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 Is nearly past : It is worthy of remark that this line is quoted by Cicero in his second Epistle to Brutus: Sed de hoc tu videris. De me possum dicere idem quod Plautinus pater in Trinummo, mihi quidem aetas acta ferme est. As for that matter, it is your concern. For my own part, I may say with the father in the Trinummus of Plautus, my life is nearly past ; this matter principally concerns your own. Keep on overlaying Keep on overlaying : Philto is most probably alluding to the metaphorical expression, sarta tecta, used just before by his son; and he tells him that the only way to keep rain from coming in at the roof (that is, to keep evil thoughts out of the mind) is to overlay one good deed with another, just as tile is laid upon tile. 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. LYSITELES For this reason, father, I have thought that since there is a certain thing that I wish for, I would request it of you. PHILTO What is it? I am already longing to give assent. LYSITELES 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. PHILTO From your own means, I suppose? LYSITELES From my own means—for what is yours is mine, and all mine is yours. PHILTO What is he doing? Is he in want? LYSITELES He is in want. PHILTO Had he property? LYSITELES He had. PHILTO How did he lose it? Was he connected with public business With public business : He means by this expression, has he been farming the taxes or the public lands? which of course would be a pursuit attended with considerable risk. , or with commercial matters? Had he merchandise or wares to sell, when he lost his property? LYSITELES None of these. PHILTO What then? LYSITELES I’ faith, my father, by his good-nature. Besides, to indulge his tastes, he wasted some part of it in luxury. PHILTO 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. LYSITELES ’Tis because he is without any bad disposition that I wish to relieve his wants. PHILTO 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. LYSITELES I am ashamed to desert him, and to deny him aid in his adversity. PHILTO I’ troth, shame is preferable to repentance by just as many letters By just as many letters : Commentators differ as to the meaning of this passage, which is somewhat obscure. Philto seems to say that shame before doing an unwise action is every way preferable to repentance after having done it; preferable, indeed, by each individual letter it is composed of, or, as we should say in common parlance, every inch of it. as it consists of. LYSITELES 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. PHILTO If from great wealth you subtract something, does it become more or less? LYSITELES Less, father. But do you know what is wont to be repeated to the niggardly citizen Niggardly citizen : Immunis means one that does not bear his share in the taxes and tribute of the state, or, in other words, pay his scot and lot. Hence, with an extended signification, it means one that will not out of his abundance assist the distress of others, and who is, consequently, a niggardly and covetous person. ? 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. PHILTO I know, indeed, that so it usually is: but, my son, he is the truly niggardly man Truly niggardly man : Philto here alludes to the primary meaning of the word immunis; and hints that it may be more properly applied to Lesbonicus, who has reduced himself to poverty by his extravagance, than to himself; inasmuch as he is now perforce immunis, not having wherewithal to pay the public dues and taxes. that has nought with which to pay his dues. LYSITELES 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. PHILTO 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. LYSITELES That of this young man Lesbonicus, the son of Charmides, who lives there. (He points to the house of CHARMIDES.) PHILTO Why, hasn’t he devoured both what he had, and what he had not What he had not : That is, by the dishonest expedient of running to debt for it. ?