with his mistress; so ’tis requisite; and on that same spot where the couches are now laid, do you forthwith commence to carouse.PISTOCLERUS Anything else? CHRYSALUS This, and this especially: when you shall have once taken your places together, don’t you arise anyhow, until the signal shall be given by me.PISTOCLERUS O skilful commander! CHRYSALUS You ought by this time to have taken your second draught.MNESILOCHUS Capital; let’s go. CHRYSALUS Do you take care of your duty, and I’ll do mine.(MNESILOCHUS and PISTOCLERUS go into the house.)

(CHRYSALUS, alone.)CHRYSALUS A tremendously great business am I undertaking, and I have my fears how in this one day I may accomplish it. But now I have occasion for the old blade to be fierce and savage at me. For it suits not this plan of mine that the old fellow should be calm when he has beheld me in his presence. I’ll turn him aboutTurn him about: It is not improbable that this figure is borrowed from frying fish in the kitchen—When he is done on one side, I’ll turn him on the Other. this day, finely, if I live. I’ll have him parched as well as ever pea was parchedPea was parched: Frictum cicer,parched vetches. Horace mentions these dainties. They were mostly purchased by the lower orders, and by slaves.. I’ll walk before the door, that when he comes out, at once as he comes up, I may put the lettersPut the letter: His object is to entrap old Nicobulus in such a way that he must of necessity see his son in the company of the damsels, on which he will be inclined the more readily to believe the story that he has formed an intrigue with the wife of the Captain. in his hand.(Stands near the door of BACCHIS.)

(Enter NICOBULUS, at a distance.)NICOBULUS This is a matter of great vexation to me, that Chrysalus has thus escaped me this day.CHRYSALUS(aside.)I’m all right: the old fellow is in a passion. Now’s my time for me to accost my man.NICOBULUS Who speaks hard by? (Looking round.) Why surely this is Chrysalus, I think.