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On that account the Captain left here a token—his own likeness impressed on wax by his ring—that he who should bring hither a token like to that, together with him the procurer might send me. The next day hence, on the Festival of Bacchus Festival of Bacchus: Dionysia. There were several festivals of Bacchus at Athens. They were called Dionysia from Dionysus, the Greek same of that God., is the one fixed for this matter.
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CALIDORUS
Well, that’s to-morrow;
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my ruin is near at hand, unless I have some help in you.
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PSEUDOLUS
Let me read it through.
CALIDORUS
I permit you; for I seem to myself to be talking to her. Read on; the sweet and the hitter are you now mingling together for me.
PSEUDOLUS
Now our loves, our tenderness, our intimacy,
our mirth, our dalliance, our talking, our sweet kisses, the close embrace of us lovers equally fond, the soft, dear kisses impressed on our tender lips, the delicious pressing of the swelling bosom; of all these delights, I say, for me and for you as well,
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the severance, the destruction, and the downfal is at hand, unless there is some rescue for me in you or for you in me. I have taken care that you should know all these things that I have written; now shall I make trial how far you love me, and how far you pretend to do so.
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CALIDORUS
’Tis written, Pseudolus, in wretchedness.
PSEUDOLUS
Alas! very wretchedly Very wretchedly: Pseudolus probably intends to allude to the bad hand in which the letter seems to have been written, while his master refers to the sorrowful tone of the epistle..
CALIDORUS
Why don’t you weep, then?
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PSEUDOLUS
I’ve eyes of pumice stone Of pumice stone: That is, as dry as purnice stone.; I can’t prevail upon them to squeeze out one tear even.
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PSEUDOLUS
My family was always a dryeyed one.
CALIDORUS
Won’t you attempt to assist me at all?
PSEUDOLUS
What shall I do for you?
PSEUDOLUS
Alas! do you say? Well, don’t be sparing of them, i’ faith; I’ll give you plenty.
CALIDORUS
I’m distracted. I nowhere can find any money to borrow.
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