Do you wish to pack her off forthwith, that she may quit you with a good grace? PYRGOPOLINICES I do so wish. PALAESTRIO Then this is the thing you must do. You have a superabundance of wealth; bid the woman to keep as a present for herself the gold and trinkets which you have supplied her with, and to take herself off from your house wherever she likes. PYRGOPOLINICES It pleases me what you say; but yet, only think, if I should lose her, and the other change her mind? PALAESTRIO Pshaw! you’re over nice; a lady, that loves you as her own eyes. PYRGOPOLINICES Venus befriends me. PALAESTRIO Hist! hush! the door is opening; come this way a little out of sight. 
 (MILPHIDIPPA comes out of the house of PERIPLECOMENUS.) This is her fly-boat—her go-between, that’s coming out there. PYRGOPOLINICES How so—fly-boat? PALAESTRIO This is her maid that is coming out of the house, she that brought that ring which I delivered to you. PYRGOPOLINICES I’ faith, she too is a prettyish wench. PALAESTRIO This one is a little monkey and an owl And an owl : Spinturnicium was the name of some ugly, ill-omened bird; of what kind it is not now known. in comparison with the other. Do you see how she hunts around with her eyes, and goes fowling about with her ears. (They stand aside.) (Enter MILPHIDIPPA.) MILPHIDIPPA (as she enters.) My Circus, then My Circus, then : This is an allusion to the Circus at Rome , where the public games were exhibited. , is before the house, where my sports are to take place. I’ll make pretence, as though I didn’t see them, or knew as yet that they are here. PYRGOPOLINICES Hush! let’s quietly listen, whether any mention is made of me. MILPHIDIPPA (aloud.) Is there no one near at hand here, to attend to another’s business rather than his own?— to prowl after To prowl after : Aucupo is properly applied to a birdcatcher, or fowler, who watches his nets. me to see what I’m about? No one who is feeding this evening Feeding this evening : Qui de vesperi vivat suo . She is supposed to mean those who are not out on the hunt for a supper, but have got one of their own at home. These latter persons, she thinks, living at their ease, and not having to satisfy a hungry stomach, are likely to have more leisure for prying into the concerns of other people, than those who are put to their shifts for a meal. at his own expense? I dread such men as these, lest they should now come in the way, or prove an hindrance somehow, should my mistress privately pass from her house this way, who is so enamoured of his person, who so dotes upon this very charming man with his exceeding beauty—the Captain Pyrgopolinices PYRGOPOLINICES And doesn’t she dote upon me, too? She is praising my beauty. PALAESTRIO I’ faith, her language stands in need of no ashes In need of no ashes : He says that she is so very clean spoken ( laute et minime sordide ) that she needs no ashes with which to scour her words; the figure being derived from the custom of scouring brass vessels with pounded ashes. . Part of line 1000 in the Latin. PYRGOPOLINICES For what reason? PALAESTRIO Why, because her language is clean spoken and far from slovenly. Whatever she says about yourself, she handles it in no slovenly way. And, then, besides, she herself is a very pretty and a very dainty wench. PYRGOPOLINICES Troth, indeed, she has made an impression already, Palaestrio, at first sight. PALAESTRIO What! before you have seen the other with your eyes? PYRGOPOLINICES What I see, in that I have faith for myself; for this mackerel This mackerel : The lacerta was probably a delicate fish, whose name is now unknown, but not so much so as the mullus, the grey mullet, which was very highly esteemed by the Roman epicures. , in the absence of the mullet, compels me to be in love with her. PALAESTRIO I’ faith, you really mustn’t be falling in love with her, she’s engaged to me. If the other weds you to-day, forthwith I shall take this one for my wife. PYRGOPOLINICES Why, then, do you delay to accost her? PALAESTRIO Follow me this way, then. PYRGOPOLINICES I am your lackey at your heels Lackey at your heels : Pedisequus . The pedisequi were a class of slaves at Rome whose duty it was to walk behind their master when he went out of doors. The name does not seem to have been given to every slave who followed his master, but they belonged to a class which was almost the lowest in the slave family. . MILPHIDIPPA (aloud.) I wish that I had an opportunity of meeting him on account of whom I came here out of doors.