am sensible these things are trifling which
we do; but what is one to do? According as the man is, so must you
humor him. Do you wish any thing else?

DEM. That more wisdom may be granted you.

SYR. You will be going off into the country, {I suppose}?

DEM. Directly.

SYR. For what should you do here, where, if you do give any good
precepts, no one will regard them? (_Goes into MICIO'S house._)

SCENE V.

_DEMEA, alone._

DEM. (_to himself._) I certainly will be off, as he on whose account I
came hither has gone into the country. I have a care for him: that
alone is my own concern, since my brother will have it so; let him
look to the other himself. But who is it I see yonder at a distance?
Isn't it Hegio of our tribe?[52] If I see right, i'faith, it is he.
Ah, a man I have been friendly with from a child! Good Gods! we
certainly have a great dearth of citizens of that stamp nowadays, with
the old-fashioned virtue and honesty. Not in a hurry will any
misfortune accrue to the public from him. How glad I am to find some
remnants of this race even still remaining; now I feel some pleasure
in living. I'll wait here for him, to ask him how he is, and have some
conversation with him.

SCENE VI.

_Enter HEGIO and GETA, conversing, at a distance._

HEG. Oh immortal Gods! a disgraceful action, Geta! What is it you tell
me?

GETA. Such is the fact.

HEG. That so ignoble a deed should come from that family! Oh AEschinus,
assuredly you haven't taken after your father in that!

DEM. (_apart._) Why surely, he has heard this about the Music-girl;
that gives him concern, {though} a stranger; this father {of his}
thinks nothing of it. Ah me! I wish he were somewhere close at hand to
overhear this.

HEG. Unless they do as they ought to do, they shall not come off so
easily.

GETA. All our hopes, Hegio, are centred in you; you we have for {our}
only {friend}; you are our protector, our father. The old man,
{Simulus}, when dying, recommended us to you; if you forsake us, we
are undone.

HEG. Beware how you mention {that}; I neither will do it, nor do I
think thaat; with due regard to the ties of relationship, I could.

DEM. (_apart._) I'll accost him. (_Approaches HEGIO._) Hegio, I bid
you welcome right heartily.

HEG. (_starting._) Oh! I you are the very man I was looking for.
Greetings to you, Demea.

DEM. Why, what's the matter?

HEG. Your eldest son AEschinus, whom you gave to your brother to adopt,