SOSIAS. Why, Xanthias! what are you doing, wretched man?
XANTHIAS. I am teaching myself how to rest; I have been awake and on watch the whole night.
SOSIAS. So you want to earn trouble for your ribs,[1] eh? Don't you know what sort of an animal we are guarding here?
XANTHIAS. Aye indeed! but I want to put my cares to sleep for a while.
SOSIAS. Beware what you do. I too feel soft sleep spreading over my eyes. Resist it, for you must be as mad as a Corybant if you fall asleep.[2]
XANTHIAS. No! 'Tis Bacchus who lulls me off.
SOSIAS. Then you serve the same god as myself. Just now a heavy slumber settled on my eyelids like a hostile Mede; A nodded and, faith! I had a wondrous dream.
XANTHIAS. Indeed! and so had I. A dream such as I never had before. But first tell me yours.
[1] Meaning, Bdelycleon will thrash you if you do not keep a good watch on his father.
[2] The Corybantes, priests of Cybele, comported themselves like madmen in the celebration of their mysteries and made the air resound with the the noise of their drums.
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