Publii Terentii Carthaginiensis Afris poëtae lepidissimi comoediae sex Anglo-Latinae in usum ludi-discipulorum, quo Feliciùs venustatem linguae Latinae ad sermonem quotidianum exercendum assequantur / a Carolo Hoole ... = Six comedies of that excellent poet Publius Terentius, an African of Carthage, in English and Latine : for the use of young scholars, that they may the more readily attain the purity of the Latine tongue for common discourse / by Charles Hoole ...

Act. I. Scen. I.

MITIO.

M.

STorax! Aeschinus is not come back again this night from supper, Nor any one of my servants which went to meet him? Indeed this is true that folks say if one be absent any where, Of if one linger anywhere, it were better that those things should fall out, [line 5] Which your wife speaks against you, or which she imagineth in her minde Being angry, then those things which tender parents conceit If you linger your w••fe thinks either that you love some bodie else, Or t•…•…t y••u are beloved of some bodie, or that you are tipling, or taking your pleas••re, And that you alone are in a good condition, when she is in an evil case. [line 10] What thoughts do run in my mind, because my son is not come •…•…home? With what things am I now troubled? fear be should be starved, Or fallen somewhere, or have broken some joyns of him. Ah, that any man should propose in his mind, no Provide what m••y be dearer then he is to himself! [line 15] But for all this he is none of my son, be is my brother's. He is quite Of another dispositi••n: now ever since I was a youth, I h••ve followed this quiet citizen's life, and my own ease, And ••hat which they account to be a happy thing, I never had a wife; he is as far on the other side, be follows all these, [line 20] To spend his time in the countrey, to keep himself alwayes Sparinglie and hardlie; he hath married a wife, he hath two sons Born him; thereupon I adopted this elder son to my self. I have brought him up of a little one, I have esteemed, and loved him as my own; I take pleasure in him, that thing is my only darling. [line 25] I do my utmost, that he also on the other side may account me as a father.

I give him (what he would have) I leave him to his liberty, I think it not necessary To do all things as I may my self. Lastly, what others do, Vnknown to their fathers, which youth prompteth, I have used my son, not to conceale them from me. [line 30] For he that shall use to lye or deceive his father, or Dare to do it, will so much the more dare to do it to others. I think it better to keep in children With bash fulness and freedom, then with fear. In these things my brother and I do not agree, nor do they please him. [line 35] He comes often bawling to me, What do you mean, Mitio? Why do you spoil us the young man? why is he in love? Why doth he tipple? why do you allow him expences in these things? You let him go too brave; you are too fond and foolish. He himself is too rigorous beyond all right and reason: [line 40] And he is far mistaken in my judgement truly, Who thinketh a government to be more setled and firm Which is maintained by force, then that which is gotten by good will. This is my opinion, and thus I am perswaded in my minde; He that doth his duty being constrained through smart, [line 45] Will so long take heed, as he thinks it will come to be known; If he hope it may be carried closely he returns to his old byass again. He whom you gain by a courtesie, doth what he doth heartily, He studieth to requite you; he will be all one, be he present or absent. This is a fatherly part, rather to accustom a son [line 50] To do well of his own accord, then for fear of another. Herein doth a father and a master differ. He that cannot do this, Let him confess he knoweth not how to command children. But is not this be himself of whom I was speaking? yea verily it is he. I know not why I see him so sad; I believe he will chide even now, [line 55] As he useth to do. O Demea, I am glad you are come in safety hither.