A sore mischance is provided for this old fellow by the evening; for he must both dine and go to bed in-doors in sorry fashion.SIMO(continuing.)The more I reflect upon it in my mind: if any person has a dowried wife, sleep has no charms for him. I detest going to take a nap. It’s a settled matter with me to be off to the Forum from here, rather than nap it at home. And, i’ faith (to the AUDIENCE), I don’t know how your wives are in their behaviour; this wife of mine, I know right well how badly she treats me,and that she will prove more annoying to me hereafter than she has been.TRANIO(apart.)If your escape, old gentleman, turns out amiss, there’ll be no reason for you to be accusing any one of the Gods; by very good right, you may justly lay the blame upon yourself. It’s time now for me to accost this old fellow. ’Tis down upon himDown upon him: Hoc habet. Literally, he has it; a term used by the Spectators, when a gladiator received a wound at the gladiatorial games.. I’ve hit upon a plan whereby to cajole the old fellow, by means of which to drive griefBy means of which to drive grief: He plays upon the resemblance of the words dolo and dolorem. away from me. I’ll accost him. (Accosting him.) May the Gods, Simo, send on you many blessings!(Takes him by the hand.)SIMOSave you, Tranio! TRANIOHow fare you?SIMONot amiss. What are you about?TRANIOHolding by the hand a very worthy man.SIMOYou act in a friendly way, in speaking well of me.TRANIOIt certainly is your due.SIMOBut, i’ faith, in you I don’t hold a good servant by the hand.THEUROPIDES(calling from a distance, where he is not perceived by SIMO.)Hark you! you whip-knave, come back to me.TRANIO(turning round.)I’ll be there just now.SIMOWell now, how soon—?TRANIOWhat is it? SIMOThe usual goings-on.TRANIOTell me then, these usual goings-on, what are they?SIMOThe way that you yourselves proceed. But, Tranio, to say the truth, according as men are, it so befits you to humour them;reflecting, at the same time, how short life is.TRANIOWhat of all this? Dear me, at last, after some difficulty, I perceive that you are talking about these goings-on of ours.SIMOI’ faith, you people are living a merry life, just as befits you: on wine, good cheer, nice dainty fish, you enjoy life.TRANIOWhy yes, so it was in time past, indeed; but now these things have come to an end all at once. SIMOHow so?TRANIOSo utterly, Simo, are we all undone!SIMOWon’t you hold your tongue? Everything has gone on prosperously with you hitherto.