AMPH. Come; you can second my efforts; Heaven has brought you here most opportunely. Let me see what fortune brings me today; let me solve this mystery, and know my fate. Alas! I burn to learn it, and I dread it more than death. SCENE V JUPITER, AMPHITRYON, NAUCRATES, POLIDAS, SOSIE JUP. What is this noise that compels me to come down? Who knocks as though he were master where I am master? AMPH. Good Gods! What do I see? NAU. Heaven! What prodigy is this? What? Here are two Amphitryons! AMPH. My soul is struck dumb. Alas! I cannot do anything more: the adventure is at an end; my fate is clear; what I see tells me all. NAU. The more narrowly I watch them, the more I find they resemble each other. SOS. Gentlemen, this is the true one; the other is an impostor who ought to be chastised. POL. Truly, this marvellous resemblance keeps my judgment in suspense. AMPH. We have been tricked too long by an execrable rogue; I must break the spell with this steel. NAU. Stay. AMPH. Leave me alone. NAU. Ye Gods! What would you do? AMPH. Punish the miserable treachery of an impostor. JUP. Gently, gently! There is very little need of being carried away by passion; when a man bursts out in such a rage as this, it makes one think he has bad reasons. SOS. Yes; it is an enchanter, who has a talisman that enables him to resemble the masters of houses. AMPH. For your share in this insulting language, I shall make you feel a thousand blows. SOS. My master is a man of courage: he will not allow his followers to be thrashed. AMPH. Let me assuage my deep anger, and wash out my affront in the scoundrel's blood. NAU. We shall not suffer this strange combat of Amphitryon against himself. AMPH. What? Does my honour receive this treatment from you? Do my friends undertake the defence of a rogue? Far from being the first to take up my vengeance, they themselves place obstacles in the way of my resentment? NAU. What do you wish us to decide, when two Amphitryons are before us and all the warmth of our friendship is in suspense? If we were now to show towards you, we fear we might make a mistake, and not recognise you. Truly we see in you the appearance of Amphitryon, the glorious support of the Thebans' well-being; but we also see the same appearance in him, and we cannot judge which he is. Our duty is not doubtful, the impostor ought to bite the dust at our hands; but this perfect resemblance hides him between you two; and it is too hazardous a stroke to undertake in the dark. Let us find out quietly on which side the imposture may be; then, as soon as we have unravelled the adventure, it will not be necessary for you to tell us our duty.