hem; satisfy their
minds, and clear yourself from this charge.

BACCH. I will do {so}; although, i'faith, if it had been any other
woman of this calling, she would not have done so, I am quite sure;
present herself before a married woman for such a purpose! But I do
not wish your son to be suspected on an unfounded report, nor appear
inconstant, undeservedly, to you, to whom he by no means ought; for he
has deserved of me, that, so far as I am able, I should do him a
service.

LACH. Your language has rendered me quite friendly and well disposed
toward you; but not only did they think {so}-- I too believed it. Now
that I have found you quite different from what I had expected, take
care that you still continue the same-- make use of my friendship as
you please; if otherwise----; but I will forbear, that you may not
hear any thing unkind from me. But this one thing I recommend you--
make trial what sort of a friend I am, or what I can effect {as such},
rather than {what as} an enemy.

SCENE IX.

_Enter PHIDIPPUS and a NURSE._

PHID. (_to the NURSE._) Nothing at my house will I suffer you to be in
want of; but whatever is requisite shall be supplied {you} in
abundance. Still, when you are well fed and well drenched, do take
care that the child has enough. (_The NURSE goes into his house._)

LACH. (_to BACCHIS._) My son's father-in-law, I see, is coming; he is
bringing a nurse for the child. (_Accosting him._) Phidippus, Bacchis
swears most solemnly.

PHID. Is this she?

LACH. It is.

PHID. Upon my faith, those women don't fear the Gods; and I don't
think that the Gods care about them.

BACCH. (_pointing to her ATTENDANTS._) I will give you up my female
servants; with my full permission, examine them with any tortures you
please. The business at present is this: I must make his wife return
home to Pamphilus; should I effect that, I shall not regret its being
reported that I have been the only one to do what other courtesans
avoid doing.[58]

LACH. We find, Phidippus, that our wives have been unjustly
suspected[59] by us in this matter. Let us now try her still further;
for if your wife discovers that she has given credence to a false
charge, she will dismiss her resentment; but if my son is also angry,
by reason of the circumstance that his wife has been brought to bed
without his knowledge, that is a trifle: his anger on that account
will speedily subside. Assuredly in this matter, there is nothing so