Sceledrus, Sceledrus, what one man is there on earth more impudent than yourself? Who more than yourself has been born with the Deities hostile and enraged? SCELEDRUS What’s the matter? PALAESTRIO Do you want those eyes of yours gouged out, with which you see what never existed? SCELEDRUS How, what never existed? PALAESTRIO I would not buy your life at the price of a rotten nut. SCELEDRUS Why, what’s the matter? PALAESTRIO What’s the matter, do you ask? SCELEDRUS And why shouldn’t I ask? PALAESTRIO Why don’t you beg for that tongue of yours to be cut out, that prates so at random? SCELEDRUS Why should I beg for that? PALAESTRIO Why, Philocomasium is there at home, she whom you were saying that you had seen next door kissing and toying with another man. SCELEDRUS ’Tis a wonder that you are in the habit of feeding on darnel Feeding on darnel : He means to say that his sight must have failed him, and, by way of accounting for it, that he must have lived on bread made of darnel. This grain was supposed not only to cause the person eating to appear as it intoxicated, but very seriously to affect the eyesight. Ovid says in the Fasti, B. 1., l. 691 , Let the fields, also, be clear of darnel that weakens the eyes. , with wheat at so low a price. PALAESTRIO Why so? SCELEDRUS Because you are so dim of sight. PALAESTRIO You gallows-bird, ’tis you, indeed, that are blind, with a vengeance, and not dim of sight; for, sure enough, there she is at home. SCELEDRUS How? At home? PALAESTRIO At home, i’ faith, undoubtedly. SCELEDRUS Be off with you; you are playing with me, Palaestrio PALAESTRIO My hands are dirty, then. SCELEDRUS How so? PALAESTRIO Because I am playing with dirt. SCELEDRUS A mischief on your head.