HEG. 'Tis just as you say; for if you do so, I'll be giving you to the
cage [4] But enough of prating; take you care of what I've ordered, and
be off. (_The_ SLAVE _goes into the house._) I'll away to my
brother's, to my other captives; I'll go see whether they've been making
any disturbance last night. From there I shall forthwith betake myself
home again.
ERG. (_apart_). It grieves me that this unhappy old man is
following the trade of a slave-dealer, by reason of the misfortune of
his son. But, if by any means he can be brought back here, I could even
endure for him to become an executioner.
HEG. (_overhearing him_). Who is it that's speaking?
ERG. 'Tis I, who am pining at your affliction, growing thin, waxing old,
and shockingly wasting away. Wretched man that I am, I'm _but_ skin
and bone through leanness; nor does anything ever do me good that I eat
at home; even that ever so little which I taste out of doors, the same
refreshes me.
HEG. Ergasilus, save you! ERG. (_crying_). May the Gods kindly
bless you, Hegio!
HEG. Don't weep. ERG. Must I not weep for him? Must I not weep for such
a young man?
HEG. I've always known you to be a friend to my son, and I have
understood him _to be so_ to you.
ERG. Then at last do we men know our blessings, when we have lost those
things which we _once_ had in our power. I, since your son fell
into the power of the enemy, knowing by experience of what value he was,
now feel his loss.
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