Do you still resist?LABRAXI’m undone. PLESIDIPPUSI trust that may prove the truth. You, my dear Palaestra and Ampelisca, do you remain here in the meanwhile, until I return hither.SERVANTI would advise themrather to go to our house, until you return.PLESIDIPPUSI’m quite agreable; you act obligingly.(The SERVANTS open the door of the cottage, and PALAESTRA and AMPELISCA go in.)LABRAXYou are thieves to me. SERVANTHow, thieves?PLESIDIPPUSLead him along.Part of line 881c in the Latin.(The SERVANTS seize him.)LABRAX(calling out.)I pray and entreat you, Palaestra.PLESIDIPPUSFollow, you hang-dog. LABRAXGuest, Charmides!CHARMIDESI am no guest of yours; I repudiate your hospitality. LABRAXWhat, do you slight me in this fashion?CHARMIDESI do so; I’ve been drinking with you once alreadyOnce already: He alludes to the drenching he has had in the sea, by reason of his acquaintance with Labrax, and means to say that one such reception is quite sufficient for his life..LABRAXMay the Deities confound you.CHARMIDESTo that person of yours, say that. (PLESIDIPPUS leads LABRAX off, followed by the SERVANTS.) I do believe that men are transformed, each into a different beast. That Procurer, I guess, is transformed into a stock-doveA stock-dove: He puns upon the resemblance between the word columbar,a collar, into which the head was inserted by way of punishment, and columbus, a pigeon. The notion of preserving the pun, by using the word stock-dove, is Echard’s. The plural of the word columbar was also used to signify a dove-cot.; for, before long, his neck will be in the stocks. He’ll to-day be building his nest in the gaol. Still, however, I’ll go, that I may be his advocate,—if by my aid he may possibly be sentenced any the sooner.

(Enter DAEMONES, from his cottage.Echard remarks that the interval between the last Act and this is filled up with Plesidippus carrying Labrax before the Praetor and his trial, an, likewise with what passes in Daemones’ house. DAEMONES(to himself.)’Twas rightly done, and it is a pleasure this day for me to have given aid to these young women; I have now found some dependants, and both of them of comely looks and youthful age. But my plaguy wife is watching me in all ways, lest I should be giving any hint to the young women. But I wonder what in the world my servant Gripus is about, who went last night to the sea to fish. Troth, he had done wiser if he had slept at home;for now he throws away both his pains and his nets, seeing what a storm there now is and was last night. I’ll thoroughly cook upon my fingers what he has caught to-day; so violently do I see the ocean heaving. (A bell rings.) But my wife’s calling me to breakfast; I’ll return home. She’ll now be filling my ears with her silly prating.(Goes into the cottage.)

(Enter GRIPUS, dragging a net enclosing a wallet, by a rope.)GRIPUS(to himself.)These thanks do I return to Neptune, my patron, who dwells in the salt retreats, the abode of fishes, inasmuch as he has despatched me finely laden on my return from his retreats, and from his Temples, laden with most abundant booty, with safety to my boat, which in the stormy sea made me master of a singular and rich haul. In a wondrous and incredible manner has this haul turned out prosperously for me, nor yet have I this day taken a single ounce weight of fish, but only that which I am here bringing with me in my net. For when I arose in the middle of the night, and without sloth, I preferred profit to sleep and rest; in the raging tempest, I determined to try how I might lighten the poverty of my master and my own servitude, not sparing of my own exertions. Most worthless is the man that is slothful, and most detestably do I hate that kind of men. It behoves him to be vigilant who wishes to do his duty in good time; for it befits him not to be waiting until his master arouses him to his duties. For those who sleep on for the love of it, rest without profit to themselves and to their own cost. But now I, who have not been slothful, have found that for myself through which to be slothful if I should choose.(Points to the wallet.) This have I found in the sea to-day; whatever’s in it, it’s something heavy that’s in it; I think it’s gold that’s in it. And not a single person is there my confidant in the matter. Now, Gripus, this opportunity has befallen you, that the PraetorThe Praetor: The slave about to be manumitted, or to receive his freedom, was taken before the Praetor, whose lictor laid the vindicta or festuca, the rod of liberty, on the head of the slave, on which he received his freedom. might make you a free man from among the multitude. Now, thus shall I do, this is my determination; I’ll come to my master cleverly and cunningly, little by little I’ll promise money for my freedom, that I may be free. Now, when I shall be free, then, in fine, I’ll provide me land and housesLand and houses: Is not this wonderfully like Alnaschar’s reverie in the Arabian Nights, so aptly quoted in the Spectator? and slaves: I’ll carry on merchandize with large ships: among the grandees I shall be considered a grandee. Afterwards, for the sake of pleasing myself, I’ll build me a ship and I’ll imitate StratonicusStratonicus: He was the treasurer of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great, and was famed for his wealth among the Greeks, as Crassus was among the Romans., and I’ll be carried about from town to town. When my greatness is far-spread, I shall fortify some great city: to that city I shall give the name of Gripus, a memorial of my fame and exploits, and there I’ll establish a mighty kingdom. I am resolving here in my mind to prepare for mighty matters. At present I’ll hide this booty. But this grandee (pointing to himself) is about to breakfast upon vinegarUpon vinegar: He alludes to the posca, or vinegar and water, which formed the beverage of the slaves, and which is mentioned by Palaestrio in the Miles Gloriosus, l. 836. and salt, without any good substantial meat.