ENTER Cook FROM HOUSE OF Phaedromus.

COOK: (irate) Palinurus! What are you standing still for? Why don’t you fetch the things I need, so that lunch will be prepared for the parasite when he appears?

PALINURUS: (grandly) You just kindly wait till I interpret a dream for this chap.

COOK: You! Why, you yourself refer all your dreams to me.

PALINURUS: (abashed, then cheerfully) Admitted.

COOK: Be off; fetch the stuff.

PALINURUS: (to Cappadox) Here, you! Meanwhile you tell your dream to this fellow. (indicating cook) I leave you to my substitute–a better man than I am. Why, all I know I owe to him.

CAPPADOX: If he would only . . . help me!

PALINURUS: He will. [ HE EXITS ]

CAPPADOX: (looking afer Palinurus with a grunt) He does what few do, in letting his teacher have his way. (to cook) Well, then, you help me.

COOK: I don’t know you, but help you I will.

CAPPADOX : Last night in my sleep I seemed to see Aesculapius sitting a . . . long way off from me and he seemed not (choking) to come near me or to think much of me.

COOK: (gravely) That means the other gods will do the same; they pull together perfectly, you know. No wonder you get no better; why, the thing for you to do was to lie in the temple of Jove, the god that’s been your backer in those solemn oaths of yours.

CAPPADOX: But if all the . . . perjurers wanted to lie there, they could not find accommodations in the Capitol.

COOK: Mark my words now–go sue Aesculapius for grace, or you may chance to meet with the dreadful disaster your dream portended.

CAPPADOX: (alarmed) Thanks! Thanks! I’ll go in and pray.

[EXIT, IN AWKARD HASTE, INTO TEMPLE ]

COOK: And bad luck may it bring you! [EXIT INTO HOUSE ]

ENTER Palinurus FROM HOUSE.

PALINURUS: (looking down street) Ye immortal gods! Who’s that I spy? Who is it? The parasite that was sent to Caria? (calling at door) Hi-i, Phaedromus! Come out, come out, come out, I tell you! Quick.

ENTER Phaedromus.

PHAEDROMUS: Why are you raising all that hullabaloo?

PALINURUS: There’s your parasite running up! (pointing) See! away down at the end of the street! (pulling Phaedromus into the doorway) Let’s stay here and listen to what he’s about.

PHAEDROMUS: Yes, yes! Good!