Qua me, qua uxorem, qua tu servom Sauream
potes, circumduce, aufer; promitto tibi
non offuturum, si id hodie effeceris.
Well, me, or my
wife, or servant Saurea—do your best,
swindle us, rook
us, I promise you your interests won’t
suffer, if you
accomplish this to-day.
Lib.
Iubeas una opera me piscari in aere,
venari autem rete iaculo in medio mari.[5]
100
You might as well
order me to go a-fishing in the air, yes,
and to take my
casting net and do some deep sea—hunting.
Dem.
Tibi optionem sumito Leonidam, fabricare quidvis, quidvis comminiscere: perficito, argentum hodie ut habeat filius, amicae quod det.
Have Leonida for
your adjutant: manufacture something,
devise something—anything:
see you get the money to-day
for my son to
give his girl.
Lib.
Quid ais tu, Demaenete?
Look here.
Dem.
Quid vis?
Well?
Lib.
Si forte in insidias devenero,
tun redimes me, si me hostes interceperint?
Suppose I happen
to fall into an ambuscade, ransom me, will
you, if I’m
intercepted by the enemy?
Dem.
Redimam.
I will.
Lib.
Tum tu igitur aliud cura quid lubet.
ego eo ad forum, nisi quid vis.
(after a pause,
airily) Well then, in that case you
may dismiss the
matter from your mind. I’m off to the forum,
unless you want
me further.
Dem.
Ei, bene ambula.
atque audin etiam?
Go ahead!
A pleasant stroll to you! (Libanus walks away)
And I say,—listening
still, are you?
Lib.
Ecce.
(pertly, without turning) Behold me!
Dem.
Si quid te volam,
ubi eris?
If I want you for anything, where will you be?
Lib.
Ubicumque libitum erit animo meo 110 profecto nemo est quem iam dehinc metuam mihi ne quid nocere possit, cum tu mihi tua oratione omnem animum ostendisti tuom quin te quoque ipsum facio haud magni, si hoc patro. pergam quo occepi atque ibi consilia exordiar.
Precisely where it pleases my fancy. (half aside) I tell you what, from now on I won’t be scared of a man alive, for fear he can do me any harm, after your showing me all the secrets of your soul. Why, you won’t count for much with me your own self, either, if I carry this through. (setting off again) I’ll go along to where I was bound and lay my plans there.
Dem.
Audin tu? apud Archibulum ego ero argentarium.