O cunning mortal! not another person in Athens can be pronounced more clever than he. One can no more this day deceive him than he can a stone. I’ll accost the man; I’ll address him. THEUROPIDES (to himself.) Now I do wish that he would come here. TRANIO (apart.) I’ faith, if me indeed you want, here I am ready at hand for you. (Comes forward.) THEUROPIDES Bravo! Tranio, what’s being done? TRANIO The country people are coming from the country Philolaches will be here in a moment. THEUROPIDES I’ faith, he comes opportunely for me. This neighbour of ours I take to be a shameless and dishonest fellow. TRANIO Why so? THEUROPIDES Inasmuch as he denies that he knows you. TRANIO Denies it? THEUROPIDES And declares that you never gave him a single coin of money TRANIO Out with you, you are joking me, I do believe; he doesn’t deny it. THEUROPIDES How so? TRANIO I am sure now that you are joking; for surely he doesn’t deny it. THEUROPIDES Nay but, upon my faith, he really does deny it; or that he has sold this house to Philolaches. TRANIO Well now, pray, has he denied that the money was paid him? THEUROPIDES Nay more, he offered to take an oath to me, if I desired it, that he had neither sold this house, nor had any money him paid been. I told him the same that you told me. TRANIO What did he say? THEUROPIDES He offered to give up all his servants for examination. TRANIO Nonsense! On my faith, he never will give them up. THEUROPIDES He really does offer them. TRANIO Why then, do you summon him to trial. THEUROPIDES Wait a bit; I’ll make trial as I fancy. I’m determined on it. TRANIO Bring the fellow here to me. THEUROPIDES What then, if I go fetch some men? TRANIO It ought to have been done already; or else bid the young man to demand possession of the house. THEUROPIDES Why no, I want to do this first—to put the servants under examination Servants under examination : Quaestioni. Examination by torture; which was the method used by the Romans for extracting confessions from slaves. .