Chapter 2

(Enter CHRYSALUS.)

CHRYSALUS: All hail, land of my master! which I joyfully behold after the two years that I have been absent hence at Ephesus. I salute thee, neighbour Apollo, who dost have thy shrine close by our house, and to thee do I make my prayer, that thou wilt not let me meet our old gentleman, Nicobulus, before I have seen

Pistoclerus, the friend of Mnesilochus, him to whom Mnesilochus has sent the letter about his mistress, Bacchis.

(Enter PISTOCLERUS from the house of BACCHIS.)

PISTOCLERUS: (to the FIRST BACCHIS within.) ’Tis strange that you are so earnestly begging me to return, who am able by no possible means to depart hence, if I were willing, so bound down, and so enchained with love do you hold me.

CHRYSALUS: O, ye immortal Gods, I espy Pistoclerus! O, Pistoclerus, hail!

PISTOCLERUS: Hail, Chrysalus, to you!

CHRYSALUS: I will at present compress many speeches for you in a small space. You are glad that I am come; I give you credit for it.

You promise me lodging and an entertainment coming from my journey, as it is befitting, and I agree to come. I bring you the sincere greetings of your friend. Would you ask me where he is? He’s come.

PISTOCLERUS: Is he alive and well?

CHRYSALUS: That I was wishful to enquire of yourself.

PISTOCLERUS: How can I know?

CHRYSALUS: No one better.

PISTOCLERUS: Why, in what way?

CHRYSALUS: Because if she has been found whom he so loves, he is alive and well. If she is not found, he is not well, and is like to die. His mistress is the very life of a lover. If she is away, he is non-existent; if she is with him, his property is non-existent, and himself worthless and wretched.

But what have you done in respect of his commission?

PISTOCLERUS: And ought I not to have his request complied with against his arrival, which his messenger brought to me from him? I’d sooner be dwelling in the realms of Acheron than not.

CHRYSALUS: How now, have you found out this Bacchis?

PISTOCLERUS: Yes, and a Samian one too.

CHRYSALUS: Prithee, do take care that no one handles her carelessly: you know how soon a Samian vessel is wont to break.

PISTOCLERUS: What now, your old habit?

CHRYSALUS: Prithee, do tell me where she now is.

PISTOCLERUS: Here, where you just now saw me coming out.

CHRYSALUS: How capital that is! She’s living almost next door. Does she at all remember Mnesilochus?

PISTOCLERUS: Do you ask me that? Aye, him alone does she esteem at the very highest value.

CHRYSALUS: Indeed!

PISTOCLERUS: Yes, and were you to believe her, distractedly in love—she quite longs for him.

CHRYSALUS: That’s good.

PISTOCLERUS: Yes, Chrysalus; see, now; not even so small a space of time ever passes by as this, out that she is uttering his name.

CHRYSALUS: I’ faith, so much the better. (Moving, as if about to go.)

PISTOCLERUS: Yes; but— (Holds him.)

CHRYSALUS: Yes, faith, I’d rather be off.

PISTOCLERUS: And do you so unwillingly hear how your master’s interests have prospered?

CHRYSALUS: No, not the subject, but the actor offends my feelings with his tediousness. Even Epidicus, a play that I love quite as much as my own self, were Pollio to act it, no play would I see so reluctantly. But, does Bacchis seem handsome, as well, to you?

PISTOCLERUS: Do you ask the question? Had I not got a Venus, I should pronounce her a Juno.

CHRYSALUS: I’ faith, Mnesilochus, as I find these matters proceeding, there’s something ready for you to love;’tis needful that you find something to give her.

But, perhaps you have need of gold for that other one?

PISTOCLERUS: Yes, some Philippeans.

CHRYSALUS: And you have need of it directly, perhaps?

PISTOCLERUS: Aye, and even sooner than directly. For there’s a Captain coming here just now—

CHRYSALUS: A Captain, indeed!

PISTOCLERUS: Who is demanding some gold here for relinquishing Bacchis.

CHRYSALUS: Let him come when he pleases, and so there be no delay.

The money’s at home; I fear not for myself, nor do I go begging to any man; so long, at least, as this heart of mine shall be armed with its inventiveness. Go in; I’ll manage here. Do you tell them in-doors, that Mnesilochus is coming to Bacchis.

PISTOCLERUS: I’ll do as you request. (Goes into the house of BACCHIS.)

CHRYSALUS: The money business belongs to me.

