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All parents, Libanus, who listen to me, will show indulgence to their children,
DEMAENETUS
inasmuch as they will find their sons more kindly disposed and more affectionate; and that do I desire to do myself. I wish to be loved by mine; I wish myself to be like my father, who, for my sake, himself in the disguise of a ship-master, carried off from a procurer a female with whom I was in love;
nor was he ashamed, at that time of life, to devise stratagems, and to purchase with good turns me, his son, for himself. These ways of my father have I resolved to imitate. For to-day my son Argyrippus has entreated me
to give him a supply of money for his amours; and I very much wish in that to oblige my son. I wish to forward his amours; I wish him to be fond of myself, his father. Although his mother keeps him strictly, and with a tight rein, as fathers have been in the habit of doing, all that I dismiss.
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Especially as he has deemed me deserving, for him to entrust it to ire, I ought to pay all due regard to his feelings. Inasmuch as he has applied to me, as it is right that a respectful son should do, I wish him to have some money for him to give to his mistress
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LIBANUS
You are desiring that which I find you are do siring to no purpose.
Your wife brought her servant Saurea with her on her marriageWith her on her marriage: Dotalem. The husband was master of the other slaves in the household; but the dotalis was under the sole control of the mistress. Aulus Gellius, in his Seventeenth Book, calls him servus recepticius, probably, either because it was his business to receive whatever was due to his mistress, or from his being received into the house in preference to all other slaves., who has more in his control than you have.
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DEMAENETUS
I received money with her, and for the portion I sold my authority. Now I’ll compress into a few words what I want of you; my son is now in need of twenty silver minae:
do you manage that it may be forthwith found for him.
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LIBANUS
From what place in the world?
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DEMAENETUS
Cheat me of them.
LIBANUS
You are talking downright nonsense. You are bidding me take the clothes from off a naked man. I, cheat you?—come now, fly you without wings, please. What, am I to cheat you who have nothing in your power for your own self?
Unless you have first cheated your wife out of something.
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DEMAENETUS
Impose upon or rob myself in any way you can, my wife in any way, my servant Saurea in any way. I promise you that it shall not prove to your detriment, if you effect it to-day.
LIBANUS
On the same principle you might bid me to fish in the air,
and to hunt with a javelin in the midst of the sea.
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DEMAENETUS
Take Leonida as your coadjutorYour coadjutor: Optio was originally the name of the lientenant, or adjutant, who was chosen by the centurion in the Roman armies to assist him in the discharge of his duties.; devise some plan or other, think of some expedient: bring it about that my son this day gets some money to give his mistress.
LIBANUS
What say you, Demaenetus
if the foe should intercept me, will you ransom me?
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DEMAENETUS
I will ransom you.
