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Enter AESCHINUS, from the house of MICIO.
AESCHINUS
Where is that villain? SANNIO
aside. He's looking for me.1 Is he bringing any thing with him? Confusion! I don't see any thing. AESCHINUS
to CTESIPHO. Ha! well met; you are the very man I was looking for. How goes it, Ctesipho? All is safe: away then with your melancholy. CTESIPHO
By my troth, I certainly will away with it, when I have such a brother as you. O my dear Aeschinus! O my brother! Alas! I am unwilling to praise you any more to your face, lest you should think I do so rather for flattery than through gratitude. AESCHINUS
Go to, you simpleton! as though we didn't by this time understand each other, Ctesipho. This grieves me, that we knew of it almost too late, and that the matter had come to such a pass, that if all mankind had wished they could not possibly have assisted you. CTESIPHO
I felt ashamed. AESCHINUS
Pooh! that is folly, not shame; about such a trifling matter to be almost flying the country! 2 'Tis shocking to be mentioned; I pray the Gods may forbid it! CTESIPHO
I did wrong. AESCHINUS
in a lower voice. What says Sannio to us at last? SYRUS
He is pacified at last. AESCHINUS
I'll go to the Forum to pay him off; you, Ctesipho, step in-doors to her. SANNIO
aside to SYRUS. Syrus, do urge the matter. SYRUS
to AESCHINUS. Let us be off, for he is in haste foe' Cyprus. 3 SANNIO
Not particularly so; although still, I'm stopping here doing nothing at all. SYRUS
It shall be paid, don't fear. SANNIO
But he is to pay it all. SYRUS
He shall pay it all; only hold your tongue and follow us this way. SANNIO
I'll follow. CTESIPHO
as SYRUS is going. Harkye, harkye, Syrus. SYRUS
turning back. Well now, what is it? CTESIPHO
aside. Pray do discharge that most abominable fellow as soon as possible; for fear, in case he should become more angry, by some means or other this matter should reach my father, and then I should be ruined forever. SYRUS
That shall not happen, be of good heart; meanwhile enjoy yourself in-doors with her, and order the couches 4 to be spread for us, and the other things to be got ready. As soon as this business is settled, I shall come home with the provisions. CTESIPHO
Pray do so. Since this has turned out so well, let us make a cheerful day of it. CTESIPHO goes into the house of MICIO; and exeunt AESCHINUS and SYRUS, followed by SANNIO.
1 He's looking for me: Donatus remarks upon the readiness with which Sannio takes the appellation of "sacrilegus," as adapted to no other person than himself.
2 Flying the country: Donatus tells us, that in Menander the young man was on the point of killing himself. Terence has here softened it into leaving the country. Colman remarks: "We know that the circumstance of carrying off the Music-girl was borrowed from Diphilus; yet it is plain from Donatus that there was also an intrigue by Ctesipho in the Play of Menander; which gives another proof of the manner in which Terence used the Greek Comedies."
3 He is in haste for Cyprus: Donatus remarks that this is a piece of malice on the part of Syrus, for the purpose of teasing Sannio.
4 Order the couches: Those used for the purpose of reclining on at the entertainment.
The Comedies of Terence. Henry Thomas Riley. Ney York. Harper and Brothers. 1874.
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