mix things up: let it be tragi-comedy. Of course it would
never do for me to make it comedy out and out, with kings
and gods on the boards. How about it, then? Well, in view of
the fact that there is a slave part in it, I shall do just
as I said and make it tragi-comedy.

nunc hoc me orare a vobis iussit Iuppiter,
ut conquaestores singula in subsellia
eant per totam caveam spectatoribus,
si cui favitores delegates viderint,
ut is in cavea pignus capiantur togae;

Now here is the favour Jove bade me ask of you: (_with
great solemnity_) let inspectors go from seat to seat
throughout the house, and should they discover claqueurs
planted for the benefit of any party, let them take as
security from all such in the house--their togas.

sive qui ambissint palmam histrionibus,
sive cuiquam artifici, si per scriptas litteras 70
sive qui ipse ambissit seu per internuntium,
sive adeo aediles perfidiose cui duint,
sirempse legem iussit esse Iuppiter,
quasi magistratum sibi alterive ambiverit.

Or if there be those who have solicited the palm for
actors, or for any artist--whether by letter, or by personal
solicitation, or through an intermediary--or further, if the
aediles do bestow the said palm upon anyone unfairly, Jove
doth decree that the selfsame law obtain as should the said