Enter MICIO, from his house. MICIO speaking to GETA, within. Does my brother order it? Where is he? To DEMEA. Is this your order, Demea? DEMEA Certainly, I do order it, and in this matter, and in every thing else, wish especially to make this family one with ourselves, to oblige, serve, and unite them.
 AESCHINUS Father, pray let it be so. MICIO I do not oppose it. DEMEA On the contrary, i' faith, it is what we ought to do: in the first place, she is the mother of his wife pointing to AESCHINUS . MICIO She is. What then? DEMEA An honest and respectable woman. MICIO So they say. DEMEA Advanced in years. MICIO I am aware of it. DEMEA Through her years, she is long past child-bearing; there is no one to take care of her; she is a lone woman. MICIO aside. What can be his meaning ? DEMEA It is right you should marry her; and that you, Aeschinus, should use your endeavors to effect it. MICIO I, marry her, indeed ? DEMEA You. MICIO I? DEMEA You, I say. MICIO You are trifling ! DEMEA Aeschinus, if you are a man, he'll do it AESCHINUS My dear father— MICIO What, ass! do you attend to him? DEMEA 'T is all in vain; it can not be otherwise. MICIO You are mad! AESCHINUS Do let me prevail on you, my father. MICIO Are you out of your senses? Take yourself off. 
 Take yourself off : Aeschinus, probably, in his earnestness, has seized hold of him with his hand, which Micio now pushes away. 
 DEMEA Come, do oblige your son. MICIO Are you quite in your right mind? Am I, in my five-and-sixtieth year, to be marrying at last? A decrepit old woman too ? Do you advise me to do this? AESCHINUS Do; I have promised it. 
 I have promised it : This is not the truth; the notion has only been started since he last saw them. 
 MICIO Promised, indeed; be generous at your own cost, young man. DEMEA Come, what if he should ask a still greater favor ?
 MICIO As if this was not the greatest ! DEMEA Do comply. AESCHINUS Don't make any difficulty. DEMEA Do promise. MICIO Will you not have done? AESCHINUS Not until I have prevailed upon you. MICIO Really, this is downright force. 
 Really, this is downright force : " Vis est haec quidem ." The same expression occurs in the Captivi of Plautus, l. 755 . The expression seemed to be a common one with the Romans. According to Suetonius, Julius Caesar used it when attacked by his murderers in the senate-house. On Tullius Cimber seizing hold of his garments, he exclaimed, Ita quidem vis est! (82.1) —" Why, really, this is violence !" 
 DEMEA Act with heartiness, Micio. MICIO Although this seems to me 
 This seems to me : Donatus informs us that in Menander's Play, the old man did not make any resistance whatever to the match thus patched up for him. Colman has the following observation on this fact: "It is surprising that none of the critics on this passage. have taken notice of this observation of Donatus, especially as our loss of Menander makes it rather curious. It is plain that Terence in the plan of his last Act followed Menander; but though he has adopted the absurdity of marrying Micio to the old lady, yet we learn from Donatus that his judgment rather revolted at this circumstance, and he improved on his original by making Micio express a repugnance to such a match, which it seems he did not in the Play of Menander." to be wrong, foolish, absurd, and repugnant to my mode of life, yet, if you so strongly wish it, be it so. AESCHINUS You act obligingly. DEMEA With reason I love you; but— MICIO What ? DEMEA I will tell you, when my wish has been complied with. MICIO What now ? What remains to be done? DEMEA Hegio here is their nearest relation; he is a connection of ours and poor; we ought to do some good for him. MICIO Do what? DEMEA There is a little farm here in the suburbs, which you let out; let us give it him to live upon. MICIO But is it a little one ? DEMEA If it were a large one, still it ought to be done; he has been as it were a father to her; he is a worthy man, and connected with us; it would be properly bestowed. In fine, I now adopt that proverb which you, Micio, a short time ago repeated with sense and wisdom—it is the common vice of all, in old age, to be too intent upon our own interests. This stain we ought to avoid: it is a true maxim, and ought to be observed in deed. MICIO What am I to say to this? Well then, as he desires it pointing to AESCHINUS , it shall be given him. AESCHINUS My father! DEMEA Now, Micio, you are indeed my brother, both in spirit and in body. MICIO I am glad of it. DEMEA aside. I foil him at his own weapon. 
