But ere they came,-O, let me say no more! Duke. Nay, forward, old man; do not break off so; For we may pity, though not pardon thee. Age. O, had the gods done so, I had not now For ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues, •2 Had not their bark been very slow of sail, And therefore homeward did they bend their course.Thus you have heard me severed from my bliss; That by misfortunes was my life prolonged, To tell sad stories of my own mishaps. Duke. And, for the sake of them thou sorrowest for, Do me the favor to dilate at full What hath befallen of them, and thee, till now. 3 Æge. My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care, At eighteen years became inquisitive After his brother; and impórtuned me, 1 The first folio reads "borne up.” 2 The second folio altered this to "helpful welcome;" but change was unnecessary. 3 It appears, from what goes before, that it was the eldest, and not the youngest. He says, "My wife, more careful of the latter-born," &c. That his attendant (for1 his case was like, Duke. Hapless Egeon, whom the fates have marked To bear the extremity of dire mishap! Now, trust me, were it not against our laws, Against my crown, my oath, my dignity, Which princes, would they, may not disannul, My soul should sue as advocate for thee. But, though thou art adjudged to the death, And passed sentence may not be recalled, But to our honor's great disparagement, Yet will I favor thee in what I can. Therefore, merchant, I'll limit thee this day, To seek thy help by beneficial help. Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus; Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum, And live; if not,3 then thou art doomed to die.— Jailer, take him to thy custody. Jail. I will, my lord. Ege. Hopeless and helpless doth Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. 1 The first folio reads so, the second for. [Exeunt. 2 The personal pronoun he is suppressed: such phraseology is not unfrequent in the writings of that age. 3 No, which is the reading of the first folio, was, anciently, often used for not. The second folio reads not. SCENE II. A public Place. Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Syracuse, and a Merchant. Mer. Therefore, give out, you are of Epidamnum, Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. This very day, a Syracusan merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; And, not being able to buy out his life, Ant. S. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, Dro. S. Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having so good a mean. [Exit DRO. S. Ant. S. A trusty villain,' sir; that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, Lightens my humor with his merry jests. What, will walk with me about the town, And then go to my inn, and dine with me? Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, you Of whom I hope to make much benefit; I crave your pardon. Soon, at five o'clock, Please you, I'll meet with you upon the mart; you till bed-time: And afterwards consort 2 My present business calls me from you now. 1 The word villain was anciently used in the sense of slave, or servant. 2 i. e. “accompany you.” Ant. S. Farewell till then. I will go lose myself, And wander up and down, to view the city. Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. I to the world am like a drop of water, Enter DROMIO of Ephesus. Here comes the almanac of my true date.2- late. The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit; Ant. S. Stop in your wind, sir; tell me this, I pray ; To pay the saddler for my mistress' crupper The saddler had it, sir; I kept it not. Ant. S. I am not in a sportive humor now. Tell me, and dally not, where is the money? 1 Confounded, here, does not signify destroyed, as Malone asserts; but overwhelmed, mixed confusedly together, lost. 2 They were both born in the same hour, and therefore the date of 'Dromio's birth ascertains that of his master. We being strangers here, how dar'st thou trust Dro. E. I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner. I from my mistress come to you in post; If I return, I shall be post indeed; For she will score your fault upon my pate. Methinks, your maw, like mine, should be your clock,1 And strike you home without a messenger. Ant. S. Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season; Reserve them till a merrier hour than this. Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee? 1 Dro. E. To me, sir? why you gave no gold to me. Ant. S. Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness, And tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge. Dro. E. My charge was but to fetch you from the mart Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner. Ant. S. Now, as I am a Christian, answer me, Ant. S. Thy mistress' marks! what mistress, slave, hast thou? Dro. E. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the She that doth fast, till you come home to dinner, 1 The old copy reads cook. The emendation is Pope's. 2 So in Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 1:-"Why does he suffer this rude knave to knock him about the sconce 2" Sconce also signified a fortification, commonly round, as well as the human head. |