Slave! for your own torture do you give vent to these expressions this day.MERCURYNow I’m performing a sacrifice to you. AMPHITRYONHow? MERCURYWhy, because I devote you to ill-luckDevote you to ill-luck: Macto infortunio.Macto, which properly signified to amplify, was especially applied to the act of sacrificing, by way of giving something. Mercury here says in sport, that he makes Amphitryon an offering of—a jug of water, or perhaps a tile, it is not known for certain which; but it is generally supposed that in some part of this Scene, as originally written, he does throw water at him. with this libation.(Throws water on him.)AMPHITRYONWhat, you, devote meYou, devote me: This line commences the portion that is supposed by many of the Commentators not to have been written by Plautus, it not being found in most of the MSS. By those, however, who deny it to have been his composition, it is generally thought to have been composed by an ancient writer, and not to be at all deficient in humour and genuine Comic spirit. Gueudeville and Echard speak in high terms of it; and the learned Schmieder is unwilling to believe that it is not the composition of Plautus., you villain? If the Gods have not this day taken away my usual form, I’ll take care that you shall be laden with bull’s hide thongs, you victim of SaturnVictim of Saturn: Taubmann remarks that there is here an allusion to those slaves which the Carthaginians were in the habit of purchasing in order to sacrifice them, in place of their children, to Saturn—a rite borrowed from the same source as the passing of children through fire to Moloch, as practised by the Phœnicians.. So surely will I devote you to the cross and to torture. Come out of doors, you whip-knave.MERCURYYou shadowy ghost—you, frighten me with your threats? If you don’t betake yourself off from here this instant, if you knock once more, if the door makes a noise with your little finger even, I’ll break your head with this tile, so that with your teeth you may sputter out your tongue.AMPHITRYONWhat, rascal, would you be for driving me away from my own house? What, would you hinder me from knocking at my own door? I’ll this instant tear it from off all its hinges.MERCURYDo you persist? AMPHITRYONI do persist.MERCURYTake that, then.(Throws a tile at him.)AMPHITRYONScoundrel! at your master? If I lay hands upon you this day, I’ll bring you to that pitch of misery, that you shall be miserable for evermore.MERCURYSurely, you must have been playing the BacchanalPlaying the Bacchanal: Bacchanal exercuisse.To keep the festival of Bacchus, where frantic conduct and acts of outrageous madness were prevalent. See the Notes to the First Act of the Bacchidea., old gentleman.AMPHITRYONWhy so? MERCURYInasmuch as you take me to be your slave.AMPHITRYONWhat? I—take you? MERCURYPlague upon you! I know no master but Amphitryon.AMPHITRYON(to himself.)Have I lost my form? It’s strange that Sosia shouldn’t know me. I’ll make trial. (Calling out.) How now! Tell me who I appear to be? Am I not really Amphitryon?MERCURYAmphitryon? Are you in your senses? Has it not been told you before, old fellow, that you have been playing the Bacchanal, to be asking another person who you are? Get away, I recommend you, don’t be troublesome while Amphitryon, who has just come back from the enemy, is indulging himself with the company of his wife.AMPHITRYONWhat wife? MERCURYAlcmena.AMPHITRYONWhat man? MERCURYHow often do you want it told? Amphitryon, my master;—don’t be troublesome. AMPHITRYONWho’s he sleeping with? MERCURYTake care that you don’t meet with some mishap in trifling with me this way.AMPHITRYONPrithee, do tell me, my dear Sosia.MERCURYMore civilly said—with Alcmena.AMPHITRYONIn the same chamber?MERCURYYes, as I fancy, he is sleeping with her side by side.AMPHITRYONAlas!—wretch that I am! MERCURY(to the AUDIENCE.)It really is a gain which he imagines to be a misfortune. For to lend one’s wife to another is just as though you were to let out barren land to be ploughed.