Posterō diē via dūcēbat secundum[1] lītus maris Hadriāticī, ubi ventī recentēs vim equīs incutiēbant,[2] ac Cornēlius: “Omnia prōsperē cēdere videntur, et spērō nōs hodiē Arīminum usque prōgredī posse.”
Hōc audītō, Pūblius: “Mihi recordārī videor,” inquit, “flūmen Rubicōnem haud procul ab Arīminō in mare īnfluere.”
“Quīn etiam,” inquit pater, “ōstium flūminis quīnque ferē mīlia passuum ab oppidō abest.”
“Cūr tam multa dē flūmine Rubicōne?” inquit Sextus. “Ecquid[3] memoriā dignum ibi factum est?”
“Dignissimum vērō,” inquit pater. “Parvus scīlicet est amnis, sed ab Ītaliā reliquā dīvidēbat[4] prōvinciam ōlim Caesarī dictātōrī dēcrētam. Quārē cum ille Rubicōnem trānsībat, bellum patriae apertē īnferēbātur.”
“Cum rēs tantum in discrīmen addūcerētur,” inquit Sextus, “crēdō eum diū dubitāsse utrum trānsīret necne.”
“Rēctē dīcis,” inquit pater. “Sed Pūblius noster dē hāc rē profectō saepe lēgit, nec dubitō quīn ille libenter quaedam vōbīs nārrātūrus sit.”
“Optimē,” inquit Sextus. “Quō modō rēs ācta est, frāter?”
Tum ille: “Caesar in commentāriīs[5] suīs plūrima dīcit dē iniūriīs sibi inlātīs, et dē causīs cūr arma sūmenda essent; sed dē trānsitū[6] huius flūminis ipse nihil trādit.
