Act V, Scene VII

Enter Menaechmus of Epidamnus, from Erotium's house.

Men. (at the door, to Erotium within). If you are ready to swear by your eyes, by my troth, not a bit the more for that reason, most vile woman, will you make it that I took away the mantle and the bracelet to-day.

Mess. Immortal Gods, what do I see?

Men. Sos. What do you see? Mess. Your resemblance in a mirror.

Men. Sos. What's the matter? Mess. 'Tis your image; 'tis as like as possible.

Men. Sos. (catching sight of the other). Troth, it really is not unlike, so far as I know my own form.

Men. (to Messenio). O young man, save you, you who preserved me, whoever you are.

Mess. By my troth, young man, prithee, tell me your name, unless it's disagreable.

Men. I' faith, you've not so deserved of me, that it should be disagreable for me to tell what you wish. My name is Menaechmus.

Men. Sos. Why, by my troth, so is mine.

Men. I am a Sicilian, of Syracuse.

Men. Sos. Troth, the same is my native country.

Men. What is it that I hear of you?

Men. Sos. That which is the fact.

Mess. (To Menaechmus Sosicles, by mistake). I know this person myself (pointing to the other Menaechmus); he is my master, I really am his servant; but I did think I belonged to this other. (To Menaechmus of Epidamnus, by mistake.) I took him to be you; to him, too, did I give some trouble. (To his master.) Pray, pardon me if I have said aught foolishly or unadvisedly to you.

Men. Sos. You seem to me to be mad. Don't you remember that together with me you disembarked from board ship to-day?

Mess. Why, really, you say what's right--you are my master; (to Menaechmus of Epidamnus) do you look out for a servant. (To his master.) To you my greetings; (to Menaechmus of Epidamnus) to you, farewell. This, I say, is Menaechmus.

Men. But I say I am. Men. Sos. What story's this? Are you Menaechmus?

Men. I say that I'm the son of Moschus, who was my father.

Men. Sos. Are you the son of my father?

Men. Aye, I really am, young man, of my own father. I don't want to claim your father, nor to take possession of him from you.

Mess. Immortal Gods, what unhoped-for hope do you bestow on me, as I suspect. For unless my mind misleads me, these are the two twin-brothers; for they mention alike their native country and their father. I'll call my master aside--Menaechmus.

Both of the Menaechmi. What do you want?

Mess. I don't want you both. But which of you was brought here in the ship with me?

Men. Not I. Men. Sos. But 'twas I.

Mess. You, then, I want. Step this way. (They go aside.)

Men. Sos. I've stepped aside now. What's the matter?

Mess. This man is either an impostor, or he is your twin-brother. But I never beheld one person more like another person. Neither water, believe me, is ever more like to water nor milk to milk, than he is to you, and you likewise to him; besides, he speaks of the same native country and father. 'Tis better for us to accost him and make further enquiries of him.

Men. Sos. I' faith, but you've given me good advice, and I return you thanks. Troth, now, prithee, do continue to lend me your assistance. If you discover that this is my brother, be you a free man.

Mess. I hope I shall. Men. Sos. I too hope that it will be so.

Mess. (to Menaechmus of Epidamnus). How say you? I think you said that you are called Menaechmus?

Men. I did so indeed. Mess. (pointing to his master). His name, too, is Menaechmus. You said that you were born at Syracuse, in Sicily; he was born there. You said that Moschus was your father; he was his as well. Now both of you can be giving help to me and to yourselves at the same time.

Men. You have deserved that you should beg nothing but what you should obtain that which you desire. Free as I am, I'll serve you as though you had bought me for money.

Mess. I have a hope that I shall find that you two are twin-born brothers, born of one mother and of one father on the same day.

Men. You mention wondrous things. I wish that you could effect what you've promised:

Mess. I can. But attend now, both of you, and tell me that which I shall ask.

Men. Ask as you please, I'll answer you. I'll not conceal anything that I know.

Mess. Isn't your name Menaechmus? Men. I own it.

Mess. Isn't it yours as well? Men. Sos. It is.

Mess. Do you say that Moschus was your father?

