Trinummus: The Three Pieces of Money (318-360b)

And do you reproach me, because you have acted aright? For yourself have you done so, not for me: my life, indeed, is nearly past[*]; this matter principally concerns your own.

Keep on overlaying[*] good deeds with other good deeds, that the rain may not come through. He is the upright man who is not content with it, however upright and however honest he may chance to be. He who readily gives satisfaction to himself, is not the upright man, nor is he really honest: he who thinks but meanly of himself, in him is there a tendency to well-doing.

For this reason, father, I have thought that since there is a certain thing that I wish for,

I would request it of you.

What is it? I am already longing to give assent.

A young man here, of noble family, my friend and years’ mate, who has managed his own affairs but heedlessly and unthinkingly—I wish, father, to do him a service, if you are not unwilling.

From your own means, I suppose?

From my own means—for what is yours is mine, and all mine is yours.

What is he doing? Is he in want?

He is in want.

Had he property?

He had.

How did he lose it? Was he connected with public business[*], or with commercial matters? Had he merchandise or wares to sell, when he lost his property?

None of these.

What then?

I’ faith, my father, by his good-nature. Besides, to indulge his tastes, he wasted some part of it in luxury.

By my troth now! a fellow spoken of boldly, and as on familiar terms;—one, indeed, who has never dissipated his fortune by any good means, and is now in want. I cannot brook that, with qualities of that description, he should be your friend.

’Tis because he is without any bad disposition that I wish to relieve his wants.

He deserves ill of a beggar who gives him what to eat or to drink;

for he both loses that which he gives and prolongs for the other a life of misery. I do not say this because I am unwilling and would not readily do what you desire; but when I apply these expressions to that same person, I am warning you beforehand, so to have compassion on others, that others may not have to pity you.

I am ashamed to desert him, and to deny him aid in his adversity.

I’ troth, shame is preferable to repentance by just as many letters[*] as it consists of.

In good sooth, father, by the care of the Gods, and of my forefathers, and your own, I may say that we possess much property, honestly obtained. If you do a service to a friend, it ought not to make you repent that you have done so; it ought rather to cause you shame if you do not do it.

If from great wealth you subtract something, does it become more or less?

Less, father. But do you know what is wont to be repeated to the niggardly citizen[*]? That which thou hast mayst thou not have, and mayst thou have that misfortune which thou hast not; since thou canst neither endure it to be enjoyed by thyself nor by another.

I know, indeed, that so it usually is: but, my son, he is the truly niggardly man[*] that has nought with which to pay his dues.

By the care of the Gods, we have, father, both enough for us to enjoy ourselves, and with which to do kind offices to kind-hearted men.

Troth, I am not able to refuse you anything that you; ask of me. Whose poverty do you wish to relieve? Speak out boldly to your father.

That of this young man Lesbonicus, the son of Charmides, who lives there.

Why, hasn’t he devoured both what he had, and what he had not[*]?