(appealingly) You really ought to use me sparingly,
      though, so that I may last you a long time.

Cle.

Non tu scis? quae amanti parcet, eadem sibi parcet parum. quasi piscis, itidemst amator lenae:  nequam est, nisi recens; is habet sucum, is suavitatem, eum quo vis pacto condias vel patinarium vel assum, verses quo pacto lubet:  180 is dare volt, is se aliquid posci, nam ibi de pleno promitur;

(coolly) You miss the point?  The lady that spares her lover spares herself too little.  Lovers are the same as fish to us—­no good unless they’re fresh.  Your fresh ones are juicy and sweet; you can season them to taste in a stew, bake them, and turn them every way.  Your fresh one wants to give you things, wants to be asked for something:  in his case it all comes from a full cupboard, you see;

neque ille scit quid det, quid damni faciat:  illi rei studet, volt placere sese amicae, volt mihi, volt pedisequae, volt famulis, volt etiam ancillis; et quoque catulo meo subblanditur novos amator, se ut quom videat gaudeat. vera dico:  ad suom quemque hominem quaestum esse aequomst callidum.

and he has no idea what he’s giving, what it costs him.  This is his only thought:  he wants to please, please his girl, please me, please the waiting-woman, please the men servants, please the maid servants, too:  yes, the new lover makes up to my little dog, even, so that he may be glad to see him.  This is the plain truth:  every one ought to keep a sharp eye for the main chance.

Argyr.

  Perdidici istaec esse vera damno cum magno meo.

      I have thoroughly learned the truth of that, and a pretty
      penny it’s cost me.

Cle.

  Si ecastor nunc habeas quod des, alia verba praehibeas;
  nunc quia nihil habes, maledictis te eam ductare postulas.

      Tut, tut!  If you had anything left to give us, your language
      would be different; now that you have nothing, you expect to
      get her by abuse.

Argyr.

  Non meum est.

      That’s not my way.

Cle.

Nec meum quidem edepol, ad te ut mittam gratiis. 190 verum aetatis atque honoris gratia hoc fiet tui, quia nobis lucro fuisti potius quam decori tibi:  si mihi dantur duo talenta argenti numerata in manum, hanc tibi noctem honoris causa gratiis dono dabo.

Nor mine, sir, to let you have her gratis—­mercy, no!  But, considering your youth and our high regard for you, this shall be done, seeing you have been more of an income to us than a credit to yourself:  just hand me over (casually) four hundred pounds in cash and you shall have this evening with her, in token of said high regard, as a free gift from me.

Argyr.