Dramatis Personae TOXILUS, a servant. SAGARISTIO, a servant. SATURIO, a Parasite. PAEGNIUM, a boy. DORDALUS, a Procurer. LEMNISELENE, a Courtesan, beloved by Toxilus. SOPHOCLIDISCA, her attendant. A YOUNG WOMAN, daughter of Saturio. (Scene.— Athens : before the houses of DORDALUS and of the Master of TOXILUS.) THE SUBJECT.
 TOXILUS, who is left in charge of his master’s house in his absence, is desirous of obtaining the liberty of his mistress Lemniselene, who belongs to the Procurer Dordalus. He applies to his friend Sagaristio to lend him the sum necessary for that purpose. Sagaristio has not the money himself, but succeeds in finding some for the use of his friend. With the view of getting back the money when paid to Dordalus, Toxilus prevails on the Parasite Saturio to allow his daughter to be sold by Sagaristio to Dordalus, as though she were a slave. While these arrangements are being made, Lemniselene sends her attendant Sophoclidisca with a letter to Toxilus, and he at the same time sends the boy Paegnium with a message to Lemniselene. On receiving the money from Sagaristio, Toxilus pays it to Dordalus, who sets Lemniselene at liberty. Immediately after this, Sagaristio, dressed as a Persian, brings the daughter of Saturio, also dressed as a Persian captive, and sells her to Dordalus, without warranty, for a large sum of money. Immediately upon the departure of Sagaristio, Saturio makes his appearance, and claiming his daughter, takes her away Toxilus and Sagaristio conclude with a feast, and make merry over the Procurer’s misfortunes. THE ACROSTIC ARGUMENT. [Supposed to have been written by Priscian the Grammarian.] HIS master being absent ( Profecto ), Toxilus purchases ( Emit ) his mistress, and contrives that the Procurer sets her at liberty; and he then persuades him to buy of her capturer a young woman, a captive ( Raptam ), the daughter of hit Parasite being dressed up ( Subornatâ ) for that purpose; and ( Atque ) as he carouses, he makes sport of Dordalus, thus cajoled. (Enter TOXILUS and SAGARISTIO, on different sides. Title The Persian : As Persa signifies a male Persian, the Play is evidently named from the character assumed by Sagaristio, who, as a, Persian, sells the daughter of Saturio, dressed up as a captive, to the Procurer Dordalus. .) TOXILUS (to himself.) He who, falling in love, destitute of means, has first entered upon the paths of love, has in his own labours exceeded all the labours of Hercules. For with the lion With the lion : The. conquest of the Nemaean lion, the Hydra of Lerna , the brazen-footed stag, the Erymanthian boar, the birds of Lake Stymphalus, and the giant Antaeus, formed part of the labours of Hercules. See the Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books 9 and 10. , and with the Hydra, with the stag, with the Aetolian boar, with the birds of Stamphalus, with Antaeus, would I rather contend than with love. So wretched am I become with hunting after money to borrow; and yet, those whom I ask know of nothing to answer me, except I have got none. SAGARISTIO (apart.) The servant that is desirous faithfully to serve his master, i’ troth, it surely does behove him to treasure up full many a thing in his breast which he may think will please his master, both present and abroad. I neither serve with cheerfulness, nor am I quite to my master’s satisfaction; but, as though from a running eye, my master is still unable to keep his hands off me, in giving me his commands, in making me the support of his affairs. TOXILUS Who’s this that’s standing opposite to me? SAGARISTIO Who’s that that’s standing opposite to me? TOXILUS It’s like Sagaristio. SAGARISTIO Surely this is my friend Toxilus. TOXILUS Certainly it is he. SAGARISTIO I think it is he. TOXILUS I’ll go meet him. SAGARISTIO I’ll go up and accost him. TOXILUS (meeting him.) O Sagaristio, may the Gods bless you. SAGARISTIO O Sagaristio, the Gods grant you what you may desire. How fare you? TOXILUS Just as I can. SAGARISTIO What’s the matter? TOXILUS I still live. SAGARISTIO Quite then to your satisfaction? TOXILUS If the things come to pass which I desire, quite. SAGARISTIO You deal with your friends in a very silly fashion. TOXILUS How so? SAGARISTIO Because you ought to give them your commands. TOXILUS As for myself, you were already dead to me, because I haven’t seen you. SAGARISTIO Business, upon my faith— TOXILUS In the iron chain line, perhaps. SAGARISTIO For more than a twelvemonth I’ve been promoted in chains to be commanding officer in the basting line In the basting line : Tribunus vapularis. Literally, a vapulary Tribune. By this droll expression he means, promoted above all others to the distinction of a flogging. The military Tribune was an officer high in rank in the Roman armies. at the mill.