You have no difficulty in appreciating your position pretty fairly well. Now be truthful, and you’ll be acting to your own advantage and make a bad prospect somewhat better. Out with your story, make it straightforward and honest--virtues you have never displayed hitherto, however. _Stal._ Quod ego fatear, credin pudeat cum autumes? When I’m ready to admit a thing myself d’ye think I should be ashamed of it just because you say it’s so? _Hegio_ At ego faciam ut pudeat, nam in ruborem te totum dabo. I’ll make you ashamed, though: (_savagely_) I tell you what, I’ll make one big blush of you. _Stal._ Eia, credo ego imperito plagas minitaris mihi. tandem ista aufer ac dic quid fers, ut feras hinc quod petis. (_ironically_) La! La! I’m promised a whipping, it seems, and I such a novice at it--oh, yes I am! Look here, get done with that talk and say what you’ve got to propose, so as to get what you’re after. _Hegio_ Satis facundu’s. sed iam fieri dicta compendi volo. Quite a gift of tongue, sir! But oblige me by saving some of it for the moment. _Stal._ Ut vis fiat. Anything you like. _Hegio_ Bene morigerus fuit puer, nunc non decet. hoc agamus. iam animum advorte ac mihi quae dicam edissere.[27] (967) (_half aside_) That compliance he showed as a boy hardly becomes him at present. (_aloud_) To business! Now then, pay attention and answer me fully. _Stal._ Nugae istaec sunt. non me censes scire quid dignus siem? (969) Rot! Don’t you suppose I know what I deserve? _Hegio_ At ea subterfugere potis es pauca, si non omnia. 970 Well, you have a chance to escape a little of it, if not all. _Stal._ Pauca effugiam, scio; nam multa evenient, et merito meo, quia et fugi et tibi surripui filium et eum vendidi. Little enough I’ll escape, I know that; for there’ll be plenty coming, and it serves me right, seeing I ran away and kidnapped your son and sold him. _Hegio_ Cui homini? To whom? _Stal._ Theodoromedi in Alide Polyplusio, sex minis. (_drawling_) Theodoromedes Goldfields, in Elis, for twenty-four pounds. _Hegio_ Pro di immortales, is quidem huius est pater Philocrati. God bless my soul! Why, he is the father of Philocrates here! _Stal._ Quin melius novi quam tu et vidi saepius. Well, I know him better than you, and I’ve seen him oftener. _Hegio_ Serva, Iuppiter supreme, et me et meum gnatum mihi. Philocrates, per tuom te genium obsecro, exi, te volo. God Almighty, save me and save my boy for me! (_running to door and shouting_) Philocrates! Here, here, come, on your life! I want you! V. 3. Scene 3. ENTER _Philocrates_. _Philocr_ Hegio, assum. si quid me vis, impera. Here I am, Hegio. If I can be of any service, command me. _Hegio_