Geta. Well, and his son Phædria?
Dav. As well as your own self.
Geta. It so happened to both the old gentlemen, just at the same period, that the one had to take a journey to Lemnos, and our old man to Cilicia, to see an old acquaintance; he tempted over the old man by letters, promising him all but mountains of gold.
Dav. To one who had so much property, that he had more than he could use?
Geta. Do have done; that is his way.
Dav. Oh, as for that, I really ought to have been a man of fortune.
Geta. When departing hence, both the old gentlemen left me as a sort of tutor to their sons.
Dav. Ah, Geta, you undertook a hard task there.
Geta. I came to experience it, I know that. I’m quite sure that I was forsaken by my good Genius, who must have been angry with me.[27] I began to oppose them at first; but what need of talking? As long as I was trusty to the old men, I was paid for it in my shoulder-blades. This, then, occurred to my mind: why, this is folly to kick against the spur.[28] I began to do every thing for them that they wished to be humored in.
Dav. You knew how to make your market.[29]