That is a treasure hoarded in the tongues of fools, to deem it gainful to speak amiss to their superiors.LYCUSHe who knows not the road by which to arrive at the sea, him it befits to seek a river as his own companion. I know not the way of speaking abusively to you. Now you are the rivers to me; you I’m resolved to follow. If you speak blessings, along your banks I’ll follow you; if you utter curses, along your track I’ll go.ADVOCATITo do good to the bad is a danger just as great as to do bad to the good.LYCUSBut why? ADVOCATIYou shall learn. If you do any good to the bad, the benefit is lost: if you do any bad to the good, it lasts for a length of time.LYCUSCleverly said! But what does that matter to me?ADVOCATIBecause for the sake of your own well-doing we came hither, although in a very moderate degree do we entertain good wishes for procurers.LYCUSIf you bring anything that’s good, I give you thanks.ADVOCATIOf our own, we neither bring nor give you anything that’s good, nor do we promise you, nor, in fact, do we wish to give it.LYCUSI’ faith, I do believe yon; such is your kindly feeling. But what now do you wish?ADVOCATI(pointing to COLLYBISCUS)This person in the scarf, whom you see,with him Mars is angered.COLLYBISCUS(aside, to himself.)May he be so indeed with your own heads!ADVOCATIWe are now bringing him here, Lycus, to you, for tearing asunderFor tearing asunder: Ad diripiendum. This expression is purposely used, as being susceptible of a double meaning. It may either mean for you to plunder, or to plunder you. In the use of the word diripio, to tear to pieces, allusion is made to the wolfish name of Lycus..COLLYBISCUS(aside, to himself.)This huntsman, myself, will be going home to-day with some spoil; the dogs are cleverly driving Lycus into the toils.LYCUSWho is this person? ADVOCATIWe really don’t know who he is, except that some time since, after daybreak, when we went down to the harbour, at the same moment we saw him landing from a merchant-ship. Disembarking, he came up to us at once—he saluted us; we answered him.COLLYBISCUS(aside.)The artful fellows! how cleverly they do enter upon the plot!LYCUSWhat after that? ADVOCATIThen he joined in discourse with us: he said that he was a foreigner, unacquainted with this city: that he wanted a convenient place to be found here, for him to indulge his appetite. We brought the man to you; if the Gods are favourable to you, it’s an opportunity for you to ply your trade.LYCUSIs he eager to that degree?ADVOCATIHe has got gold. LYCUS(aside.)That booty is mine.ADVOCATIHe wishes to drink and wench.LYCUSI’ll find him a nice place.ADVOCATIBut still he wants to be quite private, in a quiet way, that no persons may know it, and that there may be no overlookers; for he has been a soldier in Sparta, as, indeed, he himself has told us, with King AttalusWith King Attalus: This is said merely for its absurdity; as Attalus was king, not of Sparta, but of Pergamus in Asia Minor;from there he fled hither, when the town was surrendered.