe whom, i' faith, to-day it is a most laborious task. Unless I manage this one thing, for them to cook the dinner down in the dungeon In the dungeon: By the use of the word "puteus" he may possibly mean the black hole or dungeon alluded to in l. 301, whence there was no means of agress but by being drawn up. He means to say that such a place will be the only one for preventing the cooks from thieving whatever comes in their way. The thievish propensities of the hired cooks are also referred to in the Pseudolus.; thence, when cooked, we might bring it up again in small baskets. But if they should eat below Should eat below: He reflects that if they are put in the "puteus" to prevent their thieving, they may possibly revenge themselves by eating up the victuals as fast as they cook it. whatever they should cook, those above would go without their dinner, and those below have dined. But here am I chattering, as though I had no business, when there's such a pack of thieves in the house. Goes into the house.

Enter EUCLIO, with some chaplets of flowers in his hand.EUCLIO

I wished at length to screw up my courage to-day, so as to enjoy myself at the wedding of my daughter. I come to the market, I enquire about fish; they tell me that it is dear, that lamb is dear, beef is dear, veal, large fish Large fish: "Cetus" or "cete" properly signifies fish of the whale or dolphin kind; it perhaps means here simply the larger and coarser fish in use among the Romans, like plaice or codfish with us. He probably would not ask the price of "pisciculi," or "small fish," as their dearness would terrify him out of his wits., and pork, all of them are dear. And for this reason were they still dearer; I hadn't the money. I came away thence in a rage, since I had nothing wherewithal to make a purchase; and thus did I baulkDid I baulk: "Manum adire" probably signified "to kiss the hand" to a person when expecting something more than that, and thereby "to make a fool of him." He asked the prices of all the commodities, and probably chaffered about them, then kissed his hand to the dealers, and left the market without purchasing. Some think it alludes to a feint or baulk made in wrestling. all those rascals. Then I began to think with myself upon the road, "If you are guilty of any extravagance on a festive day, you may be wanting on a common day, unless you are saving." After I disclosed this reasoning to my heart and appetite, my mind came over to my opinion, that I ought to give my daughter in marriage at as little expense as possible. Now I've bought a bit of frankincense, and these chaplets of flowers; these shall be placed upon the hearth for our household God, that he may grant a propitious marriage to my daughter. But what do I—? Do I behold my house open? There's a noise, too, within; is it that I'm robbed, wretch that I am?

LYCONIDES

speaking within the house. Seek of the neighbours a bigger potA bigger pot: Congrio is bawling out within doors for a bigger "aula," "pot" or "jar," to be brought for his cooking, on which the old hunck thinks that some thieves have discovered his own dear "aula." if you can; this one's too little, it can't hold it.

EUCLIO

Woe to me! By my faith, I'm a dead man; the gold's being carried off—my pot's being looked for. I am certainly murdered, unless I make haste to run with all haste in-doors here! Apollo, prithee do assist and help me, whom thou hast already, before this, helped in such circumstances. Pierce with thine arrows the plunderers of my treasures. But am I delaying to run, before I perish outright. He runs into his house.

Enter ANTHRAX, from the house of MEGADORUS.ANTHRAX

speaking to some within. Dromo, do you scale the fish. Do you, Machærio, have the conger and the lamprey boned. I'm going to ask the loan of a baking-pan of our neighbour Congrio. You, if you are wise, will have that capon more smoothly picked for me than is a plucked play-actor A plucked play-actor: The actors, having to perform the parts of women and beardless youths, were obliged to remove superfluous hair from the face, which was effected "vellendo," "by plucking it out," whence the term "volsus.". But what's this clamour that's arising here hard by? By my faith, the cooks, I do believe, are at their usual pranks At their usual pranks: "Faciunt officium suum." Literally "are doing their duty." He says this ironically; on hearing the row going on in Euclio's house, he supposes that the cooks are up to their old tricks of thieving and wrangling.. I'll run in-doors, lest there may be any disturbance here for me as well. Retreats into the house of MEGADORUS.