Give it me. CHRYSALUS Take notice of the seal.(Gives him the tablets.)NICOBULUS I know it. Where is he himself?CHRYSALUS I don’t know.I ought to know nothing now; I’ve forgotten everything. I know that I’m a slave; I know not even that which I do know. (Aside.) Now from the springe this thrush is catching at the worm; he’ll be finely noosed this day, so well I’ve set the snare.NICOBULUS Stay here but a moment; I’ll return to you directly, Chrysalus.(Goes into his house.)CHRYSALUS How he does dissemble with me; how ignorant I am of the business he’s about. He has gone to fetch slaves from in-doors to bind me. The ship speeds prosperously on; finely, too, is this craft boarding itCraft boarding it: Pulcre haec confertur ratis. This is a figure taken from naval affairs. Ships were said conferri when they closed together on commencing the engagement.. But I’ll hold my tongue, for I hear the door opening.

(Re-enter NICOBULUS, with SLAVES carrying fetters.)NICOBULUS Artamo, do you fasten the hands of that fellow this very instant.(The SLAVES bind him.)CHRYSALUS What have I done? NICOBULUS Pitch your fist into him if he mutters a word. (To CHRYSALUS, pointing at the tablets.) What does this letter say?CHRYSALUS Why do you ask me? As I received it from him, so I’ve brought it sealed to you.NICOBULUS Come now, you rascal, have you not shamefully abused my son in your talk, because he gave me up that gold, and said that you would still take that gold away from me by some knavish trick?CHRYSALUS Have I said so? NICOBULUS You have.CHRYSALUS What person is there, who says that I’ve said so?NICOBULUS Hold your tongue. No person says so; this letter which you have brought me accuses you. See, ’tis this that requests you to be chained.(Points to the open tablets.)CHRYSALUS Ah! your son has been making a BellerophonA Bellerophon: He alludes to the hero Bellerophon, who, being accused by Sthenoboea of having made an attempt on her chastity, was sent by Proetus, King of Argos, with a letter to Iobates, in which he was desired to put the bearer to death. of me; I myself brought this letter, for the purpose that I might be bound. Be it so.NICOBULUS This I am doing for this reason, because you persuade my son to live like a Greek with you, you thrice-dotted villain.CHRYSALUS(aside.)O fool, fool, you know not that you are at this moment on sale; and that you are standing on the very stoneOn the very stone: He alludes to the stone upon which the praeco, or auctioneer, stood with the slaves, when he sold them by auction. Only the cheapest and the least desirable of them were sold in this way. as the auctioneer puts you up.NICOBULUS(overhearing him.)Answer me; who is selling me?CHRYSALUS He whom the Gods favourWhom the Gods favour: Menander has a sentence to the effect—He whom the Gods love, dies young. Chrysalus tells Nicobulus that he is clearly no favorite of the Gods, or he would have died long since. dies in youth, while he is in his health, has his senses and judgment sound. This person (pointing to NICOBULUS), if any God had favoured him, ought to have been dead more than ten years—aye, more than twenty years ago.’Tis for long, he has walked, a nuisance, on the earth; so devoid is he of either judgment or sense. He is of as much value as a rotten mushroom is.NICOBULUS Do you think that I am a nuisance to the earth? Away with him in-doors, and tie him tightly to the post. You shall never take away any gold from here.CHRYSALUS No, but you’ll soon be giving it me.NICOBULUS I, give it you? CHRYSALUS You’ll be entreating me, too, of your own accord to receive it, when you shall come to know this accuser of mine, in how great danger and in what a dreadful situation he is. Then will you be offering his liberty to Chrysalus; but I certainly shan’t accept it.NICOBULUS Tell me, source of mischief, tell me, in what danger is my son Mnesilochus.