ely met; you are the very man I was looking
for.[24]

MIC. Why are you out of spirits?

DEM. Do you ask me, when we have {such a son as} AEschinus,[25] why I'm
out of spirits?

MIC. (_aside._) Did I not say it would be so? (_To DEMEA._) What has
he been doing?

DEM. What has he been doing? He, who is ashamed of nothing, and fears
no one, nor thinks that any law can control him. But I pass by what
has been previously done: what a thing he has just perpetrated!

MIC. Why, what is it?

DEM. He has broken open a door,[26] and forced his way into another
person's house, beaten to death the master himself, and all the
household, {and} carried off a wench whom he had a fancy for. All
people are exclaiming that it was a most disgraceful proceeding. How
many, Micio, told me of this as I was coming here? It is in every
body's mouth. In fine, if an example must be cited, does he not see
his brother giving his attention to business, {and} living frugally
and soberly in the country? No action of his {is} like this. When I
say this to him, Micio, I say it to you. You allow him to be
corrupted.

MIC. Never is there any thing more unreasonable than a man who wants
experience, who thinks nothing right except what he himself has done.

DEM. What is the meaning of that?

MIC. Because, Demea, you misjudge these matters. It is no heinous
crime, believe me, for a young man to intrigue or to drink; it is not;
nor yet for him to break open a door. If neither I nor you did so, it
was poverty that did not allow us to do {so}. Do you now claim that as
a merit to yourself, which you then did from necessity? That is
unfair; for if we had had the means to do so, we should have done {the
same}. And, if you were a man, you would now suffer that {other son}
of yours to act {thus} now, while his age will excuse it, rather than,
when he has got you, after long wishing it, out of the way, he should
still do {so}, at a future day, {and} at an age more unsuited.

DEM. O Jupiter! You, sir, are driving me to distraction. Is it not a
heinous thing for a young man to do these things?

MIC. Oh! do listen to me, and do not everlastingly din me upon this
subject. You gave me your son to adopt; he became mine; if he offends
in any thing, Demea, he offends against me: in that case I shall bear
the greater part {of the inconvenience}. Does he feast,[27] does he
drink, does he smell of perfumes,[28]-- it is at my cost. Does he
intrigue, money shall be f