speaking to GETA, within. Does my brother order it? Where is he? To DEMEA. Is this your order, 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.

Father, pray let it be so.

I do not oppose it.

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.

She is. What then?

An honest and respectable woman.

So they say.

Advanced in years.

I am aware of it.

Through her years, she is long past child-bearing; there is no one to take care of her; she is a lone woman.

aside. What can be his meaning ?

It is right you should marry her; and that you, Aeschinus, should use your endeavors to effect it.

I, marry her, indeed ?

You.

I?

You, I say.

You are trifling !

Aeschinus, if you are a man, he'll do it

My dear father—

What, ass! do you attend to him?

'T is all in vain; it can not be otherwise.

You are mad!

Do let me prevail on you, my father.

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.

Come, do oblige your son.

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?

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.

Promised, indeed; be generous at your own cost, young man.

Come, what if he should ask a still greater favor ?

As if this was not the greatest !

Do comply.

Don't make any difficulty.

Do promise.

Will you not have done?

Not until I have prevailed upon you.

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 !"

Act with heartiness, 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.

You act obligingly.

With reason I love you; but—

What ?

I will tell you, when my wish has been complied with.

What now ? What remains to be done?

Hegio here is their nearest relation; he is a connection of ours and poor; we ought to do some good for him.

Do what?

There is a little farm here in the suburbs, which you let out; let us give it him to live upon.

But is it a little one ?

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.

What am I to say to this? Well then, as he desires it pointing to AESCHINUS, it shall be given him.

My father!

Now, Micio, you are indeed my brother, both in spirit and in body.

I am glad of it.

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.