adesset! Ego quidem nōn intellegō quō modō hōs[1] mēnsēs eō carēre[2] possīmus.”
“Bonō es animō,” inquit māter, “et scītō[3] patrem, quam prīmum potuerit, ad nōs reditūrum esse.”
Tum Pūblius, ut ad rēs aliās mentēs līberōrum āverteret: “Vōbīsne nōtum est,” inquit, “urbem, ad quam properāmus, patriam esse illīus Plīnī, quī litterās[4] dē monte Vesuviō scrīpserit?”
“Id numquam audīvī,” inquit Sextus. “Dē eius factīs amplius, sīs.”
“Plīnius erat vir urbānus,” inquit Pūblius, “hūmānitātī ac litterīs dēditus. Ōlim amīcō suō Tacitō scrīpsit sē nūper īsse vēnātum aprōsque[5] trēs cēpisse. Quōque mīrābilior rēs esse videātur, commemorat sē nec vēnābulum nec lanceam portāsse, sed manū tenuisse stilum et pugillārēs. Dum autem ad rētia[6] sedet, ecce trēs aprī in plagās[7] incurrunt!”[8]
“Hahahae!” inquit Cornēlia. “Vēnātiōnem sānē facilem!”
“Ipse, ut suspicor,” inquit Pūblius, “litterīs magis quam vēnātiōnī studēbat.[9] Dīcit saltem sē prō lanceā stilum attulisse, ut, sī manūs vacuās, plēnōs tamen pugillārēs domum reportāret. Addit quoque animum mīrābiliter mōtū corporis excitārī, ac silvās et sōlitūdinem[10] vēnātiōnī datam[11] magna cōgitātiōnis incitāmenta[12] esse. Quārē adfirmat nōn Diānam magis in montibus quam Minervam errāre.”
“Hoc haud intellegō,” inquit Cornēlia. “Cēnsēbatne hodiē deās ipsās in montibus vagārī?”
“Nūllō modō,” inquit māter. “Diāna vēnātiōnī studet, Minerva autem artium litterārumque est cultrīx.[13] Plīnius igitur
- ↑ hōs, these (coming).
- ↑ carēre, get along without.
- ↑ scītō: fut., as regularly with this verb.
- ↑ litterīs, literature.
- ↑ aper, -prī, m., boar.
- ↑ rēte, -is, n., net.
- ↑ plagae, -ārum, f., trap.
- ↑ incurrō, -currere, -currī or -cucurrī, -cursum, intr., run (into).
- ↑ studēbat, had an eye (to).
- ↑ sōlitūdō, -inis, f., isolation.
- ↑ datam: i.e., incidental to.
- ↑ incitāmentum, -ī, n., encouragement.
- ↑ cultrīx, -īcis, f., patroness.
