Saurea, for my sake, I entreat you, do let him go. LEONIDA Hark you! has any one paid for the carriage of that olive oil? LIBANUS He has paid. LEONIDA To whom was it given? LIBANUS To Stichus himself, your deputy. LEONIDA Tut! you’re trying to mollify me Trying to mollify me : Inasmuch as he pretends to be jealous of Stichus enjoying the favour of the pretended Saurea, and being appointed his vicarius, or deputy, in preference to himself. . I know that he is my deputy, and that there isn’t a servant in the house who is more valuable to his master than he is. But the wines that I sold yesterday to Exaerambus, the wine merchant, has he yet paid Stichus for them? LIBANUS I think he has, in full; for I saw Exaerambus himself bringing hither his banker. LEONIDA On such terms would I always deal Would I always deal : Sic dedero. Camerarius and Lambinus give these words a rather far-fetched meaning, and think that they signify, I had rather give away my commodities, than sell them and be so ill- paid. ; before, what I’ve trusted, I’ve hardly been paid within a year after. Now he’s quite in a hurry; even of his own accord he brings him to the house, and writes a transfer of the money Writes a transfer of the money : Scribere nummos seems here to have the usual meaning of rescribere nummos, to transfer or set down money to the account of another person in one’s banker’s books. . Has Dromo paid down the wages agreed upon? LIBANUS Less than half, I think. LEONIDA What about the remainder? LIBANUS He said that he would pay it directly it was paid Directly it was paid : It was the custom with the owners of slaves to let out their services for a specified sum. He pretends that Dromo is a slave that has been let out by him for a job, and enquires whether the money is paid on which he is told, that he has only been paid half, inasmuch as the job is not yet finished, and that the other half is retained until he has completed it. to him; for it was retained until he had finished the work that was agreed on to be done by him. LEONIDA The cups that I lent to Philodamus, has he brought them back? LIBANUS Not yet. LEONIDA What, not yet? If you wish to make a present Wish to make a present : At the suggestion of Gronovius, dare is read, in this line, with a comma after it, instead of da, the usual reading. In the latter case the passage would read, — if you choose, do a service for a friend, which certainly has not the point of the other version. , lend to a person that is a friend— THE ASS-DEALER (aside.) I’ faith, I’m quite undone; he’ll be just now driving me away with his ill-temper.