as possible, if
they are going to let me have her, that I may get rid of the other, so
that I mayn't be in doubt; for the others have agreed to pay me down
the portion directly."

CHREM. Let him have her at once; let him give notice to them that he
breaks off the match {with the other, and} let him marry this woman.

DEM. Yes, {and} little joy to him of the bargain!

CHREM. Luckily, too, I've now brought {home} some money with me, the
rents which my wife's farms at Lemnos produce. I'll take it out of
that, {and} tell my wife that you had occasion for it. (_They go into
the house of CHREMES._)

SCENE IV.

_ANTIPHO and GETA._

ANT. (_coming forward._) Geta.

GETA. Well.

ANT. What have you been doing?

GETA. Diddling the old fellows out of their money.

ANT. Is that quite the thing?

GETA. I' faith, I don't know: it's just what I was told {to do}.

ANT. How now, whip-scoundrel, do you give me an answer to what I don't
ask you? (_Kicks him._)

GETA. What was it then that you did ask?

ANT. What was it I did ask? Through your agency, matters have most
undoubtedly come to the pass that I may go hang myself. May then all
the Gods, Goddesses, Deities above {and} below, with every evil
confound you! Look now, if you wish any thing to succeed, intrust it
to him who may bring you from smooth water on to a rock. What was
there less advantageous than to touch upon this sore, or to name my
wife? Hopes have been excited in my father that she may possibly be
got rid of. Pray now, tell me, suppose Phormio receives the portion,
she must be taken home {by him} as his wife: what's to become of me?

GETA. But he's not going to marry her.

ANT. I know that. But (_ironically_) when they demand the money back,
of course, for our sake, he'll prefer going to prison.

GETA. There is nothing, Antipho, but what it may be made worse by
being badly told: you leave out what is good, {and} you mention the
bad. Now then, hear the other side: if he receives the money, she must
be taken as his wife, you say; I grant you; still, some time at least
will be allowed for preparing for the nuptials, for inviting, {and}
for sacrificing. In the mean time, {Phaedria's} friends will advance
what they have promised; out of that he will repay it.

ANT. On what grounds? Or what will he say?

GETA. Do you ask the question? "How many circumstances, since then,
have befallen me as prodigies? A strange black dog[68] entered the
house; a sna