[57.] He was my kinsman)—Ver. 494. In the Play of Menander, Hegio was the brother of Sostrata.
[58.] Upon this matter I’ll follow)—Ver. 500. “Is, quod mihi de hae re dederat consilium, id sequar.” Coleman has the following Note on this passage: “Madame Dacier rejects this line, because it is also to be found in the Phormio. But it is no uncommon thing with our author to use the same expression or verse for different places, especially on familiar occasions. There is no impropriety in it here, and the foregoing hemistich is rather lame without it. The propriety of consulting Micio, or Demea’s present ill-humor with him, are of no consequence. The old man is surprised at Hegio’s story, does not know what to do or say, and means to evade giving a positive answer, by saying that he would consult his brother.”
[59.] Go back now)—Ver. 506. “Redite.” Demea most probably uses this word, because Hegio has come back to him to repeat the last words for the sake of greater emphasis.
[60.] Be of good heart)—Ver. 512. Colman has the following Note here: “Donatus tells us, that in some old copies this whole Scene was wanting. Guyetus therefore entirely rejects it. I have not ventured to take that liberty; but must confess that it appears to me, if not supposititious, at least cold and superfluous, and the substance of it had better been supposed to have passed between Hegio and Sostrata within.”
[61.] At this very moment)—Ver. 519. It is very doubtful whether the words “cum maxime” mean to signify exactly “at this moment,” or are intended to signify the intensity with which Demea is laboring.
[62.] Any thing still better than that)—Ver. 522. Lemaire suggests that by these words Syrus intends to imply that he should not care if Demea were never to arise from his bed, but were to die there. Ctesipho, only taking him heartily to second his own wishes for the old man’s absence, answers affirmatively “ita,” “by all means,” “exactly so.”
[63.] So much the worse)—Ver. 529. Schmieder observes that “tanto nequior” might have two meanings,—“so much the worse for us,” or, as the spectators might understand it, “so much the more worthless you.”
[64.] The wolf in the fable)—Ver. 538. This was a proverbial expression, tantamount to our saying, “Talk of the devil, he’s sure to appear.” Servius, in his Commentary on the Ninth Eclogue of Virgil, says that the saying arose from the common belief that the person whom a wolf sets his eyes upon is deprived of his voice, and thence came to be applied to a person who, coming upon others in the act of talking about him, necessarily put a stop to their conversation. Cooke says, in reference to this passage, “This certainly alludes to a Fable of Æsop’s, of the Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape: which is translated by Phædrus, and is the tenth of his First Book.” It is much more certain that Cooke is mistaken here, and that the fable of the arbitration of the Ape between the Wolf and the Fox has nothing to do with this passage. If it alludes to any fable (which from the expression itself is not at all unlikely), it is more likely to be that where the Nurse threatens that the wolf shall take the naughty Child, on which he makes his appearance, but is disappointed in his expectations, or else that of the Shepherd-boy and the Wolf. See the Stichus of Plautus, l. 57, where the same expression occurs.
[65.] Met a day-laborer)—Ver. 542. Donatus remarks that the Poet artfully contrives to detain Demea in town, his presence being necessary in the latter part of the Play.
[66.] With her in some cupboard)—Ver. 553. Donatus observes that the young man was silly in this, for if discovered to be there he would be sure to be caught. His object, however, for going there would be that he might not be discovered.