(sees prostrate Amphitryon) But what’s this?  Who’s this old man lying like this in front of our house?  Why, can it be he’s struck by lightning?  Why, mercy me, I do believe so!  For, good gracious, he’s as completely disposed of as if he was a corpse!  I’ll go find out, whoever it is. (approaches) It’s Amphitryon!  It’s my master! (calling) Amphitryon!

Amph.

  Perii.

      (feebly) Heaven help me!

Brom.

  Surge.

      Get up, sir.

Amph.

  Interii.

      I’m dead!

Brom.

  Cedo manum.

      Give me your hand, sir. (takes it)

Amph.

  Quis me tenet?

      Who has hold of me?

Brom.

  Tua Bromia ancilla.

      Your servant maid, sir, Bromia.

Amph.

  Totus timeo, ita me increpuit Iuppiter.
  nec secus est, quasi si ab Acherunte veniam. sed quid tu foras
  egressa es?

      I’m paralysed with fear!  Oh, Jove, what a bolt!  I feel as if
      I were getting back—­from the next world. (he gets up) But
      what made you come out?

Brom.

  Eadem nos formido timidas terrore impulit
  in aedibus, tu ubi habitas. nimia mira vidi. vae mihi, 1080
  Amphitruo, ita mihi animus etiam nunc abest.

      We poor women were struck with the same terror in this house
      of yours, sir.  I’ve seen the most amazing things!  Oh deary
      me, master, I’m just clean dazed even now!

Amph.

  Agedum expedi: 
  scin me tuom esse erum Amphitruonem?

      Come, come, quick, tell me—­do you know me for your master,
      Amphitryon?

Brom.

  Scio.

      Surely, sir.

Amph.

  Vide etiam nunc.

      Here, look, look again!

Brom.

  Scio.

      (obeying) Surely, sir.

Amph.

  Haec sola sanam mentem gestat meorum familiarium.

      (half aside) She’s the only one of my household that has
      any sanity about her.

Brom.

  Immo omnes sani sunt profecto.

      Oh no, sir, they’re all sane, of course they are.

Amph.

  At me uxor insanum facit
  suis foedis factis.

      Well, my wife had driven me insane with her infamous
      actions!

Brom.

At ego faciam, tu idem ut aliter praedices, Amphitruo, piam et pudicam esse tuam uxorem ut scias. de ea re signa atque argumenta paucis verbis eloquar. omnium primum:  Alcumena geminos peperit filios.

(warmly) Well, I’ll make you change that tune, sir, your very own self, and make you realize that your wife is a pious, honest woman, sir.  I’ll soon give you signs and proofs of that.  First of all, she has given birth to twin sons.

Amph.