_Merc._ I have no quarrel to the name; but that 'tis e'en too good for you, and 'tis none of yours. _Sos._ What, am not I Sosia, say you? _Merc._ No. _Sos._ I should think you are somewhat merrily disposed, if you had not beaten me in such sober sadness. You would persuade me out of my heathen name, would you? _Merc._ Say you are Sosia again, at your peril, sirrah. _Sos._ I dare say nothing, but thought is free; but whatever I am called, I am Amphitryon's man, and the first letter of my name is _S._ too. You had best tell me that my master did not send me home to my lady, with news of his victory? _Merc._ I say, he did not. _Sos._ Lord, Lord, friend, one of us two is horribly given to lying; but I do not say which of us, to avoid contention. _Merc._ I say my name is Sosia, and yours is not. _Sos._ I would you could make good your words; for then I should not be beaten, and you should. _Merc._ I find you would be Sosia, if you durst; but if I catch you thinking so---- _Sos._ I hope I may think I was Sosia; and I can find no difference between my former self, and my present self, but that I was plain Sosia before, and now I am laced Sosia. _Merc._ Take this, for being so impudent to think so. [_Beats him._ _Sos._ [_Kneeling._] Truce a little, I beseech thee! I would be a stock or a stone now by my good will, and would not think at all, for self-preservation. But will you give me leave to argue the matter fairly with you, and promise me to depose that cudgel, if I can prove myself to be that man that I was before I was beaten? _Merc._ Well, proceed in safety; I promise you I will not beat you. _Sos._ In the first place, then, is not this town called Thebes? _Merc._ Undoubtedly. _Sos._ And is not this house Amphitryon's? _Merc._ Who denies it? _Sos._ I thought you would have denied that too; for all hang upon a string. Remember then, that those two preliminary articles are already granted. In the next place, did not the aforesaid Amphitryon beat the Teleboans, kill their king Pterelas, and send a certain servant, meaning somebody, that for sake-sake shall be nameless, to bring a present to his wife, with news of his victory, and of his resolution to return to-morrow? _Merc._ This is all true, to a very tittle; but who is that certain servant? there's all the question. _Sos._ Is it peace or war betwixt us? _Merc._ Peace. _Sos._ I dare not wholly trust that abominable cudgel; but 'tis a certain friend of yours and mine, that had a certain name before he was beaten out of it; but if you are a man that depend not altogether upon force and brutality, but somewhat also upon reason, now do you bring better proofs, that you are that same certain man; and, in order to it, answer me to certain questions. _Merc._ I say I am Sosia, Amphitryon's man; what reason have you to urge against it? _Sos._ What was your father's name?