After his brother, and importun'd me
That his attendant (for his case was like,
'Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name)
Might bear him company, in quest of him,
Whom, while I labour'd of a love to see,
I yielded to the loss of him I lov'd.
Since which unhappy time, no news arriving
What course their wayward stars had hurry'd them,
Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece,
Roaming e'en through the bounds of Asia,
And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus;
But here must end the story of my life,
And happy were I in my timely death,
Could all my travels warant me they live.

Duke. Hapless Ægeon! whom the fates have

mark'd

To bear th' extremity of dire mishap,
Now trust me, were it not against our laws,
Against my crown, my oath, my dignity,
My soul should sue as advocate for thee:
But though thou art adjudged to the death,
And passed sentence cannot be recall'd,
But to our honour's great disparagement,
Yet will I favour thee in what I can.
I, therefore, merchant, limit thee this day,
To seek thy life, by beneficial help;
Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus,
Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,
And live-if not, then art thou doom'd to die.

[Exit, with GUARDS.

Egeon. What friends can misery expect? This pity but prolongs the date of pain; And to a sure, though short protracted end, Helpless and hopeless doth Ægeon wend.

[Exit, guarded.

SCENE II.

A Street.

Enter ANTIPHOLIS OF SYRACUSE, DROMIO OF
SYRACUSE, and First MERCHANT.

1 Mer. Therefore, give out you are of Epidam

num,

Lest that your goods be forfeit to the state.
This very day, a Syracusan merchant
Is apprehended for arrival here;

And, not being able to buy out his life,
Dies ere the weary sun sets in the west.-
There is your money, which I had to keep.

Ant. of Syr. Go, bear it to the Centaur, where we

host,

And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee.
Within this hour it will be dinner-time;
Till then I'll view the manners of the town,
Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,
And then return, and sleep within mine inn;
For, with long travel, I am sick and weary.
Get thee away!

Dro. of Syr. Many a man would take you at your

word,

And go away, indeed, having so great

A treasure in his charge. Of what strength do

You conceive my honesty, good master,

That you dare put it to such temptation?

1

Ant. of Syr. Of proof against a greater charge than

this:

C

Were it remiss, thy love would strengthen it :
I think thou wouldst not wrong me if thou couldst.

Dro. of Syr. I hope I should not, sir; but there is

such

A thing as trusting too far. -Odds heart! 'tis
A weighty matter, and, if balanc'd in

A steelyard against my honesty,

I doubt

Ant. of Syr. That very doubt is my security.--No further argument, but speed away.

Dro. of Syr. Ay, but master, you know the old

saying

Ant. of Syr. Then thou hast no occasion to tell it

me.

Begone, I say.-
A trusty villain, sir, that very oft,
When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my humour, with his merry jests.---
What, will you walk with me about the town,
And then go to the inn, and dine with me?

[Exit DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.

1 Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants,
Of whom I hope to make much benefit.
I crave your pardon-but, at five o'clock,
Please you, I'll meet you here upon the mart,
And afterwards consort with you till bed-time.
My present business calls me from you now.

Ant. of Syr. Farewell till then. - I will go lose my

self,

And wander up and down to view the city. 1 Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. [Exit.

Ant. of Syr. He, that commends me to my own

content,

Commends me to the thing I cannot get.
I, to the world, am like a drop of water,
That in the ocean seeks another drop;
Who, failing there, to find his fellow out,
Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself:

So I, to find a mother, and a brother,
In search of them, unhappy, lose myself.-

Enter DROMIO OF EPH ESUS.

How now! How chance thou art return'd so soon?

Dro. of Eph. Return'd so soon! Rather approach'd too late

The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit,
The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell,
My mistress made it one upon my cheek ;-
She is so hot, because the meat is cold,
The meat is cold, because you come not home,
You come not home, because you have no stomach,
You have no stomach, having broke your fast;
But we, that know what 'tis to fast and pray,
Are penitent for your default to-day.

Ant. of Syr. Stop in your wind, sir; tell me this,

I pray,

Where have you left the money, that I gave you ?
Dro. of Eph. Money! - Oh, the money that I
had on
Wednesday last, to pay for mending my
Mistress's saddle. -The sadler had it, sir;
I kept it not.

Ant. of Syr. I am not in a sportive humour
Tell me, and dally not-where is the money?
We being strangers here, how dar'st thou trust
So great a charge from thine own custody ?

now;

Dro. of Eph. I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at

dinner

I, from my mistress, come to you in haste.
Methinks your stomach, like mine, should be your

clock,

And send you home without a messenger.

Ant. of Syr. Come, Dromio, come, these jests are

out of season;

Reserve them till a merrier hour than this.-
Where is the gold, I gave in charge to thee?

Dro. of Eph. To me, sir!-why, you gave no gold
to me!

Ant. of Syr. Come, come, have done your foolish

ness,

And tell me how thou hast dispos'd my charge.
Dro. of Eph. My charge was but to fetch you from
the mart,

Home to your house, the Phenix, sir, to dinner;
My mistress and her sister stay for you.

Ant. of Syr. Now, as I am a christian, answer me,
In what safe place you have bestow'd my money;
Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours,
That stands on tricks when I am undispos'd.
Where are the thousand marks thou had'st of me?

Dro. of Eph. I have some marks of yours upon my

pate, Some of my mistress' marks upon my shoulders; Between you both, they make, perhaps, a thousand : If I should pay your worship these again, Perchance you will not take it patiently.

Ant. of Syr. Thy mistress' marks!- What mistress, slave, hast thou?

Dro. of Eph. Your worship's wife, my mistress, at the Phenix,

She, that doth fast till you come home to dinner.
And prays that you will haste you.

Ant. of Syr. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face,

Being forbid-There, take you that, sir knave!

Dro. of Eph. What mean you, sir?-for Heaven's sake, hold your hands

Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. (Exit. Ant. of Syr. Upon my life, by some device or

other,

The villain has been trick'd of all my money.