You saw a young man become your neighbour; his fair complexion, his height and his countenance and eyes made an impression on you, you wished to see him oftener; you were sometimes seen in the same gardens with him; being a woman of high rank you are unable with all your riches to detain him, the son of a thrifty and parsimonious father: he kicks, he rejects you, he does not think your presents worth so much as you require of him. Try some one else. You have gardens on the Tiber, and you carefully made them in that particular spot to which all the youth of the city comes to bathe. From that spot you may every day pick out people to suit you. Why do you annoy this one man who scorns you?” [cap.16] [37]
I come now again to you, O Caelius, in your turn; and I take upon myself the authority and strictness of a father; but I doubt which father's character I shall select to assume. Shall I not the part of some one of Caecilius's[4] fathers, harsh and vehement?
“For now, in truth, at length my bosom glows,
My heart with passion rages;”
or that other father?—
“Oh thou unhappy, worthless son.”
Those are very hard-hearted fathers;
“What shall I say, what wishes dare I form,
When your base actions frustrate all my prayers;”