THE FROGS. 181

Bac. “Curse me, if I am not very fond of Xan-_
thias !”

Xan. “I know what you want. It is of no use
your saying. I cannot possibly be Hercules.”

Bac. “Don’t say so, my dear fellow.”

Xan. “But how could I be the son of Alcmena,
‘a mere man, a mere slave’?”

Bac. “I know that you are angry, and I don’t
blame you. If you were to strike me, I could not
object. But do take the things once more; and if
I take them again, may I perish, I and my wife and
my children and all that I have.”

Xan. “J accept on these terms.”

At this point AZacus reappeared with some attend-
ants, and attempted to arrest the false Hercules for
having stolen Cerberus. Xanthias, however, suc-
ceeded in beating them off, while Bacchus protested
that it was monstrous that the culprit should add an
assault to his former misdeeds.

Xan. “I protest that I have never been near
the place in my life, much less stolen a farthing’s
worth of property belonging to it. But Ill tell you
what I’ll do, and it’s really a generous offer. You
may take my slave there and examine him by tor-
ture. If you can find out from him anything against
me, then you can do what you like.” 4

Azacus. “What torture will you allow?”

1It was not lawful to examine a slave by torture, to support an

accusation against his master. The false Hercules therefore appears
to make a very liberal offer.