Propemodum ubi loci fortunae tuae sint facile intellegis. si eris verax, tua ex re, facies ex mala meliusculam. recte et vera loquere, sed neque vere neque tu recte adhuc 960 fecisti umquam.

You have no difficulty in appreciating your position pretty fairly well.  Now be truthful, and you’ll be acting to your own advantage and make a bad prospect somewhat better.  Out with your story, make it straightforward and honest—­virtues you have never displayed hitherto, however.

Stal.

  Quod ego fatear, credin pudeat cum autumes?

      When I’m ready to admit a thing myself d’ye think I should
      be ashamed of it just because you say it’s so?

Hegio

  At ego faciam ut pudeat, nam in ruborem te totum dabo.

      I’ll make you ashamed, though:  (savagely) I tell you what,
      I’ll make one big blush of you.

Stal.

  Eia, credo ego imperito plagas minitaris mihi.
  tandem ista aufer ac dic quid fers, ut feras hinc quod petis.

(ironically) La!  La!  I’m promised a whipping, it seems, and I such a novice at it—­oh, yes I am!  Look here, get done with that talk and say what you’ve got to propose, so as to get what you’re after.

Hegio

  Satis facundu’s. sed iam fieri dicta compendi volo.

      Quite a gift of tongue, sir!  But oblige me by saving some of
      it for the moment.

Stal.

  Ut vis fiat.

      Anything you like.

Hegio

  Bene morigerus fuit puer, nunc non decet.
  hoc agamus. iam animum advorte ac mihi quae dicam edissere.[27] (967)

      (half aside) That compliance he showed as a boy hardly
      becomes him at present. (aloud) To business!  Now then,
      pay attention and answer me fully.

Stal.

  Nugae istaec sunt. non me censes scire quid dignus siem? (969)

      Rot!  Don’t you suppose I know what I deserve?

Hegio

  At ea subterfugere potis es pauca, si non omnia. 970

      Well, you have a chance to escape a little of it, if not all.

Stal.

  Pauca effugiam, scio; nam multa evenient, et merito meo,
  quia et fugi et tibi surripui filium et eum vendidi.

      Little enough I’ll escape, I know that; for there’ll be
      plenty coming, and it serves me right, seeing I ran away
      and kidnapped your son and sold him.

Hegio

  Cui homini?

      To whom?

Stal.

  Theodoromedi in Alide Polyplusio,
  sex minis.

      (drawling) Theodoromedes Goldfields, in Elis, for
      twenty-four pounds.

Hegio