Pietas, pater, oculis dolorem prohibet. quamquam ego istanc amo, possum equidem inducere animum, ne aegre patiar quia tecum accubat. (_dolefully_) My duty as a son takes the sting out of the sight, father. Even though I do love her, of course I can persuade myself not to be disturbed at her being with you. _Dem._ Decet verecundum esse adulescentem, Argyrippe. A young fellow should be modest, Argyrippus. _Argyr._ Edepol, pater, merito tuo facere possum. Ah yes, father, I can behave as you deserve. _Dem._ Age ergo, hoc agitemus convivium vino et[28] sermoni suavi. nolo ego metui, amari mavolo, mi gnate, me abs te. (_jovially_) Come on then, let’s have a lively banquet--wine and sweet converse, my dears! None of your filial awe for me: your love is what I want, my lad. _Argyr._ Pol ego utrumque facio, ut aequom est filium. (_still more dolefully_) Ah yes, father, I give you both, as a son should. _Dem._ Credam istuc, si esse te hilarum videro. I’ll believe that, once I see you looking jolly. _Argyr._ An tu me tristem putas? (_with a deep sigh_) You don’t think I’m ... melancholy ... do you? _Dem._ Putem ego, quem videam aeque esse maestum ut quasi dies si dicta sit? Think so? When you look as sepulchral as if you were docketed for trial! _Argyr._ Ne dixis istuc. Don’t say that. _Dem._ Ne sic fueris: ilico ego non dixero. 839,840 Don’t be that, and I’ll stop saying it soon enough. _Argyr._ Em aspecta: rideo. (_making a dismal effort to look happy_) Here now! See! I’m smiling. _Dem._ Utinam male qui mihi volunt sic rideant. (_dryly_) I wish my enemies were blessed with a smile like that. _Argyr._ Scio equidem quam ob rem me, pater, tu tristem credas nunc tibi: quia istaec est tecum. atque ego quidem hercle ut verum tibi dicam. pater, ea res me male habet; at non eo, quia tibi non cupiam quae velis; verum istam amo. aliam tecum esse equidem facile possum perpeti. Of course I know why you think my bearing toward you now is melancholy, father,--because she’s with you. And good heavens, father, to tell you the truth, I--it does make me miserable; not because I’m not eager to have your wishes gratified; but I love that girl. If it was some other one, I shouldn’t mind at all, really I shouldn’t. _Dem._ At ego hanc volo. I want this one, though. _Argyr._ Ergo sunt quae exoptas: mihi quae ego exoptem volo. Well then, you’ve got your desire: I wish I could have the same luck! _Dem._ Unum hunc diem perpetere, quoniam tibi potestatem dedi, cum hac annum ut esses, atque amanti argenti feci copiam.