free man to his own country to his father, just as often now, on many
occasions, a person has done more good unknowingly than knowingly. But
unconsciously, by their devices, they have so planned and devised their
plot, and have so contrived it by their design, that this one is living
in servitude with his own father. _And_ thus now, in ignorance, he
is the slave of his own father. What poor creatures are men, when I
reflect upon it! This plot will be performed by us--a play for your
_entertainment_. But there is, besides, a thing which, in a few
words, I would wish to inform you of. Really, it will be worth your
while to give your attention to this play. 'Tis not composed in the
hackneyed style, nor yet like other _plays_, nor are there in it
any ribald lines [12] unfit for utterance: here is neither the perjured
procurer, nor the artful courtesan, nor yet the braggart captain. Don't
you be afraid because I've said that there's war between the Aetoliains
and the Eleans. There (_pointing_), at a distance, beyond the
scenes, the battles will be fought. For this were almost impossible for
a Comic establishment[13], that we should at a moment attempt to be
acting Tragedy. If, therefore, any one is looking for a battle, let him
commence the quarrel; if he shall find an adversary more powerful, I'll
cause him to be the spectator of a battle that isn't pleasant _to
him_, so that hereafter he shall hate to be a spectator of them all.
I _now_ retire. Fare ye well, at home, most upright judges, and in
warfare most valiant combatants.

[Footnote 1: _Because--they are both_)--Ver. 2. This is apparently
intended as a piece of humour, in catching or baulking the audience. He
begins as though he was going to explain why the captives are standing
there, and ends his explanation with saying that they are standing
because they are not sitting. A similar truism is uttered by Pamphila,
in the Stichus, l. 120.]