SAN. Why, is it I that have been raving, or you against me? ÆSCH. Leave alone {all} that, and come to the point. SAN. What point? Where am I to come to? ÆSCH. Are you willing now that I should say something that concerns you? SAN. With all my heart, only so it be something that’s fair. ÆSCH. Very fine! a Procurer wishing me not to say what’s unfair. SAN. I am a Procurer,[33] I confess it-- the common bane of youth-- a perjurer, a {public} nuisance; still, no injury has befallen you from me. ÆSCH. Why, faith, that remains to come---- SAN. Pray, Æschinus, do come back to the point at which you set out. ÆSCH. You bought her for twenty minæ; and may your bargain never thrive! That sum shall be given {for her}. SAN. What if I don’t choose to sell her to you? Will you compel me? ÆSCH. By no means. SAN. I was afraid you would. ÆSCH. Neither do I think that a woman can be sold who is free; for I claim her by action of freedom.[34] Now consider which you choose; take the money, or prepare yourself for the action. Think of it, Procurer, till I return.[35] (_He goes into the house of MICIO._) SCENE II. _SANNIO alone._ SAN. (_to himself._) O supreme Jupiter! I do by no means wonder that men run mad through ill usage. He has dragged me out of my house, beaten me, taken my {property} away against my will, {and} has given me, unfortunate wretch, more than five hundred blows. In return for all this ill usage he demands {the girl} to be made over to him for just the same price at which she was bought. But however, since he has {so well} deserved {of me}, be it so: he demands what is his due. Very well, I consent then, provided he only gives the money. But I suspect this; when I have said that I will sell her for so much, he’ll be getting witnesses forthwith that I have sold her.[36] As to getting the money, it’s all a dream. {Call again} by and by; come back to-morrow. I could bear with that too, hard as it is, if he would only pay it. But I consider this to be the fact; when you take up this trade, you must brook and bear in silence the affronts of {these} young fellows. However, no one will pay me; it’s in vain for me to be reckoning upon that. SCENE III. _Enter SYRUS, from the house of MICIO._ SYR. (_speaking to ÆSCHINUS within._) Say no more; I myself will arrange with him; I’ll make him glad to take the money at once, and say besides that he has been fairly dealt with. (_Addressing SANNIO._) Sannio, how is this, that I hear you have been having some dispute or other with my master? SAN. I never saw a dispute on more unequal terms[37] than the one that has happened to-day between us; I, with being thumped, he, with beating me, were both of us quite tired. SYR. Your own fault. SAN. What could I do? SYR. You ought to have yielded to the young man. SAN. How could I more so, when to-day I have even afforded my face to his blows?