house, downright agony.  Oh my God, how I do hate to go!  But I have my reasons.  The director of our ward gave notice he was going to make us a present of two shillings a man; and the minute I let it pass without putting in my claim, they’d all be suspecting I had gold at home, I’m sure they would.  No, it doesn’t look natural for a poor man to think so little of even a tiny bit of money as not to go ask for his two shillings.

nam nunc cum celo sedulo omnis, ne sciant, omnes videntur scire et me benignius omnes salutant quam salutabant prius; adeunt, consistunt, copulantur dexteras, rogitant me ut valeam, quid agam, quid rerum geram. nunc quo profectus sum ibo; postidea domum me rursum quantum potero tantum recipiam.

Why, even now, hard as I try to keep every one from finding
out, it seems as if every one knew:  it seems as if every one
has a heartier way of saying good day than they used to.  Up
they come, and stop, and shake hands, and keep asking me
how I’m feeling, and how I’m getting on, and what I’m doing. 
Well, I must get along to where I’m bound; and then I’ll
come back home just as fast as I possibly can.

          
                                                                                  [EXIT Euclio

ACTVS II

ACT II

ENTER Eunomia AND Megadorus FROM LATTER’S HOUSE

Eun.

Velim te arbitrari med haec verba, frater, 120 meai fidei tuaique rei causa facere, ut aequom est germanam sororem. quamquam haud falsa sum nos odiosas haberi; nam multum loquaces merito omnes habemur, nec mutam profecto repertam ullam esse aut hodie dicunt mulierem aut ullo in saeclo.

Brother, I do hope you’ll believe I say this out of my loyalty to you and for your welfare, as a true sister should.  Of course I’m well enough aware you men think us women are a bother; yes, awful chatterboxes—­that’s the name we all have, and (ruefully) it fits.  And then that common saying, “Never now, nor through the ages, never any woman dumb.”

verum hoc, frater, unum tamen cogitato, tibi proximam me mihique esse item te; ita aequom est quod in rem esse utrique arbitremur et mihi te et tibi me consulere et monere; 130 neque occultum id haberi neque per metum mussari, quin participem pariter ego te et tu me ut facias, eo nunc ego secreto ted huc foras seduxi, ut tuam rem ego tecum hic loquerer familiarem.

But just the same, do remember this one thing, brother,—­ that I am closer to you and you to me than anyone else in the whole world.  So both of us ought to advise and counsel each other as to what we feel is to either’s advantage, not keep such things back or be afraid to speak out openly, we ought to confide in one another fully, you and I. This is why I’ve taken you aside out here now—­so that we can have a quiet talk on a matter that concerns you intimately.

Mega.