Chapter 41

ENTER _Congrio_ AND HIS ASSOCIATES TUMBLING OUT OF _Euclio’s_ HOUSE, SLAMMING DOOR BEHIND THEM.

_Cong._

Attatae! cives,[6] populares, incolae, accolae, advenae omnes, date viam qua fugere liceat. facite totae plateae pateant. neque ego umquam nisi hodie ad Bacchas veni in Bacchanal coquinatum, ita me miserum et meos discipulos fustibus male contuderunt. totus doleo atque oppido perii, ita me iste habuit senex gymnasium; 410

(_in burlesque panic_) Hi-i-i! Citizens, natives, inhabitants, neighbours, foreigners, every one--give me room to run! Open up! Clear the street! (_stopping at some distance from the house_) This is the first time I ever came to cook for Bacchantes at a Bacchante den. Oh dear, what an awful clubbing I and my disciples did get! I’m one big ache! I’m dead and gone! The way that old codger took me for a gymnasium!

attat, perii hercle ego miser, aperit bacchanal. adest, 411a sequitur. scio quam rem geram: hoc ipsus magister me docuit. 412a neque ligna ego usquam gentium praeberi vidi pulchrius, itaque omnis exegit foras, me atque hos, onustos fustibus.

(_Euclio’s door opens and he appears, cudgel in hand_) Oh-- ow--ow! Good Lord be merciful! I’m done for! He’s opening the den; he’s at the door; he’s after me! I know what I’ll do: (_retires_) he’s taught me my lesson, my master has. I never in all my life saw a place where they were freer handed with their wood: (_rubbing his shoulders_) why, when he drove the lot of us out he let us have big sticks of it, all we could stagger under.

III. 2.