he talks to the youngster in this strain:  (mimicking) “You’re father’s own boy so long as you can defend yourself against abuse.”  Then the tutor is summoned:  “Hey, you worthless old baggage, don’t you touch my boy merely for acting like a lad of spirit!” Judgment pronounced, the court adjourns.  Can a teacher exert authority here under such conditions, if he is beaten first himself?

Mnes.

  Acris postulatio haec est. cum huius dicta intellego,
  mira sunt ni Pistoclerus Lydum pugnis contudit. 450

      (aside) Here’s a warm protest!  Judging from his remarks,
      it’s a wonder if Pistoclerus hasn’t been punching Lydus’s
      head.

Lydus

  Sed quis hic est, quem astantem video ante ostium? o Philoxene,
  deos propitios me videre quam illum haud mavellem mihi.

(looking in the direction of Mnesilochus) But who is this I see standing in front of the door? (recognizing him) Ah, Philoxenus, that is a man whose support I should value no less than that of the gods!

Phil.

  Quis illic est?

      Who is it?

Lydus

  Mnesilochus, gnati tui sodalis.[15]
  haud consimili ingenio atque ille est qui in lupanari accubat.
  fortunatum Nicobulum, qui illum produxit sibi.

Mnesilochus, your son’s chum.  And a youth so, so different from the one lolling in that vile house! (pointing to Bacchis’s) Happy, happy Nicobulus to have brought up such a lad!

Phil.

  Salvos sis, Mnesiloche, salvom te advenire gaudeo.

      (stepping forward) How are you, Mnesilochus?  I’m glad to
      see you safely back.

Mnes.

  Di te ament, Philoxene.

      (heartily shaking hands) God bless you, Philoxenus!

Lydus

Hic enim rite productust patri:  in mare it, rem familiarem curat, custodit domum, obsequens oboediensque est mori atque imperiis patris. hic sodalis Pistoclero iam puer puero fuit; 460 triduom non interest aetatis uter maior siet:  verum ingenium plus triginta annis maiust quam alteri.

Ah, yes, here is a son to rejoice a father’s heart:  goes to sea, attends to family affairs, is the bulwark of the home, observes and obeys his father’s every wish and word.  He was Pistoclerus’s chum even when they were boys—­not three days’ difference between them so far as age is concerned, but this lad is more than thirty years his senior in native sense.

Phil.

  Cave malo et compesce in illum dicere iniuste.

      (angrily) Look out for yourself, and stop speaking about
      the lad unfairly!

Lydus

  Tace.
  stultus es qui illi male aegre patere dici qui facit.[16] (464)