Miles Gloriosus

Plautus, Titus Maccius

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

  1. Shall I beat him again, or do you let him go?
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. I’m tamed by your cudgels. I do entreat you.
PERIPLECOMENUS
  1. Loose him.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. I return you thanks.
PERIPLECOMENUS
  1. If I ever catch you here again, I’ll insert a disqualifying clause.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Well: I make no objection.
PERIPLECOMENUS
  1. Let’s go in, Cario. PERIPLECOMENUS, CARIO, and SERVANTS go into his house.
Enter SCLEDRUS and other SERVANTS of the CAPTAIN.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Here are some of my servants, I see. Tell me, is Philocomasium off yet.
SCELEDRUS
  1. Aye, some time since.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Ah me!
SCELEDRUS
  1. You would say that[*](You would say that: Sceledrus, probably, only enters at this moment with the other servants of the Captain; the editions, in general, somewhat absurdly represent him as present from the beginning of the Fifth Act.) still more if you were to know what I know, for that fellow who had the wool before his eye was no sailor.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Who was he, then?
SCELEDRUS
  1. A lover of Philocomasium’s.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. How do you know?
SCELEDRUS
  1. I do know: for after they had got out of the city gate, they didn’t wait a moment before falling to kissing and embracing each other at once.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. O wretched fool that I am! I see that I have been gulled. That scoundrel of a fellow, Palaestrio, it was he that contrived this plot against me.
SCELEDRUS
  1. I think it was properly done. If it were so done to other letchers, there would be fewer letchers here; they would stand more in awe, and give their attention less to these pursuits.
PYRGOPOLINICES
  1. Let’s go into my house.
AN ACTOR
  1. to the AUDIENCE. Give us your applause.