But honourable human beings—­the more closely connected you
      are with them, the better.  Come, come, accept my offer: 
      listen to what I say and promise her to me.

Eucl.

  At nihil est dotis quod dem.

      But not one penny of dowry can I give.

Mega.

  Ne duas.
  dum modo morata recte veniat, dotata est satis.

      Don’t.  Only let me have a girl that’s good, and she has
      dowry enough.

Eucl.

  Eo dico, ne me thensauros repperisse censeas. 240

      (forcing a laugh) I mention this just so that you mayn’t
      think I’ve found some treasure.

Mega.

  Novi, ne doceas. desponde.

      Yes, yes, I understand.  Promise.

Eucl.

  Fiat. sed pro Iuppiter,
  num ego disperii?

      So be it. (aside, starting at noise) Oh, my God!  Can it be
      I’m ruined, ruined?

Mega.

Quid tibi est?

What’s the matter?

Eucl.

Quid crepuit quasi ferrum modo?

That noise?  What was it—­a sort of clinking sound?
[EXIT INTO HOUSE HURRIEDLY.

Mega.

Hic apud me hortum confodere iussi. sed ubi hic est homo? abiit neque me certiorem fecit. fastidit mei, quia videt me suam amicitiam velle. more hominum facit; nam si opulentus it petitum pauperioris gratiam, pauper metuit congrediri, per metum male rem gerit. idem, quando occasio illaec periit, post sero cupit.

(not noticing his departure) I told them to do some digging in my garden here. (looking around) But where is the man?  Gone away and left me—­without a word!  Scorns me, now he sees I desire his friendship!  Quite the usual thing, that.  Yes, let a wealthy man try to get the regard of a poorer one, and the poor one is afraid to meet him half-way:  his timidity makes him injure his own interests.  Then when it’s too late and the opportunity is gone he longs to have it again.

      RE-ENTER Euclio.

Eucl.

  Si hercle ego te non elinguandam dedero usque ab radicibus, 250
  impero auctorque ego sum, ut tu me cuivis castrandum loces.

(to Staphyla within) By heaven, if I don’t have your tongue torn out by the very roots, I give you orders, give you full authority, to hand me over to anyone you please to be skinned alive. (approaches Megadorus)

Mega.

  Video hercle ego te me arbitrari, Euclio, hominem idoneum,
  quem senecta aetate ludos facias, haud merito meo.

      Upon my word, Euclio!  So you think I am the proper sort of
      man to make a fool of, at my time of life, and without the
      slightest reason.