"Yes, 'tis his brother," said I. Then the other:
"Well, he is handsome, surely," so she said,

"And noble. See how well his hair becomes him!
Happy the women are with whom he wives!"

Pyrgopolinices—

Did they say so?

Why, yes! Both made me swear

Artotrogus

To-day I'd bring you in procession by.

Pyrgopolinices [pensively]

To be too handsome is a piteous thing!

It bores me! For they pray and crowd and beg,

So that I cannot get your business done.

[A movement of the soldier at this word "business" gives the quick-witted flatterer his cue.]

'Tis fit that I should know your nature well,
And try to scent out that which you desire.

Pyrgopolinices

'Tis time, methinks, to hasten to the Forum;
For there must I bestow their wage upon
The hirelings I enlisted yesterday.
For King Seleucus begged me earnestly,
To gather and enroll him mercenaries.

Artotrogus

Why, then, let's go. Pyrgopolinices

Attendants, follow me!
[Exeunt omnes.

[The prologue, rather singularly, is now spoken, at the opening of the second act. It may be interesting to cite a few lines, though its literary merit is small.]

Palæstrio [a slave, appearing from the soldier's house, as Prologue] —
This argument I'll tell you courteously,

If you to listen will be mannerly.
Who will not listen, let him up and go,
So making rocm for one disposed to hear.
This comedy we are about to play,

For sake of which you sit so festive there,-
Its argument and name I'll tell to you.
'Alazon is the drama's name in Greek,

And Braggadocio is our word for it.

This's Ephesus. Yon soldier is my master,
Who went thence townward; boastful, insolent,
Filthy, and full of crapulence and lies.

He says the women chase him all unsought.

A laughing-stock he is, where he appears.

So, while with mocking lips they lead him on,

Most of the girls you'll see with mouths awry!

[The last line is perhaps a random jest aimed at the extravagant comic masks. If so, it is an indication of post-Plautine date. One of the most interesting prologues, that of the 'Casina,' was certainly composed for a late revival of a remarkably coarse and brutal play. A few examples of these prologues may be instructive.]

PROLOGUE OF CASINA ›

HE men who drink old wine I count as wise,

THE

And those that gladly hear an ancient play.

Since antique words and phrases please you well,

An old-time drama should delight you more.

For the new comedies that now appear

Are even more debased than these new coins.
Now we have hearkened to the people's cry,
That you desire to hear the Plautine plays,
And so bring out this ancient comedy,
Which you approved; — that is, you elder men:
The younger sort, I am sure, have known it not;
But that you may, we earnestly shall strive.
All dramas it surpassed, when acted first.
The flower of poets still were living then,
Though now departed whither all must pass,-
In absence helpful still to those that are.

And with full earnestness we beg you all

Kindly to give attention to our troop.

Cast from your minds your cares and debts away.

Let no one stand in terror of his dun.

'Tis holiday. The banks keep holiday.

'Tis peace! The forum has its halcyon days.

OTHER

PROLOGUE OF TRINUMMUS>

Enter Two Female Figures

Follow, my daughter, to fulfill your task.

M Daughter-I follow, ignorant what the end may be.

Mother'Tis here: lo, yonder house; go straightway in.
[Exit daughter.

[To the audience)

Now, lest you err, I'll give you guidance brief,—

At least if you will promise to attend.
Who then I am, and she who passed from here
Within, if you but hearken, I will tell.
First, Plautus made my name Extravagance,
And called my daughter yonder, Poverty.
But why impelled by me she entered there,
Hearken and lend your ears while I explain.
A certain youth, who in that house abides,
Has squandered, with my aid, his heritage.
And seeing he can no longer nourish me,
I have given my daughter to abide with him.-
Do not expect the argument of our play.
The old men coming yonder will make clear
The story.
In Greek, Thesaurus was it called.
Philemon wrote it. Plautus rendering it

In barbarous speech, called it Trinummus': now

He begs the drama may retain the name.

That's all. Farewell. In silence now attend.

[As these characters do not appear again, Plautus "made their names here only. That is, this passage claims at least to be from the dramatist's own hand.]

PROLOGUE OF RUDENS›

Arcturus speaks, as Prologue

ITH him who moves all races, seas, and lands,
In the celestial city I abide.

WITH

Such am I as you see,-a glorious star

That rises ever at the fitting time,

Here and in heaven. Arcturus is my name.
Shining by night in heaven amid the gods,
By day I walk on earth among mankind.
And other stars to earth from heaven descend:

Jupiter, ruler over gods and men,

Among the several nations sends us forth,
To know the deeds, ways, piety, and faith
Of men, according to the means of each.

[Such poetic passages are rare.

Equally characteristic of Roman comedy are the Epilogues. We give two very brief examples, illustrating the two extremes of moral pretentiousness.]

EPILOGUE OF THE CAPTIVES'

HIS our comedy, spectators, is for honest morals made.

THE

No love-making is there in it, nor a love intrigue at all.

No false fathering of children, nor embezzlement of money.

Rarely do the poets fashion such a comedy as this,

Where the good are rendered better.

I'

EPILOGUE OF THE 'ASINARIA ›

F BEHIND his goodwife's back this old man had a little fun,
Nothing new or strange he did, nor different from the com-

mon run!

If you wish to beg him off and save him from his cudgeling, This by loud applause you'll have no trouble in accomplishing.

[A few miscellaneous passages will indicate the various tones struck in these rollicking comedies. Of course we rarely know how much is translation from the Greek, how much original invention.]

BUSYBODIES

HO, knowing nothing, claim to know it all.

WHO

What each intends, or will intend, they know.

What in the queen's ear the king said, they know.

They know what Juno chatted of with Jove.

What never was or is, they know it, though!

XX-724

UNPOPULARITY OF TRAGEDY

Mercury speaks, in the Prologue of the 'Amphitruo›

HE plot of this our tragedy next I'll tell —

THE

Why did you knit your brows? Because I said
'Twould be a tragedy? I'm a god, I'll change it.

From tragedy I'll make it, if you will,

A comedy,- with every verse the same.

Will you, or not?- Why! stupid that I am,

As if, a god, I knew not your desire!

Upon this point I understand your minds.
I'll make a mixture, tragicomedy.

MIXTURE OF GREEK AND ROMAN MANNERS

From Prologue to 'Casina'

OME here, methinks, will say among themselves,

"Prithee, what's this? A wedding among slaves?

A strange thing this to play, that's nowhere done!»

I say, in Carthage this is done, and Greece,

And of our country, in Apulia too.

Yes, servile marriages more carefully

Are celebrated than a freeman's there.

REWARDS OF HEROISM

[From the Captives. Tyndarus, a slave, captured in war with the young master who has been his lifelong comrade, exchanges name and station with him, and the supposed slave has been sent off to secure the ransom. The trick has just been discovered and acknowledged.]

H

EGIO- To your own utter misery this was done.
Tyndarus-Since for no sin I fall, little I reck.

If he who promised comes not, and I die,
This will be counted honor still, in death,
That I from servitude and hostile hands
Restored my master to his home and father;
And here I rather chose to put my life

In peril, than that he should be destroyed.
Hegio - Enjoy that glory, then, in Acheron!