I was in a position to be liberal, I felt indulgent.
"Lads," I cried, "everyone of the nine of you is as good a farmer as everyone of the other eight.

You are the nine best farmers in Sabinum.

You are such good farmers that you have put your farms in a state where your bailiffs can oversee the harvest as well as if under your own eyes.
Everyone of you has earned a visit to Rome and everyone of you shall have it, and not at some future time, which may never come, but now.

I start for Rome at daybreak and the whole nine of you shall go with me!" This unexpected liberality they heard in silence: they stood dumb and motionless.
All but Philargyrus.

Gesticulating, he pressed forward among them from where he had retired to the rear after my late rebuke.