Perde 4
[Textpart 2]
I think if you were to see me in the dark, you’d be keeping your hand off.
SIMO
My master bade me present you many greetings. Receive this letter from me; he bade me give you it.
BALLIO
Who’s the person that bade you?
PSEUDOLUS
I’m undone, now the fellow’s in the middle of the mud.
He doesn’t know the name—this business is at a dead lock.
985
BALLIO
Who do you say sent me this?
985
SIMO
Observe the seal; do you yourself tell me his name, that I may know that you are Ballio himself.
BALLIO
Give me the letter.
SIMO
Take it, and look at the seal.
BALLIO
Oho! ’Tis nothing more nor less than Polymachaeroplagides Polymachaeroplagides: This high-sounding name is compounded of three Greek words, and signifies the son of many blows with the sword, or something akin to it., his own very self; I recognize it. Hallo you, Polymachaeroplagides
SIMO
I know now that I have rightly given you the letter, since you have mentioned the name of Polymachaeroplagides,
990
SIMO
By my troth, just as a brave man and a good soldier should. But make haste, I beg, to read this letter through, for it is requisite to do so, and to take this money at once and send out the damsel.
For it’s necessary for me this day to be at Sicyon To be at Sicyon: This was a very ancient city of the Peloponnesus on the Gulf of Corinth., or else to suffer death to-morrow; so peremptory is my master.
995
BALLIO
I know it: you are telling those who know it already.
SIMO
Make haste then to read the letter through.
BALLIO
I’ll do so, if you’ll only hold your tongue. (He reads the letter.) The Captain Polymachaeroplagides sends this letter, written to the procurer Ballio,
sealed with the impression which was formerly agreed upon between us two.Part of line 1001 in the Latin.
1000
SIMO
The token’s in the letter
