Why, have I any business then with you here?SYRUS O no; I’m only going to give you what’s your own.BACCHIS Then let’s be going.Let’s be going: Colman here remarks to the following effect: There is some difficulty in this and the next speech in the original, and the Commentators have been puzzled to make sense of them. It seems to me that the Poet’s intention is no more than this: Bacchis expresses some reluctance to act under the direction of Syrus, but is at length prevailed on, finding that he can by those means contrive to pay her the money which he has promised her. SYRUS Follow this way. (Goes to the door of MENEDIEMUS, and calls.) Ho there! Dromo.(Enter DROMO from the house.)DROMO Who is it wants me?SYRUS Syrus.DROMO What’s the matter?SYRUS Take over all the attendants of Bacchis to your house here immediately.DROMO Why so?SYRUS Ask no questions. Let them take what they brought here with them. The old gentleman will hope his expenses are lightened by their departure; for sure he little knows how much loss this trifling gain will bring him. You, Dromo, if you are wise, know nothing of what you do know.DROMO You shall own that I’m dumb.(CLINIA, BACCHIS, and PHRYGIA go into the house of MENEDEMUS, and DROMO follows with BACCHIS’s retinue and baggage.)

(Enter CHREMES from his house.)CHREMES(to himself)So may the Deities prosper me, I am now concerned for the fate of Menedemus,that so great a misfortune should have befallen him. To be maintaining that woman with such a retinue! Although I am well aware he’ll not be sensible of it for some days to come, his son was so greatly missed by him; but when he sees such a vast expense incurred by himevery day at home, and no limit to it, he’ll wish that this son would leave him a second time. See—here comes Syrus most opportunely.SYRUS(to himself, as he comes forward.)Why delay to accost him?CHREMES Syrus.SYRUS Well.CHREMES How go matters ?SYRUS I’ve been wishing for some time for you to be thrown in my way.CHREMES You seem, then, to have effected something, I know not what, with the old gentleman.SYRUS As to what we were talking of a short time since? No sooner said than done.CHREMES In real earnest ?SYRUS In real.CHREMES Upon my faith, I can not forbear patting your head for it. Come here, Syrus; I’ll do you some good turn for this matter, and with pleasure.(Patting his head.)SYRUS But if you knew how cleverly it came into my head—CHREMES Pshaw! Do you boast because it has turned out according to your wishesSYRUS On my word, not I, indeed; I am telling the truth.CHREMES Tell me how it is.SYRUS Clinia has told Menedemus, that this Bacchis is your Clitipho’s mistress, and that he has taken her thither with him in order that you might not come to know of it.CHREMES Very good.