frūstrā spērāns deōs propitiōs[1] futūrōs, quōrum cultum nē mortis quidem metū dēterritus relīquisset,[2] nūllō prohibente ad suōs rediit.
“Interim enim Gallī quiētī aspiciēbant, sīve quod tantā audāciā[3] erant obstupefactī, sīve quod etiam religiōne movēbantur, cuius nē haec quidem gēns est omnīnō neglegēns, nec vērō sine causā. Nam vērē dictum est: ‘Deōrum iniūriae dīs cūrae[4] sunt.’”
“Sed nunc,” inquit Sextus, “ut ad alia veniam, iam dūdum[5] factum est, cum Pūblius nūllōs versūs suōs recitāvit. Nihilne nūper scrīpsistī, Pūblī?”
“Nihil,” inquit ille; “sed modo legēbam carmen ēgregium poētae Horātī Flaccī dē Īnsulīs Fortūnātīs, quās (ut ipse dīcit) Iuppiter gentī piae[6] sēposuit.”[7]
“Hoc audiāmus,” inquit Sextus.
“Tōtum memoriā vix teneō,” inquit ille; “sed hī sunt versūs aliquot:
- “‘Mella cavā mānant ex īlice, montibus altīs
- Levis crepante[8] lympha dēsilit pede.
- Illīc iniussae[9] veniunt ad mulctra capellae,
- Refertque tenta[10] grex amīcus[11] ūbera,
- Nec vespertīnus[12] circumgemit[13] ursus ovīle,[14]
- Neque intumēscit[15] alta vīperīs[16] humus;
↑ propitius, -a, -um, adj., well disposed, kind.
↑ relīquisset: force of neg. continues with this verb.
↑ audācia, -ae, f., boldness.
↑ dīs cūrae: double dat.
↑ iam dūdum, etc., it has been a long time that. Cf. XIII, 19.
↑ pius, -a, -um, adj., righteous.
↑ sēpōnō, -ponēre, -posuī, -positus, tr., set apart.
↑ crepō, -āre, -uī, -itum, intr., plash.
↑ iniussus, -a, -um, adj., uncalled.
↑ tentus, -a, -um, adj., distended, i.e., full.
↑ amīcus, -a, -um, adj., willing.
↑ vespertīnus, -a, -um, adj., at night.
↑ circumgemō, -gemere, tr., growl around.
↑ ovīle, -is, n., sheep-fold.
↑ intumēscō, -tumēscere, -tumuī, intr., swell, abound (in).
↑ vīpera, -ae, f., serpent.
