[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.]
[Footnote 2: _In Elis_)--Ver. 9. Elis, or, as it is called by
Plautus, "Alis," was a city of Achaia, in the north-western part of the
Peloponnesus. Near it the Olympic games were celebrated.]
[Footnote 3: _That man at a distance_)--Ver. 11. One of the
audience, probably a plebeian who has no seat, but is standing in a
remote part of the theatre, is supposed to exclaim in a rude manner that
he cannot hear what the actor says. On this the speaker tells him that
he had better come nearer; and if he cannot find a seat, there is room
for him to walk away. Possibly the verb "ambulo" may be intended to
signify in this case either "to walk" or "to stand," in
contradistinction to sitting. Rost, with some reason, suggests
"abscedito" "walk out," in place of "accedito," "come nearer."]
[Footnote 4: _To bawl like a beggar_)--Ver. 13. Commentators have
differed as to the meaning of this passage. Some think that he means
that with the view of pleasing the plebeian part of the audience, he
shall not bawl out like a beggar asking alms; while others suppose that
the meaning is, that he will not run the risk of cracking his voice,
after which be will be hissed off the stage, and so be reduced to
beggary.
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