I’ll go to meet him, and I’ll mend my pace. (Aloud.) Health to you, Mnesilochus!MNESILOCHUS Hail! PISTOCLERUS As you are arrived safe from abroad, a dinner must be given.MNESILOCHUS A dinner pleases me not, which excites my choler.PISTOCLERUS Has any vexation befallen you on your arrival?MNESILOCHUS Aye, and a very grievous one.PISTOCLERUS From what quarter? MNESILOCHUS From a person whom heretofore I had supposed to be my friend.PISTOCLERUS Many live after that manner and method, who, when you think them to be friends, are found false with their deceitfulness, strong in their talking, slothful in their doing, of faith infirm. Not one is there whom they don’t envy on their enjoying prosperity; through their own indolence do they themselves take right good care that no envy is directed against them.MNESILOCHUS By my troth, you surely understand their ways most thoroughly. But still this one misfortune do they find from their bad disposition; they are the friends of no one, while they themselves are all at enmity against themselves; and these, while they are deceiving themselves, in their foolishness imagine that others are deceived. Just so is he whom I supposed to be as much a friend to me as I am to my own self.He, so far as in him lay, has taken all care to do whatever injury he could towards me, to turn all my own resources against me.PISTOCLERUS This same must me a bad man.MNESILOCHUS I judge that so he is.PISTOCLERUS Troth now, prithee, do tell me who it is.MNESILOCHUS He lives on good terms with yourself. But were he not; so, I would entreat you to do him whatever harm you could do.PISTOCLERUS Only tell me the person, who he is; if I don’t do him an injury, some way or other, do you say that I’m the greatest of cowards.MNESILOCHUS The person’s a bad one, but he’s your friend, i’ faith.PISTOCLERUS So much the rather, then, tell me who he is. In good sooth, I set no value on the esteem of a worthless person.MNESILOCHUS I appear, then, not to be able to avoid disclosing to you his name. Pistoclerus, you have utterly undone me, your friend.PISTOCLERUS How’s that? MNESILOCHUS How’s that? Did I not send you a letter from Ephesus about my mistress, that you should find her out for me?PISTOCLERUS I own you did; and I have discovered her.MNESILOCHUS How now? Was there not a choice for you of other Courtesans in Athens, for you to form engagements with, instead of with her whom I had recommended to your care? Could you yourself begin to love, and to contrive an injury against myself?PISTOCLERUS Are you in your senses? MNESILOCHUS I have found out the whole affair from your tutor; don’t deny it. You’ve ruined me.PISTOCLERUS What, still upbraiding me without reason with these rebukes of yours?MNESILOCHUS Why? You’re in love with Bacchis.PISTOCLERUS But look you, two persons of the name of Bacchis are living here in this house.