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Enter Micio, from his house.

Mic. (speaking to Geta, within.) Does my brother order it? Where is he? (To Demea.) Is this your order, Demea?

Dem. 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.

Æsch. Father, pray let it be so.

Mic. I do not oppose it.

Dem. 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 Æschinus).

Mic. She is. What then?

Dem. An honest and respectable woman.

Mic. So they say.

Dem. Advanced in years.

Mic. I am aware of it.

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

Mic. (aside.) What can be his meaning?

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

Mic. I, marry her, indeed?

Dem. You.

Mic. I?

Dem. You, I say.

Mic. You are trifling!

Dem. Æschinus, if you are a man, he’ll do it.

Æsch. My dear father——

Mic. What, ass! do you attend to him?

Dem. ’Tis all in vain; it can not be otherwise.

Mic. You are mad!

Æsch. Do let me prevail on you, my father.

Mic. Are you out of your senses? Take yourself off.94

Dem. Come, do oblige your son.

Mic. 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?

Æsch. Do; I have promised it.95

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

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

Mic. As if this was not the greatest!

Dem. Do comply.

Æsch. Don’t make any difficulty.

Dem. Do promise.

Mic. Will you not have done?

Æsch. Not until I have prevailed upon you.

Mic. Really, this is downright force.96

Dem. Act with heartiness, Micio.

Mic. Although this seems to me97 to be wrong, foolish, absurd, and repugnant to my mode of life, yet, if you so strongly wish it, be it so.

Æsch. You act obligingly.

Dem. With reason I love you; but——

Mic. What?

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

Mic. What now? What remains to be done?

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

Mic. Do what?

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

Mic. But is it a little one?

Dem. 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.

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

Æsch. My father!

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

Mic. I am glad of it.

Dem. (aside.) I foil him at his own weapon.98