Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood Æge. Unless the fear of death doth make me dote, I see my son Antipholus, and Dromio. 1 Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; Even in the strength and height of injury! Beyond imagination is the wrong, That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. me, 4 While she, with harlots feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault: Say, woman, didst thou so? Adr. No, my good lord; -myself, he, and my sister, To-day did dine together: So befal my soul, As this is false, he burdens me withal! Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth!* Ang. O perjur'd woman! they are both forsworn.. In this the madman justly chargeth them. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised3 what I say; 4 with harlots -] Harlot was a term of reproach applied to cheats among men, as well as to wantons among women. 5 I am advised-] i. e. I am not going to speak precipitately or rashly, but on reflection and consideration. + "disturbed" - MALONE, who considers the effect as making only two syllables. 1 Where Balthazar and I did dine together. There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me down, Which, God he knows, I saw not: for the which, I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: He with none return'd.. Το go in person with me to my By the e way we met house. My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates; along with them They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-faced villain, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; There left me and my man, both bound together: Ran hither to your grace; whom I beseech To give me ample satisfaction For these deep shames, and great indignities. Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him; That he din'd not at home, but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord; and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of mine Duke. What an intricate impeach is this! Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porcupine. Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd that ring. hither; I think, you are all mated, or stark mad. [Exit an Attendant. Ege. Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak a word, Haply, I see a friend will save my life, And pay the sum that may deliver me. Duke. Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt. Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, Age. I am sure, you both of you remember me. For lately we were bound, as you are now. Ege. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. Ant. E. I never saw you in my life till now. Ege. Oh! grief hath chang'd me, since you saw me last; 6 And careful hours, with time's deformed 5 hand,' Æge. Dromio, nor thou? Dro. E. No, trust me, sir, nor I. Æge. I am sure, thou dost. Dro. E. Ay, sir? but I am sure, I do not; and whatsoever a man denies, you are now bound to believe him. Ege. Not know my voice! O time's extremity! Hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue, In seven short years, that here my only son Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares ?7 Though now this grained face of mine be hid In sap-consuming winter's drizzled snow, And all the conduits of my blood froze up; Yet hath my night of life some memory, My wasting lamps some fading glimmer left, My dull deaf ears a little use to hear: All these old witnesses (I cannot err,) Tell me, thou art my son Antipholus. Ant. E. I never saw my father in my life. 5 deformed-] For deforming. 6 -strange defeatures] Defeatures are certainly neither more nor less than features; as demerits are neither more nor less than merits. Time, says Ægeon, hath placed new and strange features in my face; i. e. given it quite a different appearance: no wonder therefore thou dost not know me. RITSON. 7 my feeble key of untun'd cares?] i. e. the weak and discordant tone of my voice, that is changed by grief. DOUCE. 8 - this grained face-] i. e. furrowed, like the grain of wood. Æge. But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy, Thou know'st, we parted: but, perhaps, my son, Thou sham'st to acknowledge me in misery. Ant. E. The duke, and all that know me in the city, Can witness with me that it is not so; I ne'er saw Syracusa in my life. Duke. I tell thee, Syracusan, twenty years Have I been patron to Antipholus, During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa : see, thy age and dangers make thee dote. Enter the Abbess, with ANTIPHOLUS Syracusan, and DROMIO Syracusan. Abb. Most mighty duke, behold a man much wrong'd. [All gather to see him. Adr. I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. Duke. One of these men is Genius to the other; And so of these: Which is the natural man, And which the spirit? Who deciphers them? Dro. S. I, sir, am Dromio; command him away. Speak, old Ægeon, if thou be'st the man Ege. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, |