But I long to see you.PALAESTRAIn that wish you are my rival.AMPELISCALet’s follow our voices with our steps; where are you? PALAESTRASee, here am I. Step onward towards me, and come straight on to meet me.AMPELISCAI’m doing so with care.(They meet in front of the stage.)PALAESTRAGive me your hand. AMPELISCATake it.PALAESTRAAre you still alive? Prithee, tell me.AMPELISCAYou, indeed, make me now wish to live, since I’m empowered to touch you. How hardly can I persuade myself of this, that I am holding you. Prithee, do embrace me (they embrace), my only hope; how you are now easing me of all my woes.PALAESTRAYou are beforehand with me in using expressions which belong to me. Now it befits us to be going hence.AMPELISCAPrithee, whither shall we go?PALAESTRALet’s keep along this sea-shore.(Pointing to the shore.)AMPELISCAWherever you please, I’ll follow.PALAESTRAShall we go along thus with our wet clothing?AMPELISCAThat which exists, the same must of necessity be borne. (Looking up at the Temple.) But, pray, what’s this?PALAESTRAWhat is it? AMPELISCAPrithee, don’t you see this Temple?(Pointing towards it.)PALAESTRAWhere is it? AMPELISCAOn the right hand.PALAESTRAI seem to be looking at a place becoming the Divinities.AMPELISCAThere must be people not far hence; it is so delightful a spot. Whoever the God is, I pray him to relieve us from these troubles, and to succour us females, wretched, helpless, and in distress.(They advance towards the Temple, and kneel down before it.)

(Enter PTOLEMOCRATIA, the Priestess, from the Temple of Venus.)PTOLEMOCRATIAWho are these, that in their prayers are soliciting aid from my Patroness? For the voice of suppliants has brought me hither out of doors. They pay suit to a kind and compliant Goddess and a Patroness that makes no difficulties, and one who is very benevolent. PALAESTRAMother, we bid you hail. PTOLEMOCRATIAMaidens, hail to you. But, prithee, whence am I to say that you are hither come with your wet garments, thus wofully arrayed?PALAESTRAJust now, we came from a place there (pointing towards the shore), not a great way from this spot; but it is a great way off from here, whence we have been brought hither.PTOLEMOCRATIAHave you been borne, do you mean, by a ship, the wooden steedThe wooden steed: Homer calls ships horses of the sea., over the azure paths?PALAESTRAEven so.