Why? What’s the matter?THEUROPIDESI’ll go wrong, rather than any one should show me over.Part of line 816b in the Latin. TRANIO(pointing.)Don’t you see, this vestibule before the house, and the piazza, of what a compass it is?THEUROPIDESTroth, really handsome!TRANIOWell, look now, what pillars there are, with what strength they are built, and of what a thickness.THEUROPIDESI don’t think that I ever saw handsomer pillars. SIMOI’ faith, they were some time since bought by me at such a price!TRANIO(aside, whispering.)Don’t you hear—They were once? He seems hardly able to refrain from tears.THEUROPIDESAt what price did you purchase them?SIMOI gave three minae for the two, besides the carriage.(He retires to some distance.)THEUROPIDES(after looking close at them, to TRANIO.)Why, upon my word, they are much more unsound than I thought them at first.TRANIOWhy so? THEUROPIDESBecause, i’ faith, the woodworm has split them both from the bottom.TRANIOI think they were cut at an improper season; that fault damages them; but even as it is, they are quite good enough, if they are covered with pitch. But it was no foreign pulse-eating artisanForeign pulse-eating artisan: From the use of the word pultiphagus, he probably alludes to Carthaginian workmen, who were very skilful at working in wood. In the Pœnulus, Hanno the Carthaginian is called patruus pultiphagonides, the pulse-eating kinsman. If this is the meaning, it is pretty clear that he is not speaking in praise of the workmanship. Some, however, ever, think that as, in early times, the lower classes at Rome lived upon puls, pap or pottage, the Scene being at Athens, Roman workmen are alluded to; if so, he may mean to speak in praise of the work, and to say that no bungling artists made the doors. See the Note in p. 355. The joints are said to wink, from the close conjunction of the eyelids in the act of winking. did this work. Don’t you see the joints in the door? (Pointing.) THEUROPIDESI see them. TRANIOLook, how close together they are sleeping.THEUROPIDESSleeping? TRANIOThat is, how they wink, I intended to say. Are you satisfied?THEUROPIDESThe more I look at each particular, the more it pleases me.TRANIO(pointing.)Don’t you see the painting, where one crowWhere one crow: By the crow, he means himself; and by the vultures, the two old men. Simo is probably standing at some distance off; and knowing that his master’s sight is not good, he feels that he may deride him with impunity. is baffling two vultures?The crow stands there; it’s pecking at them both in turn.This way, look, prithee, towards meTowards me: Ad me. Theuropides thinks he means, in my direction; whereas Tranio really means, look at me and you will see the crow; though he does not intend that his master shall take it in that sense., that yon may be able to see the crow.(THEUROPIDES turns towards him.) Now do you see it?THEUROPIDES(looking about.)For my part, I really see no crow there.TRANIOBut do you look in that direction, towards yourselves, since you cannot discover the crow, if perchance you may be able to espy the vultures. (THEUROPIDES turns towards SIMO.) Now do you see them?THEUROPIDESUpon my faith, I don’t see them.TRANIOBut I can see two vultures.THEUROPIDESTo make an end of it with you, I don’t see any bird at all painted here.TRANIOWell then, I give it up. I excuse you; it is through age you cannot see.THEUROPIDESThese things which I can see, really they do all please me mightily.