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_Nic._
Quoianam vox prope me sonat?
(_looking round_) Whose voice is that I hear near me?
_Chrys._
O Nicobule.
(_approaching_) Oh, sir!
_Nic._
Quid fit?
quid quod te misi, ecquid egisti?
(_eagerly_) How goes it? What about your mission--have you
accomplished anything?
_Chrys._
Rogas? congredere.
Do you ask that? Come here, close.
_Nic._
Gradior. 980
(_doing so_) I am.
_Chrys._
Optumus sum orator. ad lacrumas coegi hominem castigando
maleque dictis, quae quidem quivi comminisci.
(_enthusiastic_) I'm the orator for you! I fairly brought
our man to tears, by saying all the harsh, bitter things I
could think of.
_Nic._
Quid ait?
What did he say?
_Chrys._
Verbum
nullum fecit: lacrumans tacitus auscultabat quae ego loquebar;
tacitus conscripsit tabellas, obsignatas mi has dedit.
tibi me iussit dare, sed metuo, ne idem cantent quod priores.
nosce signum. estne eius?
Not a word; just wept in silence and paid attention to what
I was telling him. Still silent, he wrote a letter, sealed
it, and gave it to me. He ordered me to give it to you. But
I'm afraid it sings the same song as the other one (_hands
tablets to Nicobulus_) Take notice of the seal. Is it his?
_Nic._
Novi. libet perlegere has.
(_examining seal_) Yes, yes; I'm anxious to read this over.
_Chrys._
Perlege.
nunc superum limen scinditur, nunc adest exitium Ilio,
turbat equos lepide ligneus.
Do. (_aside_) Now the upper lintel is being torn away; now
Ilium's fall is nigh. The wooden horse is making a beautiful
mess of things.
_Nic._
Chrysale, ades, dum ego has perlego.
Chrysalus, stay here while I read this over.
_Chrys._
Quid me tibi adesse opus est?
What's the use of my staying with you?
_Nic._
Volo,[28]
ut scias quae his scripta sient.
I wish it, so that you may know what is written here.
_Chrys._
Nil moror neque scire volo.
Not for me--I don't wish to know.
_Nic._
Tamen ades.
Never mind, stay here.
_Chrys._
Quid opust?
What's the use?
_Nic._
Taceas:
quod iubeo id facias.
(_angry_) Silence! do what I tell you.
_Chrys._
Adero. ]]>
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