Why shouldn’t I touch it? Why, with kicking it, I tell you, I’ve almost broken down the door. TRANIO What, you touched it? THEUROPIDES I touched it, I tell you, and knocked at it. TRANIO Out upon you! THEUROPIDES Why so? TRANIO By heavens! ’twas ill done. THEUROPIDES What is the matter? TRANIO It cannot be expressed, how shocking and dreadful a mischief you’ve been guilty of. THEUROPIDES How so? TRANIO Take to flight, I beseech you, and get away from the house. Fly in this direction, fly closer to me. (He runs to wards TRANIO.) What, did you touch the door? THEUROPIDES How could I knock, if I didn’t touch it? TRANIO By all that’s holy, you’ve been the death— THEUROPIDES Of what person? TRANIO Of all your family. THEUROPIDES May the Gods and Goddesses confound you with that omen. TRANIO I’m afraid that you can’t make satisfaction for yourself and them. THEUROPIDES For what reason, or what new affair is this that you thus suddenly bring me news of? TRANIO And (whispering) hark you, prithee, do bid those people to move away from here. (Pointing to the ATTENDANTS of THEUROPIDES.) THEUROPIDES (to the ATTENDANTS.) Move away from here. TRANIO Don’t you touch the house. Touch you the ground Touch you the ground : The ancients were in the habit of reverentially touching the earth, when engaged in any affairs that related to the dead or the infernal Deities. as well. (Exeunt the ATTENDANTS.) THEUROPIDES I’ faith, prithee, do speak out now. TRANIO Because it is now seven months that not a person has set foot within this house, and since we once for all left it. THEUROPIDES Tell me, why so? TRANIO Just look around, whether there’s any person to overhear our discourse. THEUROPIDES (looking around.) All’s quite safe. TRANIO Look around once more. THEUROPIDES (looking around.) There’s nobody; now then, speak out. TRANIO (in a loud whisper.) The house has been guilty of a capital offence Guilty of a capital offence : Capitalis aedes facta eat; meaning that a murder had been committed in it. . THEUROPIDES I don’t understand you. TRANIO A crime, I tell you, has been committed there, a long while ago, one of olden time and ancient date.