1 8.32.] The Menaechmi, of Plaittos. 449 



MEN. Sos. Woe upon thy head ! 

 'Cause you're a rogue, think you we ali are such ? 

 Say you, you saw me with this robe upon me ? 

 PEN. I did, by Hercules! 



MEN. Sos. Go and be hanged, 

 As you deserve, or else go purge your brain ; 

 For thou'rt the veriest madman I e'er met with. 



PEN. By Pollux' Temple, nothing shall prevent me 

 From telling to your wife, the whole that's passed. 

 And then shall a'll this scurril wit retort 

 Back on yourself. Nor shall you unrevenged 

 Have swallowed down my dinner. 



MEN. Sos. What is this ? 

 Shall every one I see, affront me thus ? 

 But see, the door is opening. 



The parasite now finding it impossible " by this encompassment and 

 drift of question/' to extort from his patron, as he imagined, the reason 

 of his conduct, goes away, leaving Menaechmus in a maze of astonish- 

 ment, to see himself exposed to so many unaccountable adventures ; and 

 this astonishment is soon heightened by the servant-maid of his brother's 

 mistress coming out to him with a clasp to be repaired and renovated at 

 the goldsmith's and as it is " all fish that comes to hook'* with him, of 

 course he readily takes it, promising faithfully to discharge her in- 

 junction. 



In the next act we have Menaechmus of Epidamnum, his wife, and 

 the parasite brought together, by no means "in sweet, accord." The 

 parasite endeavours to expose the conduct of his patron to the wife, and 

 brings against him severe accusations, which, from the sincerity of their 

 allegation and the credulity of his wife, Menaechmus knows not how to 

 controvert. The first thing is to silence the sycophant : 

 Wont't you be silent ? 



PEN. No. 

 He nods at me to hold my tongue. (To the wife.} 



MEN. EPI. Not I, 



By Hercules ! I neither winked nor nodded. 

 WIFE. I'm an unhappy woman ! 



MEN. EPI. Why unhappy ? 

 Explain. 



PEN. A rare assurance, that denies 

 What yourself sees. 



MEN. EPI. By Jove and all the gods ! 

 I nodded not are you now satisfied ? 



PEN. And to be sure, she now will give you credit. 

 Go back again 



MEN. EPI. And whither ? 



PEN. Whither else 



But to the embroiderer beyond all doubt 

 I think you ought go, and bring back the robe 

 MEN. EPI. What robe do you speak of? 



WIFE. Since he don't remember 

 What he has done, I have no more to say. 



MEN. EPI. Has any of the servants been in fault ? 

 Has any of the men or women slaves 

 Given you a saucy answer ? Say, speak out, 

 He shall not go unpunished. 



WIFE. Sure you trifle, 

 MEN. EPI. You're out of humour : "that I'm not quite pleased with. 



M.M. New Series. VOL XIII. No. 76. 2 H 



