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Enter PISTOCLERUS from the house.
PISTOCLERUS
What's the matter? What's this knocking? Why, what the confounded torment possesses you, to be exerting your strength in this fashion on another person's door? You've almost broken the door down. What do you want now? PARASITE
Young gentleman, my respects. PISTOCLERUS
And my respects. But whom are you looking for? PARASITE
For Bacchis. PISTOCLERUS
But which of them? PARASITE
Of that I know nothing, only it's Bacchis. In a few words, the Captain, Cleomachus, has sent me to her, either for her to pay back the tyro hundred golden Philippeans, or to go hence this day, together with him, to Elatia1. PISTOCLERUS
She doesn't go: she says she shan't go. Begone, and take back this message--she loves another person, and not him. Take yourself off from the house. PARASITE
You're too hasty. PISTOCLERUS
And would you know now hasty I am? By my faith, your phiz isn't far off from a mishap; so much are these teeth-crackers looking at his fists longing in my fists. PARASITE
aside . So far as I understand his words, 'tis a warning to me, lest he should knock my nut-crackers out of my jaws. To PISTOCLERUS. At your own peril, I'll tell him this. PISTOCLERUS
What do you say? PARASITE
I'll tell him that which you bade me. PISTOCLERUS
Who are you? Tell me. PARASITE
I'm the skill of his body2 PISTOCLERUS
He needs must be a scampish fellow, who has got so worthless a skin. PARASITE
He'll be coming here, swollen up with wrath. PISTOCLERUS
I wish he may burst. PARASITE
about to go . Is there anything you want? PISTOCLERUS
Be off; you must do so this instant. PARASITE
Good-bye, teeth-cracker. Exit. PISTOC. And you, skin of his body, good-bye! This matter has come to such a point, that what advice to give my friend about his mistress, I know not; who, in his pet, has given up all the gold to his father, and not a coin is there that may be paid to the Captain. But I'll step aside, for the door makes a noise. O, here's Mnesilochus coming out, and pensive, too. He stands apart.
1 To Elatia: Elatia was a city of Phocis, a district in the Northern part of Greece.
2 Skin of his body: "Integumentum corporis." Literally, "the skin," or "covering of the body." This was probably a nickname for a body. guard, or hanger-on.
The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912.
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