I’m the forlornest wretch on earth! Ah, what is there in life for me when I’ve lost all that gold I guarded, oh, so carefully! I’ve denied myself, denied my own self comforts and pleasures; yes, and now others are making merry over my misery and loss! Oh, it’s unendurable! ENTER _Lyconides_ FROM HOUSE OF _Megadorus_. _Lyc._ Quinam homo hic ante aedis nostras eiulans conqueritur maerens? atque hic quidem Euclio est, ut opinor. oppido ego interii: palamst res, scit peperisse iam, ut ego opinor, filiam suam. nunc mi incertumst abeam an maneam, an adeam an fugiam quid agam edepol nescio. 730 Who in the world is raising all this howling, groaning hullabaloo before our house here? (_looking round_) Upon my word, it’s Euclio, I do believe. (_drawing back_) My time has certainly come: it’s all out. He’s just learned about his daughter’s child, I suppose. Now I can’t decide whether to leave or stay, advance or retreat. By Jove, I don’t know what to do! IV. 10 Scene 10. _Eucl._ Quis homo hic loquitur? (_hearing sound of voice only_) Who’s that talking here? _Lyc._ Ego sum miser. (_stepping forward_) I’m the poor wretch, sir. _Eucl._ Immo ego sum, et misere perditus, cui tanta mala maestitudoque optigit. No, no, I’m the poor wretch, a poor ruined wretch, with all this trouble and tribulation. _Lyc._ Animo bono es. Keep your courage up, sir. _Eucl._ Quo, obsecro, pacto esse possum? For heaven’s sake how can I? _Lyc._ Quia istuc facinus, quod tuom sollicitat animum, id ego feci et fateor. Well, sir, that outrage that distresses you--(_hesitantly_) I’m to blame, and I confess it, sir. _Eucl._ Quid ego ex te audio? Hey? What’s that? _Lyc._ Id quod verumst. The truth. _Eucl._ Quid ego de te commerui, adulescens, mali. quam ob rem ita faceres meque meosque perditum ires liberos? How have I ever harmed you, young man, for you to act like this and try to ruin me and my children? _Lyc._ Deus impulsor mihi fuit, is me ad illam inlexit. It was some demon got hold of me, sir, and led me on. _Eucl._ Quo modo? How is this? _Lyc._ Fateor peccavisse et me culpam commeritum scio; id adeo te oratum advenio ut animo aequo ignoscas mihi. I admit I’ve done wrong, sir; I deserve your reproaches, and I know it; more than that, I’ve come to beg you to be patient and forgive me. _Eucl._ Cur id ausu’s facere, ut id quod non tuom esset tangeres? 740 How did you dare do it, dare touch what didn’t belong to you? _Lyc._ Quid vis fieri? factum est illud: fieri infectum non potest. deos credo voluisse; nam ni vellent, nori fieret, scio.