By my troth, he will surely have a charming booty there, if any one shall meet with that pot loaded with gold. But I entreat thee, Faith, to hinder that. Now I shall go wash me, that I may perform the sacrifice; so that I may not delay my new connexion by marriage, but that, when he sends to me, he may forthwith take my daughter home. Over and over again now, Goddess Faith, do thou take care that I shall carry away the pot safe from thy Temple. To thy fidelity To thy fidelity : Tuae fidei. He plays upon the word fides, and flatters himself that his treasure cannot be more secure than when entrusted to the faith of Falt... have I entrusted the gold; in thy grove and Temple is it placed. (Goes into his house.) STROBILUS (coming from behind the altar.) Immortal Gods, what a deed did I hear this person speaking of, how that he had hidden here, in the Temple of Faith, a pot filled with gold; prithee, beware you, how you are more faithful to him than to myself! And he, as I fancy, is the father of her whom my master’s in love with. I’ll go hence into it; I’ll thoroughly ransack the Temple, to see if I can anywhere find the gold, while he’s engaged. But if I do find it, O Goddess Faith, I’ll offer to thee a gallon jug A gallon jug : Congialem. Literally, holding a congius. This contained about nine pints of English measure. By the use of the word fidelia, a jug, he plays on its resemblance to the name of Fides. full of honeyed wine, that I’ll surely offer to thee; but I’ll drink it up myself, when I have offered it. (Retreats behind the altar.) (Enter EUCLIO, from his house.) EUCLIO (to himself.) It wasn’t for nothing that the raven was just now croaking on my left hand On my left hand : We cannot fail to remember here the exactly similar expression of Gay, in the fable of the Farmer’s Wife and the Raven: That raven on yon left-hand oak (Curse on his ill-betiding croak!) Bodes me no good. ; he was both scratching the ground with his feet and croaking with his voice. At once my heart began to jump about Began to jump about : Ars ludicra here means the art of a ’ludius,’ or stage-player, who moves to and fro and gesticulates-hence cor cœpit artem facere ludicram would strictly mean my heart begins to move to and fro like a play-actor. , and to leap within my breast. But why do I delay to run? EUCLIO (He discovers STROBILUS, and drags him from behind the altar.) Out, out, you earthworm Earthworm : He thinks, that in the short space of time during which he has been absent in the Temple, he can only have sprung out of the earth, as he had not seen him a few minutes before; and taking him to be a sort of praestigiator, or juggler, he fancies that he has followed him into the Temple, and purloined the treasure. , who have this instant crept out of the earth; who just now were nowhere seen, and now that you are seen shall die for it. By my faith, you juggler, I’ll receive you now after a disagreable fashion. (Begins to shake and beat him.) STROBILUS What the curst plague does ail you? What business have you with me, old fellow? Why do you torment me? Why are you dragging me? For what reason are you beating me?