Now I’ve bought a bit of frankincense, and these chaplets of flowers; these shall be placed upon the hearth for our household God, that he may grant a propitious marriage to my daughter. But what do I—? Do I behold my house open? There’s a noise, too, within; is it that I’m robbed, wretch that I am?LYCONIDES(speaking within the house.)Seek of the neighbours a bigger potA bigger pot: Congrio is bawling out within doors for a bigger aula,pot or jar, to be brought for his cooking, on which the old hunck thinks that some thieves have discovered his own dear aula. if you can; this one’s too little, it can’t hold it.EUCLIOWoe to me! By my faith, I’m a dead man; the gold’s being carried off—my pot’s being looked for. I am certainly murdered, unless I make haste to run with all haste in-doors here! Apollo, prithee do assist and help me, whom thou hast already, before this, helped in such circumstances. Pierce with thine arrows the plunderers of my treasures. But am I delaying to run, before I perish outright.(He runs into his house.)

(Enter ANTHRAX, from the house of MEGADORUS.)ANTHRAX (speaking to some within.)Dromo, do you scale the fish. Do you, Machaerio, have the conger and the lamprey boned. I’m going to ask the loan of a baking-pan of our neighbour Congrio. You, if you are wise, will have that capon more smoothly picked for me than is a plucked play-actorA plucked play-actor: The actors, having to perform the parts of women and beardless youths, were obliged to remove superfluous hair from the face, which was effected vellendo,by plucking it out, whence the term volsus.. But what’s this clamour that’s arising here hard by? By my faith, the cooks, I do believe, are at their usual pranksAt their usual pranks: Faciunt officium suum. Literally are doing their duty. He says this ironically; on hearing the row going on in Euclio’s house, he supposes that the cooks are up to their old tricks of thieving and wrangling..I’ll run in-doors, lest there may be any disturbance here for me as well.(Retreats into the house of MEGADORUS.)

(Enter CONGRIO, in haste, from the house of EUCLIO.)LYCONIDES(roaring out.)Beloved fellow-citizens, fellow-countrymen, inhabitants, neighbours, and all strangers, do make way for me to escape! Make all the streets clear! Never have I at any time, until this day, come to BacchantsTo Bacchants: The Bacchants, or frantic female worshippers of Bacchus, with their rites, have been alluded to in a Note at the commencement of the Bacchides., in a Bacchanalian den, to cook; so sadly have they mauled wretched me and my scullions with their sticks. I’m aching all over, and am utterly done for; that old fellow has so made a bruising schoolA bruising school: Literally, a Gymnasium. The Gymnasium was the place where vigorous exercise was taken; so Congrio means to say that Euclio has been taking exercise in basting his back. of me; and in such a fashion has he turned us all out of the house, myself and them, laden with sticks. Nowhere, in all the world, have I ever seen wood dealt out more plentifully. Alackaday! by my faith, to my misery, I’m done for; the Bacchanalian den is opening, here he comes. He’s following us. I know the thing I’ll do: that the master himselfThe master himself: By magister he probably means Euclio, whom he styles the master of the Gymnasium, whose duty it was to train the pupils in the various exercises. He says that his master has taught him a trick, namely, how to defend himself. which in the next Scene he threatens to do. has taught me.