o ted atque ab egestate abstuli;
solus si ductem, referre gratiam numquam potes.

I, and I alone, am the man that rescued you from loneliness
and destitution; even if I should take the girl for myself
alone, you'd still be in my debt.

_Cle._

Solus ductato, si semper solus quae poscam dabis;
semper tibi promissum habeto hac lege, dum superes datis.

Take her for yourself alone, if you alone will always
give me what I demand. You can always be sure of her--on
condition your presents are the biggest.

_Argyr._

Qui modus dandi? nam numquam tu quidem expleri potes;
modo quom accepisti, haud multo post aliquid quod poscas paras.

And what end to the presents? Why, you can never be sated.
Now you get something, and a minute later you're devising
some new demand.

_Cle._

Quid modist ductando, amando? numquamne expleri potes?
modo remisisti, continuo iam ut remittam ad te rogas. 170

And what end to the taking her, to the lovey-doveying? Can
you never be sated? Now you have sent her back to me, and
the next instant you're crying for me to send her back to
you.

_Argyr._

Dedi equidem quod mecum egisti.

Well, I paid you what we agreed on.

_Cle._

Et tibi ego misi mulierem:
par pari datum hostimentumst, opera pro pecunia.

And I let you have the girl: my policy has been fair give
and take--services rendered for cash.

_Argyr._

Male agis mecum.

You're using me shamefully.

_Cle._

Quid me accusas, si facio officium meum?
nam neque fictum usquamst neque pictum neque scriptum in poematis
ubi lena bene agat cum quiquam amante, quae frugi esse volt.

Why find fault with me for doing my plain duty? Why, nowhere
in stone, paint, or poem is a lady in my line portrayed as
using any lover well--if she wants to get on.

_Argyr._

Mihi quidem te parcere aequomst tandem, ut tibi durem diu.

(_appealingly_) You really ought to use me sparingly,
though, so that I may last you a long time.

_Cle._

Non tu scis? quae amanti parcet, eadem sibi parcet parum.
quasi piscis, itidemst amator lenae: nequam est, nisi recens;
is habet sucum, is suavitatem, eum quo vis pacto condias
vel patinarium vel assum, verses quo pacto lubet: 180
is dare volt, is se aliquid posci, nam ibi de pleno promitur;

(_coolly_