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209
(Enter SYRUS, from the house of MICIO.)
(Enter SYRUS, from the house of MICIO.)
SYRUS
(speaking to AECHINUS 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?
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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?
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SANNIO
I never saw a dispute on more unequal terms
1
than the one that has happened to-day between us; I, with being thumped, he, with beating me, were both of us quite tired.
I never saw a dispute on more unequal terms
1
than the one that has happened to-day between us; I, with being thumped, he, with beating me, were both of us quite tired.
SYRUS
Your own fault.
Your own fault.
SANNIO
What could I do?
What could I do?
SYRUS
You ought to have yielded to the young man.
You ought to have yielded to the young man.
SANNIO
How could I more so, when to-day I have even afforded my face to his blows?
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How could I more so, when to-day I have even afforded my face to his blows?
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SYRUS
Well—are you aware of what I tell you? To slight money on some occasions is sometimes the surest gain.
What!—
2
were you afraid, you greatest simpleton alive, if you had parted with ever so little
3
of your right, and had humored the young man, that he would not repay you with interest?
Well—are you aware of what I tell you? To slight money on some occasions is sometimes the surest gain.
What!—
2
were you afraid, you greatest simpleton alive, if you had parted with ever so little
3
of your right, and had humored the young man, that he would not repay you with interest?
SANNIO
I do not pay ready money for hope.
I do not pay ready money for hope.
SYRUS
Then you’ll never make a fortune. Get out with you, Sannio; you don’t know how to take in mankind.
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Then you’ll never make a fortune. Get out with you, Sannio; you don’t know how to take in mankind.
220
SANNIO
I believe that to be the better plan—but I was never so cunning as not, whenever I was able to get it, to prefer getting ready money.
I believe that to be the better plan—but I was never so cunning as not, whenever I was able to get it, to prefer getting ready money.
SYRUS
Come, come, I know your spirit; as if twenty minae were any thing at all to you in comparison to obliging him; besides, they say that you are setting out for
Cyprus
—
Come, come, I know your spirit; as if twenty minae were any thing at all to you in comparison to obliging him; besides, they say that you are setting out for
Cyprus
—
SANNIO
(aside.) Hah!
(aside.) Hah!
SYRUS
That you have been buying up many things to take thither; and that the vessel is hired. This I know, your mind is in suspense; however, when you return thence, I hope you’ll settle the matter.
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That you have been buying up many things to take thither; and that the vessel is hired. This I know, your mind is in suspense; however, when you return thence, I hope you’ll settle the matter.
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SANNIO
Not a foot do stir: Heavens! I’m undone!
(Aside.) It was upon this hope they devised their project.
Not a foot do stir: Heavens! I’m undone!
(Aside.) It was upon this hope they devised their project.
SYRUS
(aside.)
He is alarmed. I’ve brought the fellow into a fix.
He is alarmed. I’ve brought the fellow into a fix.
SANNIO
(aside.)
If I don’t get there to the fair, my loss will, be very great. Then if I postpone this business, and settle it when I come back from there, it will be of no use; the matter will be quite forgotten.
Come at last? they’ll say.
Why did you delay it? Where have you been? So that I had better lose it altogether
than either stay here so long, or be suing for it then.
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If I don’t get there to the fair, my loss will, be very great. Then if I postpone this business, and settle it when I come back from there, it will be of no use; the matter will be quite forgotten.
Come at last? they’ll say.
Why did you delay it? Where have you been? So that I had better lose it altogether
than either stay here so long, or be suing for it then.
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SYRUS
Have you by this reckoned
6
up what you calculate will be your profits?
Have you by this reckoned
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up what you calculate will be your profits?
SANNIO
Is this honorable of him? Ought Aeschinus to attempt this? Ought he to endeavor to take her away from me by downright violence?
Is this honorable of him? Ought Aeschinus to attempt this? Ought he to endeavor to take her away from me by downright violence?
SYRUS
(aside.)
He gives ground.
(To SANNIO.) I have this one proposal to make; see if you fully approve of it.
Rather than you should run the risk, Sannio, of getting or losing the whole, halve it. He will manage to scrape together ten minae
7
from some quarter or other.
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He gives ground.
(To SANNIO.) I have this one proposal to make; see if you fully approve of it.
Rather than you should run the risk, Sannio, of getting or losing the whole, halve it. He will manage to scrape together ten minae
7
from some quarter or other.
240
SANNIO
Ah me! unfortunate wretch, I am now in danger of even losing part of the principal. Has he no shame? He has loosened all my teeth;
my head, too, is full of bumps with his cuffs; and would he defraud me as well? I shall go nowhere.
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Ah me! unfortunate wretch, I am now in danger of even losing part of the principal. Has he no shame? He has loosened all my teeth;
my head, too, is full of bumps with his cuffs; and would he defraud me as well? I shall go nowhere.
245
SYRUS
Just as you please. Have you any thing more to say before I go?
Just as you please. Have you any thing more to say before I go?
SANNIO
Why yes, Syrus, i’ faith, I have this to request. Whatever the matters that are past, rather than go to law, let what is my own be returned me; at least, Syrus, the sum she cost me.
I know that you have not hitherto made trial of my friendship; you will have no occasion to say that I am unmindful or ungrateful.
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Why yes, Syrus, i’ faith, I have this to request. Whatever the matters that are past, rather than go to law, let what is my own be returned me; at least, Syrus, the sum she cost me.
I know that you have not hitherto made trial of my friendship; you will have no occasion to say that I am unmindful or ungrateful.
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SYRUS
I’ll do the best I can. But I see Ctesipho; he’s in high spirits about his mistress.
I’ll do the best I can. But I see Ctesipho; he’s in high spirits about his mistress.
SANNIO
What about what I was asking you?
What about what I was asking you?
SYRUS
Stay a little.
Stay a little.
Adelphi. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). New York. 1874.
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