A And left the fhip, then finking-ripe, to us; My wife, more careful for the elder born, Had faften'd him unto a small spare-maft, Such as fea-faring men provide for ftorms; To him one of the other twins was bound, Whilft I had been like heedful of the other. The children thus difpos'd, my wife and I, Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixt, Faften'd ourselves at either end the maft; sdi o And floating straight, obedient to the fream Were carry'd towards Corinth, as we thought At length the fun, gazing upon the earth,pie 1A Difpers'd those vapours that offended us; And, by the benefit of his wifh'd light, The feas waxt calm; and we discovered V 16.17 ES Two ships from far making amain to us,and dail 3717 Duke. Nay, forward, old man, do not break off so; For we may pity, tho' not pardon thee. A Egeon. Oh, had the Gods done fo, I had not now Worthily term'd them merciless to us For ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues We were encountered by a mighty rock; Which being violently borne upon, Our helpless fhip was fplitted in the midft: So that, in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in, what to forrow for. Her part, poor foul! feeming as burdened With leffer weight, but not with leffer woe, Was carry'd with more fpeed before the wind, And in our fight they three were taken up By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length, another fhip had feiz'd on us; And knowing whom it was their hap to fave, I Gave Gave helpful welcome to their fhipwreckt guests; And therefore homeward did they bend their courfe.- Duke. And, for the fakes of them thou forrow'st for, Do me the favour to dilate at full What hath befall'n of them, and thee, 'till now. After his brother; and importun'd me, Duke. Haplefs Egeon, whom the fates have markt To bear th' extremity of dire mifhap; Now, truft me, were it not against our laws, Το To feek thy life by beneficial help: Try all the friends thou haft in Ephefus, And live; if not, then thou art doom'd to die. Jail. I will, my Lord. [Exeunt Duke, and Train. Egeon. Hopelefs and helplefs doth Ægeon wend, But to procraftinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt Egeon, and Jailor. SCENE II. Changes to the Street. Enter Antipholis of Syracufe, a Merchant, and Mer Dromio, Herefore give out, you are of Epidamnum, This very day, a Syracufan merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; Dro. Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having fo good a means. [Exit Dromio. Ant. Ant. A trufty villain, Sir, that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, Lightens my humour with his merry jefts. What, will you walk with me about the town, And then go to the inn and dine with me? Mer. I am invited, Sir, to certain merchants, Of whom I hope to make much benefit: I crave your pardon. Soon at five o'clock, Please you, I'll meet with you upon the mart, And afterward confort you 'till bed-time: My present business calls me from you now. Ant. Farewel 'till then; I will go lofe myself, And wander up and down to view the city. Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. [Exit Merchant. Ant. He that commends me to my own content, Commends me to the thing I cannot get. I to the world am like a drop of water, That in the ocean feeks another drop, Who falling there to find his fellow forth, Unfeen inquifitive, confounds himself: So I, to find a mother and a brother, In queft of them, unhappy, lofe myself. Enter Dromio of Ephefus. Here comes the almanack of my true date. late: The capon burns, the pig falls from the fpit, P 4 You You come not home, because you have no ftomach; Ant. Stop in your wind, Sir; tell me this, I pray, Where you have left the mony that I gave you? E Dro. Oh,-fix-pence, that I had a Wednesday laft, To pay the fadler for my mistress' crupper? The fadler had it, Sir; I kept it not, Ant. I am not in a fportive humour now; Tell me and dally not, where is the mony? We being strangers here, how dar'ft thou trust So great a charge from thine own custody? E. Dra. I pray you, jeft, Sir, as you fit at dinner : I from my mistrefs come to you in poft; If I return, I fhall be poft indeed; For fhe will fcore your fault upon my pate: Methinks, your maw, like mine, fhould be your clock; And ftrike you home without a meffenger. Ant. Come, Dromio, come, these jefts are out of Referve them 'till a merrier hour than this: E. Dro. To me, Sir? why, you gave no gold to ne. Ant. Come on, Sir knave, have done your foolishness; And tell me, how thou haft difpos'd thy charge? web E. Dro. My charge was but to fetch you from the mart Home to your houfe, the Phenix, Sir, to dinner; My mistress and her fifter ftay for you. Ant. Now, as I am a chriftian answer me, E. Dro. I have fome marks of yours upon my pate; Some of my miftrefs' marks upon my fhoulders; But |