Really, so far as I’m concerned, I’ faith, you may be safe and sound.SCEPARNIO(stopping in his digging.)Hark you, you that are roaming about Temples for the sake of your stomach, ’twere better for you to order a breakfast to be got ready at home. Perhaps you’ve been invited hereBeen invited here: It was the custom of Parasites to prowl about the Temples, for the purpose of joining in the feasts which sometimes took place at the conclusion of the sacrifice. to breakfast. He that invited you, hasn’t he come at all?PLESIDIPPUS’Tis the fact.SCEPARNIOThere’s no risk then in your betaking yourself hence home without your breakfast.It’s better for you to be a waiter upon Ceres than upon Venus; the latter attends to love, Ceres attends to wheat.PLESIDIPPUS(to DAEMONES.)This fellow has been making sport of me in a digraceful manner.DAEMONES(looking out at the side.)O ye immortal Gods, Sceparnio, what means those people near the sea-shore?SCEPARNIOAccording to my notion,they’ve been invited to a parting breakfastTo a parting breakfast: Prandium propter viam. Thornton has the following Note here: This is a sorry joke, even for Sceparnio, on so serious and melancholy an occasion, and cannot be well expressed in our tongue. When the ancients were about to undertake any voyage, they used to make a sacrifice to Hercules before they set off, which was for that reason called propter viam; and the custom was to burn all they didn’t eat. Wherefore Sceparnio says laverunt, which signifies they have consumed their all as well as they have bathed. alluding to the ship being lost..DAEMONESHow so? SCEPARNIOWhy, because, after dinner, I fancy, they yesterday washed themselves clean;their ship has gone to pieces out at sea.DAEMONES(looking steadfastly.)Such is the fact.SCEPARNIOBut, I’ faith, on dry land our cottage and tiles have done the same.DAEMONESOh dear! what unfortunate creatures you are; (to SCEPARNIO) how the shipwrecked people are swimming.PLESIDIPPUSPrithee, where are these people?DAEMONES(pointing to the distance.)This way, to the right; don’t you see them near the shore?PLESIDIPPUS(looking the same way.)I see them; (to his FRIENDS) follow me. I only wish it may be he that I’m seeking, that most accursed fellow. (To DAEMONES and SCEPARNIO.) Fare you well.SCEPARNIOIf you hadn’t put us in mind, we should have thought of that ourselves.(Exeunt PLESIDIPPUS and FRIENDS. SCEPARNIO looks out towards the sea.)But, O PalaemonPalaemon: This was one of the names of Melicerta. or Portunus, the son of Athamas and Ino. Athamas being about to slay him and Ino, they leaped into the sea, where they became sea Divinities., hallowed associate of Neptune, who art said to be the partner of Hercules, what shocking thing do I see?DAEMONESWhat do you see?SCEPARNIOI see two young women sitting in a boat alone. How the poor things are being tossed about That’s good, that’s good, well done. The surge is driving the boat away from the rock towards the shore. Not a pilot could have ever done it better. I don’t think that I ever saw billows more huge. They are saved, if they can escape those waves. Now, now’s the danger; it has sent one overboard! See you that one whom the waves have thrown out of the boat?Still, she’s in a shallow place; she’ll easily wade through it now. O capital!now she’s safe; she has escaped from the water; she’s now on shore. But that other one has now sprung towards the land from the boat—from her alarm she has fallen into the waves upon her knees. She has got up again; if she takes this direction, the matter’s safe; (a pause) but she has taken to the right, to utter destruction. Ah, she will be wandering all the day—DAEMONESWhat signifies that to you?SCEPARNIOIf she should fall down from that rock towards which she is wending her way,