’Tis without reason I hug myself; Ascyltos, omnis iniuriae inventor, subduxit mihi nocte puerum et in lectum transtulit suum, volutatusque liberius cum fratre non suo, sive non sentiente iniuriam sive dissimulante, indormivit alienis amplexibus oblitus iuris humani.  Itaque ego ut experrectus pertrectavi gaudio despoliatum torum.  Si qua est amantibus fides, ego dubitavi, an utrumque traicerem gladio somnumque morti iungerem.  Tutius dein secutus consilium Gitona quidem verberibus excitavi, and looking as sternly as I cou’d upon Ascyltos, thus address’d my self:  “Since you’ve play’d the villain by your treachery, and breaking the common laws of friendship, pack up your matters quickly, and find another comrade to abuse.”

Ascyltos consented; and, after we had made an exact division of our booty; “Now,” says he, “let’s share the boy too”:  I believ’d it a jest at parting, but, he with a murderous resolution, drew his sword; “nor shall you,” added he, “think to ingross this prize, which should, like the rest, be common to us both.  I must have my share, or with this sword will be content to take it.”  Upon which, on the other side, having twisted my gown under my arm, I made advances to ingage.

The unhappy boy rush’d between, and kissing both our knees, with tears, entreated that we would not expose our selves in a pitiful alehouse, nor with our blood pollute the rites of so dear a friendship:  but, raising his voice, says he, “if there must be murder, behold my naked bosom, hither direct your fury:  ’Tis I deserve death, who violated the sacred laws of friendship.”

Upon which we sheath’d our swords; and first Ascyltos, “I’ll,” says he, “end the difference:  Let the boy himself follow the man he likes, that, in chusing a friend, at least, he may have an unquestion’d liberty.”

I, that presum’d so long an acquaintance, had made no slight impressions on his nature, was so far from fearing, that with an eager haste I accepted the proffer, and to the judge committed the dispute:  Gito, that he might not seem to consider, at my consent jump’d up, and chose Ascyltos.

I, like one thunderstruck, at the sentence, void of defence, fell upon the bed, and had not surviv’d the loss, if envy of my rival had not stopp’d my sword.

Ascyltos, proud of the conquest, goes off with the prize, leaving me expos’d in a strange place, that before he caress’d as a friend and sharer of his fortune: 

    ’Tis in the world, as in a game of chess;
    We serve our friends but where our profit is. 
    When fortune smiles, we’re yours, and yours alone;
    But when she frowns, the servile herd are gone. 
    So, in a play, they act with mimick art,
    Father, or son, or griping miser’s part: 
    But when at last the comic scenes are o’er,
    They quit the visards they assum’d before.