§97..Eius filiam ille amare coepit perdite, §98..Prope iam ut pro uxore haberet: haec clam me omnia. §99..Ubi rem rescivi coepi non humanitus, §100..Neque ut animum decuit aegrotum adolescentuli, §101..Tractare; sed vi, et via pervulgata patrum. §102..Quotidie accusabam. "Hem, tibine haec diutius §103..Licere speras facere me vivo patre, §104..Amicam ut habeas prope iam in uxoris loco? §105..Erras, si id credis, et me ignoras, Clinia. §106..Ego te meum esse dici tantisper volo, §107..Dum, quod te dignum est, facies: sed si id non facis, §108..Ego quod me in te sit facere dignum invenero. §109..Nulla adeo ex re istuc fit nisi ex nimio otio. §110..Ego istuc aetatis non amori operam dabam, §111..Sed in Asiam hinc abii propter pauperiem; atque ibi §112..Simul rem, et belli gloriam armis repperi. " §113..Postremo adeo res rediit: adolescentulus, §114..Saepe eadem et graviter audiendo victus est, §115..Et aetate putavit me et benevolentia §116..Plus scire et providere quam se ipsum sibi. §117..In Asiam ad regem militatum abiit, Chreme. §118..Quid ais? §118b..Clam me profectus, menses tres abest. §119..Ambo accusandi; etsi illud inceptum tamen §120..Animi est pudentis signum, et non instrenui. §121..Ubi comperi ex iis qui ei fuere conscii, §122..Domum revertor moestus, atque animo fere §123..Perturbato, atque incerto prae aegritudine: §124..Assido; accurrunt servi, soccos detrahunt; §125..Video alios festinare, lectos sternere, §126..Coenam apparare: pro se quisque sedulo §127..Faciebat quo illam mihi lenirent miseriam. §128..Ubi video haec, coepi cogitare: "Hem! tot mea §129..Solius solliciti sint causa, ut me unum expleant? §130..Ancillae tot me vestiant? sumtus domi
[Menedemus] My son began to love her daughter desperately,\n that he already almost held her as his wife; all these things were done without my knowledge.\n I found it out, I began to treat him, not in a humane way,\n as it was fitting for the love-sick mind of a youth,\n treat him; but with force, and in the common way of fathers.\n I reproached him: "What! do you expect that these things will be allowed to you any longer,\n do while I, your father, am alive,\n you may have a mistress almost in the place of a wife?\n are mistaken, if you believe that, and you do not know me, Clinia.\n wish you to be called mine only so long\n you shall do what is worthy of you; but if you do not do that,\n shall find out what is worthy for me to do toward you.\n arises indeed from no other cause than too much leisure.\n, at your age, did not give my attention to love,\n departed hence into Asia on account of poverty, and there,\n once acquired wealth and military glory by arms."\n last things came to this: the young man,\n by hearing the same things often and severely,\n thought that I, through age and goodwill,\n more and saw further for him than he did for himself.\n departed into Asia to serve under the king, Chremes.\n[Chremes] What do you say?\n[Menedemus] Having set out without my knowledge, he has been gone for three months.\n[Chremes] Both are to be blamed; although that undertaking, however,\n the sign of a modest mind, and not an inactive one.\n[Menedemus] When I discovered it from those who were his confidants,\n returned home sorrowful, and with my mind almost\n, and uncertain through grief.\n sat down; the slaves ran to me, they pulled off my sandals;\n saw others hastening, spreading the couches,\n dinner: each one for his part diligently\n what they could to alleviate that misery of mine.\n I saw these things, I began to think: "Alas! shall so many\n anxious for the sake of me alone, to satisfy me single?\n so many maidservants clothe me?
§131..Tantos ego solus faciam? sed gnatum unicum,
Shall I alone\n such great expenses at home?
