Why, but he’s in love with a courtesan here close by.OLD MANHe is exceedingly wise: and for this painstaking of yours, I would even have him love her the more.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. He drinks there, too.OLD MAN And will he really drink the less for you, whether it shall please him to do so there or anywhere else? Plague on it, what assurance is this? On the same principle, you would wish to hinder him from engaging to dine out, or from receiving any other person at his own house. Do you want husbands to be your servants? You might as well expect, on the same principle, to be giving him out his task, and bidding him sit among the female servants and card wool.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Why, surely, father, I’ve sent for you not to be my advocate, but my husband’s: on this side you standOn this side you stand: It was the custom for the patron, when acting as the counsel, to have his client standing by him while pleading. The wife complains that her father has been sent for by her to act as her own advocate, but that, instead of so doing, he is encouraging her supposed husband in his perverseness., on the other you plead the cause.OLD MAN If he has done wrong in anything, so much the more shall I censure him than I’ve censured you. Since he keeps you provided for and well clothed, and finds you amply in female servants and provisions, ’tis better, madam, to entertain kindly feelings.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. But he purloins from me gold trinkets and mantles from out of the chests at home; he plunders me, and secretly carries off my ornaments to harlots.OLD MAN He does wrong, if he does that; if he does not do it, you do wrong in accusing him when innocent.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Why at this moment, even, he has got a mantle, father, and a bracelet, which he had carried off to her; now, because I came to know of it, he brings them back.OLD MAN I’ll know from himself, then, how it happened. I’ll go up to this man and accost him. (Goes up to MENAECHMUS.) Tell me this, Menaechmus, what you two are disputing about, that I may know. Why are you pensive? And why does she in anger stand apart from you?MENAECHMUS SOSICLES Whoever you are, whatever is your name, old gentleman, I call to witness supreme Jove and the Deities—OLD MAN For what reason, or what matter of all matters?MENAECHMUS SOSICLES That I have neither done wrong to that woman, who is accusing me of having purloined this (pointing to the mantle) away from her at home and which she solemnly swears that I did take away. If ever I set foot inside of her house where she lives, I wish that I may become the most wretched of all wretched men.OLD MAN Are you in your senses to wish this, or to deny that you ever set foot in that house where you live, you downright madman?MENAECHMUS SOSICLES Do you say, old gentleman, that I live in this house?(Pointing at the house.)OLD MAN Do you deny it? MENAECHMUS SOSICLES By my faith, certainly do deny it.OLD MAN In your fun you are going too far in denying it; unless you flitted elsewhere this last night. Step this way, please, daughter. (To the WIFE.) What do you say? Have you removed from this house?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. To what place, or for what reason, prithee?OLD MAN I’ faith, I don’t know. THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. He’s surely making fun of you.OLD MANPart of line 824b in Latin. Can’t you keep yourself quiet? Now, Menaechmus, you really have joked long enough; now do seriously attend to this matter.MENAECHMUS SOSICLES Prithee, what have I to do with you? Whence or what person are you? Is your mind right, or hers, in fact, who is an annoyance to me in every way?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Don’t you see how his eyes sparkle? How a green colourA green colour: It was supposed that in madness, or extreme anger, the countenance assumed a greenish hue. Ben Jonson has probably imitated this passage in the , Act IV., sc. 4.:Lord! how idly he talks, and how his eyes sparkle! he looks green about the temples! Do you see what blue spots he has? is arising on his temples and his forehead; look how his eyes do glisten