Enter LYCONIDES and EUNOMIA, from the house of MEGADORUS. LYCONIDES I've told you all, mother; as well as I do myself, you understand all about the daughter of Euclio. Now, I do entreat you, my mother, make mention of it to my uncle, and I now unask of you, mother, that which before I entreated of you, to conceal this from Megadorus. EUNOMIA You know, yourself, that what you desire to be done, I desire, and I trust that I shall obtain this of my brother; and the reason is good, if 'tis so as you say, that in a drunken fit you debauched this damsel. LYCONIDES Could I, my mother, tell a falsehood in your presence? PHÆDRA cries out in labour, in EUCLIO'S house. I die, my nurse; my pangs are coming on! I entreat thee for thy protection, Juno Lucina 
 Juno Lucina : Juno Lucina was the Goddess who presided over childbirth. Some suppose that the Goddess Diana was called by that name; but (although Diana was also addressed by parturient females) it is more likely that Juno was addressed under the title. A similar circumstance to this takes place in the Andria and the Adelphi of Terence. ! LYCONIDES Ah! my mother, I see a more convincing proof for you; she's crying aloud—she's in the pangs of labour. EUNOMIA Come in-doors here, with me, my son, to my brother, that I may obtain a grant from him of that which you beg of me. LYCONIDES Go; I'll follow you this instant, mother. EUNOMIA goes into the house. But my servant, Strobilus, I wonder where he is, whom I ordered to wait here for me. Now I reflect with myself, if he's lending me his assistance, it isn't fair that I should be angry with him. I'll go in-doors, where they are sitting in judgment 
 They are sitting in judgnment : "Ubi de capite meo sunt Comitia." Literally, "where, then, are the Comitia about my life." Trials were held before the "Comitia centuriata," or assemblies of the people, at Rome , to which reference is here made. He alludes to the discussion between Eunomia and Megadorus, on the marriage of the latter with Phædra. upon my life. Goes into the house of MEGADORUS. 
 Enter STROBILUS, with the pot of money. STROBILUS I, by myself, exceed the riches of the Griffins Riches of the Griffins : Pici. "Picis" would be a better reading here, and ought to be adopted unless we agree with some of the Commentators, who think that Strobilus begins a sentence, and then, in the exuberance of his joy, breaks out into an expression of a different construction from that originally intended. It may, however, possibly be, as Hildyard suggests, the "nominativus pendens," which is not unfrequently used by Plautus. The Pici here alluded to, were Griffins, or fabulous monsters, who were said to watch the treasures of the Arimaspi, a people of the north of Scythia , mentioned by Herodotus, who were said to possess mountains of gold; in which story, no doubt, the Uralian mountians were alluded to. , who inhabit the golden mountains, For I'm unwilling to make mention of those other kings, beggarly fellows—I am the king Philip. O charming day! for when I went from here, just now, I arrived there much the first, and, long before, I placed myself in a tree, and thence observed where the old fellow hid the gold. When he departed thence, I let myself down from the tree, and dug up the pot full of gold. Thence, from that spot, I saw the old fellow betaking himself back again; he didn't see me, for I turned a little on one side, out of the path. Heyday! here he comes himself. I'll go and hide this away, at home. Goes into the house of MEGADORUS. 
 Enter EUCLIO, tearing his hair and wringing his hands. EUCLIO I'm ruined! I'm done for! I'm murdered! Whither shall I run? Whither not run? Stop him—stop him. Whom? who? I don't know. I see nothing! I'm going blindfold; and, in fact, whither I am going, or where I am, or who I am, I can't in my mind find out for certain. To the AUDIENCE. I beseech you, give me your aid (I beg and entreat of you), and point me out the person that has taken it away. What's the matter? Why do you laugh? I'm acquainted with you all; I know that there are many thieves here, who conceal themselves with white clothes and chalk 
 White clothes and chalk : The Romans were much in the habit of having their woollen "togæ" made extremely white by chalk, pipeclay, and the fuller's art. He alludes to white garments covering bad manners, much as in Scripture whited sepuichres are mentoned as being full of uncleanness. , and sit as though they were honest! To one of the SPECTATORS. What say you? You I'm resolved to believe; for I perceive, even by your looks, that you are honest. Well then, none of these has got it? You've been the death of me! Tell me, then, who has got it? You don't know? Oh,wretched, wretched me! I'm done for! wofully undone! In most sorry plight I go; so much groaning, and misfortune, and sorrow, has this day brought upon me, hunger and poverty, too. I'm the most utterly ruined of all men upon the earth! For what need of life have I, who have lost so much gold that I so carefully watched? I pinched myself, and my inclinations, and my very heart 
 And my very heart : "Geniumque meum." Literally, "and my Genius," i. e. "my social disposition" or "capacity for enjoyment." ! Now others are rejoicing at this, my loss and my misfortune! I cannot endure it. He runs about, crying and stamping. 

 Enter LYCONIDES, from the house of MEGADORUS. 
 LYCONIDES What person, I wonder, is this before our house lamenting, and that utters complaints with his moaning? Why,surely, this is Euclio, as I imagine. I'm utterly undone! The thing's all out; he knows now, as I suppose, that his daughter is brought to bed. I'm in a state of uncertainty now what I shall do, whether go or remain, accost him or fly.