[31] Lit. "by the laughter which I stirred in them."

And as he spoke he blew his nose and snuffled, uttering the while so
truly dolorous a moan[32] that everybody fell to soothing him. "They
would all laugh again another day," they said, and so implored him to
have done and eat his dinner; till Critobulus could not stand his
lamentation longer, but broke into a peal of laughter. The welcome
sound sufficed. The sufferer unveiled his face, and thus addressed his
inner self:[33] "Be of good cheer, my soul, there are many battles[34]
yet in store for us," and so he fell to discussing the viands once
again.

[32] Philippus would seem to have anticipated Mr. Woodward; see
Prologue to "She Stoops to Conquer":

Pray, would you know the reason I'm crying?
The Comic Muse long sick is now a-dying!
And if she goes . . .


[33] Cf. "Cyrop." I. iv. 13; Eur. "Med." 1056, 1242; Aristoph. "Ach."
357, 480.

[34] Or add, "ere we have expended our last shot." Philippus puns on
the double sense of {sumbolai}. Cf. Aristoph. "Ach." 1210, where
Lamachus groans {talas ego xumboles bareias}, and Dicaeopolis
replies {tois Khousi gar tis xumbolas epratteto}.

Lam. 'Twas at the final charge; I'd paid before
A number of the rogues; at least a score.