held fast
in the fetters of love.

_Chrys._

Pro di immortales, Pistoclerum conspicor.
o Pistoclere, salve.

Ye everlasting gods! It's Pistoclerus. What ho, sir! How are
you?

_Pistoc._

Salve, Chrysale.

And yourself, Chrysalus?

_Chrys._

Compendi verba multa iam faciam tibi
venire tu me gaudes: ego credo tibi,
hospitium et cenam pollicere, ut convenit
peregre advenienti: ego autem venturum adnuc
salutem tibi ab sodali solidam nuntio
rogabis me ubi sit: vivit.

Here's for saving you the trouble of a long speech, sir.
You're glad I've come: I believe you. You promise to do the
honours and dine me, the stranger from afar, and so you
should: for my part, I accept. I bring you cordial greetings
from your chum. You'll ask me where he is: alive.

_Pistoc._

Nempe recte valet?

(_eagerly_) And well, well, of course?

_Chrys._

Istuc volebam ego ex te percontarier.

That's what I wanted to ask you.

_Pistoc._

Qui scire possum?

How can I know?

_Chrys._

Nullus plus.

None better.

_Pistoc._

Quemnam ad modum? 190

Why, how so?

_Chrys._

Quia si illa inventa est, quam ille amat, recte valet,
si non inventa est, minus valet moribundusque est
animast amica amanti. si abest, nullus est;
si adest, res nullast. ipsus est--nequam et miser,
sed tu quid factitasti mandatis super?

Because if his ladylove has been discovered, he's perfectly
well: if she's not discovered, he's not so well; he's at
death's door. His love is life to a lover: if she's away,
he's lost; if she's there, his cash is lost, he himself
being--a poor good-for-nothing fool. But you--what have you
been doing about his commission?

_Pistoc._

Egon ut, quod ab illoc attigisset nuntius,
non impetratum id advenienti ei redderem?
regiones colere mavellem Acherunticas.

I? Am I the man to let him arrive and find the request his
messenger mentioned unattended to? I'd sooner pass my days
in the lower regions.

_Chrys._

Eho, an invenisti Bacchidem?

Hullo! You haven't found Bacchis?

_Pistoc._

Samiam quidem. 199,200

Yes, the Samian one.

_Chrys._

Vide quaeso, ne quis tractet illam indiligens;
scis tu ut confringi