[Enter Bacchus, on one side of the stage.]
B. Hoy! Xanthias!—Where's Xanthias?—I say, Xanthias!
[Enter Xanthias, on the other side.]
X. Hallo!
B. Come here, sir,—quick!
X. Here I am, master!
B. What kind of a place is it, out yonder?
X. Dirt and darkness.
B. Did you see any of those perjurers and assassins
He told us of?
X. Aye,—lots. (Looking round at the audience.)
I see 'em now—don't you?
B. (looking round). To be sure I do, by Neptune! now I see 'em!—
What shall we do?
X. Go forward, I should say;
This is the place where lie those evil beasts—
The monsters that he talked of.
B. Oh! confound him!
He was romancing—trying to frighten me,
Knowing how bold I was—jealous, that's the fact:
Never was such a braggart as that Hercules!
I only wish I could fall in with something—
Some brave adventure, worthy of my visit.
X. Stop!—there!—by Jove, I heard a roar out yonder!
B. (nervously). Where, where?
X. Behind us.
B. (pushing himself in front of Xanthias). Go behind, sir, will you?
X. No—it's in front.
B. (getting behind Xanthias again). Why don't you go in front, then?
X. Great Jupiter! I see an awful beast!
B. What like?
X. Oh—horrible! like everything!
