Plautus's comedies ... made English, with critical remarks upon each play.

PROLOGUE, Spoken by Arcturus.

Gallants,

YE must know, I dwell i' the Celestial Palaces above, a Subject o' that mighty God who shakes all Nations, Seas, and Earth. I'm a bright and shining Constellation, as ye see me, Arcturus by Title, one who ne'r fail'd to keep regular Hours, both here and in Heaven. In the Night-time, I twinkle i' the Sky, and among the Gods; when day comes, I converse wi' Mortals, as the rest o' the Constellations do, who ha' the same Commission from above. Jove, the Grand Mo∣narch of Heaven and Earth, every day disperses us through all Countries, t'inspect th' Actions, Man∣ners, Religion, and Fidelity o' Mortals, that the Goddess o' Riches may reward 'em as they deserve. When e'r we meet wi' Fellows who hire Knights o' the Post in Law-Sutes, and Rascals who for swear themselves in Chancery, we return their Names in writing to Jove, who each day is inform'd of all

whom the Gallows groans for. He knows each Man that's perjur'd, or bribes his Iudge to gain his Cause; upo' which, he brings it about i' th' upper Court, and sets a severer Fine upon his Head than the loss of his Cause wou'd ha' come to. The Names o' the good Men he keeps in a Book by it self. Now these Rogues fool themselves with a fancy that a lusty Present, and a Sacrifice, will make amends for all; but they lose their Labour and Cost too: For Jove accepts not the Prayers of perjur'd Villains. But the Prayers of an honest Man's heard a thousand times sooner than of one o' these Rascals. There∣fore, good Gentlemen, let m' advise ye, you who are honest indeed, and have always been good and true∣hearted, ne'r to recede from your Principles, that so you may ha' the Comfort of 'em.—Now, Gen∣tlemen I'm ready to wait upon ye, and tell ye th' Ar∣gument o' the Play.

First then, Diphilus calls this City, Cyrene. Here dwells Demones in the Field, in a Neighbour∣ing Village by the Sea-side; a good honest well-mean∣ing old Gentleman, forc'd to leave Athens, and take up here. 'Twas no ill Prank that drove him from his Country; but his Generosity to others, prov'd so injurious to himself, as it ruin'd his Estate at last. Sometime since, he had a little Daughter, who was kidnapp'd away, and sold to a Villanous Slave-Merchant, who brought her home to Cyrene. Now it seems, a young Gentleman o' this City, and formerly of Athens, by chance spies this Girl coming from the Musick-School, and immediately is stricken with her; goes strait to the Merchant,

bargains with him to have her for threescore and fifteen Pounds, gives him earnest, and swears him to Fidelity. Now this Son of a Whore, like the rest of his Gang, valuing neither Promise nor Oath, goes immediately to a Banker of his, a Si∣cilian of Agrigentium, an old Rascal as ill as himself, and a publick Bane to the City. This Man he wheedles with the huge Commendations o' this Girls Beauty, and others he had with him, so gets him to go over with him to Sicily: For, says he, there the People are mightily given to their Pleasures, and Women are their best Commo∣dity, so you may get an Estate in a little time. Upo' which, a Ship is prepar'd underhand; the Merchant claps all his Effect on board, and flams off the young Gentleman, who bought this Girl, with a pretence he was going to perform a Vow to Ve∣nus.—This Temple here, is the Place; where he has invited the Spark to Dinner. He immedi∣ately gets on board, and carries off Bag and Bag∣gage. The Gentleman upon hearing o' this News, goes strait to the Haven, and there finds the Ship got clear off from the Shore.—I, seeing the Girl thus forc'd away, resolv'd at once to save her, and ruin the Rascal. Therefore I stirr'd up the blustring Winds, and swell'd th' Oceans Waves: For Arctu∣rus is the most turbulent Constellation i' th' Heavens; outragious when rising, but more outragious sit∣ting.—At present, both Merchant and Guest are thrown upon a Rock, which split their Ship in pieces. This Girl I told y' of, and another with her, in a fright, are leap'd into the little Boat; and are now

driven by the Tide, from the Rock towards the Shore, and old Demones's House, which is now un∣roof'd by the Wind; and this is one of his Servants that's now coming out his House. The young Spark will be here strait who bought this Girl o' this Mer∣chant.—

Gallants adieu, and may your joyful Cries, Be always formidable to your Enemies.

Exit.