meōs turbāre.’ Quō audītō, mīles, cum sē dērīdērī putāret, Archimēdem gladiō percussit.”
“Cāsum quam atrōcem!” inquit Sextus.
“Sīc omnibus vīsum est,” inquit pater; “et dux Rōmānus suīs dīligenter praecēperat, nē quis hominī tam doctō[1] nocēret, etsī ille māchinīs maximā sollertiā perfectīs[2] victōriae Rōmānōrum multum obstiterat. Sed iam ego et Pūblius abitūrī sumus, ut theātrum īnspiciāmus. Vīsne tū nobīscum īre?”
“Maximē vērō,” inquit Sextus. “Quam mox proficīscēmur?”
“Pūblium iam diū exspectō,” inquit Cornēlius; “atque opportūnē nunc accēdit. Adde gradum, Pūblī; abīre volō.”
“Invītus tibi in morā fuī,”[3] inquit Pūblius; “sed Stasimus iste scelestus coquum lūdificābat, et paulum āfuit[4] quīn sēriō[5] inter sē pugnārent. Abīrē nōluī priusquam omnia compōnerentur.”
“Rēctē fēcistī, mī fīlī,” inquit Cornēlius, “atque tē laudō. Sed nunc properandum est, ut hīc adsīmus, cum Onēsimus ē portū redībit.” Quae cum dicta essent, alacrēs profectī sunt.
Ad theātrum ubi perventum est, Pūblius et Sextus fundāmenta maxima et spectāculōrum amplitūdinem[6] satis mīrarī nōn potuērunt, et Sextus: “Vix mōtū terrae,” inquit, “mōlem tantam cēnseō commovērī posse.”
At pater: “Rēs certē ita sē habet. Sed alibī interdum subsellia tam temere īnstitūta sunt, ut magnā cum clāde spectātōrum corruerent. Velut[7] Fīdēnīs[8] amphitheātrum ligneum[9] īnstrūxit quīdam Atīlius, quī neque fundāmenta solida subdidit,[10] neque firmīs[11] nexibus[12] trabēs[13] coniūnxit; cumque multitūdō omnis generis eō convēnisset spectāculōque gladiātōrum intenta esset,
- ↑ doctus, -a, -um, adj., learned.
- ↑ perfectīs: modifier of māchinīs.
- ↑ tibi in morā fuī: i.e., caused you delay.
- ↑ paulum āfuit: cf. VII, 13.
- ↑ sēriō, adv,. in earnest.
- ↑ amplitūdō, -inis, f., extent.
- ↑ Velut, For example.
- ↑ Fīdēnis: loc. of Fidēnae.
- ↑ ligneus, -a, -um, adj., (made) of wood.
- ↑ subdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus, tr. put underneath.
- ↑ firmus, -a, -um, adj., strong.
- ↑ (nexus, -ūs), m, fastening, clamp.
- ↑ trabs, -bis, f., beam.
