T. Maccius Plautus, Poenulus, or The Young Carthaginian
Henry Thomas Riley, Ed.

LYCUS
to himself . Let all soothsayers go hang themselves now at once. Why should I believe them in future, as to what they say? For they, just now at the sacrifice, told me that evil and the greatest disaster was portended to me. I have since then amplified my fortune with profit.

AGORASTOCLES
accosting him . Save you, Procurer.

LYCUS
May the Gods bless you, Agorastocles.

AGORASTOCLES
You now salute me more kindly than hitherto.

LYCUS
A calm has come, as though to a ship at sea. Just as the wind is, to that quarter is the sail shifted.

AGORASTOCLES
May those ladies be well in your house, to whom I wish it, but to yourself I do not wish it.

LYCUS
They are well, as you desire; not for you, though.

AGORASTOCLES
Send your Adelphasium to my house, to-day, please, upon this celebrated and famous festival, the Aphrodisia.

LYCUS
Have you been breakfasting on a hot breakfast today? Tell me.

AGORASTOCLES
Why so?

LYCUS
Because now you are only cooling your mouth¹, when you ask me.

AGORASTOCLES
Attend to this, Procurer, will you; I've heard that my slave is at your house.

LYCUS
At my house? You'll find that has never been the fact.

AGORASTOCLES
You lie; for he has come to your house, and carried off some gold there. Word has been brought me to that effect, by persons I fully believe. Pointing to the ASSISTANTS.

LYCUS
You are an artful fellow: you've come to entrap me with your witnesses. There's no one of your people in my house, nor anything of yours.

AGORASTOCLES
turning round to the ASSISTANTS . Remember that, assistants.

ADVOCATI
We will remember it.

LYCUS
laughing . Ha, ha, ha! I now understand how it is, I've this instant seen through it. These persons, who a short time since introduced that Spartan stranger to me, their brain is now fired at it, because I'm going to make a gain of these three hundred Philippean pieces; now, because they knew that this person was an enemy of mine, they have set him on to say that his slave, together with his gold, is in my house. It's a planned contrivance for them to deprive me of it, and to divide it among themselves. They are wanting to get away the lamb from the wolf². They are wasting their pains.

AGORASTOCLES
What, do you deny that either the gold or my slave is at your house?

LYCUS
I do deny it; and, if it's of any use, I make myself hoarse with denying it.

ADVOCATI
You are undone, Procurer; for that person whom we told you was a Spartan, is his bailiff; who brought you just now the three hundred Philippean pieces; and that same gold, too, is in his purse.

LYCUS
shaking his fist at them . Woe unto you!

ADVOCATI
That, indeed, is close at hand for yourself.

AGORASTOCLES
Come, you hang-dog, give up the purse this instant. You are clearly a thief; caught by me in the fact. (To the ADVOCATI.) By my troth, I do beg of you, lend me your aid, so as to see me bring my slave out of his house. He goes into the PROCURER'S house.

LYCUS
I' faith, I'm now undone for certain, beyond a doubt! This has been done on purpose that a snare might be laid for me. But why do I hesitate to betake me hence to utter perdition, before I'm dragged off to the Prætor by the throat? Alas! what soothsayers I've been having for my diviners, who, if they promise anything that's fair, it comes to pass but slowly; that which they promise as unfortunate, comes directly. Now I'll be off: I'll consult my friends in what way--they deem it best in especial for me to hang myself. (Exit.)