What do you want? DOCTOR. Tell me this that I ask of you; do you drink white wine or dark-coloured?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. What need have you to enquire?DOCTOR.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Why don’t you go to utter perdition ?OLD MAN Troth, he’s now beginning to be attacked with the fit.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Why don’t you ask whether I’m wont to eat dark bread, or purple, or yellow? Or whether I’m wont to eat birds with scales, or fish with wings?OLD MAN Dear, dear!(To the DOCTOR.) Don’t you hear how deliriously he talks? Why do you delay to give him something by way of a potion, before his raving overtakes him?DOCTOR. Stop a little; I’ll question him on some other matters as well.OLD MAN You are killing meYou are killing me: Occidis fabulans. This remark seems rather to apply to the effect of his chattering, upon the old man himself, who is growing impatient, than upon the supposed madman; though, from the elliptical nature of the expression, the latter may possibly be the meaning. by your prating.DOCTOR.(to MENAECHMUS.) Tell me this; are your eyes ever in the habit of becoming hardOf becoming hard: This was supposed to be one of the symptoms of madness.?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. What? Do you take me to be a locustTo be a locust: The eyes of locusts were considered to be of peculiar hardness. They are very large and prominent. It has been suggested that locusta here means a lobster., you most worthless fellow?DOCTOR. Tell me, now, do your bowels ever rumble that you know of?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. When I’m full, they don’t rumble at all; when I’m hungry, then they do rumble.DOCTOR. I’ faith, he really gave me that answer not like an insane person. Do you always sleep soundly until daylight? Do you easily go to sleep when in bed?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. I sleep throughout if I go to sleep if I have paid my money to him to whom I owe it.DOCTOR.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus.(to the DOCTOR.) May Jupiter and all the Divinities confound you, you questioner.