A MAN. Who's there? Is that not my neighbour Blepyrus? Why, yes, 'tis himself and no other. Tell me, what's all that yellow about you? Can it be Cinesias[680] who has befouled you so? BLEPYRUS. No, no, I only slipped on my wife's tunic[681] to come out in. MAN. And where is your cloak? BLEPYRUS. I cannot tell you, for I hunted for it vainly on the bed. MAN. And why did you not ask your wife for it? BLEPYRUS. Ah! why indeed! because she is not in the house; she has run away, and I greatly fear that she may be doing me an ill turn. MAN. But, by Posidon, 'tis the same with myself. My wife has disappeared with my cloak, and what is still worse, with my shoes as well, for I cannot find them anywhere. BLEPYRUS. Nor can I my Laconian shoes; but as I had urgent need, I popped my feet into these slippers, so as not to soil my blanket, which is quite new. MAN. What does it mean? Can some friend have invited her to a feast? BLEPYRUS. I expect so, for she does not generally misconduct herself, as far as I know. MAN. Come, I say, you seem to be making ropes. Are you never going to be done? As for myself, I would like to go to the Assembly, and it is time to start, but the thing is to find my cloak, for I have only one. BLEPYRUS. I am going to have a look too, when I have done; but I really think there must be a wild pear obstructing my rectum. MAN. Is it the one which Thrasybulus spoke about to the Lacedaemonians?[682] BLEPYRUS. Oh! oh! oh! how the obstruction holds! Whatever am I to do? 'Tis not merely for the present that I am frightened; but when I have eaten, where is it to find an outlet now? This cursed Achradusian fellow[683] has bolted the door. Let a doctor be fetched; but which is the cleverest in this branch of the science? Amynon?[684] Perhaps he would not come. Ah! Antithenes![685] Let him be brought to me, cost what it will. To judge by his noisy sighs, that man knows what a rump wants, when in urgent need. Oh! venerated Ilithyia![686] I shall burst unless the door gives way. Have pity! pity! Let me not become the night-stool of the comic poets.[687] CHREMES. Hi! friend, what are you after there? Easing yourself! BLEPYRUS. Oh! there! it is over and I can get up again at last. CHREMES. What's this? You have your wife's tunic on. BLEPYRUS. Aye, 'twas the first thing that came to my hand in the darkness. But where do you hail from? CHREMES. From the Assembly. BLEPYRUS. Is it already over then? CHREMES. Certainly. BLEPYRUS. Why, it is scarcely daylight. CHREMES. I did laugh, ye gods, at the vermilion rope-marks that were to be seen all about the Assembly.[688] BLEPYRUS. Did you get the triobolus? CHREMES. Would it had so pleased the gods! but I arrived just too late, and am quite ashamed of it; I bring back nothing but this empty wallet. BLEPYRUS. But why is that?