§74nam me hodie oravit Argyrippus filius, §75uti sibi amanti facerem argenti copiam; §76et íd ego percupio obsequi gnato meo.
For today my son Argyrippus entreated me, that I would provide a supply of money for him in his love; and I very much desire to comply with my son in this.
Although his mother keeps him strictly and tightly, as fathers are accustomed to do: I dismiss all these things.
§80praesertim quom is me dignum quoi concrederet §81habuit, me habere honorem eius ingenio decet; §82quom me adiit, ut pudentem gnatum aequomst patrem, §83cupio esse amicae quod det argentum suae.
Especially since he held me worthy of being one to whom he would confide, it is fitting that I show respect to his character; since he approached me, as it is fair for a father to treat a respectful son, I desire that there be money for him to give to his mistress.
§84Cupis id quod cupere te nequiquam intellego.
You desire that which I understand you desire in vain.
Your wife brought Saurea, a dowry slave, who has more power in his hands than you do.
§87Argentum accepi, dote imperium vendidi.
I received the money, and with the dowry I sold my authority.
§88nunc verba in pauca conferam quid te velim.
Now I will state in a few words what I want from you.
Now there is need of twenty minae of silver for my son: make sure that it is ready now.
§90bVnde gentium?
From where in the world?
§91Me defraudato.
Cheat me out of it.
You are talking absolute nonsense: you order me to strip the clothes from a naked man.
§93defraudem te ego? age sís, tu sine pennis vola.
I cheat you? Come now, please, you fly without wings.
Should I cheat you, who yourself have nothing in hand, unless you in turn cheat your wife of something?
§96Qua me, qua uxorem, qua tu servom Sauream §97potes, circumduce, aufer; promitto tibi §98non offuturum, si id hodie effeceris.
Cheat me, cheat my wife, cheat the slave Saurea, by whatever way you can, swindle, carry off; I promise you it will not harm you, if you accomplish it today.
With the same effort you might order me to fish in the air, or to hunt with a casting net in the middle of the sea.
§101Tibi optionem sumito Leonidam, §102fabricare quidvis, quidvis comminiscere: §103perficito, argentum hodie ut habeat filius, §104amicae quod det.
Take Leonida as your associate, forge anything, devise anything: bring it about that my son has the money today, to give to his mistress.
§104bQuid ais tu, Demaenete?
What do you say, Demaenetus?
§105Quid vis?
What do you want?
If by chance I fall into an ambush, will you ransom me if enemies capture me?
§107Redimam.
I will ransom you.
§107bTum tu igitur aliud cura quid lubet.
Then, therefore, you look after whatever else you please.
§108ego eo ad forum, nisi quid vis.
I am going to the forum, unless you want anything.
§108bEi, bene ambula.
Go, have a good walk.
§109atque audin etiam?
And do you hear further?
§109bEcce.
Here I am.
§110bVbicumque libitum erit animo meo.
Wherever it shall please my mind.
§111profecto nemo est quem iam dehinc metuam mihi §112ne quid nocere possit, cum tu mihi tua §113oratione omnem animum ostendisti tuom.
Indeed there is no one from now on whom I should fear might be able to harm me, since you have shown me your entire mind by your speech.
§114quin te quoque ipsum facio haud magni, si hoc patro.
Indeed I don't care much even about you yourself, if I achieve this.
§115pergam quo occepi atque ibi consilia exordiar.
I will go where I started and there begin my plans.
§116Audin tu? apud Archibulum ego ero argentarium.
Do you hear? I will be at Archibulus the banker's.
§117Nempe in foro?
In the forum, right?
§117bIbi, si quid opus fuerit.
There, if anything should be needed.
§117cMeminero. — §118Non esse servos peior hoc quisquam potest §119nec magis versutus nec quo ab caveas aegrius.
I will remember.— No servant can be worse than this one, nor more crafty, nor one against whom you can guard with more difficulty.
§120eidem homini, si quid recte curatum velis, §121mandes: moriri sese misere mavolet, §122quam non perfectum reddat quod promiserit.
To this same man, if you wish anything to be well cared for, you would entrust it: he would rather die miserably, than not deliver as accomplished what he promised.
For I know that that money is as ready for my son as I see this staff of mine.
§125sed quid ego cesso ire ad forum, quo inceperam?
But why do I delay going to the forum, where I had started?
And there I will wait at the banker's.— Is this how it is? Me, thrown out of the house?
§128promerenti optume hocin preti redditur?
Is this the reward returned to one who deserves the best?
To the well-deserving you are bad, to the ill-deserving you are good; But to your misfortune!
§131íbo ego ad trés viros vóstraque ibi nómina
For now from this place I will go to the triumviri, and there your names I will make sure are entered.
I will ruin you and your daughter on a capital charge, you enticers, ruin, destruction of youth!
For the sea is not the sea, you are the most bitter sea; for in the sea I found goods, but here I am cleaned out of them.
§136ingrata atque inrita esse omnia intellego §137quae dedi et quod bene feci, at posthac tibi §138mále quod potero fácere faciam, méritoque id faciám tuo.
I understand that all things I gave and the good I did are ungrateful and in vain, but hereafter, whatever harm I can do to you, I will do, and I will do it as you deserve.
§139ego pol te redigam eodem unde orta es, ad egestatis terminos, §140ego edepol te faciam ut quae sis nunc et quae fueris scias.
By Pollux, I will reduce you to the same place from which you rose, to the limits of poverty, By Pollux, I will make you know what you are now and what you were.
§141quae prius quam ístam adii atque amans ego animum méum isti dedi, §142sordido vitam oblectabas pane in pannis inopia, §143atque ea si érant, magnás habebas omnibus dis gratias;
You who, before I approached her and in my love gave her my heart, used to comfort your life with dirty bread, in rags, in poverty, and if you even had those, you gave great thanks to all the gods;