Miles Gloriosus

Plautus, Titus Maccius

Plautus. The Comedies of Plautus, Volume 1. Riley, H. T., translator. London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1912.

  1. Who’s that I hear at hand?
PALAESTRIO
  1. The sharer of your plans and the partaker of your secrets.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. I’ faith, then, what I do conceal I don’t conceal.
PALAESTRIO
  1. Aye, but still you don’t conceal it this way.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. How so?
PALAESTRIO
  1. From the uninitiated you conceal them. I am sure and trustworthy to you.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. Give me the sign, if you are one of these votaries[*](Of these votaries: Baccharum.Literally, one of the Bacchae, or votaries of Bacchus. Only those were admitted to the rites who had been duly initiated. These had a sign or password called symbolum, or memoraculum, by which they recognised each other, and thus Milphidippa asks Palaestrio to give her some proof that he is the right person for her to address. This pretended caution is only assumed in the Captain’s presence, in order the better to impose upon him, by affecting the utmost care and secrecy in the matter).
PALAESTRIO
  1. A certain lady loves a certain gentleman.
MILPHIDIPPA
  1. Faith, many ladies do that indeed.
PALAESTRIO
  1. But not many ladies send a present from off their fingers.