to PAMPHILUS, as he is coming out. Forbear entreating. Of these, any one reason prompts me to do it, either your own sake, or the fact that it is the truth, or that I wish well for Glycerium herself.

starting. Do I see Crito of Andros? Surely it is he.

Greetings to you, Chremes.

How is it that, so contrary to your usage, you are at Athens?

So it has happened. But is this Simo?

It is he.

Simo, were you asking for me?

How now, do you say that Glycerium is a citizen of this place?

Do you deny it?

ironically. Have you come here so well prepared?

For what purpose?

Do you ask? Are you to be acting this way with impunity? Are you to be luring young men into snares here, inexperienced in affairs, and liberally brought up, by tempting them, and to be playing upon their fancies by making promises?

Are you in your senses?

And are you to be patching up amours with Courtesans by marriage?

aside. I'm undone! I fear that the stranger will not put up with this.

If, Simo, you knew this person well, you would not think thus; he is a worthy man.

He, a worthy man! To come so opportunely to-day just at the very nuptials, and yet never to have come before? Ironically. Of course, we must believe him, Chremes.

aside. If I didn't dread my father, I have something, which, in this conjuncture, I could opportunely suggest to him Could opportunely suggest to him: Colman has the following remark on this line: "Madame Dacier and several English Translators make Pamphilus say that he could give Crito a hint or two. What hints he could propose to suggest to Crito, I can not conceive. The Italian translation, printed with the Vatican Terence, seems to understand the words in the same manner that I have translated them, in which sense (the pronoun 'illum' referring to Simo instead of Crito) they seem to be the most natural words of Pamphilus on occasion of his father's anger and the speech immediately preceding."

sneeringly, to CHREMES. A sharper! A sharper: "Sycophanta." For some account of the "sycophantae," "swindlers" or "sharpers" of ancient times, see the Notes to the Trinummus of Plautus, Bohn's Translation.

starting. Hah!

It is his way, Crito; do excuse it.

Let him take heed how he behaves. If he persists in saying to me what he likes, he'll be hearing things that he don't like. Am I meddling with these matters or interesting myself? Can you not endure your troubles with a patient mind? For as to what I say, whether it is true or false what I have heard, can soon be known. A certain man of Attica, a long time ago, A long time ago: The story begins with "Olim," just in the same way that with us nursery tales commence with "There was, a long time ago." his ship being wrecked, was cast ashore at Andros, and this woman together with him, who was then a little girl; he, in his destitution, by chance first made application to the father of Chrysis—

ironically. He's beginning his tale.

Let him alone.

Really, is he to be interrupting me in this way?

Do you proceed.

He who received him was a relation of mine. There I heard from him that he was a native of Attica. He died there.

His name?

The name, in such a hurry!

Phania.

starting. Hah! I shall die!

I'faith, I really think it was Phania; this I know for certain, he said that he was a citizen of Rhamnus. A citizen of Rhamnus: Rhamnus was a maritime town of Attica, near which many of the more wealthy Athenians had country-seats. It was famous for the Temple of Nemesis there, the Goddess of Vengeance, who was thence called "Rhamnusia." In this Temple was her statue, carved by Phidias out of the marble which the Persians brought to Greece for the purpose of making a statue of Victory out of it, and which was thus appropriately devoted to the Goddess of Retribution. The statue wore a crown, and had wings, and, holding a spear of ash in the right hand, it was seated on a stag.

O Jupiter!

Many other persons in Andros have heard the same, Chremes.

aside. I trust it may turn out as I hope. To CRITO. Come now, tell me, what did he then say about her? Did he say she was his own daughter?

No.

Whose then?

His brother's daughter.

She certainly is mine.

What do you say?

What is this that you say?

aside. Prick up your ears, Pamphilus.

Why do you suppose so?

That Phania was my brother.

I knew him, and I am aware of it.

He, flying from the wars, and following me to Asia, set out from here. At the same time he was afraid to leave her here behind; since then, this is the first time I have heard what became of him.

aside. I am scarcely myself, so much has my mind been agitated by fear, hope, joy, and surprise at this so great, so unexpected blessing.

Really, I am glad for many reasons that she has been discovered to be a citizen.

I believe it, father.

But there yet remains one difficulty One difficulty: "Scrupus," or "scrupulus," was properly a stone or small piece of gravel which, getting into the shoe, hurt the foot; hence the word figuratively came to mean a "scruple," "difficulty," or "doubt." We have a similar expression: "to be graveled." with me, which keeps me in suspense.

aside. You deserve to be —, with your scruples, you plague. You are seeking a knot in a bulrush. A knot in a bulrush: "Nodum in scirpo quaerere" was a proverbial expression implying a desire to create doubts and difficulties where there really were none; there being no knots in the bulrush. The same expression occurs in the Menaechmi of Plautus, 1. 247.

to CHREMES. What is that?

The names don't agree.

Troth, she had another when little.

What was it, Crito? Can you remember it?

I'm trying to recollect it.

aside. Am I to suffer his memory to stand in the way of my happiness, when I myself can provide my own remedy in this matter? I will not suffer it. Aloud. Hark you, Chremes, that which you are trying to recollect is "Pasibula."

The very same.

That's it.

I've heard it from herself a thousand times.

I suppose, Chremes, that you believe that we all rejoice at this discovery.

So may the Gods bless me, I do believe it.

What remains to be done, father?

The event itself has quite brought me to reconcilement.

O kind father! With regard to her as a wife, since I have taken possession of her, Chremes will not offer any opposition.

The plea is a very good one, unless perchance your father says any thing to the contrary.

Of course, I agree.

Then be it so. Of course—Then be it so: "Nempe id. Scilicet." Colman has the following remark on this line: "Donatus, and some others after him, understand these words of Simo and Pamphilus as requiring a fortune of Chremes with his daughter; and one of them' says that Simo, in order to explain his meaning, in the representation, should produce a bag of money. This surely is precious refinement, worthy the genius of a true Commentator. Madame Dacier, who entertains a just veneration for Donatus, doubts the authenticity of the observation ascribed to him. The sense I have followed is, I think, the most obvious and natural' interpretation of the words of Pamphilus and Simo, which refers to the preceding, not the subsequent, speech of Chremes."

Her portion, Pamphilus, is ten talents.

I alm satisfied.

I'll hasten to my daughter. Come now, beckoning along with me, Crito; for I suppose that she will not know me. They go into GLYCERIUM'S house.

To PAMPHILUS. Why don't you order her to be sent for hither, to our house?

Well thought of; I'll at once give charge of that to Davus.

He can't do it.

How so?

Because he has another matter that more nearly concerns himself, and of more importance.

What, pray?

He is bound.

Father, he is not rightly bound. He is not rightly bound: "Non recte vinctus;" meaning "it was not well done to bind him." The father pretends to understand him as meaning (which he might equally well by using the same words), "non satis stricte," "he wasn't tightly enough" bound; and answers "I ordered that he should be," referring to his order for Davus to be bound hand and foot. Donatus justly observes that the disposition of the old gentleman to joke is a characteristic mark of his thorough reconciliation.

But I ordered to that effect.

Prithee, do order him to be set at liberty,

Well, be it so.

But immediately.

I'm going in.

O fortunate and happy day! SIMO goes into his house.