Aetoli cum Aleis;
nam Aetolia haec est, illic est captus in Alide,
Philopolemus, huius Hegionis filius
senis, qui hie habitat, quae aedes lamentariae
mihi sunt, quas quotienscumque conspicio fleo;

For after my patron fell in with the enemy--the Aetolians,
you see, are at war now with the Eleans; this is Aetolia,
you understand, and it's there in Elis that Philopolemus
is a captive, Philopolemus being the son of Hegio here, the
old gentleman that lives in (_pointing_) that house (and a
lamentatious house it is! every time I look at it, it makes
me weep!)

nunc hic occepit quaestum hunc fili gratia
inhonestum et maxime alienum ingenio suo:
homines captives commercatur, si queat 100
aliquem invenire, suom qui mutet filium.
quod quidem ego nimis quam cupio[4] ut impetret:
nam ni illum recipit, nihil est quo me recipiam.

--well, now Hegio has taken up his present business, all for
his son's sake, ungentlemanly business as it is, and quite
beneath a man of his type. He's buying up prisoners of war,
to see if he can't come across one to exchange for his boy.
And Lord! how I do yearn for him to succeed! You see, it's
a matter of his coming home, or my going hungry.

nam nulla est spes iuventutis, sese omnis amant;
ille demum antiquis est adulescens moribus,
cuius numquam voltum tranquillavi gratiis.
condigne pater est eius moratus moribus.
nunc ad eum pergam. sed aperitur ostium,
unde saturitate saepe ego exii ebrius.

For our young fellows are absolutely unpromising--egoists,
the whole lot of 'em! But he is a young gentleman of the old
school, that lad: I never smoothed the wrinkles out of his
brow without getting more than a thankye for it. His father
is just such another perfect gentleman. Now for a call on
him. (_moves toward Hegio's house_) But there goes his door,
out of which I've often come so full of food I was fairly
tipsy. (_withdraws_)

I. 2.

Scene 2.

ENTER _Hegio_ WITH _Slave Overseer_.

_Hegio_

Advorte animum sis tu: istos captives duos, 110
heri quos emi de praeda a quaestoribus,
eis indito catenas singularias
istas, maiores, quibus sunt iuncti, demito;

Attention, please, my man. Those two captives that I bought
yesterday from the commissioners in charge