From Ephesus we have brought twelve hundred golden Philippeans, which our entertainer owed to our old gentleman. Hence, some contrivance will I this day contrive, to procure gold for this son of my master thus in love. But there’s a noise at our door—who’s coming out of doors, I wonder?

(Stands aside.)

(Enter NICOBULUS from his house.)

NICOBULUS: (to himself.) To the Piraeus will I go; I’ll go see whether any merchant-ship has come into harbour from Ephesus. For my mind misgives me; my son lingers there so long, and does not return.

CHRYSALUS: (aside.) Now, I’ll finely unravel him, if the Gods are propitious.

There must be no sleeping; gold is requisite for Chrysalus. I’ll accost him, whom for sure this day I’ll make a ram of Phryxus of; so, even to the quick, will I shear him of his gold. (Accosting him.) His servant Chrysalus salutes Nicobulus.

NICOBULUS: O, immortal Gods! where is my son?

CHRYSALUS: Why don’t you return the salutation first, which I gave you?

NICOBULUS: Well, save you. But where on earth is Mnesilochus?

CHRYSALUS: He is alive and well.

NICOBULUS: Is he not come?

CHRYSALUS: He is come.

NICOBULUS: Hurra! you’ve brought me to my senses. And has he all along been well?

CHRYSALUS: Aye, well as a boxer and an athlete.

NICOBULUS: But what as to this—the business on account or which I sent him hence to Ephesus?

Has he rot received the gold from his entertainer, Archidemides?

CHRYSALUS: Alas! my heart and my brain are cleft, Nicobulus, whenever mention is made of that fellow. Why don’t you call that entertainer of his your enemy?

NICOBULUS: Troth now, prithee, why so?

CHRYSALUS: Because, i’ faith, I know for sure, that Vulcan, the Moon, the Sun, the Day, those four Divinities, never shone upon another more wicked.

NICOBULUS: What, than Archidemides? Dear me!

CHRYSALUS: Than Archidemides, I say.

NICOBULUS: What has he done?

CHRYSALUS: What has he not done? Why don’t you ask me that? In the first place, then, he began to make denials to your son, and to assert that he didn’t owe three obols to you. Forthwith, Mnesilochus summoned to himself there our ancient host, the old gentleman, Pelago; in his presence, he at once showed the fellow the token, which you yourself had given to your son to deliver to him.

NICOBULUS: Well—when he showed him the token?

CHRYSALUS: He began to say that it was counterfeit, and that it was not a true token; and how many reproaches he did utter against him so undeserving of them! and he said that in other matters he had committed forgery.

NICOBULUS: Have you not the gold? In the first place, I want that to be told me.

CHRYSALUS: Yes, after the Praetor had appointed delegates; being cast, at length compelled by force he paid down twelve hundred Philippeans.

NICOBULUS: He owed that much.

CHRYSALUS: Besides, listen to another struggle of his, as well, which he was desirous to enter on.

NICOBULUS: What, besides, as well?

Oho! this will turn out now a regular hawk’s nest.

I’ve been deceived. I’ve entrusted my gold to an Autolycus for my host!

CHRYSALUS: Nay, but do you listen—

NICOBULUS: Well, I wasn’t aware of the disposition of my avaricious entertainer.

CHRYSALUS: Afterwards, at last we had got the gold, and embarked on board ship, desirous for home. By chance, as I was sitting on the deck, while I was looking about me, at that moment I beheld a long bark being fitted out by this cheating knave.

NICOBULUS: Troth, I’m undone; that bark breaks my heart.

CHRYSALUS: This was held in partnership by your host and some pirates.

NICOBULUS: And that I should be such a blockhead as to trust him, when his very name of Archidemides cried aloud to me that he would deprive me of it, if I should entrust anything to him.

CHRYSALUS: This bark was lying in wait for our ship. I began to watch them, to see what business they were about. Meanwhile, from harbour our ship set sail. When we had fully left the harbour, these fellows began to follow with their oars;

nor birds, nor winds more swiftly. As I discovered what scheme was being carried out, at once we dropped anchor. As they beheld us stopping, they began to keep their vessel back in harbour.

NICOBULUS: Wicked wretches, by my troth. What did you do at last?

CHRYSALUS: We returned again into harbour.

NICOBULUS: ’Twas cleverly done by you. What after that?

CHRYSALUS: At nightfall they returned ashore.

NICOBULUS: Troth now, they intended to carry off the gold; they were attempting that plan, no doubt.

