PLAUTUS
CURCULIO
[Translated by Christopher Stace, in Plautus, Rudens, Curculio, Casina,
Cambridge, UK, 1981.]
Lines 27-38
PALINURUS: If you're wise, sir, you'll always take care your love affairs
are respectable; then, if rumours get about, your reputation's none the
worse for it. Always make sure you can stand up and be counted as a man!
PHAEDROMUS: Eh? What do you mean by that?
PALINURUS: Watch your step in these love affairs - or you can lose
more than you bargained for! Hm!
PHAEDROMUS: But this place is run by a pimp!
PALINURUS: Oh well, in that case, if it's up for sale, no one's stopping
you from buying, if you've got the money. There's nothing to stop you walking
along a public highway - provided you don't trespass on private property
of course - 'wives, widows, virgins, young lads under age, and freeborn
children of both sexes.' Apart from that feel free!