in the one hand he is carrying a stoneCarrying a stone: To ask for bread, and to receive a stone, was a proverbial expression with the ancients. Erasmus says that it was applied to those who pretended to be friendly to a person, and at the same time were doing him mischief; and that it was borrowed from persons enticing a dog with a piece of bread, and, when it had come sufficiently near, pelting it with a stone. The expression is used in the New Testament. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? St. Luke, c. xi., v. 11. The bread, as we learn from specimens found at Pompeii, was often made into cakes, which somewhat resembled large stones.. while he shows the bread in the other. I trust no person, who, rich himself, is exceedingly courteous to a poor man; when he extends his hand with a kind air, then is he loading you with some damage. I know these polypiThese polypi: Ovid says in his Halieuticon, or Treatise on Fishes: But, on the other hand, the sluggish polypus sticks to the rocks with its body provided with feelers, and by this stratagem it escapes the nets; and, according to the nature of the spot, it assumes and changes its colour, always resembling that place which it has lighted upon; and when it has greedily seized the prey hanging. from the fishing-line, it likewise deceives the angler on his raising the rod, when, on emerging into the air, it loosens its feelers, and spits forth the hook that it has despoiled of the bait., who, when they’ve touched a thing, hold it fast. MEGADORUSGive me your attention, Euclio, for a little time: I wish to address you in a few words, about a common concern of yours and mine.EUCLIO(aside.)Alas! woe is me! my gold has been grabbed from in-doors: now he’s wishing for this thing, I’m sure, to come to a compromise with me; but I’ll go look in my house.(He goes towards his door.)MEGADORUSWhere are you going? EUCLIOI’ll return to you directly, for there’s something I must go and see to at home.(He goes into his house.)MEGADORUSBy my troth, I do believe that when I make mention of his daughter, for him to promise her to me, he’ll suppose that he’s being laughed at by me; nor is there out of the whole class of paupers one more beggarly than he.(EUCLIO returns from his house.)EUCLIO(aside.)The Gods do favour me; my property’s all safe. If nothing’s lost, it’s safe. I was very dreadfully afraid, before I went in-doors! I was almost dead! (Aloud.) I’m come back to you, Megadorus, if you wish to say anything tome.