§198diem aquam solem lunam noctem, haec argento non emo: §199ceterum quae volumus uti Graeca mercamur fide.
I do not buy day, water, sun, moon, night with money; but everything else we want to use, we buy with "Greek credit" (cash).
§200quom a pistore panem petimus, vinum ex oenopolio, §201si aes habent, dant mercem: eadem nos discipulina utimur.
When we ask bread from the baker, wine from the wine-shop, if they hold money, they give the goods; we use the same rule.
§202semper oculatae manus sunt nostrae, credunt quod vident.
Our hands are always with eyes; they believe what they see.
§203vetus est:
nihili coactiost
— scis cuius.
It is an old saying: "compulsion is worth nothing"—you know whose.
non dico amplius.
I say no more.
§204Aliam nunc mi orationem despoliato praedicas, §205longe aliam, inquam, praebes nunc atque olim, quom dabam, §206aliam atque olim, quom inliciebas me ad te blande ac benedice.
Now you preach a different talk to me, who am plundered; a far different one, I say, you offer now than once when I was giving; a different one than once when you enticed me to you coaxingly and with kind words.
§207tum mi aedes quoque arridebant, cum ad te veniebam, tuae; §208me unice unum ex omnibus te atque illam amare aibas mihi; §209ubi quid dederam, quasi columbae pulli in ore ambae meo §210usque eratis, meo de studio studia erant vostra omnia, §211usque adhaerebatis: quod ego iusseram, quod volueram §212faciebatis, quod nolebam ac votueram, de industria §213fugiebatis, neque conari id facere audebatis prius.
Then even your house smiled upon me when I came to you; you used to tell me that I alone of all was uniquely loved by you and her; when I had given something, you both were constantly at my mouth like dove-chicks; all your cares were in tune with my care; you were constantly clinging: what I had ordered, what I had wished, you did; what I did not wish and had forbidden, you purposefully avoided, nor did you dare to attempt to do it before.
§214nunc neque quid velim neque nolim facitis magni, pessumae.
Now, you wicked women, you care nothing for what I wish or do not wish.
§215Non tu scis? hic noster quaestus aucupi simillimust.
Don't you know? This trade of ours is very like a fowler's.
§216auceps quando concinnavit aream, offundit cibum; §217aves adsuescunt: nécesse est facere sumptum qui quaerit lucrum; §218saepe edunt: semel si sunt captae, rem solvont aucupi.
When the fowler has prepared the ground, he scatters food; the birds get used to it; he who seeks profit must make an expense; they eat often; but once they are caught, they pay back the fowler.
§219_220itidem hic apud nos: aedes nobis area est, auceps sum ego, §221esca est meretrix, lectus inlex est, amatores aves;
It is the same here with us: the house is our fowling-ground, I am the fowler; the bait is the courtesan, the bed is the decoy, the lovers are the birds.
They get used to it by being greeted well, by being called coaxingly, by being kissed, by sweet and charming talk.
§224si papillam pertractavit, haud est ab re aúcupis; §225savium si sumpsit, sumere eum licet sine retibus.
If he has touched the breast, it is not far from the fowler's profit; if he has taken a kiss, it is allowed to catch him without nets.
§226haecine te esse oblitum, in ludo qui fuisti tam diu?
Have you forgotten these things, you who have been in the school so long?
§227Tua ista culpa est, quae discipulum semidoctum abs te amoves.
That is your fault, since you send away a half-taught pupil from yourself.
§228Remeato audacter, mercedem sí eris nactus: nunc abi.
Return boldly, if you have obtained the fee; now depart.
§229Mane, mane, audi.
Stay, stay, listen.
dic, quid me aequom censes pro illa tibi dare, §230annum hunc ne cum quiquam alio sit?
Tell me, what do you think is fair for me to give you for her, so that she may not be with anyone else for this year?
You? Twenty minae; and on this condition: if another brings it to me first, you farewell.
§232At ego est etiam prius quam abis quod volo loqui.
But there is something I want to speak before you go.
§232bDic quod lubet.
Speak what pleases you.
§233Non omnino iam perii, est relicuom quo peream magis.
I am not yet completely ruined; there is a remnant by which I may ruin myself more.
§234habeo unde istuc tibi quod poscis dem; sed in leges meas §235dabo, uti scire possis, perpetuom annum hunc mihi uti serviat §236nec quemquam interea alium admittat prorsus quam me ad se virum.
I have from where to give you what you ask; but on my conditions I will give it, so that you may know: that she may serve me for this whole year, and meanwhile admit absolutely no other man to her than me.
§237Quin, si tu voles, domi sérvi qui sunt castrabo viros.
Indeed, if you wish, I will castrate the male servants who are at home.
§238postremo ut voles nos esse, syngraphum facito adferas; §239ut voles, ut tibi lubebit, nobis legem imponito: §240modo tecum una argentum adferto, facile patiar cetera.
In short, how you wish us to be, make sure you bring a written contract; impose conditions on us as you wish, as it pleases you; only bring the money with you, I will easily bear the rest.
§241portitorum símillumae sunt ianuae lenoniae: §242si adfers, tum patent, si non est quod des, aedes non patent.
The doors of a bawd are very like those of harbor-masters: if you bring, then they are open; if there is nothing to give, the house is not open.
— §243Interii, si non invenio ego illas viginti minas, §244et profecto, nisi illud perdo argentum, pereundum est mihi.
I am ruined, if I do not find those twenty minae; and indeed, unless I lose that money, I must perish.
§245nunc pergam ad forum atque experiar opibus, omni copia, §246supplicabo, exobsecrabo ut quemque amicum videro, §247dignos indignos adire atque experiri certumst mihi,† §248nam si mutuas non potero, certumst sumam faenore. —
Now I will go to the forum and try with my resources, with all my means; I will supplicate, I will entreat every friend as I see him; I am determined to approach and try both worthy and unworthy men, for if I cannot borrow without interest, I am determined to take it on interest.
§249Hercle vero, Libane, nunc te meliust expergiscier §250atque argento comparando fingere fallaciam.
By Hercules, Libanus, now it is better for you to wake up and fashion a trick to procure the money.
§251iam diu est factúm quom discesti ab ero atque abiisti ad forum, §253ibi tu ad hoc diei tempus dormitasti in otio.
It is already a long time since you departed from your master and went to the forum; there you have dozed in idleness up to this time of day.