Lampriscus, and may these blessed ladies give you prosperous life, and may you light on lucky days, do not

Lampriscus-Nay, Metrotima, you need not swear at him; it will not make him get the less. [Calls to his pupils.] Euthies, where are you? Ho, Kokkalos! ho, Phillos! Hurry up, and hoist the urchin on your shoulders; show his rump to the full moon, I say! [Addresses Kottalos.] I commend your ways of going on, Kottalos fine ways, forsooth! It's not enough for you to cast dice, like the other boys here; but you must needs be running to the gambling house and tossing coppers with the common porters! I'll make you more modest than a girl. You shan't stir a straw even, if that's what you want. Where is my cutting switch, the bull's tail, with which I lamm into jail-birds and good-for-nothings. Give it me quick, before I hawk my bile up.

Kottalos Nay, prithee, Lampriscus, I pray you by the Muses, by your beard, by the soul of Kottis, do not flog me with that cutting, but the other switch.

Lampriscus - But, Kottalos, you are so gone in wickedness that there's not a slave-dealer who'd speak well of you- no, not even in some savage country where the mice gnaw iron.

Kottalos How many stripes, Lampriscus; tell me, I beg, how many are you going to lay on?

Lampriscus - Don't ask me ask her.

Kottalos-Oh! oh! how many are you going to give me, if I can last out alive?

Metrotima — As many as the cruel hide can bear, I tell you. [Lampriscus begins to flog the boy.]

Kottalos-Stop, stop, I've had enough, Lampriscus. Lampriscus - Do you then stop your naughtiness! Kottalos-Never, never again will I be naughty. I swear, Lampriscus, by the dear Muses.

Metrotima-What a tongue you've got in your head, you ! I'll shut your mouth up with a gag if you go on bawling. Kottalos-Nay, then, I am silent. Please don't murder

me!

Lampriscus Let him go, Kokkalos.

Metrotima - Don't stop, Lampriscus, flog him till the sun goes down

Lampriscus-But he's more mottled than a water-snakeMetrotima And he ought to get at least twenty moreLampriscus In addition to his book?

Metrotima-Even though he learned to read better than Clio herself.

Kottalos-Yah! yah!

[The boy has been let loose, and is showing signs of indecent joy.]

Metrotima-Stop your jaw till you've rinsed it with honey. I shall make a careful report of this to my old man, Lampriscus, when I get home; and shall come back quickly with fetters; we'll clamp his feet together; then let him jump about for the Muses he hated to look down on.

(Translation in Contemporary Review.)

A JEALOUS WOMAN.

BITINNA, the mistress (mother of Batyllis). GASTRON, PYRRHIAS, DRACHON, CYDILLA, slaves.

The scene is in the house of BITINNA; BITINNA and GASTRON are alone.

Where is Pyrrhias? Find him

And bring him. [CYDILLA runs off and instantly re

[PYRRHIAS returns with the bucket strap.] Now!

Gastron

Bitinna

Gastron

Bitinna

Strip him and bind him.

Bitinna, mercy!

[Calling to PYRRHIAS.]

Come, hast got it?

Mercy! oh

Strip him. [TO GASTRON.] Know,

Thou art my slave, my chattel, made

Mine for three dollars duly paid.

And cursed be that detested day

Which brought thee here! What Pyrrhias! Nay,

My eye is on thee. Look alive!

Call that a binding? Tighter! Drive

It in and through! I'll have it cut
His arms off.

Pardon, pardon but
This once, my lady. Being flesh,
I sinned; but catch me in a fresh
Infraction of your will or way
Then have me branded!

Better pray

To Amphytæa! Roll at her

Those eyes, who pleases to prefer
My foot-rug for her pillow! Ugh!

Pyrrhias

Bitinna

Gastron

Please you, he's fastened.

Mark him, you,

If he slips out. Take him away
To Hermon's whipping-house; and say,
He is to have two thousand, one
Thousand upon the back, and one
Upon the belly -

Must I go,
Madam, to death, before you know

So much as if the alleged trans ression

Bitinna

Gastron

By your own confession,

Your "pardon but this once!"

Your answer was it spoken.

Bitinna [to Pyrrhias]

To cool

Fool,

To stand and stare! Cydilla, slap
The rascal's hideous victual-trap.
Go where I told thee. Quick, depart;
And thou, if Pyrrhias will but start,
Go, Drachon, too. Cydilla, slave,
"Twould be considerate if you gave
The fiend a rag or so to grace
His passage through the market pla
Now, Pyrrhias, I'll repeat it: say
From me to Hermon, he's to lay
Two thousand on: a thousand here,
And there a thousand. Do you hear?

From this if you one inch deflect,

Your person answers the neglect,
And pays with interest. Off!

[PYRRHIAS with GASTRON begins to go; BITINNA stops him with a

As hard upon his fellow-slave,

As if the wretch had robbed a grave!

But, Pyrrhias, mark! Though he is sent

Now in your charge to punishment,

Cydilla, sure as these are two

[Holding up and shaking at him two of her fingers.]

Within four days shall witness you
Lodged in the jail, and fretting there
Those anklets which you lately wear.
Hark you! His bonds are to remain
So, till you both come back again.
Fetch Cosis, the tattooer, who

Must bring his ink and needles too;

Cydilla

Bitinna

Cydilla

Bitinna

And while we have him, I will see
He puts some ornament on thee:
"Twill save a journey. "Equal fine
For cat and mouse!"

Nay, mother mine,
Not now, not now! Oh, as you pray
To see the happy wedding day

Of your Batyllis, to embrace

Her children, grant one little grace:
Pardon this once.

Cydilla! There!

Your worries, if you don't take care,
I'll run away! Well, folks may scoff;
I'll let the deep-dyed rascal off;
Though every woman in the place
Might spit contempt upon my face,
"Which is so little royal!"— Yet,
Since he's so liable to forget

He's mortal, he shall have it now
Writ for reminder on his brow.

This is the twentieth, and before
The Day of Souls come only four.

First, then, I now discharge you; bless
For that, Cydilla, (dear not less
Than my Batyllis she to me;

These arms have nursed her); presently
The Banquet of the Dead, with least
Expense, will serve your marriage feast.

HYMN TO ZEUS.

BY CLEANTHES.

[Stoic philosopher: succeeded Zeo in his school about B.C. 270.]

(Translated by Edward Beecher.)

GREAT Jove, most glorious of the immortal gods,
Wide known by many names, Almighty One,

King of all nature, ruling all by law,