- “‘Beātus ille[1] quī procul[2] negōtiīs,
- Ut prīsca gēns mortālium,
- Paterna rūra[3] bōbus[4] exercet suīs,
- Solūtus omnī faenore.[5]
- Libet[6] iacēre modo[7] sub antīquā īlīce
- Lābuntur altīs[10] interim rīpīs aquae,
- Queruntur in silvīs avēs,
- Frondēsque[11] lymphīs obstrepunt[12] mānantibus,
- Somnōs quod[13] invītet levīs.’”
- “‘Beātus ille[1] quī procul[2] negōtiīs,
“Lepidissimī profectō sunt hī versūs,” inquit Cornēlius. “Sed umquam audīvistis quid poētae ipsī acciderit, cum adhūc parvulus in silvīs sōlus obdormīvisset?”
“Hoc ego quidem nōn audīvī,” inquit Cornēlia. “Nārrā, sīs, pater.”
“Ōlim,” inquit ille, “puerum amābilem, cum lūdō somnōque fatīgātus humī in silvīs sōpītus[14] iacēret, columbae foliīs ex arboribus dēcerptīs tēxērunt, nē quid malī eī dormientī accideret.”
“Rem quam bellam!” inquit Cornēlia. “Spērō nōs quoque columbās vīsūrōs, cum iter per eam regiōnem faciēmus.”
Sīc hōrās longās sermōnibus variīs terēbant; cumque sub noctem ab amīcō quōdam hospitiō acceptī essent, posterō diē post cēnae tempus Venusiam laetī pervēnērunt. Ubi statim sē contulērunt ad caupōnem; nam Stasimus citō equō praemissus erat quaesītum quō commodissimē dēvertere possent.
- ↑ ille, the man.
- ↑ procul: sc. ā.
- ↑ rūra, freely, acres.
- ↑ bōbus: see bōs.
- ↑ faenus, oris, n., interest, money cares.
- ↑ Libet, impers., it is pleasant.
- ↑ modo … Modo: cf. VI, 69.
- ↑ tenāx, -ācis, adj., clinging, thick, luxuriant.
- ↑ grāmen, -inis, n., grass.
- ↑ altīs: the water being low.
- ↑ frōns, frondis, f., leaf.
- ↑ obstrepō, -ere, -uī, intr., rustle over.
- ↑ quod, (in a sound) such as to; the rel. gathers up the general thought of the preceding line.
- ↑ sōpītus, -a, -um, adj., fast asleep.
