pardon their transgression: and one and all
they surrender their persons, their entire possessions
sacred and profane, their city and their children to the
Theban people to have and to hold as they deem fit. Then,
for his valour, my lord Amphitryon was presented with a
golden bowl from which King Pterelas was wont to drink.
(_heaves deep sigh of relief_) This is how I will tell it
to the mistress. Now I'll go finish up the job for master
and take myself home. (_picks up lantern_)

_Mer._

Attat, illic huc iturust. ibo ego illi obviam,
neque ego huc hominem hodie ad aedis has sinam umquam accedere;
quando imago est huius in me, certum est hominem eludere.
et enim vero quoniam formam cepi huius in med et statum,
decet et facta moresque huius habere me similes item,
itaque me malum esse oportet, callidum, astutum admodum
atque hunc, telo suo sibi, malitia a foribus pellere.
sed quid illuc est? caelum aspectat. observabo quam rem agat. 270

(_aside_) Oho! about to come this way! I'll step up and
meet him. The fellow shall never reach this house at present:
I won't have it. Now that I am his double I fully intend to
befool the fellow. And I say, considering I have taken on
his looks and dress, it is appropriate for me to ape his
ways and general conduct, too. I must be a sly rapscallion,
then, shifty as the deuce, yes, and drive him away from the
door with his own weapon, roguery. (_looking at Sosia who is
gaping at the stars_) What's he at, though? Staring at the
sky! I must keep an eye on him.

_Sos._

Certe edepol, si quicquamst aliud quod credam aut certo sciam,
credo ego hac noctu Nocturnum obdormivisse ebrium.
nam neque se Septentriones quoquam in caelo commovent,
neque se Luna quoquam mutat atque uti exorta est semel,
nec Iugulae neque Vesperugo neque Vergiliae occidunt.
ita statim stant signa, neque nox quoquam concedit die.

My goodness, if there's anything I can believe or know for
sure, I surely do believe old Nocturnus went to bed this
night in liquor. Why, the Great Bear hasn't moved a step
anywhere in the sky, and the moon's just as it was when it
first rose, and Orion's Belt, and the Evening Star, and the
Pleiades aren't setting, either. Yes, the constellations are
standing stock still, and no sign of day anywhere.

_Me