§71Si sperat fore clam rursum ad ingenium redit.
If he hopes it will be secret, he returns to his natural inclination again.
§72Ille quem beneficio adiungas ex animo facit; §73Studet par referre: praesens absensque idem erit.
The man whom you attach to yourself by kindness acts from the heart; he strives to return the like: present or absent, he will be the same.
This is a father's duty, rather to accustom his son to do right of his own accord than through fear of another.
In this a father differs from a master: he who cannot do this, let him confess that he does not know how to rule free children.
§78Sed estne hic ipsus de quo agebam? et certe is est.
But is this the very man of whom I was speaking? Indeed it is he.
I see him looking sad, I know not why: I believe now, as usual, he will scold.
Salvum te advenire, Demea, §81Gaudemus.
Demea, we are glad that you have arrived safe.
§81bEhem, opportune: te ipsum quaerito.
Ah, opportune! I was looking for you.
§82Quid tristis es?
Why are you sad?
Do you ask me, when we have Aeschinus in such a state, why I am sad?
§83bDixine hoc fore?
Didn't I say this would happen?
§84Quid fecit?
What has he done?
§84bQuid ille fecerit? quem neque pudet
What has he done?
§85Quicquam; nec metuit quemquam; neque legem putat §86Tenere se ullam: nam illa quae antehac facta sunt §87Omitto: modo quid designavit!
He who is ashamed of nothing, nor fears anyone, nor thinks that any law binds him; for those things which were done before this I pass over: what has he just now committed!
§87bQuidnam id est?
What in the world is it?
§88Fores effregit atque in aedes irruit §89Alienas: ipsum dominum atque omnem familiam §90Mulcavit usque ad mortem: eripuit mulierem §91Quam amabat.
He broke open the doors and rushed into another's house: the master himself and all the household he beat almost to death: he carried off the woman whom he loved.
Clamant omnes indignissime §92Factum esse.
All cry out that it was a most shameful deed.
Hoc advenienti quot mihi, Micio,
How many told me this, Micio, as I was coming!
§93Dixere! in ore est omni populo.
It is in the mouth of all the people.
Denique, §94Si conferendum exemplum est, non fratrem videt §95Rei dare operam, ruri esse parcum ac sobrium?
Finally, if an example is to be compared, does he not see his brother attending to business, living frugally and soberly in the country?
§96Nullum huius simile factum.
No deed like this of his.
Haec quum illi, Micio, §97Dico tibi dico: tu illum corrumpi sinis.
When I say these things to him, Micio, I say them to you: you allow him to be ruined.
Never was there anything more unjust than an ignorant man, who thinks nothing is right except what he himself has done.
§100Quorsum istuc?
Whither does that tend?
§100bQuia tu Demea haec male iudicas.
Because you, Demea, judge these things wrongly.
§101Non est flagitium, mihi crede, adolescentulum §102Scortari neque potare; non est; neque fores §103Effringere.
It is not a crime, believe me, for a young man to wench or to drink; it is not; nor to break open doors.
Haec si neque ego neque tu fecimus, §104Non siit egestas facere nos.
If neither I nor you did these things, poverty did not allow us to do them.
Tu nunc tibi §105Id laudi ducis quod tum fecisti inopia?
Do you now reckon that as a praise to yourself which you then did from want?
§106Iniurium est; nam si esset unde id fieret, §107Faceremus: et tu illum tuum, si esses homo, §108Sineres nunc facere, dum per aetatem licet, §109Potius quam, ubi te exspectatum eiecisset foras, §110Alieniore aetate post faceret tamen.
It is unjust; for if there had been the means wherewith it could be done, we would have done it; and you, if you were a man, would have allowed that son of yours to do it now, while his age permits, rather than, when he had thrown you out after waiting for your death, he should do it afterwards at a less fitting age.
§111Pro Iupiter! tu homo adigis me ad insaniam.
By Jupiter! you, man, drive me to madness.
§112Non est flagitium, facere haec adolescentulum?
Is it not a crime for a young man to do these things?
Ah, listen: do not dun me about this matter so often.
§114Tuum filium dedisti adoptandum mihi: §115Is meus est factus: si quid peccat Demea, §116Mihi peccat: ego illi maximam partem feram.
You gave your son to me to be adopted: he has become mine: if he does any wrong, Demea, he does wrong to me: I shall bear the greatest part of the cost.
§117Obsonat, potat, olet unguenta; de meo.
He feasts, he drinks, he smells of perfumes; it is at my expense.
He loves; money shall be given by me as long as it is convenient: when it is not, perhaps he will be shut out of doors.
He broke open doors; they shall be restored: he tore a garment; it shall be mended.
Est, Dis gratia, §122Et unde haec flant, et adhuc non molesta sunt.
There is, thanks to the Gods, both whence these things may be supplied, and so far they are not troublesome.
Finally, either leave off, or bring in any arbitrator you please: I will show that you err more in this matter.
§124bHei mihi!
Woe is me!
§125Pater esse disce ab illis qui vere sciunt.
Learn to be a father from those who truly know.
§126Natura tu illi pater es, consiliis ego.
By nature you are his father, but by advice I am.
§127Tun consulis quicquam?
Do you advise anything?
§127bAh, si pergis abiero.
Ah, if you go on, I will go away.
§128Sicine agis?
Is this the way you act?
§128bAn ego toties de eadem re audiam?
Am I to hear so many times about the same thing?
§129Curae est mihi.
It is a care to me.
§129bEt mihi curae est: verum Demea §130Curemus aequam uterque partem: tu alterum, §131Ego item alterum; nam ambos curare propemodum §132Reposcere illum est quem dedisti.
And it is a care to me: but, Demea, let us each care for our equal share: you for the one, I likewise for the other; for to care for both is almost to demand back him whom you gave.
§132bAh, Micio.
Ah, Micio.
§133Mihi sic videtur.
So it seems to me.
§133bQuid istic? tibi si istic placet,
What of it?
§134Profundat, perdat, pereat: nihil ad me attinet.
If that pleases you, let him squander, destroy, perish: it is nothing to me.
If from now on one single word— Again, Demea, are you angry?
§136bAn non credis? repeto quem dedi?
Do you not believe me? Am I demanding back him whom I gave?
§137Aegre est: alienus non sum: si obsto, hem, desino.
It is painful: I am not a stranger: if I stand in the way, well, I stop.
You wish me to care for the one; I care for him; and thanks to the Gods, he is just as I wish.
Iste tuus ipse sentiet §140Posterius—nolo in illum gravius dicere.
That one of yours will feel it himself later—I do not wish to say anything harsher against him.
§141Nec nihil neque omnia haec sunt quae dicit; tamen
These things which he says are neither nothing nor everything; yet