CHRYSALUS: It didn’t escape me; I discovered it: I was almost terrified to death by it. As I saw that a scheme was being laid against the gold, forthwith on this we came to this determination; the next day we carried away all the gold thence in their presence, openly and publicly, that they might know it was done.

NICOBULUS: Skilfully managed, i’ faith. Tell me, what did they?

CHRYSALUS: Chopfallen at once,—soon as ever they saw us leaving the harbour with the gold, shaking their heads, they hauled their bark ashore. We deposited all the gold with Theotimus, who is a priest there of Ephesian Diana.

NICOBULUS: Who is this Theotimus?

CHRYSALUS: The son of Megalobyzus, who is now living at Ephesus, a man most dear to the Ephesians.

NICOBULUS: By my troth, he’ll surely turn out very much more dear to me if he shall chouse me out of all that gold.

CHRYSALUS: But it is stowed away in the very temple itself of the Goddess Diana; there they keep guard at the public expense.

NICOBULUS: You kill me outright; much more safely would it have been kept in private hands.

But haven’t you brought any of the gold home here?

CHRYSALUS: O yes; but how much he has brought, I don’t know.

NICOBULUS: How’s that?—not know?

CHRYSALUS: Because Mnesilochus went privately by night to Theotimus; and didn’t wish to entrust it to me, nor to any one in the ship. For that reason I don’t know how much he has brought, but he hasn’t brought very much.

NICOBULUS: Do you think it was even a half?

CHRYSALUS: By my troth, I know not; but I don’t think it.

NICOBULUS: Does he bring a third part?

CHRYSALUS: Troth, I think not; but I do not know the truth. Indeed, I know nothing at all about the gold, except that I do know nothing about it.

Now, you yourself must take a voyage there on board ship, to carry home this gold from Theotimus; and, hearkye— (Takes him by the arm.)

NICOBULUS: What do you want?

CHRYSALUS: Take care and remember to carry your son’s ring.

NICOBULUS: What need is there of the ring?

CHRYSALUS: Because that is the token agreed on with Theotimus, that the person who brings it to him, to him he is to give up the gold.

NICOBULUS: I’ll remember it, and you advise me well. But is this Theotimus rich?

CHRYSALUS: What, do you ask that? Why, hasn’t he the soles fastened to his shoes with gold?

NICOBULUS: Why does he thus despise it?

CHRYSALUS: He has such immense riches; he doesn’t know what to do with his gold.

NICOBULUS: I wish he’d give it me.

But in whose presence was this gold delivered to Theotimus?

CHRYSALUS: In presence of the people; there’s not a person in Ephesus but what knows it.

NICOBULUS: My son at least did wisely there, in entrusting that gold to a rich man to keep. From him it may be recovered even at a moment’s notice.

CHRYSALUS: Aye, and look here, he’ll never keep you waiting even thus much (shows his finger-nail) from receiving it on the very day you arrive there.

NICOBULUS: I thought that I had escaped a seafaring life, and that, at length, an old man of my years, I shouldn’t be sailing about. But now I find that I’m not allowed to have the choice whether I would or no;

’tis my fine host Archidemides has done me this. Where, then, is my son, Mnesilochus, at present?

CHRYSALUS: He has gone to the market-place to pay his respects to the Deities and his friends.

NICOBULUS: Then I’ll go hence to meet him as soon as I can. (Exit NICOBULUS.)

CHRYSALUS: He’s right well loaded, and carries more than his proper burden.

Not so very badly has this web been commenced by me, that I may find means for the son of my master in his amour. I’ve managed it so, that he may take as much of the gold as he chooses, and give up to his father as much as he may like to give up. The old gentleman will be going hence to Ephesus to fetch his gold;

here our life will be spent in a delicious manner, since the old man will leave me and Mnesilochus here, and not be taking us along with him. O! what a kick-up I shall be making here. But what’s to be done, when the old gentleman shall have discovered this? When he shall have found out that he has made his journey thither to no purpose, and that we have misspent his gold, what will become of me after that? I’ faith, I think upon his arrival he’ll be changing my name, and at once be making me Crucisalus instead of Chrysalus. Troth, I’ll run away, if there shall be a greater necessity for it. If I’m caught, I’ll plague him for a punishment;

if his rods are in the fields, still my back’s at home. Now I’ll be off, and tell my master’s son this contrivance about the gold, and about his mistress Bacchis who has been found. (Exit.)