Tune es adiutor nunc amanti filio? Are you aiding my son in this amour? _Lib._ Sum vero, et alter noster est Leonida. Indeed I am, sir, and so is my mate, your servant Leonida. _Dem._ Bene hercle facitis et a me initis gratiam. verum meam uxorem, Libane, nescis qualis sit? 60 Well, well, my lad, thanks! You are both earning my gratitude. But (_looking cautiously around_) my wife, Libanus, don’t you know her temperament? _Lib._ Tu primus sentis, nos tamen in pretio sumus. (_with certainty_) You feel it first, sir, but we get plenty of it. _Dem._ Fateor eam esse importunam atque incommodam. (_awkwardly_) I confess that she is ... high-handed and ... hard to get along with. _Lib._ Posterius istuc dicis quam credo tibi. I believe that before you speak a word, sir. _Dem._ Omnes parentes, Libane, liberis suis qui mi auscultabunt, facient obsequellam[3] quippe qui mage amico utantur gnato et benevolo. atque ego me id facere studeo, volo amari a meis; (_with an air of profound moral conviction_) Libanus, all parents who take my advice will be a bit indulgent to their children, seeing it makes a son more friendly and affectionate. Yes, and I am anxious to be so myself. I wish to be loved by my own flesh and blood; volo me patris mei similem, qui causa mea nauclerico ipse ornatu per fallaciam quam amabam abduxit ab lenone mulierem; 70 neque puduit eum id aetatis sycophantias struere et beneficiis me emere gnatum suom sibi. eos me decretumst persequi mores patris. I wish to model myself on my own father who dressed up as a shipmaster for my sake and swindled a slave-dealer out of a girl I was in love with. He felt no shame at going in for hocus-pocus at his time of life, and buying his son’s affection, mine, by his kindnesses. These methods of my father’s I have resolved to follow out myself. nam me hodie oravit Argyrippus filius, uti sibi amanti facerem argenti copiam; et id ego percupio obsequi gnato meo.[4] (76) quamquam illum mater arte contenteque habet, (78) patres ut consueverunt: ego mitto omnia haec. Well now, this very day my boy Argyrippus begged me to supply him with some money, saying he was in love: and I heartily desire to oblige the dear lad. No matter if his mother does keep a firm, tight rein on him and play the ordinary father’s part, none of that for me. praesertim quom is me dignum quoi concrederet 80 habuit, me habere honorem eius ingenio decet; quom me adiit, ut pudentem gnatum acquomst patrem, cupio esse amicae quod det argentum suae.