peregrīnīs, quī, cum Rōmam pervēnissent, quaerēbant civem, quī pollicitus erat sē eōs rēgiē[1] hospitiō acceptūrum, sī quandō in Ītaliam iter fēcissent?”
“Numquam, quod[2] sciam,” inquit mercātor. “Nonne vīs eam nārrāre?”
“Hic cīvis,” inquit Cornēlius, ‘ōlim ōtiōsus in forō ambulābat, cum subitō occurrērunt duo hospitēs, quōs splendidē invītāverat, cum ipse peregrīnārētur.[3] Quā rē homō prīmō conturbātus est; nam vērō[4] eī erat domus parva et rēs familiāris tenuis.
“Tum autem, callidē trepidātiōnem suam dissimulāns:[5] ‘Gaudeō,’ inquit, ‘vōs salvōs advēnisse; sed fēcissētis rēctius, sī statim ad mē vēnissētis.’ ‘Id fēcissēmus,’ inquiunt illī, ‘sī domum tuam nōvissēmus.’ ‘Hoc quidem perfacile est,’ inquit homō; ‘omnēs enim dēmōnstrāre possunt aedēs, ubi habitō. Sed īte mēcum.’
“Sequuntur illī, cum intereā[6] eius sermō omnis in ostentātiōne cōnsūmitur: in agrīs quaerit frūmenta[7] quō modō prōveniant, quasi omnia sua sint; queritur quod vīlla sua nūper incēnsa sit.
“Interim, dum tālia loquitur, forte animadvertit aedēs[8] cuiusdam cīvis locuplētis, ubi convīvae multī exspectābantur; cumque iānitōrī nōtus esset, hospitēs intrōdūxit, quibus: ‘Hīc,’ inquit, ‘habitō.’ Interim īnspicit argentum, quod erat expositum, triclīnium vīsit, omnia probat.
“Brevī autem accessit servus, quī hominī clārē dīxit dominum iam ventūrum, sī exīre vellent.[9] ‘Itane?’ inquit ille. Tum hospitibus: ‘Nunc eāmus; frāter enim ex Siciliā vēnit. Ego eī obviam eō; vōs autem hūc decimā hōrā redīte.’
- ↑ rēgiē, adv., royally.
- ↑ quod, so far as.
- ↑ peregrīnor, ārī, ātus sum, intr., be abroad.
- ↑ vērō, in fact.
- ↑ dissimulō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus, tr., conceal.
- ↑ intereā: i.e., interim.
- ↑ frūmenta, crops; trans. as subj. of ind. quest.
- ↑ aedēs, house. Contrast the meaning of the sing. of this word.
- ↑ sī exīre vellent, if they would please go out.