Men. Truly, I do say so. Men. Sos. And mine as well.

Mess. Are you of Syracuse? Men. Certainly.

Mess. And you? Men. Sos. Why not the same?

Mess. Hitherto the marks agree perfectly well. Still lend me your attention. (To Menaechmus.) Tell me, what do you remember at the greatest distance of time in your native country?

Men. When I went with my father to Tarentum to traffic; and afterwards how I strayed away from my father among the people, and was carried away thence.

Men. Sos. Supreme Jupiter, preserve me!

Mess. (to Menaechmus Sosicles). Why do you exclaim? Why don't you hold your peace? (To Menaechmus.) How many years old were you when your father took you from your native country?

Men. Seven years old; for just then my teeth were changing for the first time. And never since then have I seen my father.

Mess. Well, how many sons of you had your father then?

Men. As far as I now remember, two.

Mess. Which of the two was the older--you or the other?

Men. Both were just alike in age.

Mess. How can that be? Men. We two were twins.

Men. Sos. The Gods wish to bless me.

Mess. (to Menaechmus Sosicles). If you interrupt, I shall hold my tongue.

Men. Sos. Rather than that, I'll hold my tongue.

Mess. Tell me, were you both of the same name?

Men. By no means; for my name was what it is now, Menaechmus, the other they then used to call Sosicles.

Men. Sos. (embracing his brother). I recognize the proofs; I cannot refrain from embracing him. My own twin-brother, blessings on you; I am Sosicles.

Men. How then was the name of Menaechmus afterwards given to you?

Men. Sos. After word was brought to us that you * * * * and that my father was dead, my grandfather changed it; the name that was yours he gave to me.

Men. I believe that it did so happen as you say. But answer me this.

Men. Sos. Ask it of me. Men. What was the name of our mother?

Men. Sos. Teuximarcha. Men. That quite agrees. (He again embraces him.) O welcome, unhoped-for brother, whom after many years I now behold.

Men. Sos. And you, whom with many and anxious labours I have ever been seeking up to this time, and whom I rejoice at being found.

Mess. (to his master). It was for this reason that this Courtesan called you by his name; she thought that you were he, I suppose, when she invited you to breakfast.

Men. Why, faith, to-day I ordered a breakfast to be got ready here (pointing to Erotium's house) for me, unknown to my wife; a mantle which a short time since I filched from home, to her I gave it.

Men. Sos. Do you say, brother, that this is the mantle which I'm wearing?

Men. How did this come to you? Men. Sos. The Courtesan who took me here (pointing to Erotium's house) to breakfast, said that I had given it to her. I breakfasted very pleasantly; I drank and entertained myself with my mistress; she gave me the mantle and this golden trinket. (Showing the bracelet.) * * * *

Men. I' faith, I'm glad if any luck has befallen you on my account; for when she invited you to her house, she supposed it to be me.

Mess. Do you make any objection that I should be free as you commanded?

Men. He asks, brother, what's very fair and very just. Do it for my sake.

Men. Sos. (touching Messenio's shoulder). Be thou a free man.

Men. I am glad, Messenio, that you are free.

Mess. Why, better auspices were required that I should be free for life. * * * *

Men. Sos. Since these matters, brother, have turned out to our wishes, let us both return to our native land.

Men. Brother, I'll do as you wish. I'll have an auction here, and sell whatever I have. In the meantime, brother, let's now go in-doors.

Men. Sos. Be it so. Mess. Do you know what I ask of you?

Men. What? Mess. To give me the place of auctioneer.

Men. It shall be given you. Mess. Would you like the auction, then, to be proclaimed at once? For what day?

Men. On the seventh day hence.

Mess. (coming forward, and speaking in a loud voice). An auction of the property of Menaechmus will certainly take place on the morning of the seventh day hence. His slaves, furniture, house, and farms, will be sold. All will go for whatever they'll fetch at ready money prices. His wife, too, will be sold as well, if any purchaser shall come. I think that by the entire sale Menaechmus will hardly get fifty hundred thousand sesterces. (To the Spectators.) Now, Spectators, fare you well, and give us loud applause.