DEM. ’Tis caused by our own fault, that it is advantageous to be dishonest; while we wish ourselves to be styled very honest and generous. “So run away as {not to run} beyond the house,”[75] as the saying is. Was it not enough to receive an injury from him, but money must be voluntarily offered him as well, that he may have something on which to subsist while he plans some other {piece} of roguery? GETA. Most clearly so. DEM. They now get rewarded for it, who confound right with wrong. GETA. Most undoubtedly. DEM. How very foolishly, in fact, we have managed the affair with him! GETA. If by these means we can only manage for him to marry her. DEM. Is that, then, a matter of doubt? GETA. I’ faith, judging from what the fellow is, I don’t know whether he mightn’t change his mind. DEM. How! change it indeed? GETA. I don’t know: but “if perhaps,” I say. DEM. I’ll do as my brother advised me, bring hither his wife, to talk with her. Do you, Geta, go before; tell her that Nausistrata is about to visit her. (_DEMIPHO goes into the house of CHREMES._) SCENE II. _GETA, alone._ GETA. The money’s been got for Phædria; it’s all hushed about the lawsuit; due care has been taken that she’s not to leave for the present. What next, then? What’s to be done? You are still sticking in the mud. You are paying by borrowing;[76] the evil that was at hand, has been put off for a day. The toils are increasing upon you, if you don’t look out. Now I’ll away home, and tell Phanium not to be afraid of Nausistrata, or his talking.[77] (_Goes into the house of DEMIPHO._) SCENE III. _Enter DEMIPHO and NAUSISTRATA, from the house of CHREMES._ DEM. Come now, Nausistrata, after your usual way, manage to keep her in good-humor with us, {and} make her do of her own accord what must be done. NAUS. I will. DEM. You are now seconding me with your endeavors, just as you assisted me with your money[78] before. NAUS. I wish to do so; and yet, i’ faith, through the fault of my husband, I am less able than I ought to be. DEM. Why so? NAUS. Because, i’ faith, he takes such indifferent care of the property that was so industriously acquired by my father; for from those farms he used regularly to receive two talents of silver {yearly}; there’s an instance, how superior one man is to another. DEM. Two {talents}, pray? NAUS. {Aye}, and when things were much worse, two talents even. DEM. Whew! NAUS. What! does this seem surprising? DEM. Of course it does. NAUS. I wish I had been born a man; I’d have shown---- DEM. That I’m quite sure of. NAUS. In what way---- DEM. Forbear, pray, that you may be able {to do battle} with her; lest she, {being} a young woman, may be more than a match for you. NAUS. I’ll do as you bid me; but I see my husband coming out of your house. SCENE IV. _Enter CHREMES, hastily, from DEMIPHO’S house._ CHREM. Ha! Demipho, has the money been paid him yet? DEM. I took care immediately.