 At his own weapon : He probably means, by aping the kind feeling which is a part of Micio's character. 
 Enter SYRUS, from the house. SYRUS It has been done as you ordered, Demea. DEMEA You are a worthy fellow. Upon my faith,—in my opinion, at least,—I think Syrus ought at once to be made free. MICIO He free! For what reason? DEMEA For many. SYRUS O my dear Demea! upon my word, you are a worthy man! I have strictly taken care of both these sons of yours, from childhood; I have taught, advised, and carefully instructed them in every thing I could. DEMEA The thing is evident; and then, besides all this, to cater for them, secretly bring, home a wench, prepare a morning entertainment; 
 A morning entertainment : A banquet in the early part or middle of the day was considered by the Greeks a debauch. these are the accomplishments of no ordinary person. SYRUS O, what a delightful man ! DEMEA Last of all, he assisted to-day in purchasing this Music-wench—he had the management of it; it is right he should be rewarded; other servants will be encouraged thereby: besides, he pointing to AESCHINUS desires it to be so.
 MICIO to AESCHINUS. Do you desire this to be done? AESCHINUS I do wish it. MICIO Why then, if you desire it, just come hither, Syrus, to me performing the ceremony of manumission ; be a free man. 
 Be a free man : He touches Syrus on the ear, and makes him free. The same occurs in the Epidicus of Plautus, Act V., Sc. 2, 1. 65. 
 SYRUS You act generously; I return my thanks to you all;—and to you, Demea, in particular. DEMEA I congratulate you. AESCHINUS And I. SYRUS I believe you. I wish that this joy were made complete—that I could see my wife, Phrygia , 
 My wife, Phrygia 
 : The so-called marriage, or rather cohabitation, of the Roman slaves will be found treated upon in the Notes to Plautus. Syrus calls Phrygia his wife on anticipation that she will become a free woman. free as well. DEMEA Really, a most excellent woman. SYRUS And the first to suckle your grandchild, his son, today pointing to AESCHINUS . DEMEA Why really, in seriousness, if she was the first to do so, there is no doubt she ought to be made free. MICIO What, for doing that? DEMEA For doing that; in fine, receive the amount from me 
 Receive the amount from me : The only sign of generosity he has yet shown. at which she is valued. SYRUS May all the Gods always grant you, Demea, all you desire. MICIO Syrus, you have thrived pretty well to-day. DEMEA If, in addition, Micio, you will do your duty, and lend him a little ready money in hand for present use, he will soon repay you. MICIO Less than this snapping his fingers . AESCHINUS He is a deserving fellow. SYRUS Upon my word, I will repay it; only lend it me. AESCHINUS Do, father. MICIO I'll consider of it afterward. DEMEA He'll do it, Syrus. SYRUS O most worthy man ! AESCHINUS O most kind-hearted father!
 MICIO How is this? What has so suddenly changed your disposition, Demea? What caprice is this? What means this sudden liberality? 
 This sudden liberality : " Quid prolubium? Quae istaec subita est largitas? " Madame Dacier tells us that this passage was borrowed from Coeilius, the Comic Poet. 
 DEMEA I will tell you:—That I may convince you of this, Micio, that the fact that they consider you an easy and kind-hearted man, does not proceed from your real life, nor, indeed, from a regard for virtue and justice; but from your humoring, indulging, and pampering them. Now therefore, Aeschinus, if my mode of life has been displeasing to you, because I do not quite humor you in every thing, just or unjust, I have done: squander, buy, do what you please. But if you would rather have one to reprove and correct those faults, the results of which, by reason of your youth, you can not see, which you pursue too ardently, and are thoughtless upon, and in due season to direct you; behold me ready to do it for you. AESCHINUS Father, we leave it to you; you best know what ought to be done. But what is to be done about my brother? DEMEA I consent. Let him have his mistress: 
 Let him have his mistress : It must be remembered that he has the notions of a Greek parent, and sees no such criminality in this sanction as a parent would be sensible of at the present day. with her let him make an end of his follies. MICIO That's right. To the AUDIENCE. Grant us your applause.