She may be for me, indeed. (To TRACHALIO.) May all the Gods confound you who this day saw me with your eyes, and myself as well for a blockhead, who didn’t look about a hundred times first to see that no one was watching me, before I drew the net out of the water. PALAESTRA Next, there’s a little knife of silver, and two little hands linked together, and then a little sow. GRIPUS (aside.) Nay, then, go and be hanged, you with your little sow and with your little pigs. PALAESTRA There’s also a golden drop A golden drop : The bulla was a ball of metal, so called from its resemblance in shape to a drop or bubble of water. These were especially worn by the Roman children, suspended from the neck, and were generally made of thin plates of gold, of about the size of a walnut. The use of them was derived from the people of Etruria, and though originally used solely by the children of the Patricians, they were subsequently worn by all of free birth. The children of the libertini, or freed-men, wore bullae, but made of leather. The bulla was laid aside at the same time as the toga praetexta, and was on that occasion consecrated to the Lares. It must be owned that the little sow, mentioned in the line before, was rather a curious sort of trinket. Thornton thinks that the word sucula admitted of a double entendre, though of what nature is now unknown. , which my father presented to me upon my birthday. DAEMONES Undoubtedly there is; but I cannot restrain myself any longer from embracing you. My daughter, blessings on you; I am that father who begot you; I am Daemones, and see, your mother Daedalis is in the house here (pointing to his cottage) . AMPELISCA (embracing him.) Blessings on you, my unlooked-for father. DAEMONES Blessings on you; how joyously do I embrace you. TRACHALIO ’Tis a pleasure to me, inasmuch as this falls to your lot from your feelings of affection. DAEMONES Come then, Trachalio, if you can, bring that wallet into the house. TRACHALIO (taking the wallet.) See the villany of Gripus; inasmuch, Gripus, as this matter has turned out unfortunately for you, I congratulate you. DAEMONES Come, then, let’s go, my daughter, to your mother, who will be better able to enquire of you into this matter from proofs; who had you more in her hands, and is more thoroughly acquainted with your tokens. TRACHALIO Let’s all go hence in-doors, since we are giving our common aid. PALAESTRA Follow me, Ampelisca. AMPELISCA That the Gods favour you, it is a pleasure to me. (They all go into the cottage of DAEMONES, exceptGRIPUS.) GRIPUS (to himself.) Am I not a blockhead of a fellow, to have this day fished up that wallet? Or, when I had fished it up, not to have hidden it somewhere in a secret spot? By my troth, I guessed that it would be a troublesome booty for me, because it fell to me in such troublous weather. I’ faith, I guess that there’s plenty of gold and silver there. What is there better for me than to be off hence in-doors and secretly hang myself— at least for a little time, until this vexation passes away from me? (Goes into the cottage.) (Enter DAEMONES, from his cottage.) DAEMONES (to himself.) O ye immortal Gods, what person is there more fortunate than I, who unexpectedly have discovered my daughter? Isn’t it the fact, that if the Gods will a blessing to befall any person, that longed-for pleasure by some means or other, falls to the lot Falls to the lot : He forgets here that Self-praise is no recommendation. of the virtuous? I this day, a thing that I never hoped for nor yet believed, have unexpectedly discovered my daughter, and I shall bestow her upon a respectable young man of noble family, an Athenian, and my kinsman. For that reason I wish him to be fetched hither to me as soon as possible, and I’ve requested my servant to come out here, that he may go to the Forum. Still, I’m surprised at it that he isn’t yet come out. I think I’ll go to the door. (Opens the door, and looks in.) What do I behold? Embracing her, my wife is clasping my daughter around her neck. Her caressing is really almost too foolish and sickening. DAEMONES (Goes to the door again, and calls out.) ’Twere better, wife, for an end to be made at last of your kissing; and make all ready that I may perform a sacrifice, when I come in-doors, in honor of the household Gods, inasmuch as they have increased our family. At home I have lambs and swine for sacred use. But why, ladies, are you detaining that Trachalio? Oh, I see he’s coming out of doors, very seasonably. (Enter TRACHALIO, from the cottage.) TRACHALIO (speaking to those within.) Wheresoever he shall be, I’ll seek Plesidippus out at once, and bring him together with me to you. DAEMONES Tell him how this matter has fallen out about my daughter. Request him to leave other occupations and to come here. TRACHALIO Very well Very well : Licet. This word is used by Trachalio in answer to everything that Daemones says to him. DAEMONES Tell him that I’ll give him my daughter for a wife. TRACHALIO Very well. DAEMONES And that I knew his father, and that he is a relation of my own. TRACHALIO Very well.