Yes, after the Praetor had appointed delegatesAppointed delegates: Recuperatores were certain commissioners or judges-delegate, who were usually named by the Praetor, at Rome and in the provinces, to decide matters in dispute, such as disagreements about money and property; also to assess the damages where a wrong had been done; to enquire whether a man was freeborn or not; or, to which of two claimants civic honours properly belonged.; being cast, at length compelled by force he paid down twelve hundred Philippeans.NICOBULUS He owed that much. CHRYSALUS Besides, listen to another struggle of his, as well, which he was desirous to enter on.NICOBULUS What, besides, as well?Oho! this will turn out now a regular hawk’s nestRegular hawk’s nest: Accipitrina. This word is given by Ritschel, in place of the old reading accipe trina, which made nonsense. The word does not seem to occur elsewhere..I’ve been deceived. I’ve entrusted my gold to an AutolycusAn Autolycus: Autolycus was the son of Mercury and the grand-father of Ulysses. He was noted for his thievish propensities, and was in the habit of painting the cattle which he had stolen of another colour, in order that they might not be recognized. for my host!CHRYSALUS Nay, but do you listen— NICOBULUS Well, I wasn’t aware of the disposition of my avaricious entertainer.CHRYSALUS Afterwards, at last we had got the gold, and embarked on board ship, desirous for home. By chance, as I was sitting on the deck, while I was looking about me, at that moment I beheld a long bark being fitted out by this cheating knave.NICOBULUS Troth, I’m undone; that bark breaks my heartBreaks my heart: Laedit latus — literally, hurts my sides, or in other words, gives me a twitch..CHRYSALUS This was held in partnership by your host and some pirates.NICOBULUS And that I should be such a blockhead as to trust him, when his very name of ArchidemidesName of Archidemides: He puns upon the name of Archidemides, which was really derived from the Greek ἄρχομαι,to govern, and δημὰς, the people, To adapt his pun, however, to the taste of a Roman audience he would make out that it was in part a compound of the Latin word demo, to filch or take away. cried aloud to me that he would deprive me of it, if I should entrust anything to him.CHRYSALUS This bark was lying in wait for our ship. I began to watch them, to see what business they were about. Meanwhile, from harbour our ship set sail. When we had fully left the harbour, these fellows began to follow with their oars; nor birds, nor winds more swiftly. As I discovered what scheme was being carried out, at once we dropped anchor. As they beheld us stopping, they began to keep their vessel back in harbour.NICOBULUS Wicked wretches, by my troth. What did you do at last?CHRYSALUS We returned again into harbour. NICOBULUS ’Twas cleverly done by you. What after that?CHRYSALUS At nightfall they returned ashore.NICOBULUS Troth now, they intended to carry off the gold; they were attempting that plan, no doubt.CHRYSALUS It didn’t escape me; I discovered it: I was almost terrified to death by it. As I saw that a scheme was being laid against the gold, forthwith on this we came to this determination; the next day we carried away all the gold thence in their presence, openly and publicly, that they might know it was done.NICOBULUS Skilfully managed, i’ faith. Tell me, what did they?CHRYSALUS Chopfallen at once,—soon as ever they saw us leaving the harbour with the gold, shaking their heads, they hauled their bark ashore. We deposited all the gold with Theotimus, who is a priest thereA priest there: St. Paul, when he visited Ephesus, found Diana still enthroned there in the full blaze of her glory. Her temple was esteemed one of the wonders of the world. of Ephesian Diana.NICOBULUS Who is this Theotimus? CHRYSALUS The son of MegalobyzusSon of Megalobyzus: The priests of Diana at Ephesus are supposed to have been eunuchs, and the priestesses virgins. Taubmann thinks that Megabyzus, which ought to be read here, was a general name of the priests of Diana; and that the words Megabyzi filius, a son of Megabyzus, have the same import as the word Megabyzus itself. It may, however, mean that Theotimus was a priest, and not of necessity that his father was so., who is now living at Ephesus, a man most dear to the Ephesians.NICOBULUS By my troth, he’ll surely turn out very much more dear to meMore dear to me: The pun here perpetrated answers equally well in English. if he shall chouse me out of all that gold.CHRYSALUS But it is stowed away in the very temple itself of the Goddess Diana; there they keep guard at the public expenseAt the public expense: The ancients used to place a guard, at the public expense, at the gates of their temples, as great quantities of property or value were there deposited as in places of safety..