s in safety
at Syracuse; but from that sad hour I have never known what became of my
wife and eldest child.

"My youngest son, and now my only care, when he was eighteen years of
age, began to be inquisitive after his mother and his brother, and often
importuned me that he might take his attendant, the young slave, who had
also lost his brother, and go in search of them: at length I unwillingly
gave consent, for though I anxiously desired to hear tidings of my wife
and eldest son, yet in sending my younger one to find them, I hazarded
the loss of him also. It is now seven years since my son left me; five
years have I passed in travelling through the world in search of him: I
have been in farthest Greece, and through the bounds of Asia, and
coasting homewards, I landed here in Ephesus, being unwilling to leave
any place unsought that harbours men; but this day must end the story of
my life, and happy should I think myself in my death, if I were assured
my wife and sons were living."

Here the hapless AEgeon ended the account of his misfortunes; and the
duke, pitying this unfortunate father, who had brought upon himself this
great peril by his love for his lost son, said, if it were not against
the laws, which his oath and dignity did not permit him to alter, he
would freely pardon him; yet, instead of dooming him to instant death,
as the strict letter of the law required, he would give him that day to
try if he could beg or borrow the money to pay the fine.

This day of grace did seem no great favour to AEgeon, for not knowing
any man in Ephesus, there seemed to him but little chance that any
stranger would lend or give him a thousand marks to pay the fine; and
helpless and hopeless of any relief, he retired from the presence of the
duke in the custody of a jailor.

AEgeon supposed he knew no person in Ephesus; but at the very time he was
in danger of losing his life through the careful search he was making
after his youngest son, that son and his eldest son also were both in
the city of Ephesus.

AEgeon's sons, besides being exactly alike in face and person, were both
named alike, being both called Antipholus, and the two twin slaves were
also both named Dromio. AEgeon's youngest son, Antipholus of Syracuse, he
whom the old man had come to Ephesus to seek, happened to arrive at
Ephesus with his slave Dromio that very same day that AEgeon did; and he
being also a merchant of Syracuse, he would have been in the same