and gods on the boards.  How about it, then?  Well, in view of the fact that there is a slave part in it, I shall do just as I said and make it tragi-comedy.

nunc hoc me orare a vobis iussit Iuppiter, ut conquaestores singula in subsellia eant per totam caveam spectatoribus, si cui favitores delegates viderint, ut is in cavea pignus capiantur togae;

Now here is the favour Jove bade me ask of you:  (with great solemnity) let inspectors go from seat to seat throughout the house, and should they discover claqueurs planted for the benefit of any party, let them take as security from all such in the house—­their togas.

sive qui ambissint palmam histrionibus, sive cuiquam artifici, si per scriptas litteras 70 sive qui ipse ambissit seu per internuntium, sive adeo aediles perfidiose cui duint, sirempse legem iussit esse Iuppiter, quasi magistratum sibi alterive ambiverit.

Or if there be those who have solicited the palm for actors, or for any artist—­whether by letter, or by personal solicitation, or through an intermediary—­or further, if the aediles do bestow the said palm upon anyone unfairly, Jove doth decree that the selfsame law obtain as should the said party solicit guiltily, for himself or for another, public office.

virtute dixit vos victores vivere, non ambitione neque perfidia:  qui minus eadem histrioni sit lex quae summo viro? virtute ambire oportet, non favitoribus. sat habet favitorum semper qui recte facit, si illis fides est quibus est ea res in manu. 80

’Tis worth has won your wars for you, saith he, not solicitation or unfairness:  why should not the same law hold for player as for noblest patriot?  Worth, not hired support, should solicit victory.  He who plays his part aright ever has support enough, if it so be that honour dwells in those whose concern it is to judge his acts.

hoc quoque etiam mihi pater in mandatis dedit, ut conquaestores fierent histrionibus:  qui sibi mandasset delegati ut plauderent quive quo placeret alter fecisset minus, eius ornamenta et corium uti conciderent.

This injunction, too, did Jove lay upon me:  that inspectors should be appointed for the actors, to the end that whosoever has enjoined claqueurs to clap himself, or whosoever has endeavoured to compass the failure of another, may have his player’s costume cut to shreds, also his hide.

mirari nolim vos, quapropter Iuppiter nunc histriones curet; ne miremini:  ipse hanc acturust Iuppiter comoediam. quid? admirati estis? quasi vero novom nunc proferatur, Iovem facere histrioniam; 90

I would not have you wonder why Jove is now regardful of actors; do not so:  he himself, Jove, will take part in this comedy.  What?  Surprised?  As if it were actually a