§132..Quem pariter uti his decuit, aut etiam amplius, §133..Quod illa aetas magis ad haec utenda idonea est, §134..Eum ego hinc eieci miserum iniustitia mea. §135..Malo quidem me dignum quovis deputem, §136..Si id faciam: nam usque dum ille vitam illam colet §137..Inopem, carens patria ob meas iniurias, §138..Interea usque illi de me supplicium dabo, §139..Laborans, quaerens, parcens, illi serviens. " §140..Ita facio prorsus: nihil relinquo in aedibus §141..Nec vas, nec vestimentum: conrasi omnia, §142..Ancillas, servos, nisi eos qui opere rustico §143..Faciundo facile sumtum exercerent suum: §144..Omnes produxi ac vendidi: inscripsi ilico
But my only son,\n ought to have enjoyed these equally, or even more,\n that age is more suited to the enjoyment of them,\n, poor youth, I have driven hence by my injustice.\n should indeed deem myself worthy of any evil,\n I were to do so; for as long as he shall lead that\n life, lacking his country because of my injuries,\n I will continually inflict punishment on myself for his sake,\n working, earning, saving, and serving him."\n do so exactly: I leave nothing in the house,\n vessel, nor garment: I scraped together everything,\n maidservants, the slaves, except those who, by performing\n labor, might easily earn their own keeping.\n of them I brought out and sold.
§145..Aedes mercede; quasi talenta ad quindecim §146..Coegi; agrum hunc mercatus sum; hic me exerceo. §147..Decrevi tantisper me minus iniuriae, §148..Chreme, meo gnato facere dum fiam miser; §149..Nec fas esse ulla me voluptate hic frui, §150..Nisi ubi ille huc salvus redierit meus particeps. §151..Ingenio te esse in liberos leni puto, §152..Et illum obsequentem si quis recte aut commode §153..Tractaret.
I immediately advertised\n house for rent; I collected about fifteen talents;\n bought this farm; here I wear myself out.\n determined that I was doing less injustice,\n, to my son, as long as I myself am miserable;\n that it is not right for me to enjoy any pleasure here,\n when he returns here safe to be my partner.\n[Chremes] I think that you are of a gentle disposition toward children,\n that he would be obedient, if anyone had treated him\n or fitly.
Verum nec tu illum satis noveras, §154..Nec te ille: hocque fit ubi non vere vivitur. §155..Tu illum numquam ostendisti quanti penderes, §156..Nec tibi ille est credere ausus quae est aequum patri; §157..Quod si esset factum haec numquam evenissent tibi. §158..Ita res est, fateor: peccatum a me maximum est. §159..Menedeme, at porro recte spero, et illum tibi §160..Salvum affuturum esse hic confido propediem.
But indeed neither did you know him well enough,\n did he know you; and this happens where people do not live sincerely.\n never showed him how much you valued him,\n did he dare to entrust to you what is right to a father;\n, if it had been done, these things would never have happened to you.\n[Menedemus] It is so, I confess: the greatest fault is mine.\n[Chremes] Menedemus, but I hope for the best hereafter, and I trust that he\n be here safe with you very soon.\n[Menedemus] Would that the gods would so grant!\n[Chremes] They will do so.
§161..Utinam ita Di faxint. §161b..Facient: nunc, si commodum est, §162..Dionysia hic sunt; hodie apud me sis volo. §163..Non possum.
Now, if it is convenient,\n is the Dionysia here; I wish you to be at my house today.\n[Menedemus] I cannot.\n[Chremes] Why not?
§163b..Cur non? quaeso, tandem aliquantulum §164..Tibi parce: idem absens facere te hoc vult filius. §165..Non convenit qui illum ad laborem impulerim §166..Nunc me ipsum fugere. §166b..Sicine est sententia? §167..Sic. §167b..Bene vale. §167c..Et tu. §167d..Lacrimas excussit mihi,
I pray, at length spare yourself\n a little: your absent son wishes you to do the same.\n[Menedemus] It is not fitting that I, who drove him to labor,\n now avoid it myself.\n[Chremes] Is that your determination?\n[Menedemus] Yes.\n[Chremes] Farewell then.\n[Menedemus] And you too.\n[Chremes] (Aside) He has drawn tears from me,